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Bascom Hill Society Spring Virtual Event
Join fellow Bascom Hill Society (BHS) members and some of the UW’s most loyal and engaged supporters online for this exclusive event with UW chancellor Rebecca Blank and other special guests from the university. We’ve learned a lot since the start of the pandemic and witnessed that our collective resilience is undeniable. As we move... Read more » Continue reading »Date: May 25, 2021
Time: 3:30–5 p.m. CDT
Location: OnlineWorking to Change Lives amid Changing Asylum Policies: CANCELED
Explore how shifting asylum policies are limiting access to justice ... Continue reading »Featuring: Erin Barbato ‘02
Date: March 17, 2020
Time: 12:30–2 p.m.
Location: CanceledMaking of the Makerspace
Imagine a space where limits don’t exist ... Continue reading »Featuring: Lennon Rodgers
Date: February 25, 2020
Time: 12:30–2 p.m.
Location: Fluno Center, Oros Dining Room, 601 University Avenue, MadisonSounds of the Season
Join us for an afternoon of festive music, scintillating conversation, and delightful dining inside the classic Memorial Union. Continue reading »Featuring: Bruce Gladstone, UW–Madison associate director of choral activities
Date: December 3, 2019
Time: 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.
Location: Tripp Commons, Memorial Union, 800 Langdon Street, MadisonTalking Politics: 2020 and Beyond
Join UW professor Kenneth Mayer as he reflects on the most recent election and shares his insights on the upcoming 2020 state and presidential elections. Continue reading »Featuring: Kenneth Mayer, UW–Madison professor of political science
Date: November 12, 2019
Time: 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.
Location: Tripp Commons, Memorial Union, 800 Langdon Street, MadisonWhat Does Well-Being Mean to Me?
Join the UW’s Shilagh Mirgain as she delves into how well-being is something we can all cultivate. Continue reading »Featuring: Shilagh Mirgain, health and sport psychologist at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
Date: July 9, 2019
Time: 11:15 a.m.–1 p.m.
Location: Pyle Center, Alumni Lounge, 702 Langdon Street, MadisonSummer Open House: An Update from WFAA
Meet the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association’s Mike Knetter and Julie Van Cleave and learn about economic trends that can impact your life. Continue reading »Featuring: Mike Knetter, president and chief executive officer of the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association Julie Van Cleave, chief investment officer of the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association
Date: June 19, 2019
Time: 4:45–7 p.m.
Location: One Alumni Place, 650 North Lake Street, MadisonEnvironment, Diet, and Well-Being
Join the UW’s Kristen Malecki as she examines the role of inflammation and the gut microbiome. Continue reading »Featuring: Kristen Malecki, assistant professor, Department of Population Health Sciences
Date: March 19, 2019
Time: 12:30-2 p.m.
Location: Oros Dining Room, Fluno Center, 601 University Avenue, MadisonEarth Day at 50: The UW’s Environmental Legacy
Join with the Nelson Institute’s director, Paul Robbins, in exploring Wisconsin’s environmental leadership and legacy. Continue reading »Featuring: Paul Robbins, director of the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies
Date: February 19, 2019
Time: 12:30-2 p.m.
Location: Oros Dining Room, Fluno Center, 601 University Avenue, MadisonCelebrate the Season
Ring in the season with the Madrigal Singers, an advanced-level group of student performers. Continue reading »Featuring: Beverly Taylor, professor of choral conducting and director of choral activities
Date: December 4, 2018
Time: 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Location: Memorial Union, Tripp Commons, 800 Langdon Street, MadisonExploring the Politics of a Swing State
Join professor Canon as he recaps the November state election results and delves into why Wisconsin voted the way it did. Continue reading »Featuring: David T. Canon, UW-Madison professor of political science
Date: November 13, 2018
Time: 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Location: Memorial Union, Tripp Commons, 800 Langdon Street, MadisonAn Illuminating Look Inside the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery
Delve into the hyper-collaborative activity and research occurring within the walls of the innovative Discovery Building with Professor Ponto. Continue reading »Featuring: Kevin Ponto, Assistant Professor, UW-Madison School of Human Ecology and co-director of illuminating Science, Wisconsin Institute for Discovery
Date: July 24, 2018
Time: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Location: Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery, Town Center, H.F. DeLuca Forum, 330 N. Orchard Street, MadisonClearing Up the Mystery of Cryptocurrencies
Join professor Chandler in examining how today’s rapidly emerging cryptocurrencies, such as bitcoin, create a new intersection of technology and financial markets Continue reading »Featuring: Brad Chandler, Director of UW-Madison's Nicholas Center for Corporate Finance and Investment Banking
Date: June 19, 2018
Time: 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Location: Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery, Town Center, H. F. DeLuca Forum, 330 N. Orchard Street, MadisonExplaining North Korea: How Its Political Regime Remains in Power
With UW expert David Fields as your guide, delve into how the North Korean regime remains in power despite the global collapse of Communism nearly three decades ago. Continue reading »Featuring: David Fields MA’09, PhD’17, UW–Madison affiliated faculty member, Center for East Asian Studies
Date: March 13, 2018
Time: 12:30–2 p.m.
Location: Fluno Center, 601 University Avenue, MadisonModel Behavior: Animal Research, Complexity, and the Genetics of Psychiatric Disorders
Join Professor Nelson in examining how studying a mouse in a maze can help us understand human problems such as alcoholism and anxiety. Continue reading »Featuring: Nicole Nelson, UW–Madison assistant professor, Department of History
Date: February 20, 2018
Time: 12:30–2 p.m.
Location: Fluno Center, 601 University Avenue, MadisonCelebrate the Season
Ring in the season with the Concert Choir: 55 of the university’s finest vocal performers. The group toured Britain in 1999, has performed at American Choral Directors Association conventions, and premiered works by John Harbison and Thea Musgrave. Continue reading »Featuring: Beverly Taylor, professor of choral conducting and director of choral activities, UW–Madison
Date: December 5, 2017
Time: 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.
Location: Memorial Union, Tripp Commons, 800 Langdon Street, MadisonThe Future of Data Science
Join Professor Nowak in exploring how meaningful outcomes can come through developing fundamental techniques for handling massive data sets in shorter times — and how this advance can ultimately improve our daily lives. Continue reading »Featuring: Robert Nowak, professor, UW–Madison Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Date: November 14, 2017
Time: 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.
Location: Memorial Union, Tripp Commons, 800 Langdon Street, MadisonNew Spaces. Fresh Places.
Gain insights and highlights on what you can expect when Alumni Park opens later this year for all Badgers to experience. Continue reading »Featuring: Mary Carbine ’86, MA’88, managing director, Alumni Park and One Alumni Place
Date: July 25, 2017
Time: 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.
Location: Pyle Center, Alumni Lounge, 702 Langdon Street, MadisonNearing the Finish Line: Memorial Union Reinvestment Project
Learn about how the Memorial Union is being modernized while the university also ensures its historic preservation. Continue reading »Featuring: Mark Guthier, director, Wisconsin Union
Date: June 13, 2017
Time: 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.
Location: Pyle Center, Alumni Lounge, 702 Langdon Street, MadisonRussian Relations and the New President
Delve into how the new presidency might affect our relationship with Russia with insights from Ted Gerber, an expert on Russia, Ukraine, and other former Soviet countries. Continue reading »Featuring: Ted Gerber, UW–Madison professor of sociology and director of the UW’s Center for Russia, East Europe, and Central Asia
Date: February 28, 2017
Time: 12:30–2 p.m.
Location: Fluno Center, 601 University Avenue, MadisonCelebrate the Season
During this month’s luncheon, Bruce Gladstone will direct the Madrigal Singers in a holiday-inspired musical performance. Continue reading »Featuring: Bruce Gladstone
Date: December 6, 2016
Time: 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.
Location: Union South
1308 W. Dayton StreetNew President, New Health Programs
During November's luncheon, Thomas Oliver will delve into how the new presidential administration may impact our public health programs. Continue reading »Featuring: Thomas Oliver
Date: November 15, 2016
Time: 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.
Location: Union South
1308 W. Dayton StreetThe Politics of Resentment
During this discussion on the “politics of resentment,” Cramer will share what she learned while interviewing thousands of everyday citizens throughout Wisconsin. Continue reading »Featuring: Katherine Cramer ’94, UW-Madison professor of political science; director of the UW’s Morgridge Center for Public Service
Date: July 19, 2016
Time: 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.
Location: UW Arboretum Visitor Center, 1207 Seminole Highway, Madison, WIThe Zika Virus and Its Global Impact
O’Connor will unravel the history, pathology, and impact of the Zika virus in this timely talk. Continue reading »Featuring: David O’Connor PhD’01, UW-Madison professor of pathology and laboratory medicine
Date: June 21, 2016
Time: 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.
Location: UW Arboretum Visitor Center, 1207 Seminole Highway, Madison, WIImprovisational Theater for Scientists
Improvisers are experts at holding an audience’s attention. Clare Haden and Amy Zelenski will demonstrate how their Improvisational Theater for Scientists course can inspire you, too. Discover how you can become a more effective communicator through the art of improvisation. Continue reading »Featuring: Clare Haden, oral communication specialist at Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology; and Amy Zelenski, director of education for the Department of Medicine in the UW-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health
Date: March 22, 2016
Time: 12:30–2 p.m.
Location: Fluno Center, Dining Room, 601 University Avenue, Madison, WIBuilding Blocks of Creativity
Put your imagination to the test. Using Lego building blocks, Moreau will delve into how engaging in well-defined problem solving affects one’s ability to handle more ambiguous tasks. Continue reading »Featuring: Page Moreau, UW-Madison professor and John R. Nevin Chair in Marketing at the Wisconsin School of Business
Date: February 23, 2016
Time: 12:30–2 p.m.
Location: Fluno Center, Dining Room, 601 University Avenue, Madison, WIOrganic Agriculture in Wisconsin
Consumer interest in organic products continues to grow in the United States. Learn how Wisconsin has climbed to second in the nation in the number of organic farms, and how it continues to be a leader in organic agriculture. Continue reading »Featuring: Erin Silva, Assistant Professor, UW-Madison Department of Agronomy
Date: July 21, 2015
Time: 11:15 a.m.–1 p.m.
Location: UW Arboretum, 1207 Seminole Highway, Madison, WIUncover the Mystery of Sleep
Sleep is a pervasive, universal, and fundamental behavior: it occupies a third of our lives; it is present in every animal species where it has been studied; even partial deprivation of sleep has serious consequences for cognition, mood, and health. Continue reading »Featuring: Giulio Tononi, Professor, UW-Madison Department of Psychiatry
Date: June 23, 2015
Time: 11:15 a.m.–1 p.m.
Location: UW Arboretum, 1207 Seminole Highway, Madison, WILessons from the 2014 Elections
Burden’s research and teaching focus on U.S. elections, public opinion, representation, and the U.S. Congress. His recent study has centered on aspects of election administration. Continue reading »Featuring: Barry Burden, UW-Madison Professor of Political Science
Date: March 25, 2015
Time: 12:30 – 2 p.m.
Location: Fluno Center, Dining Room, 601 University Avenue, Madison, WIThe Wisconsin Longitudinal Study: Shaping a Happy and Healthy Later Life
The Wisconsin Longitudinal Study has been tracking one in three Wisconsin high school graduates — and a sibling — from the Class of 1957. The study has enhanced the understanding of college-attendance decisions and the quality of work life. Continue reading »Featuring: Pamela Herd, Principal Investigator, Wisconsin Longitudinal Study; Professor of Public Affairs and Sociology, UW-Madison
Date: February 24, 2015
Time: 12:30 – 2 p.m.
Location: Fluno Center, Dining Room, 601 University Avenue, Madison, WISoviet Influence at Nuremberg
Professor Fran Hirsch will retell the story of the Trial of Major War Criminals at Nuremberg from the perspective of the Soviet Union. She will share newly declassified information that offers evidence of the contributions of the Soviets to the trial’s legal framework, and the shaping of postwar international law and human rights. Continue reading »Featuring: Francine Hirsch, Associate Professor, Department of History, College of Letters & Science
Date: July 29, 2014
Time: 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Location: Arboretum Visitor Center, 1207 Seminole HighwayPharmacists and Fall Prevention
Dave Mott wants to know what your community pharmacist can do for you. He is researching the expanding role of pharmacists in helping older adults become aware of potential fall risks due to medications. Continue reading »Featuring: David A. Mott, Hammel/Sanders Distinguished Professor, Chair of the Social and Administrative Sciences Division, School of Pharmacy
Date: June 17, 2014
Time: 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Location: Arboretum Visitor Center, 1207 Seminole HighwayIceCube: From the South Pole to the Edge of the Universe
More than 20 years ago, astrophysicist Francis Halzen made an outlandish proposal: to build a particle detector deep in the ice at the South Pole in Antarctica. His aim was to detect neutrinos, tiny, invisible particles that come from violent events in space like supernova and black holes. Continue reading »Featuring: Francis Halzen, Hilldale and Gregory Breit Distinguished Professor of Physics and Interim Director of the Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center
Date: March 18, 2014
Time: 12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Location: Executive Dining Room, UW-Madison Fluno CenterConnecting Education and Neuroscience to get the Whole Picture
Media tout the importance of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education on a daily basis, and recent research reveals that knowledge of fractions is critical as a foundation for understanding higher-order mathematics and STEM achievement. Continue reading »Featuring: Edward M. Hubbard and Percival G. Matthews, Assistant Professors, School of Education Department of Educational Psychology
Date: February 18, 2014
Time: 12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Location: Executive Dining Room, UW-Madison Fluno CenterWhere Dangers Gather
Thirty years ago, the United States might have been able to orchestrate events in Syria, says Professor Jon Pevehouse, who will discuss implications of the current civil unrest. Continue reading »Featuring: Jon Pevehouse, Professor of Political Science, College of Letters & Science
Date: November 12, 2013
Time: 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Location: Gordon Dining and Event CenterBreathing, Walking, Living
Our bodies want to breathe, and for Professor Gordon Mitchell, the ability of the respiratory system to respond to disruptions in breathing is providing clues to new treatments for conditions as diverse as sleep apnea, Lou Gehrig’s disease and spinal cord injury. Continue reading »Featuring: Gordon Mitchell, Steenbock Professor of Behavioral and Neural Science Director, Respiratory Neurobiology Training Program School of Veterinary Medicine
Date: July 9, 2013
Time: 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Location: Arboretum Visitor CenterThe Science of Comfort
As head of the Carbone Cancer Center Palliative Care Program and director of the palliative care fellowship program, Dr. Toby Campbell’s work focuses on comfort and care for patients facing serious illness. Continue reading »Featuring: Dr. Toby Campbell, Assistant Professor, Thoracic Oncologist Chief, Palliative Care Program Carbone Cancer Center School of Medicine and Public Health
Date: June 11, 2013
Time: 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Location: Arboretum Visitor CenterBooks Build Better Brains
Dr. Dipesh Navsaria, an assistant professor of pediatrics in the UW School of Medicine and Public Health, is a resident physician at American Family Children’s Hospital, where he helped establish an inpatient library and is instrumental in Reach Out and Read, a nationally-recognized literacy program. Continue reading »Featuring: Dr. Dipesh Navsaria, Assistant Professor, Pediatrics School of Medicine and Public Health
Date: March 19, 2013
Time: 12:15 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Location: Luncheon and Program Dining Room, Fluno CenterFollowing the Storm
Internationally renowned for research in atmospheric science, Professor Steve Ackerman is director of the UW-Madison’s Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies. Continue reading »Featuring: Steve Ackerman, Director, Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies
Date: February 19, 2013
Time: 12:15 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Location: Luncheon and Program Dining Room, Fluno CenterCelebrate the Season
In keeping with its holiday tradition, the Bascom Hill Society Luncheon Series once again welcomes the University’s Concert Choir and Beverly Taylor, director of choral activities and professor of music, to entertain and delight with their a cappella repertoire. Continue reading »Featuring: University of Wisconsin-Madison Concert Choir, Director Beverly Taylor
Date: December 11, 2012
Time: 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Location: Varsity Hall, Union SouthElection 2012 in Review
In the aftermath of the November elections, John Coleman, a frequent commentator and author or editor of six books about the political process, recaps and analyzes the results. Continue reading »Featuring: John Coleman, Professor and Chair, Lyons Family Faculty Fellow, Department of Political Science
Date: November 13, 2012
Time: 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Location: Varsity Hall, Union SouthA Global View: Today’s Choices, Tomorrow’s Health
When Jonathan Patz considers global health, he sees a tapestry interwoven with cultural mores, society's choices, environmental science and economics. He sees a spraying program successfully control malaria in Boreo but leading to a major typhus epidemic and the collapse of thatched roofs that depended on an insect to protect them. Continue reading »Featuring: Jonathan Patz, Director of the Global Health Institute
Date: July 10, 2012
Time: 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Location: Arboretum Visitor CenterAccess for All
Cathy Trueba has spent 25 years in post-secondary services, serves on a national panel of disability experts for the Educational Testing Services, In., and speaks nationally on best practices for university disability services. Continue reading »Featuring: Cathy Trueba, Director of the McBurney Disability Resource Center, Assistant Dean, Division of Student Life
Date: June 12, 2012
Time: 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Location: Arboretum Visitor CenterThe Historic Restoration of Memorial Union
Mark Guthier, Director of the Wisconsin Union, welcomes us to the new Union South, which opened six months ago to rave reviews from students, Union members and community groups. Spending no time basking in the glow of this successful project, Guthier has turned his attention to the monumental task of renovating and restoring the Memorial Union. Continue reading »Featuring: Mark Guthier, Director of the Wisconsin Union
Date: November 8, 2011
Time: 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m
Location: Union South, 1308 W. Dayton StNews from Main Street
Professor Katherine Cramer Walsh will discuss how her studies in “outstate Wisconsin,” meaning outside of Madison or Milwaukee, as part of her research are yielding interesting results and helping us understand how people make sense of politics. Continue reading »Featuring: Professor Katherine Cramer Walsh
Date: July 26, 2011
Time: 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m
Location: University of Wisconsin-Madison ArboretumCould it Happen Here?
Professor Michael L. Corradini examines the questions raised by recent events in Japan and updates us on current thinking in the field of nuclear engineering. Continue reading »Featuring: Professor Michael L. Corradini
Date: June 28, 2011
Time: 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m
Location: University of Wisconsin-Madison ArboretumMohawks in Normandy
Professor John W. Hall will focus on the imagery of the American Indian in World War II and contrast that with actual service. From the fame of the “Filthy Thirteen,” to Ira Hayes and code-talkers, it is sure to be an interesting discussion. Continue reading »Featuring: John W. Hall
Date: March 22, 2011
Time: 12:30 – 2:00 p.m.
Location: Dining Room, Fluno CenterThe Cold War and the Civil Rights Movement in the U.S.
Professor Brenda Gayle Plummer will offer a unique perspective on the Cold War, how it both helped and hurt the civil rights movement in the United States. Continue reading »Featuring: Brenda Gayle Plummer
Date: February 22, 2011
Time: 12:30 – 2:00 p.m.
Location: Dining Room, Fluno CenterFrom the Garden to the Store: The Commercialization of Herbal Medicines
Jeanette Roberts, dean of the School of Pharmacy, earned a PhD in medicinal chemistry and lectures in the course “Herbals, Homeopathy and Nutritional Supplements,” in the Pharmacy Practice Division of the School. At the Bascom Hill Society luncheon, Dean Roberts reviewed the conceptual framework around dietary supplements and herbal medicines, and outlined the regulatory environment and how it differs from over-the-counter and prescription drugs. Continue reading »A Brisk Tempo
Director and Professor John Schaffer shared his excitement about the plans for a new music facility that will be an even greater asset to music lovers on campus and in the community. Continue reading »Does All Art Challenge
The 2009-10 academic year at the UW-Madison was the Year of Humanities, designed to raise the profile of the humanities, both on campus and among the general public, by presenting what the humanities are and how they enrich our lives through teaching, scholarship and community engagement. Professor Levine challenges traditional ideas about the role and requirement of art and artists in a democratic society with her book “Provoking Democracy: Why We Need the Arts.” Continue reading »Partnerships in Discovery
Patricia Brennan, chair of the College of Engineering Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering and Professor of Nursing, will share her vision for the new Living Environments Laboratory, which will focus on technologies that enable people with health problems to avoid institutionalization by caring for themselves at home. Continue reading »The Amazing Plastic Brain and How It Grew a Business
TCNL scientists talk about the trials and triumphs of bringing a new technology and new company to life as well as exciting possibilities for the future. What our brains currently do for us is amazing. Can we dare to imagine what they are capable of doing if we give them the tools? Continue reading »Featuring: Kurt Kaczmarek, Mitchell Tyler and Yuri Danilov
Date: July 28, 2009
Location: UW ArboretumThe Art of Cell Division
Ahna Skop is known for her innovative research into the molecular mechanisms involved in cell division and for identifying links between the ways in which animal and plant cells divide. She encourages people to see the beauty in biology and has prepared a display of enlarged scientific images for the entry of her building on campus. Continue reading »Beyond the Embryo—Wisconsin and Stem Cell Research
Scientific research into human stem cells may yield cures and therapies for humanity’s most intractable diseases. Clinical outcomes of stem cell therapy, called regenerative medicine, are touted as the future of biomedicine. But new science often provokes a redefinition of ethical, societal and legal standards. Continue reading »Superpower China
Friedman answers questions about one of the most dynamic and contested regions of the world. How will the rise of China change the world? How do the Chinese people imagine the answer? How do international analysts see it? How do neighboring governments see the impact of China’s rise on the world stage? Continue reading »Vitamin D: The Wonder Drug of Tomorrow
Learn from Hector DeLuca how vitamin D may reduce the risk of getting various cancers, the flu, diabetes, heart disease and autoimmune diseases. Continue reading »The Educational Power of Computer Games
Don’t take away your child’s or grandchild’s video or computer games just yet. They are actually learning how to be successful in tomorrow’s work force, says Professor David Shaffer. Continue reading »Preventing Eye Disease Through Research
Dr. Daniel Albert discusses common vision problems in the context of known science and future treatment possibilities. His research focuses on ocular tumors, specifically melanoma and retinoblastoma. Dr. Albert’s work with retinoblastoma utilizes transgenic mouse models of the tumor to investigate the molecular biology of the disease and whether vitamin D analogs produce tumor regression in these animal models. Continue reading »Building a Staff, Building a Team, Building a Season
Bret Bielema is the third rookie head football coach in NCAA Division I history to guide his team to 12 wins. He holds the record for most wins by a first-year coach at Wisconsin. Hear how Coach Bielema built his staff and led the Badgers to a Capital One Bowl win. Continue reading »Election Wrap-Up- 2006
Political science Professor David Canon and Professor Virginia Sapiro discuss the 10 most interesting things about the 2006 election, then answer the audience's political questions. Continue reading »Transforming the Mind by Changing Your Brain
World-renowned UW psychology professor Richard Davidson is searching for the source of happiness, and he has used Buddhist monks in his lab as a model group. Learn what he has discovered about the secrets and brain science of happiness. Continue reading »