December 19, 2024

Asked & Answered

Student wearing L&S winter cap and headphones

What Was the Best Music of 2024?

To help navigate the 2024 music library of new releases, we connected with an alumnus who owns a local record store, students in our L&S Dean’s Ambassador Program and some music faculty. Together they provide insight on the best songs that came out this year and recommend what you should listen to next. Read More

From the Magazine

Professor Manny Teodoro posed with glass of drinking water

Unpacking Distrust of Public Water

A lot of Americans won’t drink the water that comes out of the sink – and the bottled water industry is making millions off of that distrust. That’s at the center of Manny Teodoro’s research as a professor in the La Follette School of Public Affairs. He’s found that trust in the government and drinking water are linked.

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Life’s Work

Digital Rendering of Mathematic Formulas

Mathematics All Together Now

Dima Arinkin, a professor in the Department of Mathematics, has spent his career studying algebraic geometry, a discipline that uses algebraic equations to describe and reveal truths about geometric shapes. His research was one of the building blocks that helped prove a conjecture that took armies of mathematicians decades to solve. Read More

Roundup

Gifts for the L&S Major in Your Life

Are you struggling to find a gift for a member of our L&S community? From geology to journalism majors, we have recommendations. Gifts range from a chemistry-themed cookbook to political-science themed art, and there are options for every budget.

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Student Spotlight

Students in traditional clothing preforming Mexican folklore dance

Dancing Toward Community

When sophomore Patricia Gaviña came to campus, she noticed that a club didn't exist to practice Mexican folklore dance. So, the sophomore majoring in psychology and forest and wildlife ecology decided to create one. Through Grupo Folklórico de UW–Madison, students can share their joy of dancing and show others a bit of Mexican culture.

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Campus Rankings

Students collect data as part of a wild rice study at Allequash Lake

Ranking 6th in National Research

The University of Wisconsin–Madison has moved up two places to sixth out of 920 public and private universities in the United States in university research expenditures, according to the National Science Foundation’s annual rankings. For the first time, the university has topped $1.7 billion in research expenditures.

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Fueling Discovery

Yiddish author Miriam Karpilove entertains a group of women with music

The Expanding Yiddish Bookshelf

It’s an exciting time to be a professor of Yiddish literature, according to Sunny S. Yudkoff, an associate professor in the Department of German, Nordic, and Slavic+. She says this often comes as a surprise to students, who sometimes see it as a language of the past or a collection of funny words. But as her shelves keep acquiring more Yiddish books, she feels that this is an impression that needs revising. Read More

Madison Moment

L&S Graduates pose with friends holding We love L&S signs

College of Letters & Science Pre-Commencement Celebration event photo by: Paula Yu

This past weekend nearly 1,400 Badger graduates turned the tassel at the Winter 2024 Commencement. The speaker was Milwaukee restaurateur and “Top Chef” finalist Dan Jacobs, who even showed students how to spatchcock and roast a chicken during his speech. Jacobs made sure to also pepper the graduates with guidance they could apply to their careers and relationships following graduation. Prior to the ceremony, L&S graduates gathered at the Gordon Dining and Event Center for music from the University of Wisconsin Marching Band, photos with Bucky and a celebration of this major milestone. Read More

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