Category Science & Technology
Solar cell, married to liquid battery, achieves record efficiency
The technology Professor Song Jin is advancing – unifying solar electricity generation with storage – could first be used in off-grid, standalone energy systems.
Morgridge, UW researchers win top prize in Nikon International Small World imaging contest
Two UW–Madison researchers won first place in the 2018 Nikon Small World in Motion Competition for a video depicting neural development in a zebrafish embryo.
Breaking ground with Grace
Grace Wahba, who retired in August, was the first female faculty member in the Department of Statistics at UW–Madison. Her work centered on the extraction of information from large data sets, particularly in the medical field.
Go Big Read author coming to UW–Madison
In “The Death and Life of the Great Lakes, Dan Egan writes, “Like generations of the past, we know the damage we are doing to the lakes, and we know how to begin to stop it; unlike generations of the past, we aren’t doing it."
New generation: Unique technology could turbocharge electrical efficiency
Mechanical engineering Professor Sage Kokjohn is developing technology roughly twice as efficient as conventional fossil fuel-based power plants, which would provide more environmentally friendly power.
A warming climate means profound changes for U.S. National Parks
The analysis of all 417 of America’s national parks, conducted by UW–Madison’s Center for Climatic Research, found that average temperatures increased at twice the rate as the rest of the nation over the past century.
NSF awards UW $3 million to advance quantum physics, technology
The three UW–Madison grants are among 25 in an NSF initiative to fund major advances in quantum physics. In 2016, the agency identified quantum research as one of its 10 top funding priorities.
UW helps communities create cleaner, greener wastewater
A partnership with the Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District focuses on reducing releases of phosphorus, a plant nutrient that feeds overgrowths of algae in lakes and streams.
Blank’s Slate: Shining a light on UW-industry collaboration
“Research on big and complex problems requires collaboration,” says Chancellor Rebecca Blank. Several recent, major initiatives can also create “extraordinary learning opportunities” for students.
Discovery to Product creates new program to grow entrepreneurship at UW–Madison
Innovation to Market builds on the success of D2P’s Igniter program, which helped start 19 companies over the past three years.
Clinical prospects for stem cells begin to emerge
Responsible science is almost always a slow, grueling process, but 20 years after James Thomson derived the first human embryonic stem cell lines, experts in the field of stem cell and regenerative medicine feel more optimistic than ever.
Next generation Large Hadron Collider relies on UW–Madison computing
The University of Wisconsin Center for High Throughput Computing will receive $2.2 million dollars to help develop software to support an upgrade in the Large Hadron Collider.
WISCIENCE expands capacity for undergraduates new to research to pursue dream projects
Some spend their summers working at summer camps, in a grocery store, or as a lifeguard. Others, thanks to the WISCIENCE Summer Research Scholarship, spend their time off from school pursuing their dream research projects.
New associate vice chancellors oversee research in biological sciences, arts and humanities
A new face and a familiar one have joined the leadership team in the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education.
Construction begins on $133 million revamp of Chemistry Building
With the start of construction on a $133 million chemistry tower and other renovations, students — as well as faculty and other researchers — will gain access to updated teaching and laboratory spaces to accommodate the next generation of chemical education and research.
Vaccine opt-outs dropped — barely — when California added more hurdles
A law requiring that parents who wanted to exempt their children from vaccines to get the signature of a healthcare provider slightly reduced the proportion of unvaccinated children entering kindergarten in California.
Power-hungry data centers may help make a more efficient national electric grid
Researchers from UW–Madison and the University of Chicago will explore the idea that data centers could make the power grid more flexible with a $1.8 million grant from the National Science Foundation.
Blazes of light reveal how plants signal danger long distances
The plants produce a protein that only fluoresces around calcium, letting the researchers track its presence and concentration. Then came caterpillar bites, scissor cuts and crushing wounds.
A little less protection could bring about long-lasting solar cells
New research at UW–Madison helped researchers achieve the longest-ever useful life of a key component of some types of photovoltaic cells called the photoelectrochemical electrode.
Multi-university collaboration will use data science to find the next El Nino
A new collaboration involving UW–Madison will develop novel data science tools to sniff out hidden weather patterns, improving weather forecasts and scientific understanding of global climate.