Local artist Liubov Szwako, better known as “Triangulador,” and University of Wisconsin-Madison graphic design lecturer Henrique Nardi were commissioned by the owner of Lauer Realty to transform the blank wall.
Author: knutson4
How Trump cuts are driving 4 major challenges at UW-Madison this year
Wisconsin’s flagship state university is under pressure on a variety of fronts this spring, making it difficult to keep up with developments in the news.
As the Trump administration reshapes the federal government and its relationship with higher education, authorities in courtrooms, the state Capitol and university administration are also tackling big decisions that could affect campus life for years to come.
What to know about Ian Vance-Curzan, lead prosecutor in Maxwell Anderson trial
Originally from Milwaukee, Vance-Curzan attended Rufus King High School, where he played baseball. University of Wisconsin Law School, class of 2015.
Country music is dominating Wisconsin’s summer concert season like never before in 2025
28: Years it’s been since Camp Randall Stadium at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has hosted a concert tour. Country superstar Morgan Wallen will end the drought June 28, then become the first artist ever to headline the stadium for two consecutive nights, with a second show on June 29.
Board needs to work with community to keep MPS Italian Immersion Program open
When I was a student at Rufus King, I took Spanish and Italian courses. Four years later, my younger brother Michael did the same. After high school, I went on to study Italian at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and studied abroad in Italy. After graduation, I used my Italian language skills and taught 4-year-old kindergarten at the Italian Immersion School during the 2008-2009 school year.
The internet is littered with advice. What’s it doing to your brain?
“Research has overwhelmingly found that advice is really beneficial, and that people tend to under-utilize advice, usually causing them to make lower quality decisions,” says Lyn van Swol, a professor of communication science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who studies advice and information-sharing in groups. The catch, she notes, is that most of that research looks at advice from one, two, or three other people, not dozens, hundreds, or thousands of strangers on TikTok: “It’s overwhelming — it’s like a fire hose of advice.”
Five years after George Floyd’s death, why misinformation still persists
“The core through-line that emerges is the kind of longstanding, deep racist narratives around Black criminality and also the ways people try to justify who is or isn’t an ‘innocent victim’,” Rachel Kuo, a University of Wisconsin-Madison professor who studies race, social movements and technology, said of the falsehoods.
Scientists have lost their jobs or grants in US cuts. Foreign universities want to hire them
Brandon Coventry never thought he would consider a scientific career outside the United States. But federal funding cuts and questions over whether new grants will materialize have left him unsure. While reluctant to leave his family and friends, he’s applied to faculty positions in Canada and France.
“I’ve never wanted to necessarily leave the United States, but this is a serious contender for me,” said Coventry, who is a postdoctoral fellow studying neural implants at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Everything you need to know about the ‘age-reversal’ supplement NAD+
According to Guarente, pellagra is characterized by what are known as the four Ds; dermatitis, diarrhea, dementia, and death. “Pellagra turned out to be a disease of NAD+ deficiency and the molecules that could prevent and/or cure it were termed vitamin B3s,” he says, which Conrad Elvehjem, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, proved in 1937.
‘It does kind of make me the breadwinner’: stay-at-home mom charges husband $2,700 a week for household labor — sparking a debate on TikTok
Of course, not every household follows the traditional gender roles. But data from the University of Wisconsin-Madison finds that women still spend twice as many hours doing physical housework as their male partners.
It doesn’t stop there. Allison Daminger, an assistant professor of sociology, found in her research that in 80% of opposite-sex couples, women shoulder most of the cognitive labor — things like managing family calendars, planning meals and checking on homework.
National Spelling Bee champions say it set them up for success: ‘You attain a level of mastery’
Joanne Lagatta arrived at the University of Wisconsin in 1995 with a flawless academic record and an achievement on her resumé that she didn’t like to talk about — but that no other undergrad on the sprawling Madison campus could claim: Scripps National Spelling Bee champion.
The bee winner in 1991 at age 13, Lagatta nonetheless struggled adjusting to life outside her rural hometown of Clintonville, Wisconsin — until she got a push from a professor who was a devoted spelling-bee fan.
Harvard revokes tenure of embattled dishonesty researcher
Harvard University has revoked the tenure of Francesca Gino, a dishonesty researcher in the business school who was accused of fabricating data, WGBH reported.
The move follows an internal investigation into allegations raised two years ago by the blog Data Colada that Gino had co-authored four academic papers that revealed “evidence of fraud.” Investigators determined that Gino had “engaged in multiple instances of research misconduct” in those papers, manipulating data to support her hypotheses, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Democratic troubles revive debate over left-wing buzzwords
Honestly, Democrats trip over themselves in an attempt to say exactly the right thing,” said Allison Prasch, who teaches rhetoric, politics and culture at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. “Republicans maybe aren’t so concerned about saying exactly the right thing, so it may appear more authentic to some voters.”
She added: “Republicans have a willingness to paint with very broad brushstrokes, where Democrats are more concerned with articulating multiple perspectives. And, because of that, they can be hampered by the words and phrases they utilize.”
The curse of Toumaï: an ancient skull, a disputed femur and a bitter feud over humanity’s origins
Macchiarelli now brokered the publication of two of them on the widely read blog of John Hawks, a University of Wisconsin-Madison professor and longtime Sahelanthropus sceptic. In principle, to print images of someone else’s unpublished fossil was a clear breach of ethics. But then, Macchiarelli, Bergeret and Hawks reasoned, after Beauvilain’s article, the femur was no longer unpublished.
A big Trump administration cutback went nearly unnoticed
Aaron Perry, a former University of Wisconsin police officer and founder of the Perry Family Free Clinic, said he saw firsthand how Black men were being left behind by the health-care system.
“I would always ask them … what could be different?” Perry said. “And that’s when they would tell me, ‘I’m homeless. I haven’t eaten. I have a heart condition. I don’t have medication.’”
5 myths about food expiration dates and best-by labels
Kathy Glass, who recently retired as associate director at the Food Research Institute at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, said she respects “use-by” dates and other storage guidance (like an ideal fridge temperature) on refrigerated products, particularly those designed to be eaten cold.
“Many manufacturers have researched spoilage versus safety to determine those dates,” she said. On those keep-cold products, she said the phrase “use by” signals “they’ve done their studies to demonstrate that if you would use it by that particular date, and you kept it at a good refrigeration temperature, it should be safe.” Food should be refrigerated between 35 and 40 degrees, she said.
An ominous green sky is often associated with severe weather, but not every storm causes the sky to change colors.
Scientists aren’t completely sure why some intense thunderstorms turn the sky green, but research meteorologist Scott Bachmeier at University of Wisconsin-Madison says it could be linked to two factors: the color of the sky late in the day and the amount of rain in the storm.
‘It’s finally over:’ Brittany Zimmermann’s mom reflects on the death of her daughter’s killer
The man charged with the death of a University of Wisconsin-Madison student died in prison Tuesday.
Wisconsin’s Northland College is set to hold its final commencement address Saturday
Saturday marks the final commencement ceremony for students at Northland College — a private, liberal arts institution on the shore of Lake Superior that’s set to close after 133 years.
Split Supreme Court blocks Oklahoma’s Catholic charter school − but future cases could hinge on whether charters are, at their core, public or private
Co-authored by
Susan S. Engeleiter Professor of Education Law, Policy and Practice at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.Wisconsin higher education leaders speak out after House advances cuts to federal student aid
Leaders of Wisconsin colleges and universities are speaking out against pending cuts to federal financial aid after they cleared a major legislative hurdle.
Universities of Wisconsin campuses would have to provide virtual mental health services under new proposal
The Universities of Wisconsin system would have to provide students with around-the-clock access to virtual mental health providers under a new Republican proposal.
Innovative Artists Entertainment ups four to agent
Also recently serving as a coordinator, Jankovich began his career as an assistant to Brian Davidson and later Gary Gersh. He’s a graduate of the University of Wisconsin—Madison.
Special contact lenses let you see infrared light – even in the dark
“It’s an audacious paper but, using just the contact lens, you wouldn’t be able to read a book in the infrared, or navigate down a dark road,” says Mikhail Kats at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who was not involved in the research.
Michael Ledeen, Reagan adviser in early Iran-contra outreach, dies at 83
He received a bachelor’s degree in history in 1962 from Pomona College in Claremont, California. He earned a doctorate in history and philosophy from the University of Wisconsin in 1969 while he was an assistant professor of history at Washington University in St. Louis.
This simple diet change can add decades to life expectancy, study finds
“Different components of your diet have value and impact beyond their function as a calorie,” said Dudley Lamming, a metabolism expert from the University of Wisconsin who is involved in both studies. “We’ve been digging in on one component that many people may be eating too much of.”
These world leaders went to Harvard before Trump’s foreign student ban
Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who won his mandate to lead the city-state with the ruling People’s Action Party earlier this month, received a master’s in public administration from the Harvard Kennedy School in 2004. He also earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Michigan, respectively.
Environment 4 hours ago The Paris Agreement Target for Warming Still Won’t Protect Polar Ice Sheets
“Coastal communities that are adapting to and preparing for future sea-level rise are largely adapting to the amount of sea-level rise that has already occurred,” said co-author Andrea Dutton, a geoscientist and sea level expert at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. In a best-case scenario, she added, they are preparing for sea level rise at the current rate of a few millimeters per year, while the research suggests that rate will double within decades.
Wisconsin college leaders warn potential cuts to federal financial aid would hurt students
Wisconsin college leaders say potential changes to federal financial aid would put higher education out of reach to more students and make college more expensive.
UW-Platteville shooting puts gun policies back in the spotlight
The May 19 shootings that killed two University of Wisconsin-Platteville students put campus gun policies back in the spotlight about a decade after lawmakers considered a bill loosening restrictions.
Midges, ticks and other bugs; the value of wetlands
We get an insect update from UW-Madison entomologist PJ Liesch. Then we talk about the benefits of wetlands and efforts to protect them.
Analysis finds summers are heating up nationwide, including in Wisconsin
The analysis is largely in line with the findings of Wisconsin’s Initiative on Climate Change Impacts, according to Jonathan Patz, a professor in the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and Population Health Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
“We’re seeing more nighttime warming than daytime warming, which is a problem for health,” Patz said. “Because if you don’t have cooling temperatures in the nighttime, it’s more dangerous, and there are more people at risk from heat waves.”
UW-Madison computer science prepares to relocate, meet ‘AI moment’
When he looks at Morgridge Hall, though, he’s filled with excitement. The newly built facility will soon house UW-Madison’s School of Computer, Data & Information Sciences, or CDIS.
Arpaci-Dusseau recently took over as director of the rapidly growing school. Enrollment nearly doubled from the 2018-19 academic year to about 6,200 students in 2024-2025. The school also houses the university’s two largest majors: computer sciences, followed by data science.
NFL, Olympics, colleges and Wisconsin high schools all play a role in a sport’s explosion
Whereas about 5% of University of Wisconsin students play intercollegiate sports, at both Lakeland and Marian that number is more than 50%.
51 new books for summer reading in 2025
“Saving Hearts and Killing Rats: Karl Paul Link and the Discovery of Warfarin” (HenschelHAUS Publishing), by Doug Moe. University of Wisconsin-Madison biochemist led the team that transformed spoiled sweet clover hay into both lifesaving medication and deadly rat poison. In his spare time, this man with strong opinions liked to spar with authority and rivals.
Lawmakers unveil bold plan to build game-changing energy device in unexpected location: ‘An incredible opportunity for the future’
A group of researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison has been working with local Realta Fusion to make fusion energy a reality, but they’re not the only ones, according to a report by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Three of the 45 companies working on fusion are already based in Wisconsin, and new bills supporting the advancement of this promising clean energy technology could draw even more to the area.
Erika Meitner reads Philip Levine with Kevin Young
Erika Meitner joins Kevin Young to read “What Work Is,” by Philip Levine, and her own poem “To Gather Together.” Meitner’s books include “Useful Junk” and “Holy Moly Carry Me,” which won the 2018 National Jewish Book Award in Poetry. She is currently a Mandel Institute Cultural Leadership Program Fellow, and she’s the director of the M.F.A. program in creative writing at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Badgers shift date for 2026 game against Notre Dame at Lambeau Field
Wisconsin football’s matchup against Notre Dame, originally scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, will now be played on Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026, the two programs announced Wednesday
Where does Wisconsin’s ‘Jump Around’ rank among top college football gameday traditions?
n 247Sports’ latest ranking of college football’s top 10 gameday traditions, the Badgers’ famous “Jump Around” landed at No. 2, falling behind only Virginia Tech’s “Enter Sandman” entrance theme. Past that top duo, Chief Osceola’s spear plant at Florida State secured the No. 3 spot, Ohio State’s “dotting the ‘I'” secured the No. 4 position and Auburn’s practice of rolling the oak trees at Toomer’s Corner took the No. 5 ranking.
UW-Platteville deaths being investigated as murder-suicide
The residence hall deaths of two UW-Platteville students are being investigated as a murder-suicide, according to an update from campus police.
Officers were dispatched to a disturbance in Wilgus Hall, a student housing building, on Monday, where they found two people injured by gunfire.
Badger sports prepare for new era of paid college athletes
Chris McIntosh, UW-Madison’s athletics director, has called revenue-sharing with the students long overdue. But the settlement would mark another seismic shift in college sports, said Matt Banker, who runs MB Sports Consulting, is a senior adviser to CCHA Sports Law, and teaches an NIL workshop at Marquette University Law School.
UW-Platteville deaths being investigated as murder-suicide
The two deaths at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville are being investigated as a murder-suicide, campus officials said.
University police responded to Wilgus Hall, a student residence hall, Monday afternoon for reports of a disturbance.
Here’s what we know, and don’t know, about the shootings at UW-Platteville that left 2 students dead
Two University of Wisconsin-Platteville female students died May 19 of gunshot wounds, the university announced May 20.
The university announced May 20 that Kelsie Martin, of Beloit, died from a gunshot wound, and Hallie Helms, of Baraboo, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at Wilgus Hall, a dormitory.
Community still processing UW-Platteville shooting that left two students dead
More details are emerging about a shooting at UW-Platteville Monday which left two students dead. In a statement released Tuesday, the university said the UW-Platteville Police Department had responded to a call at Wilgus Hall, a student residence hall, for a “disturbance.” When officers arrived, they found two individuals with gunshot wounds.
Earth may already be too hot for the survival of polar ice sheets, study says
“Every fraction of a degree matters,” said Andrea Dutton, a research professor at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, who was a co-author of the study. “We can’t just adapt to this type of sea-level rise. We can’t just engineer our way out of this.”
Everything you need to know about bird flu
A dangerous bird flu, in other words, was suddenly circulating in mammals — mammals with which people have ongoing, extensive contact. “Holy cow,” says Thomas Friedrich, a virologist at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. “This is how pandemics start.”
Expert: Cellcom outage highlights infrastructure issues in rural areas
A University of Wisconsin–Madison professor says the recent Cellcom outage may be exposing a larger problem: insufficient investment in communication infrastructure, particularly in rural regions.
Professor Parmesh Ramanathan, who teaches electrical and computer engineering, says many networks lack backup systems to keep services running when critical lines go down.
Wisconsin speech and hearing clinic helps transgender clients find their voice
At a time when gender-affirming care in Wisconsin is under fire, providers at a speech clinic are helping transgender clients find their voice.
“Our voice is [an] external representation of us,” Maia Braden, a speech-language pathologist at the UW Speech and Hearing Clinic told WPR’s “Wisconsin Today.” “Anytime our voice doesn’t match who we feel we are, it can be extremely distressing.”
Another reason not to sit too long, and the benefits of massage therapy
We know sitting for long periods of time can result in back pain. A recent study has also confirmed that sedentary behavior, such as time spent scrolling on smartphones, causes neck pain, too. Physical therapists Lori Thein Brody and Jill Thein-Nissenbaum explain how to avoid this outcome.
Survey finds Wisconsin farmers value sustainable practices
A recent survey of Wisconsin’s farmers found that 56 percent of them believe climate change is happening. Another 26 percent think it isn’t happening, and 18 percent are unsure.
Michael Bell, the University of Wisconsin-Madison professor who helped conduct the study, said attitudes and behaviors don’t always match up. Bell found encouragement in how the farmers are acting, not their beliefs. The same survey asked farmers if they are practicing any of 15 different sustainable agricultural practices.
UW-Platteville students return to Wilgus Hall dorm after emergency incident
After an emergency incident at Wilgus Hall dormitory at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville that prompted a shelter-in-place order, people attend a church service at Rolling Hills Church, May 19, 2025 in Platteville, Wisconsin.
Reagan admin official who helped America defeat communism dead at age 83
Ledeen was born in Los Angeles in 1941 and authored numerous books on national security, including “Perilous Statecraft: An Insider’s Account of the Iran-Contra Affair.” He earned a Ph.D. in history and philosophy from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. His academic advisor at Wisconsin was the prominent historian George Mosse, who fled Nazi Germany because of antisemitism.
Two UW-Platteville female students, both 22, die in ‘targeted and isolated’ dorm incident
Two University of Wisconsin-Platteville students died in a residence hall incident that a school email describes as a “targeted and isolated” incident on May 19.
Sea level rise will cause ‘catastrophic inland migration’, scientists warn
Professor Andrea Dutton of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who was part of the study team, said: “Evidence recovered from past warm periods suggests that several metres of sea level rise – or more – can be expected when global mean temperature reaches 1.5C or higher.”
Education Politics & Government Work & the Economy Child care providers to reopen centers, urge communities to join call for funding
A statewide survey conducted by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Institute for Research on Poverty found that 25% of providers said they might close if the revenue isn’t replaced.
Meet Kayla Dembiec, the newest ‘Badger Beat’ reporter
Meet Kayla Dembiec, a rising junior from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Kayla joins the News 3 Now team as the newest “Badger Beat” reporter.
Wisconsin commemorates 50th anniversary of Hmong resettlement
Mai See Thao, a professor of anthropology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, told WPR’s “Wisconsin Today” that these resolutions are “long overdue.”
“Recognizing Hmong-Lao veterans is really important because they have never received the kinds of recognition that they’ve needed, given the fact that they supported the U.S. as proxy soldiers,” she said.
Families in a media age
Preschoolers often miss the lessons we think they learn from watching Clifford, Sesame Street, and other educational programs, while teens may use TV sitcoms to broach difficult topics with their parents. Includes interview with Marie-Louise Mares, a professor of communication science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Funding for Wisconsin’s public higher education system drops to 6th worst in US
Wisconsin’s four-year university system receives less state funding and tuition than nearly every state in the nation, according to the latest study of higher education funding.
The Universities of Wisconsin ranked 44th out of 50 states in public funding in 2024 — a drop of one spot from 2023.
Why Madison got so many midges this spring
“You’re going to have a lot of spider webs on your house, and they’re going to be absolutely filled with midges,” said Jake Vander Zanden, who leads the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Center for Limnology.