UW-Madison Science Alliance Updater
For 7 February 2022
Hi Everyone,
Over the weekend we marked the anniversary of the first classes held by the University of Wisconsin, on Monday February 5, 1849. It’s of note to me for at least two reasons.
First, the first classes weren’t college-level courses, but rather preparatory classes—basically, the high school of the day. Thus the university has had from its beginning both a mission and a good reason to develop the talents of those wishing to matriculate here.
Second, the anniversary often goes by the moniker “Founders Day” to commemorate those first students. While the students, or their families, did pay tuition of $20 per year, it’s worth noting the more fundamental sources of the UW’s founding funds: a federal grant of federal lands, as laid out in the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, a law pre-dating the Constitution, a law passed by the Confederation Congress. The lands so received by Wisconsin at statehood in1848 were sold and put into a perpetual fund, the interest of which was to help pay for the operating costs of the university. The stated goal at the time was eventually to have a tuition-free university.
The Northwest Ordinance provided the first of two federal land grants that have helped set up and then shape the scope of the university. The second came from the Morrill Act of 1862, with the Wisconsin grant assigned by the legislature to the University of Wisconsin in 1866. This land grant committed the university to teach, among other subjects, courses in agriculture, mechanic arts, and military tactics. It’s notable that the next major infusion of federal money—the Hatch Act of 1887 in support of agriculture research—came not as titles to land but as a yearly payments of cash.
The practice of founding colleges or universities by the rents of endowed lands, or by the proceeds of endowed lands then sold, goes back a ways in the English tradition. Beginning in 1536 Henry VIII dissolved 800 abbeys, monasteries and nunneries, seizing their lands and other assets, and enriching the Crown. He put a small slice into the pot of resources that provided funds for the new Trinity College, Cambridge, among others.
In any enterprise, it’s always worth following the money and the sources of income and outgo as they grow, shift or shrivel over the years and the decades. But founders have founder effects, and their principles & their principals reverberate through our institutional DNA, for good or ill, to this day.
We can’t all be founders, but we all can be stewards. We can sustain the gains, correct the mistakes, expand the scope of our scholarly work. We can work to pass on to the next generation a university committed to preparing students & learners of all ages to aspire higher in the one course that really matters: the course of their lives.
Tom Zinnen
===Coming Up This Week and This Month1. During the spring semester, Science Alliance meets at 10:00 am Mondays, including today, Monday February 7. Please Note: We will be meeting by Zoom on February 7 and for the coming few weeks. We will not be meeting in person at the Wisconsin Energy Institute for the time being.
The Zoom link for the spring meetings of Science Alliance will continue to be: https://zoom.us/my/glbrc.weieducation.vmr?pwd=L2Q0L0g0S3lEd2gyazNscjA1d2JYZz09 The draft agenda for February 7 at 10am includes:• Welcome• Updates
• Science Alliance Booth secured at WSST on April 7-8 in Wausau. Set up by 3:45pm April 7; Exhibit 4:00 to 6:00pm and again 9am to 3pm April 8.
• Science Expeditions 2022 Planning
Publicity
Communications
Venues
Presenters in Person
Virtual/Hybrid Options
• Other Business
• Next Meeting: February 14 at 10:00 am.
As with the #Updater, the meeting notes are also archived on https://science.wisc.edu/science-alliance/.
2. Recurring Programming Events coming this week and soon.
• UW Science Expeditions April 8-10. I hope you’ll join us again this year for the 20th Annual UW-Madison Science Expeditions on April 8-10. Please mark your calendars, and consider presenting an Exploration Station on your research or outreach, or hosting an Open House or Tour at your facility, or organizing a public presentation. You’ll be able to find out more in the coming weeks at science.wisc.edu/science-expeditions.
If you’d like to contribute your talents as part of a Science Expeditions 2022 Planning Subcommittee, please sign up here. 🎉
• Weekly Reminder: Please Post your science outreach events and to Check for other events presented online and available to all at http://today.wisc.edu/events/tag/science
• Badger Talks Live: – https://www.facebook.com/UWConnects/live & https://badgertalks.wisc.edu/events/
Tuesday, February 15, noon, “Investing 101” with Linda Lepe, Certified Financial Planner, Director of Consumer Finance & Financial PlanningTuesday February 22, 3pm. “Supporting the Growth of Wisconsin’s Maple Syrup Industry” with Jeremy Solin, Maple Syrup Project Manager for the Division ofExtension
• Saturday Science Workshops at UW Space Place. Every Saturday at 10am at UW Space Place, in the lower level of The Atrium at The Village on Park, 2300 S. Park Street, Madison, WI
• Saturday February 19 LEGO Build with Dane County 4-H hosted by UW Space Place, 2300 S. Park Street. Please register at danecounty4H.org.
• Wednesday Nite @ The Lab Public Science Series every Wednesday night, 50 times a year, at 7pm CT by zoom (go.wisc.edu/240r59) or in person in Room 1111 Genetics Biotech Center, 425 Henry Mall, Madison WI. WN@TL looks at the Road Ahead for Electric Vehicles on February 9 at 7pm with a presentation by Isabel Distefano who will be zooming in from the Field Museum in Chicago.
I saw a preview of her talk—you’ll get to tour her lab one moment and then be touring the world in the next with her Field Museum colleagues.
3. Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) Offers an NSF-funded “Research Experience for Teachers (RET)” This Summer
Dear Science Alliance Outreachers,
I am hoping you can help spread the word about the MSREC Research Experience for Teachers (RET) program that will be in-person and on the UW-Madison campus this summer.
The application for the 2022 RET program (due March 13) is at https://education.mrsec.wisc.edu/ret-experience/ Thanks,Anne Lynn__________________________Anne Lynn Gillian-Daniel, Ph.D.DirectorIntegrated Education Group (IEG)Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC)University of Wisconsin-Madison3122 Engineering Centers Building1550 Engineering Drive Madison, WI 53706(608) 890-2268agillian@wisc.eduwww.education.mrsec.wisc.edumy pronouns are: she, her, hers
4. Science Immersion Day February 15 from 9:00 am to 1:30 pm at the Biotech Center and the Discovery Building. Thanks to Liz Jesse, Anne Lynn Gillian-Daniel, John Yin and Julia Nepper for leading hands-on explorations in biology, chemistry, and engineering with 70 5th/6th grade students and 17 accompanying teachers from 17 school districts that are part of the Southern Lakes Advanced Learners Network. Tom Browne of CALS will welcome the group, and students from Women in Science and Engineering and from Biological Systems Engineering, among others, will chat with the visitors over lunchtime.
5. ROSE Community STEM Fellows at Edgewood College
Hi Everyone!
My name is Sarah Stoehr and I coordinate the Resources & Opportunities in Science Education (ROSE) Project for the Office of Science Outreach at Edgewood College. We are looking for science experts for two of our ROSE Community STEM Fellows sessions this semester. We had a virtual session for January and will have a virtual session in February, due to Covid. However, we are hoping (and planning) to have in-person sessions in March, April, and May. If you are interested in being a science expert for the March or May session, please email Sarah @ sstoehr@edgewood.edu with the date and any activity ideas you have. Science experts are paid a $100 honorarium for their instruction and planning time. The available dates are:
Thurs, March 17th from 6-8 p.m. in Sonderegger Science Building (1st hour: adult activity & 2nd hour: children activity (can be similar activities))
Thurs, May 19th from 6~7:30 p.m. in Sonderegger Science Building (1st hour: adults & 2nd hour: children (can be similar activities) then CAKE!! for our end of year celebration)
Thank you in advance for your consideration, and please let me know if you have any questions!
Sarah Stoehr, ROSE Project Coordinator
(608) 663-4150
6. Share Your Science at the Family Science Night Wednesday March 16 at CH Bird Elementary School in Sun Prairie 5:30pm to 7:00pm
Hello UW Science Alliance,
I am a parent at Sun Prairie CH Bird Elementary School PTO group. We are organizing our annual Family Science Night on March 16 from 5:30-7pm. Researchers & outreachers, please email me a note at adreakwong@gmail.com to register your Exploration Station geared for Elementary students and their families. Please include a title and a short description of the activity.
Also, please share this invitation with your colleagues and across your networks. We’re looking forward to welcoming many of you to Bird Elementary for an evening of sharing and exploring science!
Thank you,
Andrea Kwong
CH Bird Elementary School PTO
7. Data Science Research Bazaar Running Online through February 23. Register Today!
UW–Madison’s Data Science Hub is hosting its third annual Data Science Research Bazaar, focused on the theme of Data and Communities: Sharing and Protecting Data. This event will be held virtually throughout February.
The Research Bazaar will include lightning talks and interactive discussions on a variety of topics relating to how communities use and are impacted by data, and workshops focused on tools and resources including RStudio Connect, Jupyter Notebooks, and the Hathi Trust Digital Library. In addition, it will feature a career panel and an exhibit of art relating to science and technology.
The Data Science Research Bazaar is an inclusive, community-building event at UW–Madison for researchers, data scientists, entrepreneurs, and community members, including students. While there is no cost to attend, pre-registration is required. View the full schedule and register here.
UW-Madison’s Data Science Research Bazaar is modeled off the international Research Bazaar, a worldwide festival that promotes digital literacy in research and aims to equip researchers with digital skills and tools to do their work more efficiently.For more information:
Patricia PointerMultimedia DesignerWisconsin Institute for Discoverypatricia.pointer@wid.wisc.edushe/her/hers
8. Job Openings in Outreach at UW-Madison
Please share with your network and colleagues.
a. The South Madison Reinvestment Strategy for Equity by the UW Madison Population Health Institute is hiring an Outreach Project Manager ($47,000/year) and three Data Collectors ($20/hr). These positions will help connect South Madison residents to City of Madison development efforts and provide the City with feedback on how their development efforts are impacting the community. The goal is to ensure residents have a say in the City of Madison funded community development efforts in South Madison over the next 10 years. If you are interested or would like to get more information about these positions please contact Abra Vigna at avigna@wisc.edu or call at 608.345.5666 and leave a voicemail with your contact information.
9. Explore Pharmacy Careers at UW-Madison School of Pharmacy
The Doctor of Pharmacy program is hosting several events that will help attendees learn more about pharmacy careers and the renowned PharmD program at UW–Madison. Many of these are virtual, allowing greater access to interested students around the world. However, there’s nothing like an in-person experience. If you’d like a face-to-face conversation, we’d love to have you visit us at the School of Pharmacy.
February 9: PharmD Information Session (virtual) — Get a general overview of the UW–Madison PharmD program, including application and admissions, curriculum options, and post-graduate outcomes. REGISTER February 17: Mock Interview Session (virtual) — Intended for students interested in applying to our PharmD program this cycle or next, these sessions give applicants the opportunity to prepare for their interview with current PharmD students. This is thelast mock interview session of the academic year. REGISTER March 5: Pharmacist Career Exploration Day (in-person) — This session is in-person event is a great opportunity to hear directly from practicing pharmacists, faculty, and students about the wide variety of exciting pharmacy career paths. REGISTER
If you have any questions about the above events please contact Lindsey DeCarlo, lindsey.decarlo@wisc.edu Lindsey DeCarlo Pronouns: she, her, hers PharmD Recruitment and Event Coordinator | Student & Academic AffairsSchool of Pharmacy | University of Wisconsin – Madison2220 Rennebohm Hall | 777 Highland Avenue | Madison, WI 53705P: (608) 263-4860 | F: (608) 262-3943 | www.pharmacy.wisc.edu
10. A Mid-Winter’s Day Garden Series Runs Weekly Through February 26 with Friends of Allen Centennial Gardens
Allen Centennial Garden, in partnership with the Friends of Allen Centennial Gardens, offers an annual Saturday morning winter program series during January and February on garden-related topics for ACG Friends and volunteers as well as the general public. Last year’s programs were virtual, and we will be using that format again in early 2022. There is a $10/session fee, but they are free for the Friends and volunteers. To register go to allencentenialgarden.wisc.edu.Jane CramerFriends of Allen Centennial Gardens11. UniverCity Alliance (UCA) is partnering with the American Geophysical Union through its “Thriving Earth Exchange” program to launch in April 2022 the next cohort of community science projects in Wisconsin.
#1: Help us find projects in Wisconsin communities. We need local or regional governments, tribal governments, community-based organizations, grassroots organizations and other advocacy or non-profit groups to let us know what geotechnical projects keep them up at night. We will share these projects with local and national experts who can help formulate solutions with your community. Encourage your community to apply by March 1 to join the April 2022 community science project cohort!
#2: Help us find people who can manage the projects: We need volunteer Community Science Fellows to be the glue that holds the project team together by serving as project managers, facilitators and connectors. They represent cohort of people from all backgrounds and career stages interested in growing their practice of community science while guiding project from idea to impact. Apply by March 1 to be a Community Science Fellow!
In addition to projects from Wisconsin communities, we’re looking for people who may be interested in volunteering to manage the projects. These Community Science Fellows don’t necessarily have to have a background in science and could be folks with great project management, facilitator and connector skills. There’s more information on our website here, and please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions. If you’re able to share this with anyone who might be interested, that would be great! Thanks! Best,
Abby Becker
12a. The Wonders of Physics Science Spectacular Moves from February to April 9 & April 10 at 1pm and at 4pm as Part of UW Science Expeditions!
It’s official! The Wonders of Physics shows will be performed during Science Expeditions this year. The risks are just too high right now (when we need to be rehearsing) to be able to put on the show in February. We will be sending out an email to our list of 6500+ subscribers this week announcing the change as well as highlighting Science Expeditions taking place on the same weekend. Another email will be sent to the same list in late February or early March alerting people that tickets sales are open.
We will do four shows inside Chamberlin, in room 2103, but also hope to livestream them as well. The shows will be 1pm and 4pm on 4/9 & 4/10. The Physics Fair is moving to 4/9 from 11am-4pm as well.
Thanks!
Haddie
Haddie McLean (she/her)
Outreach Specialist-Wonders of Physics
UW-Madison Physics Department
608-262-2927
Free tickets for the Wonders of Physics are recommended and are available after January 1st using the On-Line Ticket Form.
Alternately, you may call (608) 262-2927 or e-mail wonders@physics.wisc.edu.
Come to 2103 Chamberlin Hall, 1150 University Avenue, Madison, WI.
The Wonders of Physics Shows last a bit over an hour and are suitable for all ages.
12b. The Physics Fair Beams Back To Campus on April 9 from 11 am to 4 pm
The Physics Fair is an annual Department of Physics open house that includes laboratory tours, hands-on demonstrations, activities for kids and families, and informal conversations with scientists. It is presented alongside the Wonders of Physics annual show, and is held in Chamberlin Hall. No tickets or RSVP is required for the Physics Fair.The 2022 Physics Fair is now re-scheduled from February 12 to Saturday, April 9 from 11am – 4pm in Chamberlin Hall as part of UW Science Expeditions.
13. Share Your Science with Necedah’s “Cardinal After School” by Zoom on Tuesdays throughout the coming spring semester. Starting on Tuesday February 1 and weekly thereafter, choose a Tuesday to share your science by zoom from 4:00-4:30pm for grades for middle school and high school; 4:30 to 5:00 for grades 3-5. It’s a good way to share existing activities, as well as to invite the students to help you prototype & hone new activities you’re developing. Contact Liz Jesse (ejesse2@wisc.edu) or Tom Zinnen (zinnen@biotech.wisc.edu) for questions or suggestions. Sign up at the spreadsheet here.
14. The 2022 WI KidWind Challenge Comes to UW-Madison February 26!The KidWind Challenge is a hands-on wind turbine design competition that engages middle and high school students from across Wisconsin in STEM through the lens of wind energy. Student teams bring small-scale wind turbines to the challenge, test them in a wind tunnel, meet with a panel of expert judges to present their design process, tackle instant challenge activities, and explore green careers.The 2022 WI KidWind Challenge is co-organized by the Wisconsin Energy Institute and will take place on Saturday, February 26 at the Discovery Building at the University of Wisconsin – Madison campus. Learn more here.
Allison BenderOutreach Coordinator
Wisconsin Energy Institute | Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center608.890.0946 agbender@wisc.edu1552 University Ave, Madison WI, Room 2160University of Wisconsin–Madison
15. UW Arboretum Winter EventsSaturday work parties, Sunday walks, and night walksSaturday restoration work parties, 9 a.m.–12 p.m.: https://arboretum.wisc.edu/get-involved/volunteer/work-parties/See the full list of Sunday walks (nature hikes, family walks, and garden strolls), plus monthly night walks, on the Arboretum events calendar:https://arboretum.wisc.edu/visit/events/
Saturday, February 12. Ecological Restoration Work Party: Core Area and Curtis Prairie. Meet at the Visitor Center.
9 a.m.–12 p.m. Saturday, February 12. Full Moon Night Walk. 4:30 p.m.-6:00 p.m.Sunday, February 13. Family Nature Walk. 1 p.m.-2:00 p.m.Saturday, February 19. Ecological Restoration Work Party: Grady Tract.
Meet at Grady Tract parking lot (SE corner, Seminole Highway &West Beltline Frontage Rd).
9 a.m.–12 p.m. Sunday, February 20. Nature Hike. 1 p.m.-2:30 p.m.Saturday, February 26. Ecological Restoration Work Party: Core Area and Curtis Prairie.
Meet at the Visitor Center. 9 a.m.–12 p.m. Sunday, February 27. Garden Stroll. 1 p.m.-2:00 p.m. 16. Events from Madison Friends of Urban Nature
17. Beaver Dam Arts & Peony Festival on June 4, 10am to 5pm is looking for youth activities.Location: Ovan’s Peony Farm, Beaver DamPartners include Mill House Quilts, and New Sewing with Nancy Store.They expect about 500 people to come through.If interested in providing an Exploration Station in science or the arts, please reach out to Fran Puleo fpuleo@wisc.eduFran Puleo Moyer Assistant Director of Outreach ProgramsUW ConnectsUniversity of Wisconsin-Madisonfran.puleo@wisc.edu | 920.296.05461308 W. Dayton St. Madison, WI 53715uwconnects.wisc.edu
17. Beaver Dam Arts & Peony Festival on June 4, 10am to 5pm is looking for youth activities.Location: Ovan’s Peony Farm, Beaver DamPartners include Mill House Quilts, and New Sewing with Nancy Store.They expect about 500 people to come through.If interested in providing an Exploration Station in science or the arts, please reach out to Fran Puleo fpuleo@wisc.eduFran Puleo Moyer Assistant Director of Outreach ProgramsUW ConnectsUniversity of Wisconsin-Madisonfran.puleo@wisc.edu | 920.296.05461308 W. Dayton St. Madison, WI 53715uwconnects.wisc.edu18. More from Madison FUN Friends of Urban Nature
