UW researchers devise a new way to monitor heat stress. As extreme heat gripped much of the world in summer 2023, farmers tried to keep cows from overheating with electricity-gobbling barn fans and misting machines that sucked thousands of gallons of water. To develop a smarter and less expensive alternative, a team of UW–Madison researchers is using an innovative electrical device called an eTag to monitor the temperature of individual cows in real time and gain a better understanding of their behavior under stress. “The overarching objective of this project is to detect and mitigate heat s ..read more

The Wisconsin Center for Origins Research will put students on the cutting edge of the biggest questions in origins-of-life research. Danielle Lawry To tackle the biggest questions, it helps to have a big team. And there aren’t many questions more massive than the ones related to the origins of life on Earth and whether other worlds — the ones we already know and the ones we have yet to discover — could someday support life. “This is one of humanity’s biggest existential questions: Are we alone in the universe?” says Richard Townsend, UW professor of astronomy. “Even if the only other thing ..read more

Bryce Richter Last September, UW–Madison dedicated a striking aluminum sculpture called Effigy: Bird Form by the late UW professor and Ho-Chunk Nation artist Truman Lowe MFA’73. Lowe created the sculpture in 1997, inspired by ancient Ho-Chunk mounds. Before finding its permanent home near Van Hise Hall, it was showcased at Phoenix’s Heard Museum and the White House. “This is my attempt to pay my respects, to celebrate the longevity of our history and our traditions,” Lowe said of the work. “We have endured, and I know we will survive ..read more

Smile for the camera! Anny the golden retriever flashes the pearly whites while spreading smiles to UW students. Anny is a member of Dogs on Call, a Madison-area nonprofit that brings dogs to campus to help students relieve stress while they study for finals. Founded in 1999, Dogs on Call has become a finals week staple at UW–Madison. Photo by Althea Dotzour ..read more

For Pham, every piece of paper tells a story. Bryce Richter Most of us use paper products without thinking much about them. But for artist Veronica Pham MFAx’24, every piece of paper tells a story. Pham entered the MFA program in the UW’s School of Human Ecology with a passion for papermaking. Her father was a refugee from Vietnam, so she gravitated toward traditional Vietnamese techniques. A trip to Vietnam in 2022 allowed her to learn the art from master practitioners: harvesting fiber in the jungle, stripping off the bark, boiling it, beating it, mixing it in a slurry, forming the sheets ..read more

Danielle Lawry Since the 1880s, young Wisconsin farmers have journeyed to UW–Madison to learn the tricks of the trade at a weekslong agricultural training program known as the Farm and Industry Short Course. This past fall, they headed to River Falls instead. Although the traditional residential program has officially moved to UW–River Falls, UW–Madison continues to serve as a partner and share its agricultural research and expertise. The newly configured, 16-week short course teaches the fundamentals of dairy farm operations and animal management, with participants earning up to 24 degree c ..read more

Holsey: “This program sends a strong message that our students are important to the state’s flagship university.” Bryce Richter Beginning this fall, UW–Madison will offer financial support to cover the full cost of pursuing an undergraduate degree for state residents who are enrolled members of federally recognized Wisconsin Indian tribes. The commitment covers not only tuition and fees but also housing, meals, books, and other educational expenses. Additionally, a five-year pilot program will cover in-state tuition and fees for students pursuing a law or medical degree who are Wisconsin res ..read more

Popp: “I wanted to get into UW–Madison so badly that it inspired me all through high school in everything I did.” Bryce Richter For a class assignment in fifth grade, Tanner Popp x’27 penned a letter to his future self. He would become a veterinarian, he wrote, and would attend the UW. “I wanted to get into UW–Madison so badly that it inspired me all through high school in everything I did,” says Popp, of Coloma, Wisconsin. That hard work paid off. Today, Popp is a freshman at his dream school. He was also one of 977 students new to campus last fall — 829 freshmen and 148 transfer students ..read more

UW researchers will use a camera system and sophisticated algorithms to date Leonardo’s drawings. Wellcome Images Leonardo da Vinci may have been a genius, but he was also a hot mess, at least in terms of organizing his works. When he died in 1519, the Renaissance master left behind 7,000 pages of undated drawings, scientific observations, and personal journals, more or less jumbled up in a box. Ever since, art historians have tried to make an accurate timeline of the various documents now held in collections across the world. A new system developed by a UW–Madison engineer could help in tha ..read more

Sanders created a uniquely designed charitable fund called the AnonDo Fund. Jean Lachat Not everyone wants their name up in lights when they donate. Some prefer to keep their gifts between themselves and their checkbooks. Tim Sanders ’15 found out it wasn’t easy to donate anonymously and decided to do something about it. The result is Silent Donor, a technology platform he launched in early 2020 that allows donors to send fully anonymous, tax-deductible charitable and nonprofit donations. Sanders was living in Chicago in 2019 when he made an online charitable donation, after which he began r ..read more