The University of Wisconsin–Madison is joining 15 other prominent universities and colleges in afirst-of-its-kind effort to help students from small towns and rural communities enroll in college and earn undergraduate degrees.The Small Town and Rural Students(STARS)College Network will build on existing recruiting efforts and create new pathways for students who might not otherwise recognize the full range of educational options available to them.The effort is funded by a$20 million gift from philanthropist Byron Trott.“This is atremendous opportunity to redouble our efforts at recruiting talented students from rural communities and small towns while more broadly contributing to anational network that will open the doors of higher education to students from smaller communities,”UW–Madison Chancellor Jennifer L.Mnookin says.“By working together,we can build on the best practices at each institution,expand our reach and work to further reduce barriers to access.”The effort advances many of UW–Madison’s core goals,Mnookin says,including making sure that Wisconsin’s flagship public university is accessible and affordable to students and supporting astudent body that brings together adiversity of backgrounds and perspectives.The nationwide effort is designed to empower students to find the best institution for them,whether they ultimately enroll at one of the 16 institutions in the network or not.In addition to UW–Madison,the network includes Ivy League universities such as Brown and Yale,state flagships such as The Ohio State University and the University of Maryland,and leading private schools such as the University of Chicago and the California Institute of Technology.Students who live outside metro areas face unique obstacles to attending college,says Derek Kindle,UW–Madison vice provost for enrollment management.“These students may not have easy access to college-going resources like financial aid workshops or college counselors,”Kindle says.“Our duty is to engage these students and to partner with other supporters around the state and beyond.We are excited to join anetwork of top institutions committed to addressing and hopefully eliminating these barriers.”At UW–Madison and elsewhere,the network’s funding is expected to support efforts including:Pathway programs that bring students from rural communities and small towns to campus over summer break to help them gain exposure to campus life and academic resources;Expanded visits by college admissions teams to high schools in small towns and rural communities;Support for students in the college application process,including workshops and sessions designed to help students throughout their college search;Help navigating financial aid and scholarship opportunities;Programs for counselors,teachers and administrators from rural and small-town high schools to help them better support their students on the path to college;and Partnerships with local and national businesses to provide internships and job opportunities for the next generation of students from small towns and rural communities.Many recent initiatives at UW–Madison have been part of aconcerted effort to ensure affordability and accessibility for students from all corners of the state,including small towns and rural communities.Those efforts include Bucky’s Tuition Promise,launched in 2018,and Bucky’s Pell Pathway,announced in February by Chancellor Mnookin.Ultimately,STARS members say the new network and its efforts can help bridge the growing rural-urban divide in America by bringing students together to share the widest possible variety of experiences.Additionally,research shows that college graduates from rural areas often return to their communities,so efforts to help rural students get the greatest benefit from higher education can create acycle of support,success and giving back to the next generation. 查看详细>>

Four University of Wisconsin–Madison professors have been elected fellows of the American Physical Society,an honor conferred on no more than half of 1%of the society’s membership.Since 1921,APS member have been electing fellows from among their ranks,recognizing advances in physics through original research and publication,significant and innovative applications of physics,and leadership,service and contributions to the teaching of physics.UW–Madison’s representatives among 2022’s class of 154 fellows and their citations from the American Physical Society are:Robert Jeraj,professor of medical Physics and human oncology,nominated by the APS Division of Medical Physics for pioneering contributions to physics in medicine,including advanced image analysis revealing disease heterogeneity and leading to therapeutic advances in treatment resistance,as well as foundational contributions to the APS with the establishment of the Topical Group on Medical Physics.Alex Levchenko,professor of physics,nominated by the APS Division of Condensed Matter Physics for broad contributions to the theory of quantum transport in mesoscopic,topological,and superconducting systems.Mark Rzchowski,professor of physics,nominated by the APS Division of Material Physics for pioneering discoveries and understanding of physical principles governing correlated complex materials and interfaces,including superconductors,correlated oxide systems multiferroic systems,and spin currents in noncollinear antiferromagnets.Jean-Luc Thiffeault,professor of applied mathematics,nominated by the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics for innovative contributions to the understanding of mixing and transport in dynamical systems,including the development of topological methods,and the understanding of enhanced diffusion by swimming micro-organisms. 查看详细>>

The 2022 Chancellor’s Undergraduate Awards Ceremony on May 2honored 149 students for their academic excellence,public service,and undergraduate research at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.Recipients of four campus-wide awards and seven national scholarships were recognized.“I want to congratulate these extraordinary students,”Chancellor Rebecca Blank said in her remarks.“Their commitment to the Wisconsin Idea—our mission to bring knowledge and discoveries out into the world,where they can make people’s lives better–has inspired us all.”This year’s event marked areturn to an in-person gathering following two years of virtual ceremonies due to COVID-19.A total of 107 students received Wisconsin Hilldale Undergraduate/Faculty Research Fellowships,which support undergraduate research done in collaboration with afaculty or staff member.To help offset research costs,the student receives$3,000 and the faculty or staff member$1,000.Award-winners will take on research in areas ranging from biochemistry and neurobiology to psychology and music.A few examples of the ambitious projects:“Fairness in Optimization Modeling of Covid-19 Vaccine Allocation Mathematics,Statistics for the State of Wisconsin”(student Binhao Chen;faculty advisor Michael Ferris)“Exploring Fire Tolerance of Wisconsin’s Southern Hardwoods:Providing Philosophy Insight into Oak Savanna Restoration”(student Ava Copple;faculty advisor Kate McCulloh)“An Elusive Jim Crow:Toward aNew Theory of Civil Disobedience in the 21st Century”(student Andrew Santamarina/faculty advisor Harry Brighouse)“Investigation into Histone Binding of PHD5 Domain in Methyltransferase NSD2 Protein”(student Sara Slager/faculty advisor John Denu)Additionally,27 students were awarded Sophomore Research Fellowships. 查看详细>>

The high volume of applications submitted to arecent Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education initiative underscores the serious impact that the COVID-19 pandemic had on research at the University of Wisconsin–Madison last spring.The OVCRGE received 110 applications for the Pandemic-Affected Research Continuation Initiative and will support 70.Funded projects come from across campus and represent each of the four research divisions.Last spring,some researchers were faced with spending down their existing funds while the pandemic limited certain on-site research activities.This included face-to-face human subjects research,research travel and most research activities conducted in-person in university research facilities.The PARCI supports projects that are now facing ashortage of funds to complete those activities,and is helping to replace critical and time-sensitive research supplies and resources lost due to pandemic-related restrictions.The awards vary,up to$50,000.“We heard many stories about how research progress and funding were impacted by the closure of labs,field work suspension and limitations to other research activities,”says Steve Ackerman,vice chancellor for research and graduate education.“We knew there was aneed for this initiative,even as research activity has successfully restarted on campus.”For example,chemistry professor Tina Wang’s research efforts,delayed by the pandemic and resulting campus closures,are being supported by PARCI funding.Her lab is working to develop and use new methods for research in chemical biology,exploring the interplay between protein folding and function,and development of robust sensors and gene circuits.Dysfunctional protein folding is ahallmark of anumber of diseases,most notably neurodegenerative disorders.Michael Cahill,professor of comparative biosciences,received funding to support his work with animal models and to continue funding agraduate student.Cahill’s research focuses on understanding how gene-based alterations identified in schizophrenia,major depressive disorder and autism spectrum disorders influence neuronal morphology and function.PARCI is also supporting Dan Vimont,professor of atmospheric and oceanic sciences and co-director of the Nelson Institute Center for Climatic Research—along with others at the center—to help them more fully resume research into climate variability and climate change,interactions between weather and climate,and global and regional impacts of climate change.“While this initiative will help CCR maintain our pursuit of the Wisconsin Idea through world-class research and outreach on the causes and impacts of climate change,it does more,”Vimont says.“In addition to recognizing the importance of our colleagues for what they do,it also recognizes the importance of who they are:parents,spouses and family members who are also world-class scientists.As we face what we expect will be achallenging time for the university and for research funding,this is welcome help to our center and to our scientists.“Due to COVID-19,the OVCRGE also has extended end dates on other OVCRGE research-related funding affected by the pandemic and considered reallocations from existing budget line items.COVID-19 also has had an impact personally on researchers,including faculty members,postdocs,technicians and graduate students.It has affected their educational progress,their career development and their work-life balance.For graduate students and early-career scientists,the disruptions have made it increasingly challenging for them to complete necessary research and to advance their careers.In response,the Graduate School also recently sponsored aprogram to support PhD and MFA students facing pandemic graduation delays.The Dissertation Completion Emergency Fellowships program provides one-semester fellowships for students whose graduation has been unavoidably delayed by pandemic-related restrictions who cannot be supported through normal program appointments or endowment funds in Spring 2021 but who now expect to graduate by August 2021.Thirty-nine fellowships are being funded through the DCEF program. 查看详细>>

Campus leaders are using the results from two just-completed student surveys—one for undergraduates and one for graduate students—to improve the student experience during the remainder of the fall semester and to guide planning for the spring semester.Both surveys sought to help university administrators better understand what has worked well and what has been challenging during ayear upended by aglobal pandemic.“This feedback will be immensely valuable in helping us maintain our commitment to student safety,health and success,”says Provost Karl Scholz.“COVID-19 has disrupted every aspect of society,forcing all of us into uncharted territory.It is crucial that we continue to listen to our students as we plan for the months ahead.”The surveys were provided to all students Oct.27,with responses due by Nov.10(undergraduates)and Nov.16(graduate students).The undergraduate survey was acollaborative effort by the Provost’s Office,Student Affairs and the Division of Diversity,Equity and Educational Achievement.Its questions covered everything from academics and housing to food insecurity,campus resources and disability accommodations. 查看详细>>

When Lauren Schilling studies the statistics on early literacy,she knows more must be done:Children who lack foundational reading skills fall behind academically,and the gap grows exponentially over the years.As an undergraduate at UW–Madison,Schilling is already tackling the problem.Her research investigates how first-grade phonics curricula lay the foundation for important third-grade reading benchmarks.Now,as the recipient of amajor national scholarship,Schilling will receive substantial financial assistance to continue her research in graduate school.She is among 18 college juniors nationwide selected to receive a2020 Beinecke Scholarship,which provides$34,000 for graduate study in the arts,humanities or social sciences.Lauren Schilling leaning against arailing by alake In graduate school,Schilling hopes to work with researchers who are developing novel literacy interventions and exploring cognitive mechanisms that predict individual differences in reading.The Beinecke Scholarship Program was established in 1971 by the Sperry&Hutchinson Company to support the graduate education of students with exceptional promise.UW–Madison’s last Beinecke Scholars were BrontëMansfield(art history and English,2014),Joanna Lawrence(anthropology,2013)and Asad Asad(political science,2010). 查看详细>>

The Open Doors Report has listed the University of Wisconsin–Madison among the top 25 U.S.universities for study abroad participation and for hosting international students.The report is published by the Institute of International Education in partnership with the U.S.Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.UW–Madison is ranked No.18 among all U.S.universities for the number of students studying abroad,according to report.The number of UW–Madison students studying abroad increased to 2,410 for the 2017–2018 academic year.Open Doors listed 2,276 UW–Madison students studying abroad in the 2016–2017 academic year.“It is gratifying that the number of UW–Madison students who study abroad continues to increase,”said Guido Podestá,vice provost and dean of the university’s International Division.“The university continues to offer diverse programs to help students meet their academic goals,while adding acrucial international component to their studies.” 查看详细>>

UW-Madison launched Handshake in July 2018 making it easier than ever for students to connect with employers in Wisconsin and nationally.Since July,more than 15,000 UW students have activated their personal Handshake accounts connecting them to thousands of job listings individually tailored to their major,interests,and skills.In addition,Handshake connects students to job fairs,resumélabs,mock interviews,company info sessions,and on-campus interviews insuring that UW–Madison students are well prepared to find and secure internships and jobs.“Handshake gives students access to more opportunities and employer connections than ever before,”says Renee Smith,Career Advisor in the UW School of Human Ecology.“Many students are raving about Handshake’s clean,user-friendly interface and the ease in which they can find positions they haven’t seen on any other job search platform.” 查看详细>>

Among the many new faces on the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus last fall were eight people resuming their college education after asignificant break.They were the first students served by the Badger Ready program,which gave them achance to enter the state’s flagship university and complete adegree.Badger Ready offers an opportunity for adults 25 and older and veterans of any age who have at least 24 transferable college credits but no degree.Those selected for Badger Ready can establish their current academic readiness by completing at least 12 credits on the UW–Madison campus as special students(defined as those who aren’t seeking adegree at the university).If participants earn a3.0 grade point average,they can be admitted as undergraduate transfer students and continue their progress to afour-year degree.A joint project of Adult Career and Special Student Services(ACSSS)and the Office of Admissions and Recruitment,Badger Ready is geared toward adult students determined to overcome obstacles to earning aUW–Madison degree. 查看详细>>

From February through June,we will be highlighting the ways that UW–Madison changes lives for the better throughout the state of Wisconsin.February’s theme is Improving Health.Watch for more at#UWChangesLives on social media.And here’s how you can help.In May 2018,UW–Madison School of Pharmacy launched arural-focused advanced pharmacy clinical training program that places students in smaller hospitals and health systems in Platteville,Sauk,Monroe,and Fort Atkinson,Wisconsin.Rural areas have ahigh need for more pharmacists with clinical skills and understanding of public health.“The rural focus is beneficial because there are more job openings in rural areas,and many students want to take their skills back to their hometowns,”says Mara Kieser,professor and assistant dean of experiential education at the School of Pharmacy.“Sometimes as the only health care provider,pharmacists in rural pharmacy practice have amuch broader role where you have to be ajack of all trades and know alittle about alot of things,plus you have to know how to manage the resources available to you.”The Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience Residency Track(APPE RT)program provides immersive training on the challenges unique to rural pharmacists.For example,learning about the many practice responsibilities in rural settings,working closely with providers and administration,and understanding payment challenges for rural practitioners.“Our first student in the rural APPE RT will be working in multiple rural sites,including Platteville,Reedsburg,Fort Atkinson,Neenah,and Sauk,but will also complete alongitudinal project to connect those experiences and better position him for aresidency after graduation,”explains Kieser.With nearly 40 percent of pharmacy students coming from hometowns in rural areas,the new rural-focused clinical training program strengthens the pharmacy school’s commitment to rural health and the Wisconsin Idea of serving the citizens of the state and beyond.“The School of Pharmacy has been aleader in producing and training pharmacists in the state of Wisconsin,particularly in rural areas,”says Kieser.“We hope the rural residency-track clerkship program will attract more pharmacists to work in rural areas.”You can learn more about this and other experiential learning programs at the UW–Madison School of Pharmacy here. 查看详细>>