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January 22, 2026
Roundup
Top 5 Stories of 2025 graphic.
The Top 5 L&S Stories of 2025
From understanding the significance of Up North Wisconsin to announcing the new Department of Biology, these are the most popular stories from the College of Letters & Science last year.
Life’s Work
Cozy illustrations of items related to the Danish concept of Hygge.
Hygge for Happiness
Once the days start to shorten, it happens again, sure as the solstice and nearly as regular: Claus Elholm Andersen begins receiving requests to explain the Danish concept of hygge to Americans.
Announcement
Michael Morgan headshot.
Meet the New L&S Associate Dean for Research
Longtime professor of atmospheric and oceanic sciences Michael Morgan is bringing his experience in research, teaching and working for the federal government to the College of Letters & Science as the new Associate Dean for Research.
Student Life
Illustration representing the range of courses from humanities to science.
The Badger Starter Pack
The five most-enrolled-in courses at UW–Madison all land in the College of Letters & Science. These classes lay the foundation for a rich  learning experience in everything from chemistry to psychology to music.
How UW Shaped the World
Researchers celebrate as they reach first plasma.
The Road to Discovery
As the liberal arts college of a major research university, the College of Letters & Science is uniquely positioned to tackle some of the biggest questions facing our society. Take a trip down memory lane with us in a magazine story, as we look back at some of our most notable research discoveries and the winding roads that led to them.
Asked & Answered
AI generated image of AI band Velvet Sundown.
What’s the Future of AI and the Music Industry?
The music industry hasn’t dodged the growing footprint of AI, and the structure of streaming platforms like Spotify has increased the pace at which the two have become intertwined. Professor of Communication Arts Jeremy Morris forecasts how this new technology may impact the future of the music industry.
Announcement
UW–Madison Professors Aurora Santiago Ortiz and Jorell Meléndez-Badillo.
A New Puerto Rican Studies Hub
UW–Madison’s new Puerto Rican Studies Hub, which is the first of its kind in the Midwest, is already becoming a center for outreach and scholarship focused on Puerto Rico’s rich culture and history.
Elevate Podcast
L&S Elevate podcast promo for.
The People Powering Forecasting 
Can you see airplane turbulence from the ground? How do scientists “see” what’s happening in the sky before a severe storm hits? Mayra Oyola-Merced, the Ned P. Smith Distinguished Chair of Meteorology, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, answers these questions and more on the L&S Elevate Podcast.
Center for Healthy Minds
Badger dad Charlie Alamodin is embraced by his daughter, undergraduate Kayla Rose Alamodin.
The Gift of Gratitude
UW research scientist and meditation teacher Cortland Dahl explains what’s so great about gratitude, no matter the time of year.
Fueling Discovery
UW–Madison Washburn Observatory at night.
The Grand Jigsaw of Planet Formation
At the Wisconsin Center for Origins Research (WiCOR) researchers have one unified goal: to uncover how planets form, whether they can support life and what this means for our understanding of the universe.
Madison Moment
People gather on Observatory Hill to watch Aurora Borealis, 2025.
2025 in Photos
Come along with us as we revisit last year and see what shaped campus in 2025: triumphs in labs and on the field, stepping out on stage and on the ice, explorations that reach from Lake Mendota to the cosmos. Amid a year of shifting ground, our research community — and the University as a whole — kept advancing work that improves lives, showing how focus and resolve endure.
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