Illuminating Discovery Hub

Tiny Earth 2024 Virtual Winter Symposium
2024-12-06 10:00 - 12:00 (America/Chicago) | WI
(work in progress)

Crossroads of Ideas: Gut Instincts - Microbes, Addiction, and Immunity
2025-01-16 19:00 - 20:00 | Discovery Building, 330 North Orchard Street, De Luca Forum, Madison, WI, 53715, United States
Part 1 of the Microbiome Miniseries, with Margaret Alexander and Vanessa Sperandio

Kick off an exciting three-part mini-series on the gut-brain superhighway with UW-Madison researchers Vanessa Sperandio and Maggie Rose Alexander. In this thought-provoking conversation, they will unpack the complex interplay between gut microbes, addiction, and immunity, sharing cutting-edge research and visionary perspectives on how these connections shape the future of brain and gut health in society.

Margaret Alexander is an Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin Madison in the department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology. Dr. Alexander’s research is focused on understanding the mechanistic interactions between diet, the microbiota, and immune responses and the functional consequences of these interactions for autoimmune diseases. Dr. Alexander did her postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco in the laboratory of Dr. Peter Turnbaugh in the department of Microbiology and Immunology. She attended Carleton College for her undergraduate degree in Biology and the University of Utah for her PhD in the lab of Dr. Ryan O’Connell studying immune cell communication.
Vanessa Sperandio is the Chair of the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology in the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Robert Turell Professor. She was the Jane and Bud Smith Distinguished Chair in Medicine, and a Professor in the departments of Microbiology and Biochemistry at UT Southwestern Medical Center. She got her bachelors in biology, and her masters and PhD in Molecular Genetics in the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in Brazil.

We value inclusion and access for all participants. If you would like to request reasonable accommodations to enhance your participation experience, please email idhub@wid.wisc.edu no later than 2 weeks prior to the event. This event is wheelchair accessible.

SoundWaves: Developing Ideas, Part 3
2025-02-21 19:30 - 21:00 | Discovery Building, 330 North Orchard Street, De Luca Forum, Madison, WI, 53715, United States
This year, SoundWaves is exploring how ideas, trends, plans, viewpoints, projects, materials, and sounds develop. Join us for a new four-part series as we dive into how we got to where we are now and where we might be headed in the future.
SoundWaves combines scientific lectures about the world with live classical music performances. Each event revolves around a theme, exploring it first from many scientific angles and then through the lens of music. The program concludes with a live performance of music related to the evening’s theme.
What can archeology tell us about the development of our forebears?
How can we develop better conditions for dairy animals?
How do babies develop language?
How do computer scientists develop operating systems?
What is musical development, and how did Franz Schubert master it in the beautiful string quartet Death and the Maiden?
Find out at SoundWaves’ third event in our Development series, with special guests the Pro Arte Quartet.
The Pro Arte Quartet
Speakers:
Sarah Clayton, anthropology
Jennifer van Os, dairy science
Mike Swift, comp sci
Jenny Saffran, psych
Curator: Daniel Grabois
This event will take place in the DeLuca Forum in the Discovery Building. This is a free event, however registration is requested to ensure adequate seating.

We value inclusion and access for all participants. If you would like to request reasonable accommodations to enhance your participation experience, please email https://mailto: idhub@wid.wisc.edu no later than 2 weeks prior to the event. This event is wheelchair accessible.

Crossroads of Ideas: Mindfulness and the Microbiome
2025-03-04 19:00 - 20:00 | Discovery Building, 330 North Orchard Street, De Luca Forum, Madison, WI, 53715, United States
Part 3 of the Microbiome Miniseries with panelists Richie Davidson and Jo Handelsman

Join Dr. Richie Davidson and Dr. Jo Handelsman as they explore the intricate connection between the microbiome and mindfulness, and the immense impact they both have on our wellbeing. This is the third and final part of our three-part microbiome miniseries!

Dr. Richard Davidson
Dr. Richard Davidson is the founder and director of the Center for Healthy Minds at UW-Madison. Davidson is best known for his groundbreaking work studying emotion and the brain. A friend and confidante of the Dalai Lama, he is a highly sought after expert and speaker, leading conversations on well-being on international stages such as the World Economic Forum, where he served on the Global Council on Mental Health. Time Magazine named Davidson one of “The 100 Most Influential People in the World” in 2006. He was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2017.

Dr. Jo Handelsman
Dr. Jo Handelsman is the Director of the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery at UW-Madison, a Vilas Research Professor, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professor. She previously served as a science advisor to President Barack Obama as the Associate Director for Science at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) where she served for three years until January 2017, and was on the faculty at the University of Wisconsin and Yale University before that. She received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring from President Obama in 2011 and was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2019.

We value inclusion and access for all participants. If you would like to request reasonable accommodations to enhance your participation experience, please email idhub@wid.wisc.edu no later than 2 weeks prior to the event. This event is wheelchair accessible.

SoundWaves: Developing Ideas, Part 4
2025-04-11 19:30 - 21:00 | Hamel Music Center, 740 University Avenue, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
Explore how trends, plans, viewpoints, projects, materials, and sounds develop. Where we are and where we might be headed in the future.

This year, SoundWaves is exploring how ideas, trends, plans, viewpoints, projects, materials, and sounds develop. Join us for a new four-part series as we dive into how we got to where we are now and where we might be headed in the future.
SoundWaves combines scientific lectures about the world with live classical music performances. Each event revolves around a theme, exploring it first from many scientific angles and then through the lens of music. The program concludes with a live performance of music related to the evening’s theme.
This event will take place in the HAMEL MUSIC CENTER, Mead Witter Foundation Concert Hall (740 University Ave). This is a free event, however registration is requested to ensure adequate seating.

We value inclusion and access for all participants. If you would like to request reasonable accommodations to enhance your participation experience, please email https://mailto: idhub@wid.wisc.edu no later than 2 weeks prior to the event. This event is wheelchair accessible.

Crossroads of Ideas: Toxins at the Tap
2025-04-22 19:00 - 20:00 | Discovery Building, 330 North Orchard Street, De Luca Forum, Madison, WI, 53715, United States
Navigating the Future of PFAS and Our Water Supply

Join us on Earth Day 2025 for a thought-provoking fireside chat featuring experts Hilary Dugan, Manny Teodoro, and Christy Remucal. Delve into the world of PFAS—per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances—often referred to as “forever chemicals.” Our distinguished panel will explore the complex challenges these contaminants pose to our environment and public health, their impact on water systems, and the urgent policy changes needed to safeguard our future. This conversation will shed light on the critical decisions and innovations required to address one of today’s most pressing environmental issues.
Dr. Remucal’s Aquatic Chemistry research group works in two major areas. First, they investigate the transformation of polar organic contaminants in both natural and engineering aquatic systems. Contaminants of interests include aquatic pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). They are interested in photochemical reaction mechanisms, oxidative transformation at mineral surfaces, and fate in conventional and advanced drinking water treatment systems. Second, they study the molecular composition and reactivity of dissolved organic matter (DOM). They couple optical properties and analysis by high resolution mass spectrometry to assess the reactivity of DOM in lakes and engineered treatment systems. By studying fundamental reaction mechanisms, the Aquatic Chemistry group aims to develop models and real-world applications that can be used to improve water quality.

Manuel (Manny) Teodoro is a Professor of Public Affairs.
Teodoro works at the intersection of politics, public policy, and public management. His research focuses on U.S. environmental policy and implementation, including empirical analyses of environmental justice. His latest book, “The Profits of Distrust” (2022, Cambridge), argues that basic services are the bedrock of government legitimacy, and links the meteoric rise of the bottled water industry to declining trust in American democracy.
In addition, Teodoro pursues a line of applied research on utility management, policy, and finance. He has developed novel methods for analyzing utility rate equity and affordability, and he works directly with governments and water sector leaders across the United States to address policy problems.
Dr. Hilary Dugan’s research broadly focuses on how terrestrial and atmospheric changes alter biogeochemical fluxes and aquatic processes in inland waters. Her MCM research interests focus on lakes (physics, biogeochemistry, long term changes) and climate change.
We value inclusion and access for all participants. If you would like to request reasonable accommodations to enhance your participation experience, please email idhub@wid.wisc.edu no later than 2 weeks prior to the event. This event is wheelchair accessible.

All Crossroads of Ideas sessions are recorded and shared post-event.

Sci-prov
2025-04-30 19:00 - 21:00 | Discovery Building, 330 North Orchard Street, De Luca Forum, Madison, WI, 53715, United States
Science Meets Improv Comedy

Join the Illuminating Discovery Hub and Amalgam Improv for an evening fusing science and spontaneous improv comedy like no other at Sci-Prov!
Sci-prov combines science and improv in creative, funny, and never before seen ways. Scientists present their work in short, digestible presentations followed by brief Q&A, all of which can become fodder for the improv scenes. The improv scenes are created on the fly & unique to each show.
Light refreshments and cash bar available. Tickets are free and registration is requested to ensure adequate seating.

Parking: The closest parking ramps to the Discovery building are Lot 80 (Union South), lot 20 (Medical Science Center), and Lot 17 (Engineering/Camp Randall). Additional surface lots are also available. Please see the campus parking and transportation map for complete options.

Bus: The closest bus stop westbound is University & North Orchard (A, C, D, F, J, O, R), and eastbound is Campus at Babcock (A, C, F J, R). Free campus route 80 also stops at University & North Orchard

We value inclusion and access for all participants. If you would like to request reasonable accommodations to enhance your participation experience, please email idhub@wid.wisc.edu no later than 2 weeks prior to the event. This event is wheelchair accessible.

Sci-prov
2025-10-17 19:00 - 21:00 | Discovery Building, 330 North Orchard Street, De Luca Forum, Madison, WI, 53715, United States
Science Meets Improv Comedy in this special Wisconsin Science Festival edition! Presented in partnership with Amalgam Improv.

Join the Wisconsin Science Festival and Amalgam Improv for an evening fusing science and spontaneous improv comedy like no other at Sci-prov!
Sci-prov combines science and improv in creative, funny, and never before seen ways. In this special, fusion event, scientists Rachael Shields and Amy Koike will present their work in short, digestible presentations followed by brief Q&A, all of which will become fodder for the improv scenes. The improv scenes are created on the fly, unique to each show, and performed by a troupe of phenomenal improvisers!
Rachael Shields is a landscape architect and graduate student in the School of Human Ecology Design Studies program, while Amy Koike is a PhD student in the People and Robots Lab at UW-Madison.
Light refreshments and cash bar available. Tickets are free and registration is requested to ensure adequate seating.
RSVP for your Free Tickets

We value inclusion and access for all participants. If you would like to request reasonable accommodations to enhance your participation experience, please email idhub@wid.wisc.edu no later than 2 weeks prior to the event. This event is wheelchair accessible.

The WhySci Variety Show
2025-10-21 19:00 - 21:00 | Majestic Theatre, 115 King Street, Madison, WI, 53703, United States
The most science-inspired variety show in town! Produced by the Wisconsin Science Festival and the UW-Madison Division of the Arts.

Get ready to rock your curiosity at the Why Sci Variety Show—a high-energy mashup of science talks, artful performances, and live music! This year’s theme is Rock and Roll, so expect brainy beats, geology jokes, and scientific showmanship that will have you thinking and tapping your toes.
Hosted by the always-entertaining Ben Rush and featuring tunes from our live house band: David Hecht & The Who Dat, this is edu-tainment at its finest. From ancient rocks to musical molecules, science and art collide in unexpected ways during this one-of-a-kind show.
Doors and bar open at 6:30pm – show starts at 7pm.
Get Free Tickets
Produced in partnership with the UW-Madison Division of the Arts and with support from The Anonymous Fund.

Threading the Story of Earth's Oldest Rocks
2025-10-22 19:00 - 20:00 | Discovery Building, 330 North Orchard Street, De Luca Forum, Madison, WI, 53715, United States
Ancient geology meets modern creativity! Scientists studying the Earth’s oldest rocks collab with a textile artist to bring them to life!

Join us for a very special Wisconsin Science Festival edition of Crossroads of Ideas, where ancient geology meets modern creativity. This engaging evening features scientists Tyler Blum, Annie Bauer, and Emily Mixon, who have been studying the Earth’s oldest rocks – Acasta Gneiss (that’s pronounced “nice”) – and collaborating with local textile artist, Leah Evans, to bring 4-billion-year-old stories to life.
In conversation with UW-Madison Geology Museum Associate Director, Brooke Norsted, learn how these researchers and artist have explored deep time, planetary processes, and creative interpretation. Be among the first to experience the unveiling of Leah’s final artwork – an awe-inspiring textile piece created for the Geology Museum. Learn how curiosity, conversation, and collaboration turned billion-year-old rocks into an artistic and scientific celebration of deep time and deeper connections.
This event will take place in the DeLuca Forum in the UW-Madison Discovery Building.
Registration requested

Michelle Thaller: Cosmic Treasures
2025-10-23 19:00 - 20:00 | Discovery Building, 330 North Orchard Street, De Luca Forum, Madison, WI, 53715, United States
Chasing Asteroids for Clues to the Origins of Life

Join Michelle Thaller, former NASA science communicator, for an evening exploring the origins of life. Thaller, in conversation with Eric Wilcots, Dean of the College of Letters & Sciences and Professor in the Dept of Astronomy, will talk about the OSIRIS-REx mission – an audacious project to return a sample from an asteroid. No problem, right? Just chase down a small rock 200 million miles away, traveling literally faster than a speeding bullet, vacuum up a sample of its surface, and shoot it back to Earth. The story turned out to be more difficult, dramatic, and rewarding than anyone expected. Join us to find out why we went to so much trouble to bring back an ancient sample of our solar system and what was waiting inside that absolutely blew our minds. This event will take place in the DeLuca Forum in the Discovery Building.
Registration requested

SoundWaves: Atomic Scale
2025-10-25 19:30 - 21:00 | Hamel Music Center, 740 University Avenue, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
Atomic Scale, Klezmer Scales

Gaze into the world of the unimaginably small with an evening exploring the atomic scale. What is quantum computing and how does it work? How do atoms in metals organize themselves into hierarchies? As part of Klez Fest Midwest, this special SoundWaves event will feature more live music than ever, with the duo of Krakauer & Tagg, featuring brilliant klezmer clarinetist David Krakauer and pianist Kathleen Tagg, performing and explaining what gives klezmer music its characteristic style and sound (it’s all in the scales!).

Get Tickets

Crossroads of Ideas: Living and Learning with Animals
2025-11-12 19:00 - 20:00 | DeLuca Forum, Discovery Building, 330 N. Orchard Street, Madison, United States
From the mellowest Labrador to the wiliest coyote, experts in animal behavior & wildlife management discuss human interactions with canines.

Join UW–Madison’s Dr. David Drake and Carroll University’s Dr. Mindy Waite for an engaging Crossroads of Ideas conversation exploring the dynamic relationship between humans and animals, both wild and domestic. From what we can teach animals to what they can teach us, how retrofitting animals into the human world has changed our relationships, and discovering new insights into behavior, adaptation, and the possibilities for living together in a changing world. Hosted by Director of the WID – Illuminating Discovery Hub.
Get Tickets

SoundWaves: Micro Scale
2025-11-14 19:30 - 21:00 | Hamel Music Center, 740 University Avenue, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
This academic year, SoundWaves is exploring scales. In this second edition, we will be zooming in on the micro scale!

Our second SoundWaves event of the season explores the Micro Scale, looking at things that are very small in size. What is a microbiome? What’s going on in the Earth’s water? What is microeconomics? What happens when you look at rhythm and pitch on a micro scale? Find out at SoundWaves.

Get Tickets

Crossroads of Ideas: Quantum Frontiers
2025-12-09 19:00 - 20:00 | Discovery Building, 330 North Orchard Street, De Luca Forum, Madison, WI, 53715, United States
Presented in celebration of 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology.

Quantum science might sound like it belongs in the lab or a science fiction novel, but its impact is already woven into our daily lives—from the technology in our phones to the future of computing and medicine. Join the Wisconsin Quantum Institute’s Aws Albarghouthi (Computer Science) and Matthew Otten (Physics) for a moderated discussion with Katerina Moloni, exploring the fascinating science of the quantum world and why understanding it matters for all of us. This Crossroads of Ideas conversation will pull back the curtain on quantum science, revealing its surprising role in shaping the present, and the future, we all share. Presented in celebration of 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology.
Registration requested

Crossroads of Ideas: How Failure Fuels Innovation
2026-01-28 19:00 - 20:00 | Discovery Building, 330 North Orchard Street, De Luca Forum, Madison, WI, 53715, United States
Part I in our Productive Failure Mini-Series

Amalgam Improv Presents Yes and Science Improv Workshop
2026-01-30 14:00 - 16:00, 2026-02-06 14:00 - 16:00 | Discovery Building, 330 North Orchard Street, De Luca Forum, Madison, WI, 53715, United States
FREE WORKSHOP! Better Science Communication through Improv

This 2-hour workshop is designed for graduate students, post-docs, staff, and faculty in STEM related fields who want to sharpen their ability to communicate effectively and adaptively. In research and industry alike, ideas often need to be shared in real time with diverse audiences- from colleagues and collaborators to decision-makers and the public. This session provides a lively, low-stakes space to build confidence in handling the unexpected and the ability to pivot one’s communication. Through fun applied improv practice, participants will experiment with spontaneous speaking, respond to mistakes, and network.

Crossroads of Ideas: The Upside of AI Failure
2026-02-19 19:00 - 20:00 | Discovery Building, 330 North Orchard Street, De Luca Forum, Madison, WI, 53715, United States
What failure in AI can teach us, and how it can inspire innovation, critical thinking, and resilience.

Failure is part of progress, especially in the fast-moving field of artificial intelligence. This Crossroads of Ideas event, part of our three-part mini-series on “productive failure,” brings together David Fields (UW-Madison Department of East Asian Studies) and Rob Nowak (UW-Madison Computer, Data & Information Sciences) to explore what happens when AI technology falls short. From real-world research that didn’t go as planned to the broader implications for society, this conversation highlights how failures can deepen our understanding, shape future innovation, and help us navigate technology’s role in our lives. Together, they’ll discuss what failure in AI can teach us, and how it can inspire innovation, critical thinking, and resilience.

SoundWaves: Macro Scale
2026-02-27 19:30 - 21:00 | Hamel Music Center, 740 University Avenue, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
This academic year, SoundWaves is exploring scales. In this second edition, we will be zooming out to the macro scale!

Crossroads of Ideas: When Antibiotics Fail
2026-03-18 19:00 - 20:00 | Discovery Building, 330 North Orchard Street, De Luca Forum, Madison, WI, 53715, United States
How do we manage when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites no longer respond to antimicrobial medicines? What are our options?

Crossroads of Ideas: Memory in Motion
2026-04-22 19:00 - 20:00 | Discovery Building, 330 North Orchard Street, De Luca Forum, Madison, WI, 53715, United States
Art, Science, and the Living Nature of Memory- featuring Viviane Silveras, John Yin, and hosted by Guy Thorne.

In this Crossroads of Ideas conversation, we explore the dynamic life of memory through the artistic lenses of film and painting alongside the analytical lens of science. Featuring Viviane Silvera, the University of Wisconsin–Madison Division of the Arts 2026 Artist in Residence, the event highlights her 2025 Telly Award winning film See Memory which invites audiences to visualize a reality where abstraction, emotion, and evolving ideas converge. Created from more than 30,000 hand-painted stills, See Memory weaves together cutting-edge research and deeply personal storytelling to illuminate how memory works and how it can be reframed.
Moderated by WID researcher, Dr. John Yin, the discussion brings together creative practice and scientific inquiry revealing deeper perspectives on emotion, experience, and the mind itself. Through moving images and thoughtful dialogue, we will consider memory not as something fixed, but as a living process that is continually shaped by how we sense, interpret, and imagine.

SoundWaves: Astronomical Scale
2026-04-24 19:30 - 21:00 | Hamel Music Center, 740 University Avenue, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
This academic year, SoundWaves is exploring scales. In this final edition, we will be zooming WAY out to the Astronomical scale!

Sci-prov
2026-04-29 19:00 - 21:00 | Discovery Building, 330 North Orchard Street, De Luca Forum, Madison, WI, 53715, United States
Science Meets Improv Comedy

Join the Illuminating Discovery Hub and Amalgam Improv for an evening fusing science and spontaneous improv comedy like no other at Sci-Prov!
Sci-prov combines science and improv in creative, funny, and never before seen ways. Scientists will present their work in short, digestible presentations followed by brief Q&A, all of which can become fodder for the improv scenes. The improv scenes are created on the fly & unique to each show.
Light refreshments and cash bar available. Tickets are free and registration is requested to ensure adequate seating.

Parking: The closest parking ramps to the Discovery building are Lot 80 (Union South), lot 20 (Medical Science Center), and Lot 17 (Engineering/Camp Randall). Additional surface lots are also available. Please see the campus parking and transportation map for complete options.

Bus: The closest bus stop westbound is University & North Orchard (A, C, D, F, J, O, R), and eastbound is Campus at Babcock (A, C, F J, R). Free campus route 80 also stops at University & North Orchard

We value inclusion and access for all participants. If you would like to request reasonable accommodations to enhance your participation experience, please email idhub@wid.wisc.edu no later than 2 weeks prior to the event. This event is wheelchair accessible.

Sci-prov: The Workshops - Message Crafting
2026-06-17 14:00 - 16:00 | Discovery Building, 330 North Orchard Street, De Luca Forum, Madison, WI, 53715, United States
FREE WORKSHOP! Better science communication through improv. This workshop will focus on message crafting!

Workshop Topic: Message Crafting
This workshop focuses on individuals practicing the delivery of their own messages. Activities focus on refining their messages without jargon, varying timelengths, enhancing stories with emotion, and pivoting when needed.
This workshop will take place in room 1145 in the Discovery Building.
Space is limited – RSVP required!

These 2-hour workshops are designed for graduate students, post-docs, staff, and faculty in STEM related fields who want to sharpen their ability to communicate effectively and adaptively. In research and industry alike, ideas often need to be shared in real time with diverse audiences- from colleagues and collaborators to decision-makers and the public. These sessions provide a lively, low-stakes space to build confidence in handling the unexpected and the ability to pivot one’s communication. Through fun applied improv practice, participants will experiment with spontaneous speaking, respond to mistakes, and network. Each workshop will focus one a different area of communication – attend one or all of the workshop sessions!

Other sessions this summer:

Listening & Empathy – July 15th
Stage Presence – August 19th

Visit illuminatingdiscovery.wisc.edu/sci-prov to check out all upcoming workshops and Sci-prov shows!

Sci-prov: The Workshops - Listening & Empathy
2026-07-15 14:00 - 16:00 | Discovery Building, 330 North Orchard Street, De Luca Forum, Madison, WI, 53715, United States
FREE WORKSHOP! Better science communication through improv. This workshop will focus on listening and empathy!

Workshop Topic: Listening + Empathy
This workshop focuses on absorbing information from colleagues and listening for understanding. Activities focus on listening to partners beyond words and distilling messages to core values and beliefs for building bridges with collaborators and the public.
emotion, and pivoting when needed.
This workshop will take place in room 1145 in the Discovery Building.
Space is limited – RSVP required!

These 2-hour workshops are designed for graduate students, post-docs, staff, and faculty in STEM related fields who want to sharpen their ability to communicate effectively and adaptively. In research and industry alike, ideas often need to be shared in real time with diverse audiences- from colleagues and collaborators to decision-makers and the public. These sessions provide a lively, low-stakes space to build confidence in handling the unexpected and the ability to pivot one’s communication. Through fun applied improv practice, participants will experiment with spontaneous speaking, respond to mistakes, and network. Each workshop will focus one a different area of communication – attend one or all of the workshop sessions!

Other sessions this summer:

Message Ctafting – June 17th
Stage Presence – August 19th

Visit illuminatingdiscovery.wisc.edu/sci-prov to check out all upcoming workshops and Sci-prov shows!

Sci-prov: The Workshops - Stage Presence
2026-08-19 14:00 - 16:00 | Discovery Building, 330 North Orchard Street, De Luca Forum, Madison, WI, 53715, United States
FREE WORKSHOP! Better science communication through improv. This workshop will focus on stage presence!

Workshop Topic: Stage Presence
This workshop focuses on feeling comfortable on the stage including speaking, physical presence, and with technology. Activities focus on using microphones, moving around on stage, pauses, and engaging with the audience.
This workshop will take place in room 1145 in the Discovery Building.
Space is limited – RSVP required!

These 2-hour workshops are designed for graduate students, post-docs, staff, and faculty in STEM related fields who want to sharpen their ability to communicate effectively and adaptively. In research and industry alike, ideas often need to be shared in real time with diverse audiences- from colleagues and collaborators to decision-makers and the public. These sessions provide a lively, low-stakes space to build confidence in handling the unexpected and the ability to pivot one’s communication. Through fun applied improv practice, participants will experiment with spontaneous speaking, respond to mistakes, and network. Each workshop will focus one a different area of communication – attend one or all of the workshop sessions!

Other sessions this summer:

Message Crafting – June 17th
Listening & Empathy – July 15th

Visit illuminatingdiscovery.wisc.edu/sci-prov to check out all upcoming workshops and Sci-prov shows!

Sci-prov: The Workshops - Message Crafting (Fall Session)
2026-09-16 14:00 - 16:00 | Discovery Building, 330 North Orchard Street, De Luca Forum, Madison, WI, 53715, United States
Free workshop! Better science communication through improv. This fall workshop will focus on message crafting!

Workshop Topic: Message Crafting
This workshop focuses on individuals practicing the delivery of their own messages. Activities focus on refining their messages without jargon, varying timelengths, enhancing stories with emotion, and pivoting when needed.
This workshop will take place in room 1145 in the Discovery Building.
Space is limited – RSVP required!

These 2-hour workshops are designed for graduate students, post-docs, staff, and faculty in STEM related fields who want to sharpen their ability to communicate effectively and adaptively. In research and industry alike, ideas often need to be shared in real time with diverse audiences- from colleagues and collaborators to decision-makers and the public.
These sessions provide a lively, low-stakes space to build confidence in handling the unexpected and the ability to pivot one’s communication. Through fun applied improv practice, participants will experiment with spontaneous speaking, respond to mistakes, and network. Each workshop will focus one a different area of communication – attend one or all of the workshop sessions!

Other sessions in the fall:

Listening & Empathy – October 14th
Stage Presence – November 18th

Visit illuminatingdiscovery.wisc.edu/sci-prov to check out all upcoming workshops and Sci-prov shows!
