People Type: Faculty & Instructional Staff

Biography Dexter Patterson is a seasoned educator and mentor in life sciences communication. Dexter teaches video, radio/podcasting, social media, and documentary photography in the Department of Life Sciences Communication to undergraduate and graduate students, including those in the Science Communication Ph.D. program. With over fifteen years of experience, he has honed his skills as a …

Biography Bret Shaw is an Environmental Communication Specialist for the Division of Extension and a professor in the Department of Life Sciences Communication at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He specializes in planning and evaluating strategic communication campaigns related to natural resource management. He teaches courses on social marketing, environmental communication, and science communication to undergraduate …

Biography Ahna is a Professor in the Department of Genetics, and an affiliate faculty member in the UW–Madison Arts Institute and in Life Sciences Communication, where she mentors LSC undergrads who are interested in using science and art in public outreach efforts for independent study. Ahna is a geneticist, artist and a winner of the prestigious …

Biography Natasha Strydhorst is an affiliate researcher in the Department of Life Sciences Communication and a Rita Allen Foundation Civic Science Fellow at the Morgridge Institute for Research. Her research interests include uncertainty communication, (dis)trust in experts, and narrative science communication. Strydhorst’s research investigates the nexus of science communication practice and scholarship, seeking ways to …

Biography William F. Tracy (Bill) is a professor in the department of Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and has recently been appointed interim chair of the department of Life Sciences Communication.  He received a B.S. and M.S. in plant and soil science from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a Ph.D. …

Biography Brianna Van Matre is an instructor specializing in design, social media, and digital marketing, teaching within the Department of Life Sciences Communication. Her work bridges the fields of communication and science, equipping students with critical skills to effectively convey complex ideas in dynamic digital landscapes. Van Matre teaches classes related to social media and …

Biography Michael Xenos is a Professor in the Department of Life Sciences Communication. His research focuses on the political dimensions of science communication, with a focus on how individuals perceive, make sense of, and form opinions about science related issues in an increasingly polarized public sphere. Within this context, key factors explored in his work …