Tag Faculty and staff
Recent sightings: Faculty of Color Reception
Members of the campus community gathered Wednesday, Feb. 18, for the annual Faculty of Color Reception at the Pyle Center’s Alumni Lounge. The reception — co-hosted by Interim Vice Provost and Chief Diversity Officer Patrick J. Sims and Jo Ellen Fair, chair of the University Committee — was an opportunity to welcome 26 new faculty of color, honor 40 newly promoted faculty of color, recognize visiting faculty of color, and network with colleagues.
Innovative teaching practices encourage students in STEM
Like many seniors majoring in biology, Christian Hernandez is pursuing the pre-med track. However, he nearly didn’t make it past his freshman year at the University of Wisconsin–Madison As a Latino first-generation college student, Hernandez says he had no role models to help him achieve his career goal: to change the face of medicine in the United States. But then he took Physiology 335.
UW officials: Teaching is one important part of faculty duties
Teaching is a vital part of the role of faculty and instructional staff. But the job includes many other worthy activities, UW–Madison officials noted Wednesday in response to suggestions from Gov. Scott Walker about increasing faculty workload.
With new professor, university-industry effort to focus on energy storage
With expertise in energy storage systems for electric vehicles, smart-grid technology and military applications, Deyang Qu will be the first Johnson Controls Endowed Professor in Energy Storage Research.
Wisconsin’s new ‘bug guy,’ insect detective arrives on campus
His favorite insect is one he has actually never seen alive in the wild. It lives on snowfields and glaciers in the American West, aptly named an ice crawler. But PJ Liesch, the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s new “bug guy,” continues to search for it. “I’ve been out West looking for them a couple of times and haven’t had any luck, so they’re kind of one I have on my bucket list, just to see one of those out in the wild,” says Liesch. The insect specialist officially took over as manager of the UW–Madison Insect Diagnostic Lab this summer.
Highlights start early in four-day Wisconsin Science Festival
You name it, and the fourth annual Wisconsin Science Festival has it all — dance, star-gazing, fossils, art, museum and stage shows — spread over four days and venues in 25 Wisconsin cities. While the curious of all ages are immersed in hands-on exploration, and visitors marvel at the research underway and specimens on display around campus and the state, several of the festival’s marquee events may be of interest to faculty and staff on campus. The festival runs from Thursday through Sunday, Oct. 16-19.
Subject experts to lead HR Design sessions
The fall 2014 HR Design informational sessions are slated for Oct. 30 and Nov. 3 and 4. Since the inception of HR Design, regular information sessions have been held to keep the UW–Madison campus community fully informed about innovations and progress on the HR Design project.
‘Bigger is better,’ Blank says in State of the University speech
After a year on campus, Chancellor Rebecca Blank says she has come to appreciate that the scope and breadth of the University of Wisconsin–Madison is what makes it a world-class university.
UW employee benefits enrollment starts Oct. 6
The Annual Benefits Enrollment period for University of Wisconsin–Madison employees, when an employee may enroll or make changes to existing benefit plans, is Oct. 6-31. Any changes become effective Jan 1, 2015.
After 26 years in flight, Murdoch lands with UW Naval ROTC
Capt. Christopher Murdoch, who spent 26 years on active duty in some of the world’s major trouble spots as an aviator in the U.S. Navy, has taken command of the UW–Madison Naval ROTC unit. During a July ceremony, Murdoch took over for Capt. Russ Haas, who retired after three years as Wisconsin ROTC’s commanding officer.
Mainstay clerk celebrates 50 years of reliability at UW Hospital
The Neurosciences ICU on the fourth floor of the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics is normally a hushed and darkened spot. It’s kept that way for the comfort of patients, who have recently survived brain surgery, stroke or some manner of head trauma. But on a Thursday in May, there was an uncharacteristic party going in the employee break room. It was a celebration of health unit clerk Sharon Dickey’s 50th anniversary at the hospital.
Campus does anything but cease in the summer
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is host to boundless opportunities, happenings, changes and more — even when school’s out for the summer. Whether you were around to experience some of the new developments yourself, or taking a break from the everyday bustle of campus life, there was no shortage of activity at the university over the summer.
New director right at home — literally — in University Housing
The mission statement of University Housing really resonated with Jeff Novak: “Be the place where everyone wants to live” — to the point where “everyone” includes Novak himself. Novak has been on campus for just a few weeks, but he is already feeling at home in his new position as director of University Housing for UW–Madison.
Legend in genetics at forefront of book about heroism during 20th century’s darkest hours
Waclaw Szybalski, 92, a genius of genetics who has been repeatedly mentioned as a candidate for the Nobel Prize, grew up as an aspiring scientist during World War II in the eastern part of Poland. Many of Szybalski's most significant wartime roles concerned a decidedly applied type of science: He cooked TNT so the Polish resistance could sabotage rail lines. He participated in smuggling typhus vaccine to Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto. And he fed lice and supervised "louse feeders."
Eight honored by UW–Madison as Outstanding Women of Color
Eight winners of the 2014-15 Outstanding Women of Color awards, who are heavily involved in the campus as well as the Madison community through their work toward research and civic enrichment, have been announced by UW–Madison.
Recent sightings: The Wisconsin Idea on tour
Forty UW–Madison faculty, academic staff and administrators are on a swing through the state known as the Wisconsin Idea Seminar.