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What does the rainforest sound like? A new children’s ebook by UW-Madison professor Zuzana Buřivalová explores the soundscape of Borneo’s rainforest

Deep in Borneo’s rainforest, among the 10,000 species of plants and a canopy of trees, one might hear the growl of a Clouded leopard, the howl of an orangutan, or the call of the Rhinoceros hornbill. While the animals are illusive to the eye, their sounds echo through the forest; which is exactly why Zuzana …

Nearby forest loss predicts future deforestation on protected lands

Protected forests are unlikely to be cut down when they are surrounded by intact forests. Conversely, the more degraded the boundaries of a protected area are, the more likely that deforestation will encroach into the protected forest as well. These findings come from a new analysis of protected forests worldwide. The results have the potential …

Capstone course contributes to the Kampala Clean Air Action Plan and the National Environment (Air Quality and Standards) Regulations in Uganda

A Nelson Institute student-led project investigating air quality in the capital city of Kampala, Uganda is receiving high-level national attention and is contributing to the first Kampala Clean Air Action Plan and the National Environment Air Quality Standards and Regulations. This project is the result of the Nelson Institute spring 2021 capstone course, Air Quality …

Madison to D.C.: Marin Hein Digs Deeper into Activism through WiW Speakers, Internship

With her passion for legislative activism, rising senior Marin Hein is set to build her own professional brand through the Wisconsin in Washington, D.C. Internship (WiW) Program. In doing so, she joins other Badgers in D.C. who are seeking to connect with expertise on and off Capitol Hill. WiW offers undergraduates the opportunity to spend …

“Linking knowledge to action:” the motto for EOI alumna while completing her MS degree

“Linking knowledge to action.” This is the phrase Environmental Observation and Informatics (EOI) graduate Grace Stonecipher says is the embodiment of her time at the Nelson Institute. “The courses really dove into that subject of ‘Great, we can do all this science, but if we’re not using it to actually make decisions, then what’s the …

Guardian of the Gulf; Nelson student to expand coastal water cleanup initiative to the Great Lakes

From the Gulf Coast to the Great Lakes, Nelson Institute student Lisa Scobel is working to keep waterways free of plastic pollution. As a student of the Environmental Conservation MS program, Scobel is embracing her passion for protecting marine life and environment in her final leadership project.   Through a Citizen Science initiative called Nurdle Patrol, …

International student overcomes challenges on her way to completing the Environmental Conservation MS

From her career as a veterinarian specializing in animal behavior to the development of the Public Policy of Animal Welfare and the direction of a government entity to protect animals in Bogotá, Liliana Rodríguez has remained busy in her country of origin, Colombia. Wanting to expand more on her English skills and conservation knowledge, Rodríguez …

CCR leaders awarded Department of Energy funding to study connection between aerosols and historical climate variability

Leaders from the Nelson Institute Center for Climatic Research (CCR) will begin investigating the role of clouds and aerosols (small particles in the atmosphere, such as sulfate or dust) in historical climate variability thanks to support from the Department of Energy. While previous Earth System Models indicate that aerosols influence variations in surface temperature and …

Doctoral candidate leads UW2020 project investigating flood risk and vulnerability in Peru

A new report showcases how community perceptions of risk and social vulnerability shape responses to the threat of natural disasters. Led by Nelson Institute doctoral candidate Hugh Roland, the report entitled, Stakeholders’ Perspectives on Flood Risk and Vulnerability in Peru, investigates these community vulnerability perceptions as they relate to flood risk in Peru. The report …

UW-Madison Alumni Chandler Zuo makes a difference with establishment of the new Ce-an Zuo & Chao-ming Wang Scholarship

Statistics Ph.D. student Juan Francisco Mandujano Reyes has been awarded the School of Computer, Data and Information Sciences (CDIS) Ce-an Zuo & Chao-ming Wang Scholarship.  Mandujano Reyes is the first student to receive the newly-created award, which funds academic expenses that enable student success. The $1,000 scholarship will be awarded to an international CDIS student …