Illuminating Discovery Hub
Indigenous Art: Reclaiming Space, Reclaiming Stories Opening Reception
Discovery Building 330 North Orchard Street, Orchard View Room, Madison, WI, United StatesJoin us for Native November Art Gallery Opening on Nov 1, 6:30-8 PM at Hub Central. Art, food, and music celebrating Indigenous voices!You're Invited: Native November Art Gallery OpeningJoin us on November 1, 2024, for a groundbreaking celebration at Hub Central, First Floor of the Discovery Building, from 6:30 - 8:00 PM.Meet the ArtistsEnjoy Food and Non-Alcoholic RefreshmentsFree Admission – RSVP EncouragedThis year, Native November kicks off with a public art gallery opening, featuring incredible student art, live music, and delicious food. Indigenous students across UW have created culturally informed art as part of their mental health and wellness journeys, and [...]
Crossroads of Ideas: Growing Without Gravity
Discovery Building 330 North Orchard Street, Orchard View Room, Madison, WI, United StatesCan plants thrive amid the zero-gravity chaos of space? Could the stars themselves hold the recipe for life? Join Crossroads to find out!Ready to leave Earthly bounds behind? Join us for an absolutely out-of-this-world Crossroads of Ideas, where astrobiology and astrochemistry come together in cosmic fashion! Plant biologist Dr. Simon Gilroy and astrochemist Dr. Susanna Widicus Weaver are your guides for an evening of star-studded discovery, diving into everything from the surprising resilience of plants in space to the chemistry that could hint at life beyond our planet. Moderated by Eric Wilcots, this event will tackle cosmic questions like: How do [...]
SoundWaves: Developing Ideas, Part 2
Discovery Building 330 North Orchard Street, Orchard View Room, Madison, WI, United StatesExplore how trends, plans, viewpoints, projects, materials, and sounds develop. Where we are and where we might be headed in the future.How do babies develop language? How are new drugs developed? How did we go from no universe to the universe we know and love? And how does cancer develop in our bodies? How does a musician write a piece of music for himself to play? Find out as SoundWaves continues its yearlong exploration of Development: where are we now, how did we get here, and where might we go?SoundWaves combines scientific lectures about the world with live classical music performances. [...]
Crossroads of Ideas: Communicating through Creativity
Discovery Building 330 North Orchard Street, Orchard View Room, Madison, WI, United StatesExplore how art and science intersect as experts reveal creative ways to deepen our understanding of culture, justice, and science!Join us for Crossroads of Ideas: Communicating through Creativity, a dynamic fireside chat that explores the intersection of art and science in shaping perspectives and values. Featuring Nan Li, an expert in science communication who leverages art to inform and influence public opinion; Casey Fletcher, who focuses on culture, justice, and diversity through creative expression; and mural artist Sonya Sankaran, who bridges the gap by using art as a medium to illuminate scientific concepts. Together, they’ll dive into how creative approaches can [...]
Crossroads of Ideas: Gut Instincts – Microbes, Addiction, and Immunity
Discovery Building or streaming at https://uwmadison.zoom.us/j/95175400747 330 North Orchard Street, Madison, WI, United StatesPart 1 of the Microbiome Miniseries, with Margaret Alexander and Vanessa SperandioKick off an exciting three-part mini-series on the gut-brain superhighway with UW-Madison researchers Vanessa Sperandio and Maggie Rose Alexander. In this thought-provoking conversation, they will unpack the complex interplay between gut microbes, addiction, and immunity, sharing cutting-edge research and visionary perspectives on how these connections shape the future of brain and gut health in society.Margaret Alexander is an Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin Madison in the department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology. Dr. Alexander’s research is focused on understanding the mechanistic interactions between diet, the microbiota, and immune [...]
Crossroads of Ideas: Alzheimer’s and the Gut-Brain Superhighway
Discovery Building or streaming at https://uwmadison.zoom.us/j/91298964513 330 North Orchard Street, Madison, WI, United StatesPart 2 of the Microbiome Miniseries, featuring Barbara Bendlin and Federico ReyPart 2 of the Microbiome Miniseries, with Barbara Bendlin and Federico ReyIn this second installment of the Microbiome Miniseries, researchers Barbara Bendlin and Federico Rey will discuss the many factors that can impact brain aging, with a special focus on the gut-brain superhighway and the role that the gut microbiome can have on brain health.Barbara Bendlin is a faculty member in the Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology within the Department of Medicine. She is a member of the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Institute’s Executive Committee and the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center Executive [...]
SoundWaves: Developing Ideas, Part 3
Discovery Building 330 North Orchard Street, Orchard View Room, Madison, WI, United StatesExplore how trends, plans, viewpoints, projects, materials, and sounds develop. Where we are and where we might be headed in the future.What can archeology tell us about the development of our forebears? How can we develop better conditions for dairy animals? How do babies develop language? How do computer scientists develop operating systems? What is musical development, and how did Franz Schubert master it in the beautiful string quartet Death and the Maiden? Find out at SoundWaves’ third event in our Development series, with special guests the Pro Arte Quartet.Speakers:Sarah Clayton, anthropologyJennifer van Os, dairy scienceMike Swift, comp sciJenny Saffran, psychModerator: [...]
Crossroads of Ideas: Mindfulness and the Microbiome
Discovery Building or streaming at https://uwmadison.zoom.us/j/95175400747 330 North Orchard Street, Madison, WI, United StatesPart 3 of the Microbiome Miniseries with panelists Richie Davidson and Jo HandelsmanJoin Dr. Richie Davidson and Dr. Jo Handelsman as they explore the intricate connection between the microbiome and mindfulness, and the immense impact they both have on our wellbeing. This is the third part of our three-part microbiome miniseries!Dr. Richard Davidson is the founder and director of the Center for Healthy Minds at UW-Madison. Davidson is best known for his groundbreaking work studying emotion and the brain. A friend and confidante of the Dalai Lama, he is a highly sought after expert and speaker, leading conversations on well-being on [...]
SoundWaves: Developing Ideas, Part 4
Hamel Music Center 740 University Avenue, Madison, WI, United StatesExplore how trends, plans, viewpoints, projects, materials, and sounds develop. Where we are and where we might be headed in the future.In the final chapter of the Development series, SoundWaves asks: Why are eggs so expensive? How do you create a video game? How do plants respond to climate change? How do you tell a short story in music?Andrew Stevens Economics of AgricultureGary Dahl, Computer SciencesJack Williams, GeographyChristopher Taylor, piano, MusicDaniel Grabois, MusicSoundWaves combines scientific lectures about the world with live classical music performances. Each event revolves around a theme, exploring it first from many scientific angles and then through the [...]
Crossroads of Ideas: Toxins at the Tap
Discovery Building 330 North Orchard Street, Orchard View Room, Madison, WI, United StatesNavigating the Future of PFAS and Our Water SupplyJoin us on Earth Day 2025 for a thought-provoking fireside chat featuring experts Hilary Dugan, Manny Teodoro, and Christy Remucal. Delve into the world of PFAS—per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances—often referred to as "forever chemicals." Our distinguished panel will explore the complex challenges these contaminants pose to our environment and public health, their impact on water systems, and the urgent policy changes needed to safeguard our future. This conversation will shed light on the critical decisions and innovations required to address one of today’s most pressing environmental issues.We value inclusion and access for all [...]
Sci-prov
Discovery Building 330 North Orchard Street, Orchard View Room, Madison, WI, United StatesScience Meets Improv ComedyJoin the Illuminating Discovery Hub and Amalgam Improv for an evening fusing science and spontaneous improv comedy like no other at Sci-Prov!Sci-prov combines science and improv in creative, funny, and never before seen ways. Scientists Laura Hernandez and Leslie Holland will present their work in short, digestible presentations followed by brief Q&A, all of which can become fodder for the improv scenes. The improv scenes are created on the fly & unique to each show.Light refreshments and cash bar available. Tickets are free and registration is requested to ensure adequate seating.Parking: The closest parking ramps to the Discovery [...]
Sci-prov
Discovery Building 330 North Orchard Street, Orchard View Room, Madison, WI, United StatesScience Meets Improv Comedy in this special Wisconsin Science Festival edition! Presented in partnership with Amalgam Improv.Join the Wisconsin Science Festival and Amalgam Improv for an evening fusing science and spontaneous improv comedy like no other at Sci-prov!Sci-prov combines science and improv in creative, funny, and never before seen ways. In this special, fusion event, scientists Rachael Shields and Amy Koike will present their work in short, digestible presentations followed by brief Q&A, all of which will become fodder for the improv scenes. The improv scenes are created on the fly, unique to each show, and performed by a troupe of [...]
Crossroads of Ideas: Threading the Story of Earth’s Oldest Rocks
Discovery Building 330 North Orchard Street, Orchard View Room, Madison, WI, United StatesAncient geology meets modern creativity! Scientists studying the Earth’s oldest rocks collab with a textile artist to bring them to life!Join us for a very special Wisconsin Science Festival edition of Crossroads of Ideas, where ancient geology meets modern creativity. This engaging evening features scientists Tyler Blum, Annie Bauer, and Emily Mixon, who have been studying the Earth’s oldest rocks - Acasta Gneiss (that’s pronounced “nice”) - and collaborating with local textile artist, Leah Evans, to bring 4-billion-year-old stories to life.In conversation with UW-Madison Geology Museum Associate Director, Brooke Norsted, learn how these researchers and artist have explored deep time, planetary [...]
Michelle Thaller: Cosmic Treasures
Discovery Building 330 North Orchard Street, Orchard View Room, Madison, WI, United StatesChasing Asteroids for Clues to the Origins of LifeJoin Michelle Thaller, former NASA science communicator, for an evening exploring the origins of life. Thaller, in conversation with Eric Wilcots, Dean of the College of Letters & Sciences and Professor in the Dept of Astronomy, will talk about the OSIRIS-REx mission – an audacious project to return a sample from an asteroid. No problem, right? Just chase down a small rock 200 million miles away, traveling literally faster than a speeding bullet, vacuum up a sample of its surface, and shoot it back to Earth. The story turned out to be more [...]
SoundWaves: Atomic Scale
Hamel Music Center 740 University Avenue, Madison, WI, United StatesThis academic year, SoundWaves is exploring scales. Join us for this first edition diving into the atomic scale - and Klezmer scales!Gaze into the world of the unimaginably small with an evening exploring the atomic scale. What is quantum computing and how does it work? How do atoms in metals organize themselves into hierarchies? As part of Klez Fest Midwest, this special SoundWaves event will feature more live music than ever, with the duo of Krakauer & Tagg, featuring brilliant klezmer clarinetist David Krakauer and pianist Kathleen Tagg, performing and explaining what gives klezmer music its characteristic style and sound (it’s [...]
