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Author: Nathan Steagall

Wisconsin lies in the path of nuclear fallout, UW-Madison researcher’s modeling shows

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WPR

Wisconsin may not be the economic, political or military center of the United States. But the state would not escape the devastation of nuclear war, according to a University of Wisconsin-Madison researcher who is modeling the effects of nuclear conflicts.

On Feb. 5, the last formal nuclear weapons treaty between the U.S. and Russia expired. And Wisconsin is in the path of potential nuclear fallout from more than 400 nuclear missile silos in North Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado and Montana. That’s according to Sébastien Philippe, assistant professor in the Department of Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics at UW-Madison.

Sustainability hiring initiative announces new lead, headquarters

Posted on
The Daily Cardinal

The University of Wisconsin-Madison’s sustainability-focused hiring and research initiative will have a new home at the Wisconsin Energy Institute led by professor of plant and agroecosystem sciences Chris Kucharik.

The RISE-EARTH initiative is one of several hiring and research priorities from campus administration across disciplines like artificial intelligence and human health.

Former Badgers basketball star Davison sees the game through new eyes

Posted on
The Cap Times

After a self-scout on the preparation of scouting reports and how they’re communicated, University of Wisconsin basketball coach Greg Gard opted for change.

“We changed some things early in the year in terms of the process,” Gard explained, “and tried to streamline the whole process a little bit better.”

Why UW-Madison interim provost believes he’s the right one for the permanent job

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Wisconsin State Journal

UW-Madison’s Interim Provost John Zumbrunnen saw a room of familiar faces Tuesday during his presentation to faculty and the campus community explaining why he should be in the role permanently.

Zumbrunnen is one of three finalists in the university’s search for the next provost and vice chancellor of academic affairs. Finalists are doing in-person visits to campus this week as UW-Madison seeks a replacement for Charles Isbell Jr., who was named chancellor at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign in 2025.

Governor gets firsthand look at future of nuclear energy at UW–Madison

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Wisconsin State Journal

The visit follows a partnership announcement between the Public Service Commission and UW’s Department of Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics to study nuclear energy opportunities in the state.

Inside the University of Wisconsin Nuclear Reactor Tuesday morning, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers peered over the shoulders of student operator Nick Tierney, a senior majoring in nuclear engineering, to eye the array of instrumentation on the reactor control panel, then climbed the stairs to look down into the reactor’s cooling pool.

Longtime CEO of Morgridge Institute for Research at UW-Madison to retire

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Wisconsin State Journal

The Morgridge Institute for Research’s leader, Brad Schwartz, is retiring after more than a decade, the UW-Madison-based nonprofit announced Tuesday.

The Morgridge Institute is a private biomedical research hub housed in the taxpayer-supported Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery.

While serving as CEO for 13 years, Schwartz expanded its research footprint in partnership with UW-Madison and recruited top scientists.

UW La Follette School to move into Music Hall, renamed to Herb Kohl Hall

Posted on
The Badger Herald

The University of Wisconsin La Follette School of Public Affairs is set to move into the historic UW Music Hall, set to be renamed Herb Kohl Hall in honor of the late Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wis., according to UW News.

According to UW News, Herb Kohl Hall is expected to open in 2029 and will represent Kohl’s legacy and honor the contributions he has made to the La Follette School and his commitment to furthering education.

Artists vie for major public art commission near UW-Madison campus

Posted on
The Cap Times

The inspiration for one of four new public art proposals on the edge of the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus came from a 6-year-old boy named Luke.

“We go birding when we’re in Madison,” said artist Jason Klimoski, who with his wife, Lesley Chang, founded the architecture firm StudioKCA. “When we go to the Arboretum or Vilas Park, robins make that ‘cheerio’ sound: ‘Cheerio, cheerio, cheerio.'”

For first time in decades, UW changes rules for campaigning in dorms

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The Cap Times

Wisconsin’s state universities are set to have new policies on campaigning in residence halls for the first time in nearly 40 years.

The Board of Regents, which oversees the Universities of Wisconsin system, last reviewed and approved the schools’ policies in 1988, when Ronald Reagan was president, floppy disks were popular and the movie “Die Hard” was released in theaters.

Ignite Wisconsin grant works to jumpstart Wisconsin’s lead in fusion energy

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ABC 27

Ignite Wisconsin’s grant of nearly $800K to the Wisconsin Fusion Energy Coalition will help push Wisconsin as a national hub for fusion energy.

Gov. Tony Evers, along with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), announced Thursday that the coalition, led by 5 Lakes Institute and UW-Madison’s fusion research work, will “accelerate startup formation, supply chain development, and community outreach in a sector projected to reach nearly $3 trillion by 2080.”

UW Health emergency department gets own address

Posted on
NBC 15

The BerbeeWalsh Emergency Department at University Hospital will now have its own dedicated address, UW Health announced on Thursday.

The emergency department’s new address is 1565 Highland Ave., in Madison.

UW Health explained the emergency department had shared the previous same address as the hospital’s main entrance.

The new address allows for patients and families to get to the department quicker.

Phish, Shinedown coming to Kohl Center this year

Posted on
Channel 3000

It’s gearing up to be an action-packed summer at the Kohl Center.

UW Athletics and FPC Live announced this week that Shinedown and Phish will perform at the venue later this year. Shinedown is coming to town on May 16 while Phish will have shows on July 7 and 8.

Tickets for Shinedown will go on sale on Friday and tickets for Phish go on sale Feb. 27.

Details released of UW student accused of recording others in bathroom

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ABC 27

The UW-Madison student who was arrested after recording other students in a residence hall bathroom is charged with three counts of capturing an intimate representation without consent and three counts of disorderly conduct.

Braden Berndt, 19, was arrested after being caught dropping a blue iPhone between two bathroom stalls with the lens face up multiple times to other students, according to the criminal complaint.

International teaching assistants raise concerns over required fluency test

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The Daily Cardinal

The University of Wisconsin-Madison has required international students with partial or full teaching assistant appointments to prove their English fluency for decades, but now, amid heightened federal funding uncertainty, some international graduate students say departments are using the test to force them out.

Consequences for failing the language test differ by department and year, and this year, some students say those consequences have become increasingly punitive.

UW master’s programs in education, engineering programs ranked among best in nation

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The Badger Herald

University of Wisconsin online master’s in Education and Engineering were ranked 8th and 11th best in the U.S., according to U.S News and World Report rankings.

The UW education program’s No.8 national ranking makes it the highest-ranked program in the Midwest. UW also ranked well in specific online master’s degree programs, including holding the No. 2 in Educational Administration and Supervision.

Polzin: NIL bill requires scrutiny from lawmakers before Wisconsin taxpayers are asked to pay

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Wisconsin State Journal

Taxpayers, the University of Wisconsin is desperate for your help. Athletic director Chris McIntosh made that perfectly clear last week while backing a bill that is making its way through the state Assembly.

How exactly will the $14.6 million McIntosh wants annually from the state — no, he needs from the state — be put to use as part of Assembly Bill 1034? Silly people of Wisconsin, that’s not for you to know.

Wisconsin and UW-Madison partner to study future of nuclear energy

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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

State utility regulators and the University of Wisconsin-Madison are partnering to explore potential nuclear energy projects in Wisconsin.

UW-Madison and the Public Service Commission will conduct a siting study to evaluate the suitability of various sites and the impact of projects on local economies. The study will also look at different reactor technologies, including both traditional nuclear power, advanced small modular reactors and fusion energy.

UW-Madison makes Time Magazine’s list of World’s Top Universities

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NBC 15

UW-Madison took second place among public universities on Time Magazine’s list of World’s Top Universities, UW officials said Tuesday.

The school took spot #20 for the overall worldwide list.

The rankings, generated by Statista, focused on academic capacity and performance, innovation and economic impact, and global engagement.

“UW–Madison’s value lies not just in our direct teaching and research, but also in the impact our graduates have when they go out into the world and our contributions in advancing knowledge across the globe,” says UW interim Provost John Zumbrunnen. “It’s encouraging to see this value acknowledged in the Time rankings.”

Minnesotan Badgers grieve for their home state amid increased ICE activity

Posted on
The Daily Cardinal

University of Wisconsin-Madison community members from Minnesota say the recent escalation of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Minneapolis has left them feeling frightened, angry and helpless — while also prompting renewed conversations about community, resistance and collective action.

Many Badgers come from Minnesota due to an in-state tuition reciprocity agreement, with about 10%of the UW-Madison undergraduate population calling Minnesota home.

UW-Madison dean named interim chancellor to succeed Jennifer Mnookin

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Wisconsin State Journal

The Universities of Wisconsin has named a temporary successor for UW-Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin.

College of Letters and Science Dean Eric Wilcots will serve as interim chancellor starting May 17 as Mnookin begins her departure to lead Columbia University, UW system President Jay Rothman announced Wednesday.  

Going to the Kohl Center Friday? Watch out for flying bratwursts

Posted on
Wisconsin State Journal

Thomas Aponte grew up in Connecticut, where people eat hot dogs more than bratwursts, but he’s learned to enjoy a good brat.

As a marketing intern for Wisconsin Athletics, the UW-Madison sophomore also has been enjoying his new role: running the Brat Blaster, which joined the T-shirt cannon this season in flinging projectiles into the stands during Badgers basketball games at the Kohl Center.

Man accused of making threats during altercation Downtown while armed with gun

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Wisconsin State Journal

A man was arrested after making threats while armed with a gun during an altercation Downtown on Tuesday afternoon, Madison police reported.

At about 1:55 p.m., UW-Madison police were sent to the intersection of West Johnson Street and East Campus Mall after reports of a person threatening another person near a bus stop and arrested a 46-year-old Madison man, police spokesperson Marc Lovicott said in a statement.

UW-Madison tallies $27 million in federal research cuts under Trump

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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The University of Wisconsin-Madison has lost at least $27 million in federal research money since President Donald Trump upended the funding landscape in academia.

It’s the first time the state flagship has put a price tag on its losses since the Trump administration began cutting existing projects, delaying grant reviews and reducing the number of new projects getting funding.

A $10,000 bill? Consider rising vet costs before adopting a dog

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Wisconsin State Journal

Many Americans struggle to pay for health care for themselves and their families, even if they have insurance coverage.

Some very big bills also arise when the furriest members of their households get sick or just need an annual checkup: their dogs. Americans spend an average of about $1,700 annually on their dogs’ food and care, including $580 for veterinary bills.

Here is Bad Bunny’s connection to UW-Madison

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Wisconsin State Journal

Bad Bunny will perform Sunday night in the Super Bowl halftime show.

The Puerto Rican artist’s winning album, “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS,” has strong ties to UW-Madison, featuring contributions from a professor.

The Wisconsin State Journal spoke with professor and historian of Puerto Rico Jorell Meléndez-Badillo in October, who called the selection of Bad Bunny to headline the Super Bowl LX halftime show a “victory” for Puerto Rico.

UW Madison Habitat for Humanity holds 30th annual Souper Bowl fundraiser

Posted on
Channel 3000

The University of Wisconsin-Madison Habitat for Humanity organization celebrated a milestone on Saturday with its 30th annual Souper Bowl fundraiser, bringing together community members and students for a family-friendly tradition that supports affordable housing in Dane County.

The event, held at Madison West High School, offered attendees the opportunity to purchase tickets and choose from more than 100 handmade ceramic bowls to fill with soup and take home as keepsakes.

UW student builds impressive igloo on Lake Mendota with hand-cut ice blocks

Posted on
ABC 27

University of Wisconsin student Henry Fries has built an igloo on Lake Mendota using hand-cut ice blocks.

Fries, an igloo builder and architect, drew inspiration from his childhood.

“I kind of started out with ice force and steel force as a kid, and really enjoyed it, but came to university here at UW and there has been a lot of snow, so I ended up getting an ice off for Christmas, and I on a win said, You know what? Go cut some ice and build an igloo,” Fries said.

UW–Madison’s Winter Carnival thrills crowds with student-led fun

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ABC 27

The University of Wisconsin–Madison recently held its Winter Carnival on Saturday, a cherished campus tradition organized by Hoofer clubs.

The event featured Rail Jam, a freestyle skiing and snowboarding competition that attracted large crowds of competitors and spectators. Dave Elsmo, director for Outdoor UW, highlighted the event’s deep roots and organization.

How to Improve Your Vocabulary as an Adult

Posted on
The New York Times

Almost every day for the last 24 years, my father and I have traded emails about Dictionary.com’s Word of the Day. We started the tradition when I was in fifth grade and he was 38, just a few years older than I am now. The rules are simple: Once we review the chosen word and its example sentences, whoever reads the email first forwards it to the other, including a short sentence typed up to put the day’s special word to use.

Infleqtion And University Of Wisconsin–Madison Show Faster, More Reliable Qubit Readout

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The Quantum Insider

Infleqtion, a global leader in quantum sensing and quantum computing, announced research results from a collaboration with the University of Wisconsin–Madison that demonstrate a more reliable way to measure individual quantum bits, or qubits, without interrupting ongoing circuits. The work addresses one of the central challenges in quantum computing by enabling faster computation cycles while preserving fragile quantum states.

UW-Madison professors increasingly integrating AI despite lingering concerns

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The Daily Cardinal

As students return to campus this semester, professors are once again evaluating how artificial intelligence can, and cannot, be a tool for learning in their classrooms.

Despite concerns about generative AI impeding learning, some professors at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are choosing to address and even integrate AI into their course syllabi.

UW System president says AI can help move Wisconsin forward

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WPR

Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman says artificial intelligence is no longer an abstract idea, but is now transforming how the state’s public universities operate.

Rothman penned an op-ed on the future of AI and higher education Monday ahead of the Thursday Board of Regents meeting where he said there will be a “robust discussion” on the topic.

Their goal is gold: Madison sends 7 athletes to compete in Milan

Posted on
The Cap Times

The University of Wisconsin-Madison will send five current players from the women’s hockey team and seven past players, the most the school has ever sent to a single Olympics (UW-Madison sent 11 players to the 2022 Games in Beijing). Four of the current players will suit up for Team USA; one, freshman Adéla Šapovalivová, will play for Team Czechia.

Public Health identifies 2 more measles exposure locations in Madison

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Wisconsin state Journal

Two locations have been added to the list of possible exposure to measles in Madison, Public Health Madison & Dane County announced Tuesday, after the county recorded its first measles case of 2026 Monday.

A UW-Madison student living in an off-campus apartment tested positive for measles, the university said Monday, and 4,000 people who may have been exposed have already been notified.

Tariffs, inflation have hiked cost of Lakeshore visitor center by $4.7 million, UW-Madison says

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Wisconsin State Journal

UW-Madison is seeking approval to increase the budget for its Lakeshore Nature Preserve visitor and research facility by $4.7 million, citing setbacks from higher tariffs and inflation on building materials.

The UW Board of Regents on Friday will consider raising the budget for the Frautschi Center, named after the late UW-Madison alumnus and Madison philanthropist W. Jerome Frautschi, who died Jan. 10.

 

Conservative students call for investigation into UW-Madison race-based scholarships

Posted on
Channel 3000

Nonprofit conservative law firm Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty (WILL) filed a federal complaint against UW-Madison for what it claims are race-based scholarships.

The organization filed the complaint with the U.S. Department of Education under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, claiming UW-Madison operates 22 race-based scholarships for the 2025-2026 academic year that exclude students based on their racial background according to claims by the organization.

Madison families with transgender kids scramble after hospitals halt gender-affirming care

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Wisconsin State Journal

Parents of transgender children in the Madison region are scrambling for alternatives after two of Wisconsin’s largest pediatric hospitals halted gender-affirming care for minors, leaving scarce options in the state.

Madison-based UW Health and Children’s Wisconsin in Milwaukee confirmed this week that they are pausing gender-affirming care for those under 18 years old. The health systems’ decisions follow pressure from U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s announcement on Dec. 18 of new rules and a warning that the federal government could pull funding from hospitals if they offered gender-affirming care to minors.

‘The game’s changed’: How Wisconsin football’s strength program is evolving

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Wisconsin State Journal

Brady Collins was on camera next to University of Wisconsin football coach Luke Fickell late in a number of Badgers broadcasts this season.

Collins, the program’s director of strength and conditioning, is one of Fickell’s close friends whose positivity has helped stabilize emotions and the Badgers’ struggles. While Collins tried to keep Fickell’s and players’ eyes looking forward to success around the corner, his mind raced regarding what he and the strength staff could do better.

Conservative student group files federal civil rights complaint against UW-Madison

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Wisconsin State Journal

A national conservative student group has filed a civil rights complaint against UW-Madison, asking the U.S. Department of Education to investigate the university’s use of race-based scholarships.

The Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty, on behalf of its client Young America’s Foundation, filed the complaint on Monday with the U.S. Office for Civil Rights, alleging UW-Madison is offering at least 22 illegal race-based scholarships during the current school year.

Who was Amelia Frank, forgotten UW contributor to Nobel Prize winner?

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Wisconsin State Journal

John H. Van Vleck, who grew up in Madison and attended and taught physics at the University of Wisconsin, won the Nobel Prize in 1977 for his work on magnetism. In his Nobel lecture, amid a discussion of rare earth elements, one sentence leaps out:

“Miss Frank and I made the relevant calculations.”

Who was Miss Frank? Van Vleck credits her with key work on the quantum mechanics of magnetism, but she is almost absent from the history books.

UW-Madison researchers using fruit flies to find potential treatment for incurable cancer

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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers have unlocked a potential new treatment to target an incurable form of childhood cancer with the help of a fast-producing pest known for swarming kitchen produce.

Professors Melissa Harrison and Peter Lewis used fruit flies to to study how cellular pathways are misregulated by a cancer-causing mutant protein. The pesky bugs were perfect lab subjects for the project because two-thirds of the cancer-causing genes in humans are shared by fruit flies.

Badger who made ‘The Shot’ writes about rising from tough times

Posted on
Cap Times

In the heart of Milwaukee’s North Side, Stark Park thrummed like a drumbeat at the center of the neighborhood, wrote Freddie Owens, the former University of Wisconsin basketball player turned author.

It was the early 1990s and the neighborhood bore the bruises of a city wrestling with the crack epidemic, poverty and crime, he opined in his book, “Echoes of Stark Park.”

UW Health dietitian advises more fiber, fewer restrictions in 2026

Posted on
ABC 27

As the new year approaches, a survey from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine shows that half of American adults plan to start new diets. Dietitians, however, caution against extreme restrictions and unrealistic goals.

Registered dietitian Brianne Thorton of UW Health said, “Dieting has not changed much. It just looks different with a different name on top.”

Asthma puts too many kids in ER. Study explores tie to climate change.

Posted on
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Better bike lanes, electric buses and more charging stations for electric cars – these are all ways cities can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change.

But for those who think curbing the planet’s warming is a lofty goal, two Wisconsin researchers are trying to show how these actions can improve human health – and perhaps prevent Milwaukee residents from scoring worst in the nation in one key measure.

How acting classes help UW-Madison med students relate to patients

Posted on
Cap Times

Gabby Mullally, a fourth-year medical student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is applying for residencies and plans to specialize in anesthesiology. She knows she would be working with patients during times of heightened anxiety, namely right before someone undergoes surgery.

That’s why she took an improv theater class this past semester.

10 Universities of Wisconsin research projects notable in 2025, from AI to zebrafish

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Wisconsin State Journal

As uncertainty around federal funding for researchers at the Universities of Wisconsin is expected to continue into the new year, their new discoveries will, too.

From a new eco-friendly way to create plastic to meeting the person behind the state’s insect research, the findings across the UW system didn’t slow down in 2025.

Not in a sustainable place’: Wisconsin coach Greg Gard calls for better NIL leadership

Posted on
Wisconsin State Journal

It’s a coincidence that the University of Wisconsin men’s basketball team was preparing for a game against No. 5 Purdue on Saturday at the Kohl Center as coach Greg Gard was posed with a question about … well, a host of happenings in the “wild, wild world” of major college basketball — G League players and former NBA draft picks gaining NCAA eligibility, and programs making midseason additions that will play in the spring semester.

Remembering Tom Mulhern — and the legacy he left behind

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Wisconsin State Journal

Dear Tom,

It’s hard to believe it’s been more than 11 years since we lost you. A lot’s happened since then, and now seemed like a good time to bring you up to speed.

You never even found out that you were voted the Sportswriter of the Year in Wisconsin for the third time in your career. There it is on the National Sports Media Association’s website: 2014 — Tom Mulhern, Wisconsin State Journal, Madison. Page down and you can see your name in 2005 and 2010, too.