Illuminating Discovery Hub

SoundWaves: Macro Scale
2026-02-27 19:30 - 21:00 (America/Chicago) | 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!

Sci-prov: The Workshops - Listening & Empathy (Fall Session)
2026-10-14 14:00 - 16:00 | Discovery Building – Room 1145, 330 North Orchard Street, 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 fall:

Message Ctafting – September 16th
Stage Presence – November 18th

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

Sci-prov: The Workshops - Stage Presence (Fall Session)
2026-11-18 14:00 - 16:00 | Discovery Building – Room 1145, 330 North Orchard Street, 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 fall:

Message Crafting – September 16th
Listening & Empathy – October 14th

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