Wisconsin Institute for Discovery

Professor John Yin is engineering solutions to infectious disease

Professor Randolph Ashton is engineering human organoids in vitro

Tiny Earth is studentsourcing antibiotic discovery

WID is an experiment in interdisciplinary research, pushing the boundaries of science

Michael Ferris uses data science tools to model the energy systems of the future.

The Virtual Environments Group uses tools like the CAVE to study real-world problems

WID researchers combine psychology and optimization to collaborate in color

For the latest updates on UW–Madison plans and responses related to the COVID-19 pandemic, visit covid19.wisc.edu

Visit covid19.wisc.edu

WID celebrates a decade of discovery and innovation.

Re-inventing Discovery

The world’s greatest scientific challenges can’t be met by individual scientists, laboratories, or departments. The Wisconsin Institute for Discovery is an experiment in interdisciplinarity, combining the best minds in new teams with powerful tools that transcend the boundaries of departments and fields. Learn more about WID >

Expertise at WID

WID researchers make fundamental discoveries at the intersections of disciplines to solve problems that require an interdisciplinary approach.

Explore WID’s research >

Data Science

Precision Medicine

Complex Systems

Emerging Technologies

Resilience, Robustness, Adaptability – WID Seminar Series

March 8

Dr. Elebeoba "Chi-Chi" May

Epigenetic Memory and Molecular Information for Cellular Resilience, Functional Robustness and Environmental Adaptation

Dr. John Denu

April 5

Dr. Lih-Sheng "Tom" Turng

Dr. Sushmita Roy

May 3

Dr. Karen Schloss

Dr. Tim Rogers

Double mobius loop with Resilience, Robustness, and Adaptability superimposed on it

WID Seminar Series

3:00PM | Orchard View Room | Discovery Building

Every month, WID presents a seminar in which two faculty or their delegates will present their research and how it connects with the WID theme of Resilience, Robustness, and Adaptability. Colleagues will pair up to develop a seminar that presents parallels, collaborative projects, or just two different views of this theme. Each 25-minute talk will take place in the Orchard View Room with light refreshments. There is also a virtual viewing option.

Dr. Michael Ferris
Building resilience in systems:
decisions and strategies

September 7, 2022

Dr. Margaret Thairu
Resilience Robustness and Adaptation:
The cornerstones of microbial symbioses

Dr. Kris Sankaran
Reasoning about Interventions:
a Statistical Tour

September 28, 2022

Dr. John Yin
Persistent Change: Lessons from
the growth and spread of viruses

November 2, 2022

Sarah Miller, MS
Inclusive Learning
Through Scientific Teaching

Dr. Alberto Del Pia
Dealing with Noice in Discrete Optimization

December 7, 2022

Dr. Shaoqin "Sarah" Gong

Dr. Krishanu Saha

January 11, 2023

Dr. Jo Handelsman
Resilience in Microbial Communities

September 7, 2022

WID Seminar Series

Video Archives

Stories of Discovery

Research, outreach, and initiatives at WID embody the Wisconsin Idea — reaching beyond the walls of the institute and the UW campus and into the lives of citizens across the state, country, and world.

See more stories >

How Tiny Earth pushes boundaries of antibiotic research

Network of students, professors, researchers intertwine anti-racism curriculum, research to solve antibiotic resistance crisis

Green wooden boards with notebook and pen

WID Welcomes Michelle Wildgen as 2023 Writer-In-Residence

She will host a hands-on workshop to improve academic, creative, or professional writing practices, leaving participants more productive and less stressed.

El Zoominario: giving a voice to Latinx scientists and inspiring the next generation

With the goal of highlighting Latinx scientists for other scientists as well as Latinx children, Solís-Lemus co-created El Zoominario, an online seminar series aimed at the general public.

Discovery Hubs

WID’s hubs act as integrators for the campus community, generating new ideas that nucleate new collaborative research projects. The hubs make use of WID expertise to provide services that assist other researchers in applying specialized tools to a range of problems extending far beyond the scope of WID’s programs. Explore WID’s Hubs: