McDonald retires this month after 35 years at the University of Wisconsin-Madison as one of the nation’s foremost scholars on Imperial Russia before the 1917 Russian Revolution.
Category: UW-Madison Related
Lights, Cameras and Homes for Veterans
Through his rehabilitation, Capt. Church graduated from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, and he later earned a law degree from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. He and Bella applied for and were granted a home from the foundation.
Midwest Capital City Madison, Wisconsin Is Quirkier Than You Think
Mad City or Madtown might appear to be just plays on its name, but it also says something about its quirkiness. This is a town, after all, that has a National Mustard Museum and named the plastic pink flamingo as its city bird. The latter happened after the University of Wisconsin’s quad was plastered with a thousand plastic pink lawn flamingos overnight in 1979. That flamingo-bombing became an annual tradition and the city’s official bird.
What’s Next after Creating a Cancer-Prevention Vaccine?
I see you studied molecular biology as an undergrad at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Did you always want to work on vaccines?
-No, absolutely not. When I first started out I was an academic purist and thought you should study knowledge for its own sake. I was fascinated by molecular biology.
Wisconsin’s real-life ‘Barbenheimer’
Miss America 2023 talks about her experiences in pageantry and nuclear engineering studies at UW-Madison relate to the cinematic phenomena that fans are calling “Barbenheimer.”
Mallards, Wisconsin Alumni Association announce ‘On Wisconsin Night’ at Warner Park
The Madison Mallards and the Wisconsin Alumni Association are teaming up to bring “On Wisconsin Night” to the Duck Pond on Aug. 10. The first 1,000 fans through the gates at Warner Park will get a reversible hat with the Mallards and UW-Madison logos. In addition to the giveaway, there will also be appearances from Bucky Badger, the UW Spirit Squad and the UW Marching Band.
Native American students, educators have high hopes for bill mandating their history be taught in Illinois schools
Noted: It also educates people and prevents schools from making mistakes like one experienced last year by Bang’s son, who was stopped from walking in his Evanston Township High School graduation ceremony because of what he was wearing. Miskobinis, who is now a freshman at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, said the day after the graduation ceremony, the school’s dean and dean of students hand-delivered his diploma and apologized for what had happened.
A certain danger lurks there’: how the inventor of the first chatbot turned against AI
Noted: Protesters frequently targeted information technology, not only because of its role in the Vietnam war but also due to its association with the imprisoning forces of capitalism. In 1970, activists at the University of Wisconsin destroyed a mainframe during a building occupation; the same year, protesters almost blew one up with napalm at New York University.
Wait, Barbie is from … Wisconsin?
The Wisconsin Historical Society in Madison has a Barbie collection dating back to 1961. That’s two years after she originally debuted in the same iconic black-and-white-striped bathing suit. The museum also has a Barbie dressed in a University of Wisconsin-Madison cheerleader uniform.
UW-Madison grad and midfielder Rose Lavelle makes her second Women’s World Cup appearance
The U.S. Women’s National Soccer team is poised to make history in Australia and New Zealand with a chance to win the FIFA World Cup for a third time in a row. And Wisconsin businesses are taking advantage of the hype.
A UW-Madison professor predicted the strength of concrete 90 years ago. Turns out he was right.
While today’s researchers are surprised, former faculty member and eventual dean of UW-Madison’s School of Engineering Morton O. Withey, wouldn’t be. The results being found are in tandem with the predictions he calculated by hand 90 years ago.
Only 26 Black Women Have Ever Become Astrophysicists in the U.S. Here’s One’s Story
UW–Madison alum Aomawa Shields recounts her alternative career path in a new memoir about life, space and motherhood.
American poverty can be abolished, Pulitzer winner Matthew Desmond argues in new book
After netting a Pulitzer Prize in general nonfiction for writing a book about evictions in Milwaukee, Princeton University sociologist Matthew Desmond sought to tackle a broader lens: Why is there so much poverty in a nation as wealthy as the United States?
In his new book releasesd this year, “Poverty, by America,” the University of Wisconsin-Madison alum argues one underlying reason for poverty is that many Americans benefit from it.
What to know about Rose Lavelle, University of Wisconsin alumna in World Cup for USWNT
Rose Lavelle, a star for the U.S. in the last World Cup four years ago, will be once again in the mix. The Cincinnati native played college soccer at the University of Wisconsin.
St. Mary’s Hospital launches program to give food to new moms who need it
UW Health started screening ER and hospitalized patients for food insecurity in 2017, and screens children at clinic visits, spokesperson Emily Greendonner said. Patients needing food get food packages at discharge.
One in 12 Wisconsin families can’t afford the food they need, according to data before the COVID-19 pandemic, said the Wisconsin Food Security Project at UW-Madison. Food insecurity can contribute to chronic disease and poor mental health, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Rare, stinky corpse flower on the verge of blooming at Milwaukee’s Mitchell Park Domes
Noted: Amorphophallus titanum, the flower’s official name, is native to the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The Domes received a gift of a dormant corm — similar to a bulb or tuber — about 15 years ago from the University of Wisconsin and have since grown 10 corpse flower corms from the original.
With ‘Top Chef’ coming, these are some of Wisconsin’s most iconic reality TV moments
Speaking of food, a pair of University of Wisconsin food science graduate students won “The Amazing Race 25,” winning the globetrotting contest that featured 11 teams.
Miss America makes her Barbenheimer pitch
Grace Stanke, who studied nuclear engineering at UW-Madison, tweeted Thursday morning that she’s looking for a “crossover feature,” considering her unique background.
People of UW: District 8 Alder and UW student MGR Govindarajan shares importance of getting involved
Editor’s note: People of UW is a human interest series produced by features editors and associates. The series — published online and on our social media accounts — aims to highlight a student at the University of Wisconsin making an impact on the campus community. These Q&As are lightly edited for clarity and style.
Saharan dust reaches south Florida, could slow ocean warming, storms
(Image) Saharan dust is transported along the Saharan Air Layer. Note how few clouds develop in the area it sits. (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
Wisconsin’s Watt brothers will appear on a Wheaties box
They’ve shared a household, a Pewaukee High School legacy, an NFL football field and now a cereal box.
Wheaties, the iconic brand that’s pictured prominent athletes on its orange cereal boxes since the 1930s, will release a new box that features J.J. and T.J. Watt on the front. The University of Wisconsin standouts have combined for four NFL Defensive Player of the Year trophies, and J.J. has been busy in his first offseason of retirement, recently announcing he’d be joining the NFL on CBS crew in the fall.
Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor’s staff prodded colleges and libraries to buy her books
It was not an isolated push. As Sotomayor prepared for commencement weekend at the University of California, Davis law school, her staff pitched officials there on buying copies of signed books in connection with the event. Before a visit to the University of Wisconsin, the staff suggested a book signing.
Biking from Antigo to the Canadian border for cancer research
“We’re doing it for the Carbone Cancer Center out at the University of Wisconsin. We’re both University of Wisconsin graduates. His sister died a couple of years ago, then my sister died this year on Palm Sunday of cancer, so we now had a cause and that’s when we decided let’s do this for cancer,” said Schmelter.
School board policies left me no choice but to leave Waukesha schools
Ross Freshwater has a PhD in education leadership and policy analysis from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a masters degree in teaching and curriculum from Harvard University and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Ohio State University.
Rapper Yung Gravy will return to Summerfest to fill amphitheater vacancy after AJR’s exit
The Milwaukee music festival said early Sunday that Yung Gravy, the rapper and University of Wisconsin-Madison alum who headlined Summerfest’s Generac Power Stage Friday night, will perform at the American Family Insurance Amphitheater at 7:30 p.m. July 6. Admission to the concert will be free with general admission to Summerfest.
Student Loan Borrowers React to Supreme Court Decision
Mr. Reed, who is 74, took out $3,300 in loans in the early 1970s to fund his studies at the University of Wisconsin. He worked for decades as a journalist, musician and fund-raiser for nonprofits, cobbling together a living off what were often low-income jobs. He paid $9,000 on his loans over the years — but interest and fees kept his balances ballooning, preventing him paying off his debt. Now, half a century after his college years, he owes $4,600 — more than he originally borrowed.
JJ Watt joining CBS as an NFL studio analyst
J.J. Watt is back in the NFL, but this time at the analyst desk.
The Pewaukee native and former University of Wisconsin defensive end announced on Twitter Thursday that he’ll be joining CBS Sports as an NFL studio analyst this fall on a multiyear deal.
Local economic development groups, Wisconsin employers embrace DEI
Noted: The University of Wisconsin System has recently faced scrutiny from Republicans in the state Legislature over DEI efforts. Last week, GOP lawmakers voted to cut state funding for the UW System by $32 million while forcing the system to eliminate nearly 190 DEI jobs.
Phonics mandate: What to know about a new Wisconsin reading bill
In December 2020, the district and the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Education announced an Early Literacy Task Force to look at how to teach students how to read and how to prepare teachers to do so. That task force published a 104-page report in December 2021 outlining 28 recommendations for the future of early literacy instruction in MMSD and in UW-Madison’s teaching preparation program.
Doulas could help reduce death rates of Black and Latino babies in Wisconsin
Roots4Change, a Madison-based cooperative of Latina or indigenous doulas that started in 2018, has received grants from the state and the UW School of Medicine and Public Health to expand its services, train new doulas and help medical providers better understand various Latino cultures. Another UW medical school grant has helped families get fresh food.
Erica Sullivan: U.S. Olympic swimmer talks representation, Pride Month
I’m headed out to Wisconsin – my dad went to the University of Wisconsin – this summer to go hang out with some of his teammates. It’s sort of like a mass family vacation… Taking that time to make sure doing things he would have really appreciated. I’m excited to do that this summer and be there with the people that I love.”
Pregnant Woman Poses With ‘Nuclear Waste’ To Prove Point About Radiation
She holds a BS in Environmental Sciences and Political Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Who is Miss Wisconsin 2023? Get to know Lila Szyryj.
According to a release from the Miss Wisconsin Scholarship Organization, Szyryj (pronounced “sherry”) graduated last year from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication.
Wisconsin’s 40 Most Influential Asian American Leaders, Part 2
Ankita Bharadwaj joined UW–Madison’s Office of Human Resources as BIPOC Employee Retention Specialist in November 2022.
Dr. Shobhina G. Chheda is associate dean for medical education at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.
Wisconsin’s 40 Most Influential Asian American Leaders, Part 1
Victoria Solomon is Associate Professor in Community Development with the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension.
Miss Wisconsin 2023 makes history
Szyryj is a 2022 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and was awarded a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication.
Madison native crowned Miss Wisconsin 2023
Szyryj serves as an associate producer at NBC15 and was awarded a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2022.
Madison woman wins Miss Wisconsin 2023
Szyryj graduated from UW-Madison in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication.
Opinion | The UW scholar who remade our thinking about economics
William Spriggs, the assistant secretary of labor in the Obama administration and former chief economist for the AFL-CIO, who died at age 68, was such an economist and such a leader.
UW-Madison’s paid parental leave package? There isn’t one
UW-Madison and other UW System schools, however, have no paid parental leave. Employees must instead exhaust their accrued sick or vacation days for paid time off, or take an unpaid leave of absence.
Spirituality, Global Warming, and Grief: How Clergy Can Help Tackle Climate Anxiety
Because no one was providing that, she created the Loka Initiative at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Center for Healthy Minds in 2019. While not specifically focused on climate emotions, the initiative trains evangelical leaders on climate science and also has organized a global event of Indigenous elders and environmental experts.
5 Ho-Chunk members will travel to Peru this weekend in a cultural exchange experience
Along with individual sponsors, the trip is financially supported by the city of Madison, Old National Bank, Graef Engineering, and the UW-Madison Department of Latin American, Caribbean and Iberian Studies.
WPR names Sarah Ashworth as new director
Ashworth, who was raised in Minnesota and received a journalism degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia, comes to WPR with a 25-year career in media. That includes roles as a director, producer, reporter and editor at Minnesota Public Radio, New Hampshire Public Radio, Vermont Public and Mizzou’s NPR station KBIA.
William Spriggs Was the Economist Who Fought for the Entire Working Class
As a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin—where he earned his master’s degree in economics in 1979 and PhD in economics in 1984—Spriggs served as copresident of the Teaching Assistants’ Association (American Federation of Teachers, Local 3220), a groundbreaking campus labor union that fought a successful battle to expand collective bargaining rights for graduate students.
Intel Announces Its Newest Silicon-Based Quantum Chip
On Thursday morning, Intel announced the release of its newest quantum computing chip, which it calls ‘Tunnel Falls’. The chip is aimed at the quantum computing research community, and as part of the announcement the hardware giant said that it will be providing chips to the Sandia National Laboratory as well as labs at the University of Maryland, the University of Rochester and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
‘Wisconsin Pride’ film honors state’s LGBTQ+ trailblazers
The McCarthy Era, the civil rights struggle in the 1960s, the history of Indigenous people in Wisconsin — the stories told in the new PBS Wisconsin documentary, “Wisconsin Pride,” are in some ways very familiar to students of state history.
With first-round funding in hand, Madison startup Realta Fusion aims to bring first reactor online within a decade
Forget the well-worn adage that fusion energy and the promise of virtually unlimited green power is three or more decades away — a Madison startup believes it can develop a market-ready fusion reactor in a third of that time.
The longer time frame generally applies to utility scale reactors that some day could power the electric grid; Realta Fusion, a Madison company that spun off from the University of Wisconsin in September has more modest goals — modular reactors that within a decade could supply abundant energy for heat-intensive industries like plastics and fertilizer manufacturers, oil refineries and other companies that need massive amounts of heat for their processes.
Love dairy? The University of Wisconsin-Madison seeks a paid cheese taste tester
The University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Center for Dairy Research is looking to hire a descriptive sensory panelist – in other words, a dairy taste tester – to join “a group of expert tasters” who can talk about their sensory experience, according to the job posting.
A dairy research center is hiring a paid food taster who should be willing to try 12 pizzas and 24 cheese samples a week
The University of Wisconsin-Madison recently put out a job advert for a “descriptive sensory panelist” at its Center for Dairy Research — basically, a fancy way of saying “food taster.”
Author Q&A: Novelist drew inspiration from her time in Madison
Author Hanna Halperin says her latest book, “I Could Live Here Forever,” set in Madison, “is a little bit of a love letter” to the city.
Halperin, who earned her Master’s in Fine Arts degree from UW-Madison, said she wrote the book during the pandemic.
UW-Madison Who Threatened to Make N-Words Pick Cotton Speaks Up
“To the University of Wisconsin–Madison student body, faculty and community, I sincerely apologize for the harmful actions and comments I made towards African American individuals. My words were utterly disgusting and unacceptable, whether in public or private,” Audrey Godlewski wrote in an email to The Daily Cardinal.
Report: Turnover and vacancy rates at state agencies reached record highs last year
Among agencies that fall outside the University of Wisconsin System, 16.4% of the state’s nearly 28,000 workers left their jobs in the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2022, including 10.2% who left for voluntary reasons other than retirement, according to the report. What’s more, 5,770 full-time equivalent positions, or 17.7% of the total positions in state government outside the UW System, were vacant at the end of last June.
Brandon Taylor: ‘Writing is the most fun I’m capable of having’
The American author talks about growing up queer in a family of ‘wolves’, poverty and class in the US, and the 19th-century writers who inspired his latest novel.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. tests the conspiratorial appetite of Democrats
Kennedy ended his speech by recounting the 1960s obedience experiments by Yale psychologist Stanley Milgram, which were funded by the National Science Foundation, but which Kennedy said, without offering evidence, were actually part of the CIA’s mind-control research program. (He has previously attributed this claim to University of Wisconsin historian Alfred McCoy, who has made a circumstantial case of CIA interest.)
Opinion | Program fosters community through diversity
Michael, a native speaker (which is what the group calls its English-speaking volunteers) mentions how inclusive the organization is to volunteers as well. Students at the University of Wisconsin, referred to as Badger speakers, often join these events to help in any way they can.
The secret summer lives of American schools
Instructor Oh Hoon Kwon speaks to students during a math class that was part of an intense six-week summer bridge program for students of color and first-generation students at the University of Wisconsin, in Madison, on July 27, 2022. (AP Photo/Carrie Antlfinger)
‘Wisconsin Pride’ film portrays the challenges and triumphs of state LGBTQ+ history
The documentary also will be broadcast at 7 p.m. June 20 on PBS Wisconsin, and will be featured in a free Madison screening at 7 p.m. June 17 at the Barrymore Theatre; register at barrymorelive.com.
‘Funemployment’ and the Gen Z Job Market
But Gen Z won’t find happiness getting high in Ibiza, scrolling on TikTok or sleeping till noon. True work-life balance is important, and lasting happiness is achieved by working incrementally toward valuable, fulfilling goals—not in indulging the fleeting pleasures of “funemployment.”—Anika Horowitz, University of Wisconsin-Madison, economics
Two years ago, back-to-back attacks rattled an Orthodox Jewish family. Now, they reflect on their place in Milwaukee.
Noted: Meira didn’t want to just accept it, though. The incidents drove her to get involved with Jewish organizations fighting antisemitism on campus. First at UW-Milwaukee, now at UW-Madison, she works with students and university administrators to raise awareness about Jewish issues.
Republicans regroup over voter turnout on college campuses
In the wake of the spring Wisconsin Supreme Court election that was dominated in part by voters on college campuses around the state, Republicans are trying to regroup to not lose a growing demographic in Wisconsin: young voters.