Nearly 8,000 Nelson Institute alumni work in government, business, and nonprofit organizations, applying their knowledge and skills to make the world a better and more sustainable place.
Alumni
All Walk, No Talk
On January 18, 1971, two oil tankers, the Arizona Standard and the Oregon Standard, collided in the San Francisco Bay.
Charging Toward a Greener Future
What’s the best surge protector on the market? Which portable charger is going to last me the longest? How do I recycle batteries?
Turning Passion into Progress
When Tiffany Clark first started as an undergraduate student, she didn’t plan on majoring in environmental studies.
Six Things You Didn’t Know about Flamingos
On a fall day on campus, you might see sandhill cranes wading in the Lakeshore Nature Preserve, house sparrows cleaning up by the food carts on Library Mall, and if you’re lucky, maybe even a pair of canvasbacks floating along the Lake Mendota shoreline.
Illustrating Prairie Ecology
While attending the Rhode Island School of Design for her undergraduate degree, Liz Anna Kozik became very aware of the fact that she was a Midwesterner on the East Coast.
Can’t-Miss Moments from Rendezvous 2024
Rendezvous on the Terrace, the annual gathering for alumni of the Nelson Institute, looks a lot different today than when it started.
Al Ritmo de la Confianza
“Este es un lugar al que realmente pertenezco”. Así se sentía Gloria Castillo Posada durante su infancia en Bogotá, Colombia.
The Speed of Trust
“This is a place I belong.” That’s how Gloria Castillo Posada felt as a girl growing up in Bogotá, Colombia.
Selling the Dream
It’s Friday night in Washington, DC’s Anacostia neighborhood. Laura Miller is outside washing her car as a neighbor stops by the yard to borrow a few hand tools.
Connect, Adapt, and Thrive
Anna Weinberg has called many different habitats home. From the rolling hills of rural Georgia to the towering mountains of Montana, she can adapt and thrive just about anywhere.
Scientific Service Provider
Naomi Louchouarn never wanted to work with water. In fact, during her master’s coursework in California where “every project was focused on either the ocean or the lack of water,” she says, “I was actively fighting working on anything water related.”
Confidence in Uncertainty
“You need to talk to Tracey Holloway,” Nelson Institute Dean Paul Robbins told Jeff Rudd.
Protect and Preserve
In Nam Et-Phou Louey National Park in northern Laos, a boat of tourists quietly floats down the Nam Nern River.
On Time
If you get the chance to chat with Curt Meine, the man who’s become more or less synonymous with Aldo Leopold, you may be inclined to pepper him with “What would Leopold think about…” questions.
Nelson Institute Announces 2024 Alumni Award Winners
More than 6,000 Nelson Institute alumni work in government, business, and nonprofit organizations, applying their knowledge and skills to make the world a better and more sustainable place.
The Storytelling Side of Science
Surrounded by mangoes, Nyal Mueenuddin remembers his childhood as fun, sweet, and sticky.
Building a Sustainable Community
Imagine a community where people work together to preserve natural resources, protect their watershed, and learn about the importance of conservation.
Profiting Sustainably
In Kyle Tanger’s playbook, the best defense is a good offense.
Lights, Camera, Conservation
Pretend, for a moment, that you’re in the audience for Taylor Swift’s highly talked about Eras Tour.
An On-Track Diversion
If Travis Blomberg is successful, only 10 percent of UW–Madison’s waste will end up in a landfill.
EC Graduate and Board of Visitors Member Helps connect People to Urban Green Spaces
Hidden among the pavement and large buildings of many urban areas are small but sacred green spaces. From a young age Angélica Sánchez-Mora was able to appreciate both urban and rural living. Now, she works to help connect those living in urban spaces to the slices of nature around them.
A Welcome Return
Caitlin Williamson’s connection with the Nelson Institute runs deep, having graduated with the very first cohort of students to complete the environmental conservation (EC) master’s degree in 2015.
All Risk, All Reward
When Martha Goodell sat down in Science Hall for her first class as a Nelson Institute graduate student, she did as any new student would do — chatted with the person sitting next to her.
Alpha Advocate
As a kid, Francisco Santiago-Ávila had a plan to become a priest.