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 Commons
Healthy World, Healthy Womb
Would you choose to have kids if you knew they would be born into an environment riddled with toxic pollution, subjecting them to poor health throughout their lives?
Your Summer Reading List
In the fall semester, two distinct Nelson Institute’s research centers came together over books.
Farm-Bred and Future-Focused
On paper, Alayne Kulp seems to capture a typical Wisconsinite.
Grew up on a dairy farm? Check. Loves a good cocktail? Check. Friendly, hardworking, and down-to-earth? Check, check, and check.
Predicting the Future with Feng He
Step right up, folks, and meet a climate psychic!
Feng He is a senior scientist within the Nelson Institute’s Center for Climatic Research (CCR) where he uses past climate data to make informed predictions about future projections.
Extra! Extra!
What can it mean when people talk about the environment in their artwork?
Four Things You Didn’t Know about Climate Anxiety
If you’re reading this article, chances are you care about the environment. And if you care about the environment, you’ve probably felt some level of anxiety about our future as a species and a planet.
Groundwater on the Rocks
New research will map naturally occurring contaminants in public wells across Wisconsin.
Carbon Content in Construction Materials
WICCI infrastructure working group cochairs discuss the lesser known culprits of greenhouse gas emissions: the making of construction materials.
The Race to Capture Carbon
UW–Madison faculty and students coauthored a landmark report on carbon dioxide removal.
Mission Report: U.S. Army Environmental Management
In the weeks following spring graduation, UW–Madison lulls. Dorms vacate, crosswalks idle, and classrooms empty. All is quiet on the campus front, but in Science Hall room 110, a group of 20-some folks gathered over a shared mission: learning tactics to help maintain stability in environments facing human conflict.
Creating Effective Outreach
Nelson-led research on effective community-centered environmental outreach informs UW Arboretum programs.
The Storytelling Side of Science
Surrounded by mangoes, Nyal Mueenuddin remembers his childhood as fun, sweet, and sticky.
The Intersection Between Storytelling and Science
Nina Delgadillo translates her experience at the Office of Sustainability to the Milwaukee Water Commons.
Resilient Problem-Solvers, Fearless Dreamers
Christopher Caldwell tells graduating UW–Green Bay students to embrace “adaptation in the face of adversity” during commencement address.
Watershed Management and Words of Motivation
If you asked Ken Genskow for advice on watershed planning and management, he would tell you to always anticipate change.
Sustaining Students to Sustain the Environment
If you were on campus last fall you likely received this email asking you to participate in a campuswide sustainability survey.
The Highs, Lows, and Woahs of Earth Fest 2024
If you were on the UW–Madison campus April 19–26, you probably noticed that every person you passed was on their way to an Earth Fest event.
A Round of Applause and Awards
As the spring semester comes to a close, so does a semester’s worth of academic awards.
Welcome to Your (Urban) Planning Future
Municipal experiences enhance Shealynn Wegner’s academic experiences.
Water and Weather in Rural Wisconsin
UW’s Rural Partnerships Institute announces new projects focused on rural Wisconsin.
New Faculty on the RISE
Environmental sustainability is the next focus of RISE.
Jonathan Foley Moves Climate Solutions FORWARD
Even after 16 years away from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Jonathan Foley can’t quite shake the lasting impact the university has had on him.
Zeroing in on Sustainability Goals
For decades, the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and the Office of Sustainability have tackled critical environmental and sustainability challenges in service of UW–Madison, the state of Wisconsin, and the planet.
The Sustainability Research Hub: Catalyzing Interdisciplinary Collaboration
The Sustainability Research Hub (the Hub) is breaking down barriers to collaboration.