WID Celebrates 15 Years of Discovery at the Annual Symposium

On November 3, 2025, WID brought together leaders from its past, present, and future for a powerful and inspiring celebration of the institute’s journey and impact. In addition to a State-of-WID address by current director Jo Handelsman, the event featured keynote remarks from WID alumna and founding faculty Patti Brennan, a panel with the founding five faculty, a retrospective video, and presentations from first-generation hires reflecting on their research and the ways WID shaped their scientific paths. The day concluded with a poster session showcasing the extraordinary research of students, postdoctoral researchers, and scientists across the WID community. Altogether, it was a meaningful celebration of WID’s legacy, the remarkable discovery happening within its walls, and the bright, collaborative future ahead.

The original 5 WID PI's talking in a panel at the 2025 symposium

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TOMORROW! Join us for our final seminar of the semester on May 22nd at 10am. Nan Li, 2026 Vilas Associate award winner, speaks on 'Visual science communication in the age of AI!' Introduced by WID faculty member Karen Schloss. Open to the public.
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The Wisconsin Institute for Discovery operates with a dynamic, around-the-clock energy, fostering an environment of constant innovation. From late-night breakthroughs to collaborative experimentation, and global knowledge sharing over zoom, our interdisciplinary hub is always abuzz with activity. Would you like a glimpse into the exciting work that takes place within a 24-hour period? 😉