African studies and computer science may seem like two fields that have few ties. But senior and King-Morgridge Scholar Sheriff Issaka is blending the two through AI4Afrika—a wide-reaching project to bring African voices, narratives, and …
Africa
Analyzing an ‘Erie’ algae similarity with Kenya’s Kisumu Bay
When spring comes around, freeing Lake Mendota in Madison, Wisconsin, from its annual deep freeze, Paul Block and his students study the season’s climate conditions to predict what summer has in store for the lake. …
‘Sower in the Field’
Moving crews installed South African artist Mary Sibande’s sculpture “Sower in the Field” at UW–Madison’s Chazen Museum of Art on Feb. 27. In her works, Sibande “not only interrogates the current intersections of race, gender, …
Moonshine: Celebrating poetry and dance
UW–Madison dance students and others got a chance to learn from professional dancers and choreographers in a Moonshine Masterclass, held after the Dance Department’s live performance of Moonshine, a mix of music, theater, dance and …
UW-built spectrograph en route to South Africa
A near-infrared spectrograph—an instrument that splits light into its individual colors, or wavelengths, to form a spectrum like a rainbow—will soon be shipped to South Africa from UW-Madison. The next-generation instrumentation, custom-built by staff in …
Gregg Mitman’s new book highlights land use, racial injustice, and America’s shared history with Liberia
Nearly 6,000 miles separates the United States and the West African country of Liberia, but their histories are forever intertwined. In fact, Nelson Institute affiliate Gregg Mitman, who also serves as the Vilas Research and …
From Malawi to UW and Back: Student Commencement Speaker Lusayo Mwakatika Advances Agriculture in his Homeland
Lusayo Mwakatika grew his first garden at the age of 14. He harvested his own vegetables, sold them to friends and neighbors, and used the earnings as his allowance. It was a living extension of …
New Condenser Makes Water from Air, even in the Hot Sun
Access to clean water is a huge issue across the globe. Even in areas with water resources, a lack of infrastructure or reliable energy means purifying that water is sometimes extremely difficult. That’s why a …
Six-Legged Livestock Could Solve Food Shortages — Sustainably
In the Midwest, we’re used to seeing big fields dotted with cattle and steel barns bustling with broiler chickens. Beef, poultry, and pork are common in our daily meals, whether mixed in pasta or placed …
Nelson Postdoc Coauthors Paper that Suggests Satellite Alerts May Reduce Deforestation in Africa
Research led by Fanny Moffette, a postdoctoral researcher in applied economics and an affiliate of the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, gleans new insight into the efficacy of using the Global …