UW-Madison Life Sciences Communication

05/27/2026

We’re excited to share that there’s a new doctor in town! Isabel Villanueva has successfully defended her dissertation and earned a PhD in Science Communication.

In the fall, she will begin a new chapter at the University of Miami as an Assistant Professor. Congratulations Isabel, we wish you the best of luck on this next adventure!



Pictured with Isabel (from left to right): Professor of Political Science Katherine Cramer, LSC Professor Kaiping Chen, LSC Professor Dietram Scheufele (advisor), Research Scientist Michael Culbertson, Professor of Communication Arts Zhongdang Pan

05/22/2026

“Through the use of AI, Kaiping and her team help people break through their silos to understand the other side.”

The Capital City Hues chose to feature LSC Professor Kaiping Chen in their most recent “Urban Treasures” column, a recurring segment which celebrates exemplary Madisonians. We must agree that Kaiping certainly fits that bill!

Read the full highlight at:

05/20/2026

Aishwarya Veerabahu has had a whirlwind year after an article published in Current Biology last summer gained the attention of media platforms from the New York Times to Wisconsin Public Radio and more.

Veerabahu is a a PhD student studying Botany and minoring in Life Sciences Communication. As discussed in their article, her team found that invasive golden mushrooms (pictured here) are reducing overall fungal variety in the Great Lakes region.

Having the opportunity to discuss this research has also gone hand in hand with what she has studied here in LSC.

“I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunities I’ve had to discuss my research with public groups,” Veerabahu said. “I’ve learned that people are passionate about protecting native fungal biodiversity, even if they’re in the process of learning what that is and why fungi are important in maintaining the landscapes we know and love!”

Read the full article at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40675152/

Photo by study co-author Dr. Michelle Jusino

05/13/2026

The Morgridge Institute for Research for Research recently highlighted Natasha Strydhorst, a Rita Allen Foundation Civic Science Fellow and LSC Research Affiliate. Strydhorst’s work blends science, storytelling and public engagement, a niche where she thrives!

Read their full piece at:

Natasha Strydhorst finds in science communication a good way to marry her multiple interests — and to address “the wicked problems that science and society are facing”

05/12/2026

It’s always great to see LSC graduates getting the recognition they deserve 😊

Double major Molly Keebler graduated this past weekend with a bachelor’s degree in both Genetics and Genomics and Life Sciences Communication. Molly said that in LSC, she enjoyed learning how marketing concepts can be used to better communicate science to broad audiences and down the line, she plans to apply to Genetic Counseling programs.

Congratulations on all of your accomplishments, Molly. We can’t wait to see what you do next!

05/11/2026

Congratulations to the LSC Class of 2026 graduates from this past weekend! We are so excited for you to start your new adventure and can't wait to see what you do next. We wish you all the best, !

05/05/2026

LSC Professor Dominique Brossard had the opportunity to give a talk on science, misinformation and AI at Capital Lakes for the PLATO - Participatory Learning & Teaching Organization Madison’s 2026 speaker series.

Thanks to PLATO for putting together such an engaging way to learn and connect with community!

05/04/2026

Emma Longo is officially an LSC master’s graduate!

Congratulations Emma, we’re so proud of everything you have been able to accomplish 🎉

Emma is pictured here with two members of her master’s committee: LSC Associate Professor Sedona Chinn (left) and School of Journalism and Mass Communication Teaching Faculty Kajsa Dalrymple (right).

05/01/2026

Exciting news! As of today, Associate Professor Kaiping Chen has officially joined the Editorial Board for Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) Nexus, a highly respected interdisciplinary journal. Chen will be on the Board of Reviewing Editors for the PNAS Nexus Social Sciences Division and will serve for three years.

Congratulations, Kaiping!

Learn more:

Hülya Bayır, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, USA

04/30/2026

Yesterday, LSC Associate Professor Kaiping Chen, LSC PhD student Sara Ostad Rahimi, and Public Policy master’s student Jacklyn Alsbro were able to present their research on fusion technology at UW-Madison Day at the Capitol!

This annual showcase allows researchers to present their work to legislators, staffers, civil servants and more. Chen, Ostad Rahimi, and Alsbro’s full presentation, “Exploring Mental Models of Public Participation in Fusion Energy: Results from Interviews Across Stakeholders,” highlighted challenges surrounding collaboration on fusion and provided recommendations for public engagement.

Well done all!

04/28/2026

At this year’s LSC Scholarship and Donor Recognition Reception, LSC was proud to award scholarships to 25 outstanding students.

These opportunities are made possible through the generosity and vision of our donors—alumni, former faculty, and friends of LSC—whose support continues to open doors for students pursuing science communication research and practice. The reception brought together donors, students, and families for a meaningful afternoon of connection and celebration, highlighting the real impact of this generosity.

We are deeply grateful to our donors for investing in our students’ futures—your support truly makes a difference.

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Congratulations to the following 2026 scholarship recipients:

Robert Bjorklund Scholarship: Laniya Hinton, Evan Loftus, Alicia Lopez, Emma Peterschmidt & Kai Stielow

Lloyd and Genevieve Bostian Scholarship: Alicia Lopez & Anna Singh

Farm Journal/Andy Weber Ag Media Awards: Jordan Berg & Allison Hayden

Jean W. Fewster Scholarship: Dayeon Eom, Erika Zhu

Brian Howell Scholarship Steven Nadeau & Laila Smith

William and Cynthia Kennedy Family Scholarship: Mary Knoelke

Lenore Landry Internship: Olivia Nygaard

Frank Lessiter Ag Media Scholarship: Jenna Kudrna

Nellie McCannon Scholarship: Dayeon Eom, Manzur Maswood, Parker Smith & Erika Zhu

Larry R. Meiller Scholarship: Nathan Buckley & Olivia Nygaard

NAMA Marketing Leader Scholarship: Lauren Breunig

NAMA Chapter President Scholarship: Anna Martin

John E. and Elizabeth B. Ross Science Writing Scholarship: Sophie Pezzani, Mahika Prasad & Ella Timm

Thomas P. and Gail G. Schomisch Scholarship: Kai Stielow

Jean A. Shipman Scholarship: Bruno Castro Lacerda & Manzur Maswood

Claire H. Sink Scholarship: Parker Smith

J. W. Watt Agricultural Journalism Memorial Scholarship: Ila Keyzer

Maurice E. and Grace Witter White Scholarship: Bruno Castro Lacerda