Tag Archives: UW-Madison

March 6:  English Language Lessons

Posted on March 8, 2024 by | Leave a comment

Submitted by: Joy Cardin 

Rotarians were taught a lesson on the evolution of the English language and why we spell certain words the way we do – on the same day we honored the top spellers of the recent All-City Spelling Bee. 

UW-Madison Professor of English Anja Wanner explained the many factors that influenced our spelling system – including word origin, politics, and even human error. For example, there is a “g” in the word sign, because it comes from the word signal; there is an “s” in the word island, because a printer made a mistake; and dictionary maker Noah Webster took the “u” out of honour and many other words because he wanted the United States to have its own distinct English language.

And why do we have words that sound the same, but are spelled differently and have different meanings?  There are TOO many reasons TO go into here, so take a moment or TWO and check out the recording of the program here:  https://youtu.be/3Tr-SQt33Wc.

Leave a comment

Posted in Rotary Club of Madison, Rotary Weekly Guest Speaker, Weekly Rotary Guest Speaker

Tagged , , , , ,

November 2: “Research is Music to My Chancellor Ears”

Posted on November 4, 2022 by | Leave a comment

–submitted by Bill Haight

UW-Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin (center) pictured here with Music Committee members Darin Harris and Elaine Mischler

After just about three months on the job UW-Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin says she’s been meeting with as many stakeholders as possible.

She got input from the Rotarians present by using an app (www.menti.com) that allowed her to gather responses to the question “What word or words come to mind when you think of UW-Madison?” Rotarians answered on their phones. Two of the most prominent were “Bucky” and “Research”.

“’Research’ is music to my Chancellor ears,” she said, and “Bucky, this mischievous, loving mascot, gives people a warm feeling about this university and that is a not insignificant.”

If you missed our meeting this week, you can watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPhexm9mHn4.

Leave a comment

Posted in Rotary Club of Madison, Rotary Club of Madison Guest Speaker

Tagged , , , ,

“Tiny Earth” – The Need for Antibiotic Research

Posted on May 27, 2020 by | Leave a comment

–submitted by Jessika Kasten

Jo HandelsmanThis week, UW-Madison Professor Jo Handelsman talked virtually with the Downtown Rotary about a project she began while working at Yale University in 2012 called Tiny Earth. This important project was developed to increase the number of students pursuing STEM degrees as well as address the growing antibiotic crisis. Researchers estimate that unless we do something soon, by 2050 the leading cause of death will be related to bacteria-related illness.

Over time, humans have become resistant to many antibiotics that treat bacterial infections such as pneumonia, ear infections, strep throat and the like. At the same time, there have been far fewer new antibiotics put on the market. Antibiotics are simply not as lucrative to pharma companies, and many pharma companies felt as though the vast majority of known antibiotics (99%) had already been identified through the soil. They were generally not willing to put in the time and resources needed to find the new 1%.

Tiny Earth began with just 6 students at Yale but has now grown to participation by more than 10,000 students per year. All of the students are working towards the same goal of making antibiotic discovery cheaper and more efficient for pharmaceutical companies. Specifically, they are developing new screening methods and new targets to find that 1% of antibiotics that are either new or different than previously discovered. They will then share those with pharma companies, thereby reducing the cost. This form of crowdsourcing most recently has discovered three new chemical structures that are currently underway. The COVID pandemic forced the research to stop earlier this year, but students are looking forward to getting back into the labs soon to continue their research.

Tiny Earth is harnessing the power of crowdsourcing, a student workforce and the need for antibiotic research, in the hopes they can make a significant impact on bacterial resistance in the future.

If you missed our meeting this week, you can watch the video here.

Leave a comment

Posted in 2. Meetings, Rotary Club of Madison, Rotary Club of Madison Guest Speaker, UW-Madison

Tagged , , , , , , ,

Coach Kelly Sheffield Addresses Rotary

Posted on February 5, 2020 by | Leave a comment

submitted by Rich Leffler; photo by Mary Ellen O’Brien

Kelly Sheffield 2 5 2020

Coach Sheffield pictured with today’s Rotarian Speaker Greeter Mary O’Brien

Kelly Sheffield, the coach of the UW Volleyball Team, did not speak at all about the game of volleyball. Rather, he presented his remarkable insights into human nature and the way to motivate gifted athletes to perform well despite the adversities of sport and life itself.

His talk began with a brief video of his team in action: it displayed intensity, beautifully graceful athleticism, and players having fun. The Coach then explained that his most important job was to create a culture of success. He seeks out players who are talented, but who are also willing to hear criticism and work hard to improve themselves. There are many possible excuses for failure. But fine athletes (and obviously this is not limited to athletics) will accept coaching advice and criticism and will do what is necessary to succeed. A motto he uses is: “Be a participant in your own rescue.”

IMG_0004

Annemarie Hickey (Technical Coordinator) and Grace Loberg (rising Senior on the Volleyball Team)

Coach Sheffield and his team did not win the NCAA Tournament this year. But he and the team subscribe to an insight offered by the late Kobe Bryant: In addition to being painful and disappointing, losing can also be “exciting.” It can inspire self-examination and a dedication to improvement. When he asked one of his players at this lunch if she had ever won an NCAA Tournament, her reply was telling: “No. Not Yet.” It seems likely that this player will win the NCAA Tournament. It also seems likely that she will win in the game of life. Kelly Sheffield is one of the greatest coaches in UW history.

If you missed our meeting this week, you can watch the video here.

Leave a comment

Posted in Rotary Club of Madison, Rotary Club of Madison Guest Speaker, Uncategorized

Tagged , , ,

Changing the Study of Native American History and Culture

Posted on September 4, 2019 by | Leave a comment

submitted by Kevin Hoffman; photo by Margaret Murphy

Patty Loew 9 4 2019

Patty Loew, Ph.D. is a well-known Wisconsin broadcast and print journalist, producer, educator, writer and proud member of the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Ojibwe.  After retiring as a professor from the University of Wisconsin, she accepted a position as the inaugural Director of the Center for Native American and Indigenous Research at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL.

When she accepted the position at Northwestern she wanted to change the paradigm that Native American studies had typically been carried out under; that is, in the framework and context of academic study and peer review, and then describing what eras and influences affected the life and culture of the Native American through history.

Dr. Loew’s concept was to build relationships and draw in related and disparate disciplines to bring a fresh perspective on contributions that Native American cultural knowledge brings to our understanding of the world.

In a convergence of science and cultural history the story was told of a fish warden that oversaw when spear fishing could be opened on certain lakes.  He approached his task from a strictly scientific benchmark methodology:  When the lake temperature hit 48 degrees it was time to open spearing season because spawning was about to begin.  A Native American friend of his had a different method handed down from his ancestors: “Frogs chirp before spearfishing in the spring”.  Over time he discovered the results were much better when he melded the two methodologies, but the real trigger was waiting until the frogs chirped!

Dr. Loew related that there are many other ecological heritage stories that have as much validity as western science methodologies.  She has created a minor in Native American & Indigenous Studies to build on the knowledge of historical, scientific and cultural contributions of Native American populations.  Learning in this context is expected to be experiential in nature by building relationships through tribal and Native American institutions.  She also hopes to raise the visibility of Native American culture and language as indigenous cultures become increasingly rare and dormant.

If you missed our meeting this week, you can watch the video here.

Leave a comment

Posted in Rotary Weekly Guest Speaker

Tagged , , , , , ,

Stories About Pioneers Who Settled in Wisconsin

Posted on March 6, 2019 by | Leave a comment

submitted by Kevin Hoffman; photo by Mike Engelberger

Michael Stevens 3 6 2019

From left: Club President Jason Beren, Michael Stevens and Rotarian Loretta Himmelsbach serving as our club’s speaker greeter this week

Instead of writing about Wisconsin history in the pioneer era (1830-1850) from the perspective of the famous or leaders of that time, Dr. Michael Stevens chose to document the practical and emotional side of everyday existence for ordinary people.  What did it feel like to those who lived in a new situation from the land to weather to language to food to culture?

While there were many things to be negative about such as Wisconsin weather extremes, an imbalance in the male to female ratio (8 men to 5 women), poor food and hardship on the journey, having to learn a new language (English), loss of cultural affiliation, unfamiliar surroundings, and loneliness; the overall impression was that the pioneer had a positive outlook and balanced the difficulties against the opportunities, diversity, freedom and future prosperity they envisioned.

The trade-offs from having to learn English, live in rough conditions and with rough people, and missing their home country are the freedom they enjoyed to map their future, work hard for income and wealth, and the natural beauty of Wisconsin.

One essay of the time expressed the following about the Wisconsin Character:  There is a freedom and independence of mind – people think for themselves; an awakening spirit of enterprise – people are open to new ways of doing things; people work hard – they invest their sweat equity; and a public spiritedness about Wisconsinites – people support roads, schools, churches and a friendly interest in the welfare of all.

Dr. Stevens drew insights into the attitudes, humor and outlook of the early pioneer and the similarities to today’s Wisconsin Character.  The essay writer above said of his time:  “The settler here finds, within the limits of his acquaintance, people from all the states and many foreign countries, and those too have been formerly been engaged with a variety of occupations different from his own, so he acquires a great variety of new ideas and becomes much more liberal in all his opinions and life.”  Even through the hardships and inconveniences of the time, the pioneer’s outlook is not so different from our present-day Wisconsin outlook.

If you missed our meeting this week, you can watch the video here.

Leave a comment

Posted in 2. Meetings, Rotary Club of Madison, Rotary Club of Madison Guest Speaker

Tagged , , , ,