UW-Madison in the Media

A selection of media coverage about the university and its people.

• Solar power: California's latest gold rush Nature Dec. 6, 2007 Quoted: Gregory Nemet of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
• Gene Helps Turn Carbs Into Fat Scientific American Dec. 6, 2007 It’s no secret that there’s an obesity epidemic going on. Many researchers blame highly processed carbohydrates, such as high-fructose corn syrup and white flour. Now scientists at the University of Wisconsin in Madison have started to tease out the role of the liver in converting those calorie-rich foods into fat. The researchers isolated a gene in the liver called SCD-1. The gene codes for an enzyme that synthesizes fatty acids. Mice with the normal gene were fed a diet high in processed carbs. The mice converted those carbs into fat and stored that fat in the body. But mice that lacked that SCD-1 gene just burned all those carb calories. And stayed skinny. This finding reveals that the liver determines whether or not eating refined carbohydrates will lead to fat gain. The researchers say this system is a good example of a direct diet-gene interaction. But they also say that a drug to turn off that fat-making liver gene wouldn’t be a good idea. Without that gene, the mice could no longer make glucose. They ended up hypoglycemic—suffering from low blood sugar. So the solution is, sadly, what you already knew: eat fewer processed carbohydrates.
• The personal and political at the UW Collegiate Slam finals Isthmus Dec. 6, 2007 Poetry slams are intense. Filled with politics, hurt, laughter and always music, they have an energy and emotional involvement that can be compared to an amazing concert you just danced for hours at. And the finals for the inaugural UW Collegiate Slam on Tuesday night at the Wisconsin Union Theater were an impressive display of the young creative talent the state has to offer in a genre that is becoming more and more popular.
• Alan I. Leshner and James A. Thomson: Standing in the Way of Stem Cell Research Washington Post Dec. 3, 2007 A new way to trick skin cells into acting like embryos changes both everything and nothing at all. Being able to reprogram skin cells into multipurpose stem cells without harming embryos launches an exciting new line of research. It's important to remember, though, that we're at square one, uncertain at this early stage whether souped-up skin cells hold the same promise as their embryonic cousins do. Far from vindicating the current U.S. policy of withholding federal funds from many of those working to develop potentially lifesaving embryonic stem cells, recent papers in the journals Science and Cell described a breakthrough achieved despite political restrictions. In fact, work by both the U.S. and Japanese teams that reprogrammed skin cells depended entirely on previous embryonic stem cell research.
• The Graffiti of the Philanthropic Class New York Times Dec. 2, 2007 As The Associated Press reported last month, the dean at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Business couldn’t find anyone to pony up a cool $50 million to get his or her name on the school. So the dean switched strategies and discovered that several givers were willing to chip in to ensure that, for 20 years at least, the school would not be personally branded, but would instead simply remain the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Business (a long enough handle, surely). The non-naming fund eventually reached $85 million. “It is an unprecedented act of selfless philanthropy,” Terry W. Hartle, senior vice president for the American Council on Education, told The A.P. “I hope it is the start of a trend.”
• Native American sorority making an impact at UW-Madison Madison Times Nov. 29, 2007 Alpha Pi Omega, the first historically American Indian sorority in the nation, provides American Indian women on the collegiate level with confidence in their capability. Founded at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on Sept. 1, 1994, the sorority has spread to other universities around the country and currently has over 250 members. In 2001, the sorority began initiating women at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Twenty-two-year-old Sasanehsaeh “Suzi” Pyawasay, who was initiated in the spring of 2005, is one of five members of Alpha Pi Omega Sorority at the UW-Madison.
• Prion discovery surprises Wisconsin State Journal Nov. 27, 2007 Judd Aiken was pretty sure he knew what happens when prions, the misshapen proteins that cause chronic wasting disease in deer, bind to soil. The prions must become less infectious, he figured. But an experiment he conducted found the opposite -- big time: Soil-bound prions were 700 times more infectious than prions alone.
• China's ambitious plans in space CNN.com Nov. 27, 2007 Quoted: Professor Gerald Kulcinski, an expert in helium from the University of Wisconsin.
• UW men's basketball: Smith's dream becomes a reality Wisconsin State Journal Nov. 27, 2007 The e-mail popped into Wquinton Smith's University of Wisconsin account one day in late October, and was almost sent -- unread -- into the virtual wastebasket. "I was real close (to deleting it) and then I decided to read it because it said men's basketball," Smith said. "At first I thought it was just a flyer or something, and I kept reading it and I thought this was my chance to finally try to prove myself."
• On nanotechnology, experts see more risks than public AFP Nov. 26, 2007 In a surprising reversal of roles, nanotechnology scientists outrival the general public in seeing a cause for concern in some aspects of their work, according to a study published Sunday. Nanotechnology -- the science of making things measured in units 10,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair -- holds spectacular promise in virtually every sector. Hundreds of consumer products already contain nano materials, most of which are cosmetics, sunscreens and cleaning products with microscopic particles.
• Seabed project reveals quake, tsunami clues AFP Nov. 26, 2007 An ambitious international project to dig deeper into the Earth's surface than ever before has made a good start with scientists saying they have gained clues about how large earthquakes and tsunami occur. The experiment, using the Japanese government's 57,500-tonne, 60-billion-yen ($550-million) deep-sea drilling vessel Chikyu, is probing a trench in waters off the Pacific coast of Japan where two tectonic plates meet. A team of 16 scientists from six countries have been seeking clues about how seismic activity can shake the planet's foundations
• A Swashbuckling Tale of 10th-century Adventure Time Nov. 16, 2007 Quoted: Muhammad Memon, professor of literature and Islamic studies at the University of Wisconsin.
• Life was harsh back in ye olde "Beowulf" days (AP) Seattle Times Nov. 14, 2007 Quoted: John Niles, who teaches medieval literature at University of Wisconsin-Madison.
• A Computer Scientist Battles Botnets Chronicle of Higher Education Nov. 13, 2007 Computer-security analysts have long since learned to hate “botnets”: clusters of computers, infected with worms or Trojan-horse programs, that are taken over by outside users. After all, botnets can do plenty of awful things: They trawl for passwords and credit-card numbers, fire off spam, and propagate automatically. But now Paul Barford, a computer scientist at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, says he may soon be able to stop botnets in their tracks.
• Wisconsin's Twist on the Name Game BusinessWeek Nov. 9, 2007 University of Wisconsin-Madison business alums are taking their famous Badger pride to new heights, issuing an unusual—and lucrative—mandate to the school: "Keep That Name." In an unusual twist in the business school naming game—generally, a wealthy donor gives a multimillion-dollar gift to get his name on the school—the school formally known as Wisconsin School of Business has received an $85 million group donation from alumni that will allow the school to keep its current name for the next 20 years.
• What's in a name? CNN.com Nov. 13, 2007 LONDON, England (CNN) -- It is a common way for business schools to secure their future: In exchange for a substantial bequest from a former student or other benefactor the school is re-named in their honor. Big checks were written -- but the Wisconsin School's donors did not want a name change. However, in a unique twist to this practice, the Wisconsin School of Business has just been given $85 million by a group of alumni on one condition -- it keeps its name exactly the same.
• Study pinpoints factors for early sex USA Today Nov. 13, 2007 There's a "recipe" that raises the odds of a teen starting sex early, and the more risky ingredients in a child's life — for example, not feeling close to parents, low self-esteem and lots of TV — the more likely he is to be sexually active by age 15, suggests a study released over the weekend. "It isn't any one thing. It's cumulative, and the more risks there are, the greater the chances that they'll begin sex early," says Janet Shibley Hyde, a psychologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She and co-author Myeshia Price reported on their two-year study of 273 children at the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality meeting in Indianapolis.
• Graphics chips rev up research results BBC News Online Nov. 12, 2007 Professor Susan Hagness from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has turned to graphics cards to quickly analyse breast scans to spot cancer in its early stages. Dr Hagness said official figures suggest x-rays missed 20% of the cancers that were present when a woman underwent screening. "There's clearly impetus to develop complementary technologies that can provide better and more robust tools to look for cancer," she said.
• UW Admissions Myths NBC-15 Nov. 8, 2007 Madison: As the Director of Admisssions, Rob Seltzer spends a lot of time staring at his computer, trying to decide if the resume on his screen is good enough for the University of Wisconsin. "His test scores are somewhat lower than our freshman class average, which would be a little bit of concern to me," says Seltzer, looking at one prospective student's applications. Seltzer says while the admissions process isn't an exact science, it's also not a mystery. They've gone as far as producing a fact sheet. "We do a lot of myth busting."
• Climate change is public health issue - US experts Reuters Nov. 7, 2007 WASHINGTON, Nov 6 (Reuters) - Climate change should be treated as a public health issue, especially by the United States, the world's biggest long-term emitter of greenhouse gases, health and ecology experts said on Tuesday. An Earth transformed by climate change could lead to more climate-related diseases, especially those transmitted by insects and those borne by water supplies, the experts said at a meeting of the American Public Health Association. The United States and other rich countries bear special responsibility because their climate-warming emissions will have a disproportionate impact on poor countries that emit the least and have the fewest resources to deal with public health problems, said Jonathan Patz of the University of Wisconsin.
• Developing Countries Poised to Lead the Biofuel Market Wired.com Oct. 30, 2007 Malaysia, Thailand, Colombia, Uruguay and Ghana are poised to become the world leaders in biodiesel production, according to a new study. That's surprising, since the United States is the world's leading producer and exporter of soybeans, a major source for biofuel -- a promising short-term alternative to fossil fuels. The U.S. harvested 3.1 billion bushels of soybeans last year. But when Matt Johnson and Tracey Holloway of the University of Wisconsin at Madison's Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment studied which countries are best positioned to enter the burgeoning market for biodiesel, they came up with a list of developing countries with a strong agricultural base, stable governments and low debt.
• Put the kettle on: It's good for you USA Today Oct. 29, 2007 How refreshing. Tea, something that people around the world enjoy consuming, might actually be good for you. "The most fascinating thing is, to my knowledge, there is no other natural product known that has such diversified effects," says Hasan Mukhtar, vice chair of dermatology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
• Potential biodiesel nations are identified United Press International Oct. 25, 2007 MADISON, Wis., Oct. 22 (UPI) -- A U.S. study suggested that Thailand, Uruguay and Ghana might become the world's leading producers of the emerging renewable fuel known as biodiesel. Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies said biodiesel can be easily manufactured from vegetable oils and animal fats, making it one of the most promising, near-term alternatives to fossil fuels.
• In Study of Human Patterns, Scientists Look to Bird Brains New York Times Oct. 23, 2007 Last month, a bird known as a bar-tailed godwit took flight from Alaska and headed south. A day later, it was still flapping its way over the Pacific. An airplane pilot would have a hard time staying awake after 24 hours of flight (the Federal Aviation Administration allows pilots to fly just eight hours in a row). But the godwit kept flying for an additional week. After eight days and 7,200 miles, it landed in New Zealand, setting a record for nonstop flight. “If they spend so many hours flying,” said Ruth M. Benca of the University of Wisconsin, “where do they find the time to sleep?”
• Dance review: Jin-Wen Yu Dance program inspired Capital Times Oct. 22, 2007 When inspired choreography, dancing and music come together, they grab hold of an audience and don't let go. All three elements meshed on Thursday night as a packed house at UW-Madison's Lathrop Hall basked in 90 minutes of "Concert 10" by Jin-Wen Yu Dance. The evening could have gone on longer, and the viewer's mind was so entranced it rarely wandered beyond the stage.
• Depression, anxiety tied to allergies in kids Reuters Oct. 22, 2007 NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Research in psychiatrically ill children and adolescents suggests that those with depression, anxiety and other so-called "internalizing" disorders are more likely to have allergies. "These findings add to the growing body of evidence supporting an association between anxiety, depressive, and allergic disorders," write Dr. Mauricio Infante and colleagues from University of Wisconsin, Madison in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.
• 'Brilliant' minds think alike for good of mankind USA Today Oct. 15, 2007 Included: Helen Blackwell, chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
• N.H. voters warming to Clinton Boston Globe Oct. 9, 2007 Quoted: Charles Franklin, a political science professor at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
• Robert Seltzer column: Applying to UW-Madison? Here's some advice Appleton Post-Crescent Oct. 9, 2007 As I travel around Wisconsin, I consistently hear one question from high school students, parents and counselors: What does it take to get into the University of Wisconsin-Madison? Because I analyze every part of an application, from grades and class rank to personal statements and special talents, there isn't one magic answer to that question. However, during the past 30 years that I've worked in college admissions, I've seen hundreds of thousands of applications. I've also experienced the process firsthand, as my son ventured into his own college search.
• Put the kettle on: Tea is steeped in health benefits USA Today Oct. 8, 2007 Quoted: Hasan Mukhtar, vice chair of dermatology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.