Learning about the state we serve
In this edition of Why Wisconsin?, a series produced by the Division of the Arts, Edward Klorman, a professor of music theory and alum of the 2026 Wisconsin Idea Seminar, discusses how teaching a seminar on music by women composers inspired broader rethinking of the music theory curriculum. Klorman is also finding opportunities to reach …
Erika Meitner, professor of English and an alum of the 2026 Wisconsin Idea Seminar, is a recipient of the Kellett Mid-Career Award in 2026. The award, named for the late William R. Kellett, a former president of the WARF board of trustees and president of Kimberly-Clark Corporation, celebrates faculty promoted to tenured positions seven to …
Beth Fields, an associate professor of occupational therapy in the School of Education’s Department of Kinesiology and an alum of the 2023 Wisconsin Idea Seminar, has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar award. The Fulbright Program, the U.S. government’s flagship international exchange initiative, supports scholars and professionals in advancing knowledge, addressing global challenges, and fostering mutual …
Whether he is introducing students to the history of hip hop, collaborating across disciplines, or expanding access to the arts, Omari Carter, an assistant professor in UW–Madison’s Department of Dance and alum of the 2025 Wisconsin Idea Seminar, sees dance as a way to bring people together. As UW–Madison’s dance program continues to grow, he …
Milda Aksamitauskas, chief administrative officer of Population Health Sciences and an alum of the 2025 Wisconsin Idea Seminar, has been selected as one of only 12 Fulbright U.S. Scholar Alumni Ambassadors nationwide for 2026. Chosen from a competitive pool of over 200 applicants, Aksamitauskas will spend the next two years representing the program at national …
The SoulFolk Collective is a multidisciplinary research lab led by Jessica Stovall, an assistant professor in the Department of African American Studies, that engages in scholarly inquiry to amplify the voices, stories, and lived realities of Black communities in Wisconsin. The SoulFolk’s current work includes the Black Madison Archive project, an interactive map and oral …
Morgan Jerald, assistant professor of psychology, discusses cultivating curiosity and the value of interdisciplinary collaboration in this L&S faculty interview. Dr. Jerald’s research, rooted in Black feminist scholarship, examines the influence of the media and other sociocultural factors on Black women’s gender beliefs, health, and sexual well-being.
If, on a hungry afternoon, you’ve been eager to discover a forgotten protein bar tucked in your backpack, only to find it’s become hard and unappetizing after weeks of neglect, food scientist Audrey Girard’s research is for you. Girard recently led a study into chemical changes that occur in protein bars over time, making them …
Mitch Breunig, third-generation farmer and UW–Madison alumnus, was elected as chair of the Dairy Innovation Hub advisory council. In this new position, Breunig will work to assemble the council, set agendas, and provide guidance to the Dairy Innovation Hub’s faculty director: UW–Madison dairy scientist and WIS’13 alumna Heather White. In 2018, the Wisconsin Idea Seminar visited …
Titus Seilheimer, Fisheries Specialist at the Wisconsin Sea Grant, is collaborating with the Wisconsin Idea Seminar to bring the 2020 Bay Tour to Two Rivers, Wisconsin, where participants will learn about commercial fishing operations. Seilheimer received his B.A. from Lawrence University and his Ph.D. from McMaster University. In this interview, Seilheimer discusses non-native species in …