April 30, 2026

Campus Life

Inside the Music League Connecting Students and Alumni

This spring, while the Frozen Four and March Madness brackets were taking over the campus consciousness, communication arts students and alumni were distracted by a very different kind of competition. This music league brings together generations of Badgers who compete to submit the best songs for themed playlists.

Announcement

Meet the Interim L&S Dean

Kristin Eschenfelder, a professor and associate dean, will serve as the Interim Dean for the College of Letters & Science effective May 17, while Eric M. Wilcots is in Bascom Hall as Interim Chancellor.

Student Spotlight

From Farm to Classroom to World Travel

The 2026 Wolff Fellowship recipient, Chloe Shomo, will spend a year traveling to five continents, taking a holistic approach to studying food systems and their impact on youth.

Research

A render of a QAnon flag based on the Betsy Ross flag.

Taking Conspiracy Theorists Seriously

Conspiracy theories and the people who deal in them are often written off. As more people fall down the rabbit hole, Matthew Hannah decided it was time to academically investigate what draws individuals to these beliefs.

Wisconsin Idea

Drone photo of Central UW–Madison campus.

At the Intersection of Journalism and AI

Tomás Dodds is leading the new Public Tech Media Lab, which aims to be a resource for journalists hoping to be deliberate about how to ethically use new technology.

Awards

Tehshik Yoon sharing his research in a chemistry lab.

Chemistry Professor Wins Samsung’s Prestigious Ho-Am Award

Professor of Chemistry Tehshik Yoon was just named one of the 2026 Samsung Ho-Am Prize Laureates. He is being honored for ushering in a new era of green chemistry.

From the Magazine

Classic book illustration of The Ugly Duckling.

Hans Christian Andersen’s Cautionary Tales

The Little Mermaid, The Princess and the Pea and The Ugly Duckling. These are just a few of the internationally renowned fairy tales Danish author Hans Christian Andersen brought to life. The stories are also the subject of a popular class taught by Claus Elholm Andersen (no relation).

Research

A Quantum Future Comes into Focus

Ona Ambrozaite has been tapped as the new executive director of the Wisconsin Quantum Institute. For the past six years, WQI has served as a research hub within the Department of Physics.

History Lesson

AI Hiring Is Nothing New

AI’s influence now dominates the modern career-matching experience. But as Greg Downey’s research shows, it’s been that way for a lot longer than we think.

University Updates

Dishin’ With the Dean

L&S Dean Eric M. Wilcots answers questions about how he’ll approach his new role as Interim Chancellor.

Madison Moment

Students writing thank you cards during 2026 Day of the Badger Café.

Day of the Badger 2026

We’d like to thank our L&S community for joining the Party to Pay it Forward! Because of your generosity, the L&S Annual Fund raised more than $42,000 during this year’s Day of the Badger. Together, you helped unlock our full $13,000 match, amplifying the impact of every gift in support of our students, faculty and programs. And the students joined in on the fun at our annual Day of the Badger Café.

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