Graduate education at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
Attending conferences has a number of benefits for graduate students, from networking opportunities, to experience presenting research, to being inspired by new ideas. These testimonials from current graduate students illustrate what they gained from attending conferences in their fields during the spring 2019 semester.
A University of Wisconsin–Madison pilot project is providing new insights into the economic well-being and career progress of its graduates. The project looks at the median earnings of UW–Madison graduates — by area of study and degree level — one, five and 10 years after graduating. The data are available on UW–Madison’s website.
The National Science Foundation has awarded 40 UW–Madison students with Graduate Research Fellowships. The Graduate Research Fellowship Program recognizes and supports outstanding, early-career graduate students who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Awardees are selected based on their potential for significant research achievements that can benefit society.
A digital humanities platform at UW–Madison is developing a tool that makes visually focused objects such as medieval manuscripts available online. Digital Mappa is headed by Martin Foys in the English department along with colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania, and is funded in part by a UW2020 grant from the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF). The platform allows users to build projects in a digital space, with the ability to link documents to one another, make comments, highlight interesting points, and collaborate with others.
Five outstanding graduate students at the University of Wisconsin–Madison were welcomed into the university’s chapter of the Edward A. Bouchet Graduate Honor Society April 2 in a ceremony attended by family, friends, and mentors. The 2019 inductees are Folagbayi Arowolo, Roxanne Etta, Pa Her, Jamila Lee-Johnson, and Esteban J. Quiñones.
On Honey Creek Farm in Green Lake County, there is a roughly eight-acre patch of wooded land in addition to the open pasture. Farmer Jim Quick raises grass-fed beef and is looking into a way to let his livestock graze the wooded part of his land while also revitalizing the woods. Quick has become interested in the managed integration of his livestock with trees and forage, known as silvopasture. Diane Mayerfeld and Keefe Keeley, both graduate students at UW–Madison’s Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, study silvopasture and, in the course of their studies, share that knowledge with farmers across Wisconsin.
Three doctoral students at the University of Wisconsin–Madison have been named recipients of the 2019 Peer Mentor Awards. The awards, sponsored by Graduate School Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Funding, recognize stellar mentorship qualities on- and off-campus.
As a graduate student, Sarah Balgooyen has researched phenolic contaminants and their presence in water systems. Phenolic contaminants such as BPA – the chemical commonly known from plastic water bottles – enter lakes and streams where they harm the ecosystem. Other phenolic compounds often come from pharmaceuticals or personal care products. Balgooyen focuses on a mechanism that could help break down these chemicals before they reach the ecosystems at all: oxidation by manganese oxide.
The Graduate School has selected five scholars for the 2019 cohort of the UW–Madison Edward A. Bouchet Graduate Honor Society. The Bouchet Society provides scholars with a network of peers who exemplify character, leadership, scholarship, service, and advocacy for those who have been traditionally underrepresented in the academy. The 2019 class of Bouchet scholars will …
UW-Madison graduate programs are once again ranked among the nation’s best in the 2020 edition of U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Graduate Schools.” “Our graduate programs provide students the opportunity to learn from and be mentored by world-class faculty who encourage curiosity and creativity,” says William Karpus, dean of UW–Madison’s Graduate School. “I am proud of the faculty and staff who work hard to prepare our students for careers in their chosen fields as well as inspire them to continue learning by asking the most important questions.”