Kohler Fellows @ WID

Marie Christine Kohler Fellows @ WID are graduate or professional students selected on the strength of their commitment and abilities to contribute to interdisciplinary thought. Kohler Fellows work and collaborate within WID, connecting graduate students across campus through a range of stimulating projects and events.
The Kohler Fellows Program is supported by the Kohler Foundation and the UW–Madison Graduate School.

Program Objectives

The Kohler Fellows @ WID program supports the Wisconsin Idea, WID’s Grand Challenges, and WID’s efforts toward antiracism, justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (A-JEDI) in science and the arts.
The program objectives are to:

• Foster a unique and engaging multidisciplinary community
• Create new science-art fusion content
• Expand fellows’ professional portfolios and networks in science-art fusion
• Promote principles within science-art fusion projects and processes that support antiracism, justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (A-JEDI)

Privileges and Responsibilities

Marie Christine Kohler Fellows @ WID are expected to spend time at the institute and to develop and maintain mechanisms for ensuring meaningful intellectual discussions with one another (e.g., through scheduled, weekly meetings) and with other students, fellows and faculty in WID. A major responsibility of fellows is to create and present a public science-art fusion project (e.g., seminars, exhibitions, performances, presentations) for the campus community. A textual, pictorial, or cinematic summary of each activity will be put on WID’s website to make the fruits of these efforts available to the larger campus community.

Fellows receive an annual stipend and a project budget. Fellows have access to the Institute in the Discovery Building and are invited to participate in regular WID events such as community lunches, and Discovery Seminars. The WID administrative team will be available to assist with project management, facilitating meetings, organizing dinners with invited speakers and other activities. Marie Christine Kohler Fellows @ WID are appointed for one or two years depending upon their anticipated graduation date.
Note: Due to COVID-19, the Kohler Fellows meetings and events will be hosted virtually in 2020-21 to prioritize student and community health and safety.

2021 Cohort Focus

The upcoming Marie Christine Kohler Fellow @ WID 2021 cohort will pair science fellows with art fellows to nucleate around interdisciplinary thought and the creation of science-art fusion projects and/or events. This is a continuation of the inaugural science-art fusion cohort for the program in 2020. We will be accepting up to two scientists and up to two artists for the 2021 cohort.
The fellowship application process for the 2021-2022 academic year will be open in mid-February 2021. Tentative application timeline:

Opens: February 22, 2021
Closes: April 5, 2021
Selections: April 26, 2021

For questions about the Kohler Fellows @ WID program, contact Laura Langley.

Current Kohler Fellows: