Wisconsin Festival of Ideas

A highlight of DLS' calendar each spring, the Wisconsin Festival of Ideas is an exciting one-day conference featuring UW–Madison's top faculty and students as speakers.

For many years, DLS has had the privilege of inviting renowned speakers from around the world to UW–Madison, but we also recognize that some of the best and brightest ideas happen in our own community. The festival is our way of shining light on how our university is pushing the boundaries in education and research.

With so little time and so many classes for students to take on campus, the festival packs awe-inspiring ideas into 20-minute lectures and facilitates panel discussions on various topics, allowing students to explore topic areas and hear from faculty members they might not otherwise have the chance to.

In the spirit of the Wisconsin Idea, the festival truly celebrates the collaboration and creativity on campus and in our community that make Madison a special place to live. It is our goal to make the festival a platform that strengthens the relationships between faculty, students, and the community and encourages interdisciplinary discussion and collaboration.

Session 1: 11:00AM to 12:30PM

S. Frank -"Intersex and Intimacy: Presenting concerns about dating and intimate relationships"
Luis Gonzalez -“Unkuymanta Yuyaykuna”: Mental Health Perception and Treatment Practices in the Indigenous Community of Saraguro, Loja, Ecuador"
Prof. Joan Fujimura - "Why Race is not Genetic: Social Research into the New Genomics"

Lunch Break: 12:30PM to 1:15PM

Session 2: 1:15PM to 2:45PM

Alex Orellena - "Deconstructing Physiognomies"
Bekhzod Khoshimov - "Are Entrepreneurs Specialists?"
Prof. Robert Nowak -"Machine Learning for Data Science"

Session 3: 2:45PM to 4:15PM

Ryan Kladar -"Innovative Thinking - The Promise and Peril of Climate Technology Research"
Olivia Sanderfoot -"A bird’s-eye view of air pollution: How birds are impacted by health-damaging air pollutants”
Prof. Ellen Zweibel -"Nature's Accelerators"