Past and Future

Strategic Direction

Discovering simplicity in complex systems at the intersection of digital and natural worlds

  • Robustness and resilience in cells, ecosystems, the power grid, algorithms, and the human spirit

  • Optimization of cellular, engineered, and economic systems
  • Mathematical modeling of metabolism and gene expression
  • Virtual reality, perception, and human experience
  • Complex networks in cells, the Internet, social networks, and the brain

History

WID side of Discovery Building

The Wisconsin Institute for Discovery (WID) was created in 2010 to explore new ways of generating innovation in science and engineering. Its first years were dedicated to building an outstanding team of 19 faculty members with dynamic, groundbreaking research programs that have generated more than 500 publications in diverse fields. In 2017, WID debuted its first hubs, recommitting to serving campus and the state.

WID’s collaborative research community relies on grant support from a variety of sponsors. Since its opening in 2010, the Institute has secured and managed over $22 million in grant funding from a variety of foundations and agencies. While this funding has supported WID’s growth and innovation, the absence of an endowment poses a challenge to ensuring long-term stability and success. Establishing an endowment would provide the critical, sustainable support needed to secure WID’s future and expand its impact for generations to come.