As the academic year has come to an end, I am thrilled to share some of the many accomplishments of our students, faculty, and friends during the 2025-2026 school year. I invite you to click through the links below to see what we’ve been up to this year. You can also stay connected with us by visiting the LSC website and following us on social media for updates and upcoming events.
It has been an exciting year for LSC! In the fall, we welcomed our first cohort of students into our newly renamed Ph.D. in science communication program, the first of its kind in the nation. The students include Bruno Castro-Lacerda from São Luís, Maranhão, in the Brazilian Amazon whose work interests focus on the bioeconomy sector and how Pan-Amazon communities can benefit from its development. Libby Foster joins the program from Louisville, Kentucky, and her interests include the public’s perceptions of controversial technologies. Chioma Njoku from Nigeria looks to investigate how people seek and process health information, and Zhengan (Park) Piao from Yanji, China will be researching how people make sense of competing information in media environments. It has been a privilege to watch them thrive! Meanwhile, our other academic programs have continued to see great success.
This year, we saw 44 undergraduate students, three master’s students, and three Ph.D. students’ graduate. In addition, our graduate certificate and Ph.D. minor in science communication have grown in popularity, with 46 graduate students enrolled between both programs. I am also pleased to report that our undergraduate certificate in science communication has 292 students currently enrolled.
Our students have done remarkable things this year. Ph.D. candidate Lindsey Middleton won UW-Madison’s Capstone Teaching Award for her outstanding teaching record. During her time at UW, she has taught eight different classes, some for multiple semesters, ranging from introductory courses like LSC 100Science and Storytelling to upper-level courses like LSC 625 Risk Communication and LSC 560 Scientific Writing. Another Ph.D. student, Bruno Castro Lacerda, was elected to a graduate school seat in the Associated Students of Madison, the official student governance body of UW-Madison, and LSC Research Affiliate Natasha Strydhorst received the 2026 Wisconsin Initiative for Science Literacy Award for Communicating Postdoctoral Research to the Public. Furthermore, seven LSC undergraduates presented their work at the UW-Madison’s Undergraduate Research Symposium, and four LSC undergraduates were on this year’s National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) championship team. Their first-place win in St. Louis marks the fourth national championship under LSC Teaching Faculty Sarah Botham’s 22-year tenure as NAMA coach and advisor.
Our student’s ability to thrive is made possible by our world-class faculty, who continue to push the envelope in the field of science communication. For example, in collaboration with Sea Grant, Professors Brett Shaw and Nan Li worked with several LSC students to research and promote ice safety messaging strategies to the public, and professor Michael Xenos facilitated LSC’s annual colloquium speaker series (LSC 700). Mike was able to bring in engaging experts to speak to our students on topics ranging from visual science communication to the public’s perceptions of de-extinction initiatives.
Faculty research this academic year has covered issues at the societal forefront, from the public’s perceptions of AI to messaging strategies around PFAS , how we think about misinformation and more. Their dedication shows, as many have received well-deserved recognition. To name just a few, Associate Professor Kaiping Chen was added to The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s New Voices in STEM cohort. In recognition of her ongoing research on how AI-generated scientific images shape public trust, Associate Professor Nan Li was named a 2026-2027 Vilas Associate. LSC Professor Emeritus Larry Meiller was named a 2026 Wisconsin Academy Fellow, a well deserved recognition following 58 years of the Larry Meiller show on Wisconsin Public Radio. Finally, Professor Dominique Brossard won the 2025 Dunwoody Excellent Mentorship Award for her outstanding mentorship in the field of Science Communication and just this spring, was elected to the prestigious American Academy of Arts & Sciences, which was founded in 1780 and looks to address the critical challenges facing our global society. With her induction, Brossard will join the likes of other Academy members including George Washington, Charles Darwin, Martin Luther King, Jr. and more.
Faculty have also been busy publishing! A new book, “Birds of the Great Lakes,” was released this year by Teaching Faculty Dexter Patterson. LSC Associate Professor Todd Newman coauthored “Essential Concepts of Science Communication: An AZ Guide,” and LSC Professor Brett Shaw penned “Risk and Efficacy in Communication About Contaminants in Drinking Water,” a chapter in the comprehensive book, “Safe Drinking Water Act: The Next Fifty Years.”
Finally, LSC was thrilled to welcome a new teaching faculty and program alum back to the department this academic year! Kelly Mella earned her bachelor’s in Agricultural Journalism (now LSC) in ’94. She is teaching courses focused on science writing and brings immense experience having worked in communications for natural resources, health, and agricultural organizations, as well as having taught at the college level for 14 years at Edgewood.
None of these accomplishments would have been possible without the generous support that we receive from our friends. Just weeks ago, we were able to award 25 students with scholarships at our annual donor recognition reception. As the event’s keynote speaker, LSC alum Stephanie Hoff (B.S. ‘19) was able to share how her own experiences within the department led her to her current position as a farm broadcaster for Mid-West Family of Companies. She emphasized the importance of finding community within LSC and just how beneficial scholarships can prove to be for students. For example, the scholarships awarded to LSC students this academic year will not only help academically, but they also help pay for conference travel, professional development, and more. For undergraduate student Anna Singh, her scholarship award allows her to pursue public health and medical research volunteer opportunities. For Ph.D. student Bruno Castro Lacerda, his scholarship will allow him to conduct fieldwork in the Pan-Amazon region of Brazil and Peru. It is for reasons like these that we cannot thank you enough for continuing to support our students and department.
All in all, LSC has had an incredible academic year, and I look forward to seeing what we will accomplish next. Thank you again.
With gratitude,
William (Bill) F. Tracy
Interim Chair,
Department of Life Sciences Communication