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Our scientists and growers across Wisconsin collaborate to create an advanced network of weather stations known as Wisconet. These stations collect important data such as air and soil temperature, humidity, precipitation, and wind. This data is then publicly available and free on the Wisconet website, which has become an essential tool for Wisconsin growers. Read more.
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This July, Irwin Goldman began his new role as the first Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Grower KWS Chair. This program was created by the Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA) and is named in honor of professors emeriti Keith Kelling, Jeffrey Wyman, and Walter Stevenson (KWS). The funds for the Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Grower KWS Chair will support graduate student research in the Goldman Lab. Read more.
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This November, Claudia Irene Calderón delivered the keynote speech at the XI Reunión Nacional y la I Reunión Internacional de Maíces Nativos (the 11th National Reunion and the 1st International Union on Native Maizes) in Oaxaca, Mexico. Calderón shared research on native maize and emphasized the importance of exploring new avenues for interdisciplinary collaborations Read more.
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Tanikwah Lang, a citizen of The Klamath Tribes of southern Oregon and an agroecology master's student, attended the FAO’s World Food Forum, Science and Innovation Forum, and the Global Hub on Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems in Rome, Italy. During these international discussions, Lang shared insight from her lived experience as a citizen of the Klamath Tribes and her work at UW-Madison. Read more.
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Events
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Visit Allen Centennial Garden at the Wisconsin Garden & Green Living Expo from February 13 - 15. Allen Centennial Garden will be hosting a booth with a hands-on activity for gardeners of all ages connected to their 2026 theme, “Illuminate the Garden.” They will also share their 2026 workshops and programs as well as information on how to become a member of the Friends of Allen Centennial Garden. Learn more.
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Join our department and many campus programs for the 2026 UW Science Expeditions. At this family-friendly event, attendees can interact with researchers, visit dozens of science venues across campus, enjoy Science Spectacular Shows, and try interactive Exploration Stations. This event is free and open to the public. Learn more.
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Plants for the Apocalypse IV | April 22, 3:30-5 p.m. | D.C. Smith Greenhouse
During UW-Madison's Earth Fest, visit D.C. Smith Greenhouse for a self-guided tour led by the Psychedelic Pasts, Presents, and Futures Workshop Group and the Allen Centennial Garden. In this tour, explore the entanglements of plant-human-environment relationships through the lenses of the four horsemen of the apocalypse: death, war, famine, and plague. Drop in to hear from UW-Madison community members about these multi-dimensional perspectives that can affect the health of humans and non-humans alike. This event is free and open to the public.
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Family Gardening Day | May 2, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. | UW-Madison Campus
Save the date for Family Gardening Day on May 2, 2026. From 10 a.m. - 1 p.m, visit Allen Centennial Garden, D.C. Smith Greenhouse, Steenbock and BioCommons, and the Wisconsin Energy Institute. Enjoy hands-on opportunities to work with seeds, pot plants, examine soil, handle a bug, paint rocks, and more. Attendees can take home a pasta pack of tomatoes, peppers, basil, and oregano plants while supplies last.
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Alumni Spotlights
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Dharani Suresh Babu Selected Flag Bearer
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This winter, Dharani Suresh Babu received her PhD in horticulture with a minor in computer science from UW-Madison. Suresh Babu, co-advised by Jyostna Mura and Amaya Atucha, focused on developing new technologies for cranberry production. Due to her academic merits, she was selected to represent the Graduate School as their flag bearer at UW-Madison's 2025 Winter Commencement. Since graduating, Suresh Babu started her new role on the seed product development team at Corteva Agriscience as a precision phenotyping postdoctoral scientist.
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Organic Seed Alliance (OSA) recently appointed Cathleen McCluskey as OSA's new executive director. McCluskey received her master's in agroecology and her PhD in environment and resources from UW-Madison. As an agroecology graduate student, McCluskey researched growers' experiences managing on-farm genetic diversity in maize. McCluskey continues to collaborate on UW-Madison research and holds honorary appointments in the Department of Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences and the Department of Educational Policy Studies. Read more.
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Highlights
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Giving
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Our department is very grateful for the generous support our alumni and donors have provided to our programs over many years. Your contributions help us provide a high-quality education for our students, recruit and retain hardworking staff and faculty, and research solutions to important challenges in agriculture.
If you would like to support us, you may make a donation directly through the UW Foundation.
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If you'd like to learn more about giving opportunities or have other questions related to the UW Foundation, please contact Emily Vaillancourt by email at emily.vaillancourt@supportuw.org or by phone at 608-308-5336.
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