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10.20.2022
 
Historal image of Chad Smith
Smoldering memories
A trip to Wounded Knee in a snowstorm. A skirmish (or two) with the FBI. These memories and more are surfacing among former UW-Madison students, faculty and staff taking part in the American Indian Studies program’s 50th anniversary oral history project. Unveiled on October 10–Indigenous Peoples Day—the oral history project will help build a more complete record of the AIS program’s earliest days. The words of participants such as Ada Deer BA ’57 and others paint a vivid picture of a program born from fiery student activism in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
 
Child learing alphabet.
Complicated reading
According to experts, some 43 million adult Americans lack reading and writing skills above a third-grade level. For most of his career, psychology professor Mark Seidenberg has been exploring why literacy levels are so low here. The problem is complicated, but Seidenberg sees a longstanding disconnect between research demonstrating how children acquire language and reading skills, and how they are taught to read in the classroom.
 
Starling bird singing while perched on a roof.
Flock song
Ever wondered why it feels so good to gab with friends on the Memorial Union Terrace? Scientists in the Department of Integrative Biology say it’s because chatting together in a group, in a relaxed setting, triggers the natural reward system of the brain. Dr. Lauren Riters and her graduate students study the flocking and singing behavior of starlings to gain insights that might help humans restore positive social interactions. Read More

This story appeared in Letters & Science Magazine
 
Younger boys in football gear laying on the field after a play.
Head First
It’s football season, but the number of students signing up is going down. Recent studies linking head trauma caused by the high-contact sport have spooked parents and players. But exactly how risky is football for young people? Statistics professor Sameer Deshpande is looking at the numbers to predict the long-term implications that young athletes will face. His insights may surprise you. Read More
 
John Rowe.
Remembering Mr. Rowe
L&S mourns the passing of John Rowe, a longtime supporter of the university and the Department of History. His generosity funded three professorships–essential to retaining top faculty. Rowe was a farmer’s son from Dodgeville, WI, who became a leader in the energy sector. Read More
 
Fill the Hill 10/20/2022 ad
Photo by Drake White-Bergey | The Daily Cardinal
Celebrate 10 years of Flocktober!
Join us for the UW’s 10th annual Fill the Hill fun-raiser! Starting at 5 p.m. on October 20, Badgers, alumni and friends can add a pink lawn flamingo to Bascom Hill with every gift to support this great university. Give to the College of Letters & Science or find your passion at uwflamingos.com, and help us Fill the Hill.
 
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