Alphabetical Index by Name
This is a single, all-inclusive list of programs, units, projects, and
groups at UW-Madison that significantly address sustainability.
To search for key words within this index, click on "Edit" in your
browser's menu bar, then on "Find on/in this page."
A
- Agricultural and Applied
Economics - Degree programs apply economic analysis to such areas as the
structure of agriculture, agricultural business, rural and community
development, and natural resources. Consider environmental and natural resource economics, economic
development of low-income countries, agricultural economics, and state
and local public finance and development. B.S., M.A., M.S., Ph.D.
- Agroecology
- Degree program studies agriculture as a human endeavor embedded
in society and environment. Trains researchers
and facilitators for a multifunctional, equitable, and
resource-efficient agriculture. M.S.
- Agronomy -
Degree programs seek to improve efficiency, quality, safety, and environmental
sustainability of crop production to meet meet rapidly changing current needs and those
of future generations. B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
- Air Resources Management
- Certificate program that combines education in science, economics, health, engineering, ecology, and policy in
addressing air management at the ecosystem scale. Graduate-level certificate, Ph.D. minor.
- Aquatic Invasive Species Education Project -
Works with boaters and anglers to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species in Wisconsin lakes and rivers.
- Arboretum - Conserves and restores more than
2,500 acres of land, advances restoration ecology, and fosters the land ethic.
- Atmospheric and Oceanic
Sciences - Degree programs focus on all aspects of the atmosphere and physical
oceanography, their mutual interaction, and their interaction with space
and the rest of the earth system. B.A., B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
B
- BASIS Research Program on
Poverty, Inequality, and Development - Dedicated to understanding
the poverty and income distribution dynamics of rural economies and to
crafting creative policies and programs that broaden the base of
economic growth and offer sustainable pathways from rural poverty.
- Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Development in Southwest
China - Seeks to expand scientific understanding of
the interactions of natural and human processes integral to biodiversity
conservation and sustainable development in the eastern Himalayas of
southwest China.
- Big Red Go Green
- Student group that strives to work with the students and administration of UW-Madison to implement energy efficient programs that benefit
the environment and students.
- Biological Aspects of Conservation
- Degree program offers broad training in biological and related disciplines
relevant to conservation. Emphasizes basic knowledge of natural history,
whole organism biology, ecological interactions, and conservation
biology. B.A., B.S.
- Biological Systems Engineering -
Degree programs prepare
students to meet needs of agriculture and the construction industry in
areas including drainage and irrigation facilities, natural resources
and environment, food processing and preservation, soil and water
engineering, and waste management. B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
- Botany - Degree
programs provide an introduction to the living world of
plants, algae, fungi, and bacteria: the diversity of its organisms; its historical origins
through evolution; its principles of structure, function, and ecology;
and its interactions, relationships, and effects on the nonliving world. B.A., B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
- Bryson Interdisciplinary
Climate, People, and Environment Program - Advances understanding of the relationships between climate, natural
resources, population, and culture.
- Business Action for Sustainable
Enterprise - Non-profit student-run organization that aims to
increase awareness and promote the benefits of sustainable business
practices.
C
- CALS International Programs
- Oversees, promotes, and coordinates research and outreach activities
related to international agriculture and natural resource management,
including many with heavy emphasis on creating sustainable farming
systems in developing countries.
- Campus Ecology
- On-line guide to the campus cultural landscape, recycling, trees, and
the Campus Ecology Research project at UW-Madison.
- Center for Climatic Research
- Advances scientific understanding of the Earth's
climate through interdisciplinary investigations of past, present, and
future climates, and promotes public understanding of climate-related
issues, including global change.
- Center for Community and Economic Development
- Creates, applies, and transfers multi-disciplinary knowledge to help people understand community change and identify opportunities.
- Center for Cooperatives
- Studies and promotes cooperative action to meet people's economic and social needs.
- Center for Culture, History, and Environment
- Seeks to understand and explain past and present connections between environmental and cultural change.
- Center for Global Health - Promotes
interdisciplinary education, research and partnerships to address health
issues that transcend national boundaries.
- Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems
- Conducts sustainable agriculture research that responds to farmer and
citizen needs and involves these groups in setting research agendas.
- Center for International Business Education
and Research - Helps strengthen the competitiveness of U.S. business
internationally and enhance international business-related teaching and research.
- Center for Limnology - Conducts
and facilitates inland freshwater research, including long-term studies,
synthesis, modeling, and Great Lakes research, and application to
resource management and environmental issues.
- Center for Quality
and Productivity Improvement - Develops techniques to improve the quality of products and processes,
the quality of work and working life, and the quality of health care.
- Center for the Study of Cultural
Diversity in Healthcare - Develops culturally competent research, education, and
training programs; identifies ways to eliminate health disparities among
minority and vulnerable populations; and adopts interdisciplinary
approaches to improving health outcomes through strategic partnerships
between academia, government, and communities.
- Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment
- Examines links between natural resources, human health and security, and changes in the global environment, and
disseminates its findings through teaching and outreach.
- Center for Urban Population Health
- Conducts and facilitates population health research and education
initiatives that improve the health of urban communities through
collaboration with academic and community organizations.
- Center on Wisconsin
Strategy - A national policy center and field laboratory for
high-road economic development: a competitive market economy of shared
prosperity, environmental sustainability, and capable democratic
government.
- Center for World Affairs and the
Global Economy - Brings together scholars from economics, political
science, public policy, sociology, business, law and other fields to
study contemporary processes of globalization and international economic
integration.
- Civil and Environmental
Engineering - Degree programs educate students to plan cities, communities, and larger
regional areas and to conceive, design, and construct public works such
as streets and highways; bridges; water distribution and wastewater
collection systems; wastewater and industrial waste treatment plants;
dams and reservoirs for water control, power production, navigation and
recreation; buildings; and airports. Civil engineers help
protect natural resources and create a better physical and social
environment for all people. B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
- Community, Natural Resource, and Economic Development
- An educational network that gives Wisconsin citizens and communities access to university research and knowledge
in leadership and organizational development, effective local government, natural resources, and economic development.
- Conservation Biology and Sustainable Development
- Degree program combines studies of the nature and value of biological
diversity with studies of the economic and social dimensions of
development with an emphasis on meeting the growing needs of humanity
while protecting the integrity of nature. M.S.
D
- Development Studies -
Degree program for students seeking careers in social science research,
policy, and education related to international development. Ph.D.
E
EarthdayAction.org -
An on-line clearinghouse for events and activities in Wisconsin related
to Earth Day.
- EcoPlanIT Madison -
"Ecological blueprint" produced by UW-Madison students in
urban and regional planning to promote sustainable land use in Madison.
- Emerging Green Builders
- University-based organization of students and young
professionals intent on cultivating future green building leaders.
- Energy Analysis and Policy -
Certificate program considers technical, political, social, and
economic factors that shape energy policy formulation and
decision-making. Graduate-level certificate, Ph.D. minor.
- Energy Institute -
Provides an objective forum for exchange of ideas on
energy issues and to focus, integrate, and transfer knowledge to better
understand challenges and identify needs in energy resources,
technology, and sustainability.
- Engine Research Center
- Investigates the fundamentals and applications of internal combustion
engines with a unique combination of modeling and experimental
capabilities.
- Engineering Professional Development
- Offers an extensive array of continuing education courses in engineering, design, operations,
production, maintenance, management, and planning.
- Engineers Without Borders, UW-Madison Chapter - Student
organization that helps disadvantaged communities
improve their quality of life through implementation of
environmentally and economically sustainable engineering projects,
while developing internationally responsible engineering students.
- Environment and Resources
(formerly Land Resources) - Degree programs enable students to pursue a wide range of
interdisciplinary interests, such as environment and health;
environmental policy, governance, and justice; global environmental
systems; and restoration ecology. M.S., Ph.D.
- Environmental Chemistry and Technology
- Degree programs train students for teaching, research, resource
management, and environmental consulting in such areas as the development of advanced technologies and
materials for air and water purification and for saving and storing energy, water and air pollution control, soil and sediment
remediation, environmental technology, chemical limnology, and
groundwater chemistry. M.S., Ph.D.
- Environmental Communication and Social Marketing Newsletter
- An interdisciplinary forum for communication between professionals in the social and natural sciences who share an interest in promoting
behaviors that affect the environment positively. Emphasizes theoretically-informed, evidence-based approaches to behavioral change.
- Environmental Resources Center
- Promotes informed decision making on natural resource
issues in Wisconsin and nationwide by working with individuals,
community leaders, and resource professionals to develop and deliver
research-based educational programs and materials.
- Environmental Studies
- Certificate program introduces students to environmental problems and issues; explores environmental science, policy, literature,
art, and philosophy; and provides opportunities for environmental
research, field work, and case studies. Undergraduate-level
certificate.
- Environmental Studies Club
- Student organization that promotes a healthy campus and city environment and enjoys the outdoors.
F
- Farm and Home Environmental Management Program
- Enables urban and rural landowners, managers and residents to assess environmental and health risks and take voluntary
actions to prevent pollution.
- F. H. King Students of Sustainable Agriculture
- Student organization that promotes sustainable
agriculture through gardening, lectures, workshops, other educational
activities.
- Forest Ecology and
Wildlife Ecology (recently merged) - Degree programs
provide science-based instruction in forest and
wildlife resources with emphasis on ecologically and socially
sustainable approaches to maintain and restore healthy
ecosystems. M.S., Ph.D.
- Forest Landscape Ecology Lab
- Investigates spatial patterns and ecological processes
in forested ecosystems, often at broad scales, to understand the basis
of sustainable forest landscapes.
- Fusion Technology
Institute - Seeks to develop clean, safe, and
economical fusion energy sources and to create near-term commercial
products that use fusion energy to enhance the quality of life.
- Future Energy Challenge
- Student group that promotes renewable energy and positive environmental choices through community activities,
education, and policy changes.
G
- Gaia Project -
An action-learning community for faculty and academic
staff members who are concerned about issues related to sustainability
and global climate change. The project offers participants the
opportunity to learn about these critical issues and to act at the
personal, professional, campus, and community levels to address them.
- Geography -
Degree programs consider four thematic areas:
people-environmental studies, physical geography, human geography, cartography and geographic
information science. B.A., B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
- Geological
Engineering - Degree programs focus on the interaction between
people and the environment with emphasis on managing and protecting
resources in engineered and natural geological environments. B.S.,
M.S., Ph.D.
- Geology and
Geophysics
- Degree programs interweave knowledge from many disciplines to explain natural Earth
phenomena. B.A., B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
- Global
Health - Certificate program focuses on global health topics and
health issues that transcend national boundaries, emphasizing health and
disease in developing countries. Capstone or graduate-level
certificate.
- Global Warming: FACT -
Student group focused on educating its members and the general public
about global warming and on the need to take action to mitigate its
possible consequences.
- Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center
- Conducts fundamental, genomics-based research to increase the
contribution of biofuels to the U.S. energy portfolio. Aims at removing
existing bottlenecks in the bioenergy pipeline, developing economically
and environmentally sustainable bioenergy practices, and educating
society, scientists, and biomass producers or consumers about bioenergy
issues.
- Great Lakes Regional Water Program -
Addresses water quality research, education, and extension/outreach
efforts common to the six states in the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency's Region 5: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and
Wisconsin.
- Green Affordable Housing in Indian Country
- Promotes affordable green building practices in First Nations across the upper Midwest.
- Greener RE
- Student group dedicated to converting real estate into green real estate; to educating, promoting and advancing
sustainability on the UW-Madison campus; to creating a green campus, and to getting as many campus buildings
as sustainable as possible.
H
- Holtz Center for Science and Technology Studies
- Seeks to understand how science and technology shape human lives and
livelihoods and how society and culture, in turn, shape the development
of science and technology.
- Humans and the Global Environment
- Certificate program addresses the solution of complex environmental
problems by combining understandings of how human and
non-human environmental systems operate with training in professional
communication and knowledge-management skills. Graduate-level
certificate, Ph.D. minor.
I
- Institute for Research on Poverty - Conducts
interdisciplinary research on the causes and consequences of poverty and
social inequality in the United States.
- Integrated Pest and Crop
Management - Web portal providing information for Wisconsin's agricultural
community from a variety of university plant sciences
outreach programs.
-
International Public Affairs - Degree program prepares students to engage in governance in ways that
meet the challenges of globalization, such as environmental
degradation, spread of deadly viruses, and financial market
instability. M.I.P.A.
J
K
L
- La Follette School of Public Affairs
- Seeks to improve public policy and governance by conducting
multidisciplinary policy and management research; training,
mentoring, and educating students in domestic and international policy
and governance in public, non-profit, and private settings; and by
disseminating knowledge to practitioners.
- Lakeshore Nature Preserve
- Protects undeveloped lands and biologically significant plant and animal communities along the
UW-Madison shore of Lake Mendota for teaching, research, outreach, and
environmentally sensitive use, and safeguards beloved cultural
landscapes.
- Land Information and Computer Graphics Facility
- Provides research, training, and outreach in the use of land and geographic information systems, with emphasis
on land records modernization, land and natural resource management applications, and the use of information
for land-use decision making.
- Land Tenure Center -
Conducts multidisciplinary research and training on issues related to
land ownership, land rights, land access, and land use with emphasis on
the relationship of land to economic development, socio-political
organization, and environmental sustainability.
- Landscape Architecture -
Degree programs promote sensitive and creative
design, planning, and management of the land for the benefit of present and future generations.
B.S.L.A., M.A.,
M.S.
- Limnology and Marine Science
- Degree programs embrace biological, chemical, and physical studies of lakes and oceans. M.S., Ph.D.
M
- Madison Ecology Group - An
ad hoc group of faculty members, academic staff, and students from
across the UW-Madison campus who are interested in ecology. Provides a
sense of identity and fosters communication among campus ecologists.
- Mexico Training, Internships, Exchanges, and Scholarships Project
- Seeks to strengthen the capacities of municipal governments along Mexico's Ayuquila River to develop and maintain a
regionally integrated watershed-based management approach.
- Midwest Regional University Transportation Center
- A consortium of Midwestern universities that conducts
education, research, and technology transfer to optimize transportation
investment and operations.
- Modified Asphalt Research Center
- Helps define, address, and advance all aspects of asphalt technology, including
ways to make asphalts more environmentally sustainable.
- Molecular and Environmental Toxicology
- Degree programs study toxicological problems related to human health and the environment. M.S., Ph.D.
N
- National Center for Freight
& Infrastructure Research & Education - Supports research to improve freight movement, increase
freight capacity, and improve public sector decision-making related to
freight. Research topics include design, materials, and construction
processes for highway, harbor, and rail infrastructure; multimodal
systems planning and optimization; traffic operations and safety;
energy and environment.
- Nelson Institute Community Environmental Forum
- Brings together speakers and audience members from all segments of the community
-- businesses, state and local government, non-profit organizations, academia and others
-- to learn about and discuss pressing issues facing the environment of
Wisconsin, Dane County, and Madison.
- Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies
- Explores environmental problems and issues through interdisciplinary
instruction, research, and outreach. Seeks to protect and enhance the
environment by addressing human needs in
environmentally sustainable ways.
- Net Impact Chapter at UW-Madison School of Business
- Student organization committed to using the power of business to create a better world and helping students connect
local business leaders who promote issues of social equity and environmental sustainability within their companies.
- Nonpoint Pollution and Demonstration Project -
Conducts research and outreach on effects of agricultural management practices on potential pollutant losses to the environment.
- North Temperate Lakes Long Term Ecological Research
- Studies the ecology of lakes as one of a network of sites established by the National Science Foundation to support research
on long-term ecological phenomena. Considers how biophysical setting,
climate, and changing land use and cover interact to shape lake
characteristics and dynamics over time.
- Nutritional Sciences -
Degree programs focus on diet and nutrition to improve the health and economic development of
current and future generations and to foster an educated society. B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
O
P
- Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics
- Interdepartmental graduate degree program that trains students to breed
agricultural crops for superior quality, disease resistance, and reduced
pesticide use. M.S., Ph.D.
- Plant Pathology
- Degree programs consider plants and their pathogens, the process of disease, and how plant
health and disease are influenced by factors such as weather,
nonpathogenic microorganisms, and plant nutrition. B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
- Population Health
- Degree programs examine causes of disease and disability and seeks to identify
and communicate the most effective, equitable, and efficient ways to
improve the health of populations. Concentrations in
epidemiology, health services research, and clinical research. M.S., Ph.D.
- Population
Health Institute - Stimulates, creates, and communicates useful public health and health
policy research and analysis.
- Prevention and Intervention Science
- Certificate program studies efforts to reduce the incidence of maladaptive
behavior and to promote adaptive behavior in populations across the life
course through designing and evaluating interventions, and utilizing
knowledge about them. Graduate-level certificate,
Ph.D. minor.
- Program on Agricultural Technology Studies
- Explores the implications of new agricultural technologies and of emerging
social, economic, and public policy trends for Wisconsin farm business,
farm families, rural communities, and the environment.
- Public
Affairs - Degree program builds knowledge of the policy process; develops skills in microeconomic and
statistical analysis and competence in public management and public
policy analysis to apply knowledge and analytical tools to real-world
problems. M.P.A.
- Public Health -
Degree program offers
multidisciplinary education and training in public health
concepts and methods for current and future health professionals.
M.P.H.
Q
R
- Rural Sociology -
Degree programs explore the
social behavior of rural people, the conditions under which they live
and work, and natural resource and development issues of nonmetropolitan
regions. Subthemes: population and community, environment and resources,
sociology of agriculture and agrofood systems, and labor and
development. B.S., M.S.
S
- Sea Grant Institute -
Promotes applied research, education, outreach, and technology transfer for
stewardship and sustainable use of the nation's Great Lakes and ocean
resources.
-
Sierra Student Coalition
- Grassroots environmental organization involved in education, human rights, local, regional, national, and international causes.
- Small-Scale Waste Management Project
- Provides wastewater, soil, and land use publications and educational resources to the public.
- Soil Science
- Degree programs explore physical, chemical, and biological properties
of soils to optimize use and preservation of land for agriculture,
forestry, recreation, transportation systems, urban development and many
other endeavors. Seek to improve understanding and management of soil
resources in natural, agricultural and urban ecosystems. B.S.,
M.S., Ph.D.
- Social Welfare and
Social Work - Degree programs focus on the nature of social problems, their impact on
vulnerable populations, and ways to critically analyze and promote the
achievement of a just, equitable, healthy, and productive society.
B.A., B.S., Ph.D. (social welfare) and B.S.W,
M.S.W., Ph.D. (social work).
- Solar Energy Laboratory -
Educates students through research experiences in solar
and conventional energy utilization. The laboratory emphasizes practical
applications of engineering fundamentals to energy problems.
- Solid and Hazardous Waste Education Center
- Enhances Wisconsin's environment and economy through education, information, and technical assistance to promote sustainable
use of natural resources. Program areas include pollution prevention, industrial and community recycling, environmental
management planning, solid waste source reduction, community
environmental protection, green building, energy conservation, and
renewable energy.
- Space Science and Engineering
Center - Conducts geophysical research and develops technology to
enhance understanding of the atmosphere of Earth, the other planets in
our solar system, and the cosmos.
- Spatial Analysis for Conservation and Sustainability
(SILVIS) Lab - Studies processes that cause
broad-scale environmental changes, quantifies patterns of change, and
assesses effects of these changes on the environment.
- Sustainable Agriculture and
Natural Resource Management - Collaborative Research Support Program
Southeast Asia - Seeks to improve natural resource management in upland agriculture in Southeast
Asian developing economies.
- Sustainable
Farming and Grazing - Web portal maintained by the Center for Dairy Profitability.
T
- Taimen Conservation Research
- Collaborative research in support of a conservation
effort to sustainably protect Mongolia's giant salmonid, Hucho taimen.
Information produced by the science team is helping to develop a
natural resource management plan for the region.
- Transportation Demand Management -
Promotes commuting alternatives to, from, and on the UW-Madison campus.
- Transportation Management and Policy
- Certificate program that integrates studies of
environmentally sensitive transportation planning and development with
studies of the economic, political, and social dimensions of
transportation development to facilitate more
environmentally and socially sustainable transportation systems.
Graduate-level certificate, Ph.D. minor.
U
- University
of Wisconsin Press - Publishes
regional
books on conservation, environmental protection, natural
history, and related topics. Also publishes relevant
scholarly
journals.
- Urban and Regional Planning -
Degree programs equip graduate
students with understanding of, and training in, the
principal tools, methods, and techniques in five selected areas:
community development planning, economic planning, natural resources and
environmental planning, land use planning, and international development
planning. M.S., Ph.D.
V
W
- WasteNOT-Organics -
Promotes use of organic by-products from agriculture, industries,
and municipalities as beneficial soil amendments.
- Water Action Volunteers
- A statewide extension program for citizens who want to learn about and improve the quality of Wisconsin's
streams and rivers.
- Water Resources Institute -
Coordinates research, training, information transfer, and public
service programs aimed at solving current and emerging water resource problems.
- Water Resources Management
- Degree program addresses complex, interdisciplinary aspects of managing water resources by integrating the biological and physical
sciences with engineering, law, and the social sciences. M.S.
- We Conserve - Campaign
to encourage general energy conservation at UW-Madison
and to reduce campus energy consumption by 20 percent by year 2010.
- Wisconsin Area Health Education
Center System - Seeks to improve access to quality health care through
development of community-based health professions training programs and enhancement of
community health education resources throughout Wisconsin.
- Wisconsin's Basin
Education Initiative - Designs and delivers
educational programs, assists organizations, and builds partnerships to
promote understanding and stewardship of Wisconsin's natural resources
at the watershed and landscape scale.
- Wisconsin Bioenergy
Initiative - Public-private partnership to showcase
and build on the UW System’s efforts in bioenergy research, outreach and
training, and to foster state and local efforts to attract and support
companies working in the bioenergy sector.
- Wisconsin Foodshed
Research Project - Provides tools and resources for
activists and eaters to change the way society grows, processes,
markets, and eats food.
- Wisconsin Institute of Nuclear
Systems - Carries out research, education, and public service
related to technical issues of nuclear systems with emphasis on advanced
nuclear energy applications, e.g., Generation IV fission reactors,
fusion reactor system technologies, and micro-nuclear power.
- Wisconsin Integrated
Cropping Systems Trial Project - Explores
whether increasing farming system diversity makes it possible to reduce
the potential negative environmental impact of farming, lower input
levels, and maintain or increase productivity and profitability.
- Wisconsin Office of Rural
Health - Seeks to improve the quality of health for rural and underserved communities
in Wisconsin by collaborating with health care organizations and
systems, community-based providers and individuals, and educational
organizations to develop programs and provide resources.
- Wisconsin Public Utility Institute -
Advances understanding of public policy issues in the electricity, gas,
and telecommunications industries; provides information and education
programs in addition to other services that aid in the examination and
development of appropriate public policies for those industries.
- WisPIRG UW-Madison Chapter
- Student group that advocates for consumer rights, environmental protection, democracy issues, and hunger and homelessness issues.
X
Y
Z
- Zoology - Degree
programs provide a foundation in genetic, cellular, physiological, ecological, and
evolutionary principles and in the related disciplines of chemistry,
physics, and mathematics. Foster understanding of biological
complexity, including the interrelationships between humans and natural
systems. B.A., B.S., M.A., M.S., Ph.D.
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