SPRING 2020

For alumni and friends of the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison

Champions of Conservation & Justice

Future Environmental Leaders

2019 Alumni Awards

Hanson Family Fund

Nelson Institute Assistant Professors Zuzana Burivalova and Grace Bulltail examine the human impact on the natural world.

In Common Spring 2020 • 50.nelson.wisc.edu Visit: GO.WISC.EDU/INCOMMON-SPRING20 to read the full stories.2 3

“If this campus can more fully contribute to addressing the crisis, real gains may yet be made.”

Executive Editor: Diane StojanovichContributing Editor: Rebekah McBride

Contributing Writers: Dan FallonRebekah McBride

Graphic Design: Kevin Berger

Photography: Aldo Leopold Foundation and UW-Madison ArchivesKevin BergerTodd BrownIngrid LaasJeff MillerUniversity Communications

Nelson Institute for Environmental StudiesPaul Robbins, Dean

Center Directors:Carol Barford, Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment (SAGE)Anna Andrzejewski, Center for Culture, History, and the Environment (CHE)Dan Vimont, Center for Climatic Research (CCR)

To contact the magazine: In Common Editor, Room 30B Science Hall, 550 N. Park Street, Madison, WI 53706E-mail: incommon@nelson.wisc.eduWeb: https://nelson.wisc.edu/news/in-common/

In Common is published by the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. This publication was produced with private funds provided through the University of Wisconsin Foundation.

Cover photo credit: Todd Brown, Media Solutions, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Saving species in the Year of the EnvironmentIt is a big year for the Nelson Institute, one we’re calling “The Year of the Environment.” The 50th anniversaries of Earth Day and of the Institute provide a platform for me to highlight our roles as global environmental citizens, addressing a global challenge: extinction. The numbers tell the staggering story— one-third of North American birds have vanished since the first Earth Day was observed in 1970, and one million species are disap-pearing worldwide. The University of Wisconsin-Madison is a world leader in so many areas of environmental research and engagement, from climate change and energy innovation, to water resources and global health. But conservation, preservation, and restoration are surely among our strongest suits. If this campus can more fully contribute to addressing the crisis, real gains may yet be made. I’ve laid out one vision for what we might do together, with support from our alumni and friends, in “The Ark” (page 18).

What will it take? At the Nelson Institute we address conservation challenges and create solutions by starting with people and communities. Our conservation research and training, whether in the Brazilian Amazon (page 9) or Guadalajara Mexico (page 8), protect species, landscapes, and waterways by building networks. UW-Madison based projects, whether in land change science, hydrology, environmental history, or energy analysis, are all rooted in partnerships. Restoring and creating habitats and ecosystems, while listening hard to local needs, will be the foundations of the work needed to turn the tide.

As noted by the cover profiles, “Champions of Conservation & Justice,” recently-arrived Nelson Institute Assistant Professors Zuzana Burivalova (page 7) and Grace Bulltail (page 6) bolster these strengths in exciting new ways. Burivalova’s ground-breaking bioacoustics research brings new understanding to conservation efforts, while Bulltail’s focus on water quality in tribal communities amplifies the need for address-ing urgent human needs. Similarly, the theme for our 2020 Earth Day Conference, Aspiring for Sustainability, Striving for Justice, Crafting the Planet, is a celebration of UW-Madison’s environmental roots and strengths, but also our cutting-edge work in ecological and technological innovation, our mandate from the world’s youth to do better, and our dedication to environmental justice.

We don’t know what the next five decades will bring, but the Nelson Institute is positioned to lead. Your support and engagement strengthens our resolve and energy. By supporting our Environmental Futures Fund (page 17), you can help provide the resources for new programs, new research, and new students. Join us as we work together to build a future of hope.

Paul RobbinsDean, Nelson Institute

Diane StojanovichOlivia Van Den Heuvel

The Earth Day@50–Arts Initiative serves to shine a spotlight on the power of artistic expression in connecting people, transforming perspectives, and igniting action during the Year of the Environment.

50.nelson.wisc.eduVisit the 50th website for a one-stop shop for information related to Nelson events, stories and photos, purchasing Nelson-branded merchandise, and more.

Also on the website, view our #IamNelson gallery. As you attend our events and explore the world, we invite you to share your photos on social media using the hashtag.

Painting: Julia Janicki, Hazel Cruzado50.nelson.wisc.edu/earth-day-arts-initiative

Milestones abound2020 marks the 50th anniversary of the Nelson Institute and the 50th anniversary of Earth Day — both testaments to Wisconsin’s environmental leadership and legacy. Created in 1970 to promote and enhance interdisciplinary environmental instruction, research, and outreach at UW–Madison, the integrated approach to learning about the environment provided the foundation for five decades of firsts and a global impact.

Renamed in 2002 in honor of former Wisconsin governor and U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson, the founder of Earth Day and a lifelong champion of envi-ronmental stewardship, the Institute has been steadfast in its mission in addressing environmental challenges and serving as a catalyst for collaboration. The State of Wisconsin joined in this celebration as Governor Tony Evers signed a proclama-tion on February 6, 2020 recognizing the 50th anniversary of the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies.

State of Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes (right) and Preston Cole, Secretary, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (left) present Dean Paul Robbins with the official 50th anniversary proclamation.

During the proclamation session, Lieutenant Governor Barnes expressed his gratitude to the Nelson Institute faculty, staff, and students, highlighting the ways in which the Nelson Institute has worked to provide scientifically sound research on environmental challenges for more than five decades.

In Common Spring 2020 • 50.nelson.wisc.edu4

Our

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ries

The Nelson Institute’s rich history of excellence in education, research, and community engagement has been created and shaped by a number of visionaries over the past 50 years. We invite you to read stories about our leaders and their legacies throughout this publication.

Erhard Joeres, interim director, Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, professor emeritus, Civil and Environmental Engineering

When former interim director of the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies Erhard Joeres began his graduate studies in the 1960s, he recalls very few people discussing the environment. In fact, he says environmental stew-ardship really wasn’t a part of the general population’s vocabulary.

So, when Joeres entered into a program at Johns Hopkins University that explored the connection between engineering and environmental challenges, he was excited to be among those addressing these challenging issues through an interdisciplinary lens. It was that first exploration of interdisciplinary research that helped to shape his career, eventually leading Joeres to join the University of Wisconsin-Madison faculty in 1970.

1970 1990 20101980 2000 2020• Community and Environmental Scholars Program (CESP)

established – 2010• Environmental Studies major – 2011 • Center for Climatic Research (CCR) celebrates 50th

anniversary – 2012• Undergraduate Sustainability Certificate established – 2014• Environmental Conservation (Professional MS) established

– 2014• Water Resources Management (MS) celebrates 50th

anniversary – 2015• Environmental Observation and Informatics (Professional

MS) established – 2018 • Paul Robbins, dean – 2012- present

• Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment (SAGE) established – 2001

• The Institute for Environmental Studies at UW-Madison is renamed for the late Wisconsin governor and U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson – 2002

• Transportation Management and Policy Program Certificate established – 2002

• Erhard Joeres, interim director – 2003-2004• Frances Westley, first woman to lead the Institute, director – 2005-2007• Nelson Institute hosts first annual Earth Day Conference – 2006• Lewis Gilbert, interim director – 2007-2008• Center for Culture, History, and Environment (CHE) – 2007• Certificate in Culture, History, and Environment established – 2008• Gregg Mitman, interim director – 2008-2012

• 50th anniversary of the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies

• 50th anniversary of Earth Day• Governor’s Proclamation in recognition of 50th

anniversary of Nelson Institute – February 6, 2020

The Nelson LegacyFifty years later the impact of Gaylord Nelson, the Institute’s namesake, a Wisconsin native who went on to serve as both governor and U.S. Senator and helped make environmental protection a top national priority in the latter half of the twentieth century, remains more current than ever in providing the framework and inspiration for generations to come.

To learn more about the legacy, visit: nelsonearthday.net

Photo: Wisconsin Historical Society

• Energy Analysis and Policy Certificate Program established – 1980

• Environmental Monitoring and Data Acquisition Group renamed Environmental Remote Sensing Center – 1980

• National Park Service establishes Cooperative Park Studies Unit at UW-Madison, with IES as administrative home. (Unit later becomes part of National Biological Service, then part of U.S. Geological Survey) – 1989

• Arthur Sacks, director – 1989-1990

• Chancellor and Board of Regents approve reorganization of Institute for Environmental Studies (IES) into comprehensive, independent academic unit

• Reid Bryson appointed founding director – 1970-1989• Cal DeWitt is first faculty member – 1970 • First Earth Day observed – April 22, 1970• NSF awards first major institutional grant to IES $1.5 million – 1971• Three new centers (Geographic Analysis, Biotic Systems, and Human Systems)

and two new groups (Environmental Monitoring and Data Acquisition, Quantitative Ecosystems Modeling) created to accommodate IES research – 1972

• Earthwatch Radio debuts on 12 Wisconsin radio stations – 1972 • Water Resources Management Graduate Program affiliates with IES – 1973 • Land Resources Graduate Program established – 1976• Environmental Monitoring Graduate Program established – 1977 • Environmental Studies Certificate Program for undergraduate students

established – 1979

• Conservation Biology and Sustainable Development Graduate Program established – 1990

• Daniel Bromley, interim director – 1990-1992 • Tom Yuill, director – 1993-2003• Air Resources Management curriculum introduced – 1993 • Reid Bryson Interdisciplinary Climate, People, and

Environment Program established – 1993• The IES Board of Visitors is created – 1995 • IES launches its first international exchange program for

UW-Madison graduate students, with five partner universi-ties in Mexico, Canada, and the United States – 1997

• Environmental Monitoring Graduate Program for returning professionals established – 1999

Visit: GO.WISC.EDU/INCOMMON-SPRING20 to read the full stories. 5

In Common Spring 2020 • 50.nelson.wisc.edu Visit: GO.WISC.EDU/INCOMMON-SPRING20 to read the full stories.6 7

Bulltail hopes to continue researching water policy while focusing on trans-boundary watersheds and the land tenure challenges present in Wisconsin.

“Moving forward, I really want to look at land use and how water management is tied to land use,” Bulltail said.

Specifically, Bulltail said she is interested in addressing gaps in how tribal waterways are inventoried by the state and how this impacts regulations around tribal waters. In particular, Bulltail said that most tribal waterways are not inventoried or listed in state surveys so the Environmental Protection Agency is not in a position to put any regulations on waterways that have not been inventoried. Instead, tribal leaders can elect to set their own water quality standards or list the water as impaired. Bulltail hopes to better understand how tribes are managing these options and how land tenure impacts these decisions.

“Land tenure is a huge problem for tribal communities. I want to look at these challenges as well as how agriculture is impacting water management.”

Bulltail will also be working with American Indian Studies and the Department of Biological Systems Engineering in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. Bulltail is also hoping to connect with others across campus to continually improve graduate education research.

Bulltail said, “I’m looking forward to learning more about the issues specific to this region and being a part of a campus with a strong agriculture focus.”

soundscapes in an effort to better under-stand how human behavior is impacting biodiversity within tropical rainforests.

A soundscape is a sound or combination of sounds that forms or arises from an immersive environment. Burivalova uses this term to describe the various animal calls that can be heard throughout the forest. Using new tools such as bioacoustic recorders and collaborating with a team of statisticians, computer scientists, and engineers, Burivalova captures these sounds and then analyzes them to learn what, and how many, species are present as well as how those numbers differ as humans use the forest.

“Tropical forests are very noisy, especially in the morning, but we’ve noted that as human behavior impacts it, the forests become quieter,” Burivalova said. “It’s my goal to develop a tool that measures

Identifying and understanding the best ways to preserve biodiversity in tropical forests is at the heart of Zuzana Burivalova’s research. A 2015 graduate of ETH Zurich and a newly named Nelson Institute and Forest and Wildlife Ecology assistant professor, Burivalova will be researching

the soundscape and helps us to determine what a normal soundscape is, how it is impacted by seasonality, and how it is impacted by human behavior.”

According to Burivalova, about half of all terrestrial species can be found in tropical

forests, so gaining a greater understanding of how these species are being impacted will be a positive step toward the conser-vation of biodiversity. Burivalova is also interested in using soundscapes to learn which conservation strategies succeed and fail in tropical forest conservation, and where traditional field methods are not sufficient.

“So far, what I’ve found is that there is surprisingly little understanding about what works and what doesn’t work when it comes to conserving biodiversity in tropical forests.”

To better understand which conservation strategies are working, Burivalova is com-piling an interactive database of studies that showcases patterns of success as well as failures for conservation efforts around the tropical world. She works with journalists to make these into accessible stories.

“I’m excited to be a part of both the Nelson Institute and Forest and Wildlife Ecology as it’s a great way to combine my background in ecology with inter-disciplinary research and conservation,” Burivalova said. “It’s wonderful to feel that my interdisciplinary research is supported and that I’m at a place that values applied research. I frequently collaborate with conservation NGOs (non-governmental organizations) and I know how important it is for them to have research results that are directly relevant to the on-the-ground conserva-tion challenges they face. I hope to keep providing that.”

Understanding the intersection of water-shed management and tribal sovereignty is among the top research goals of Grace Bulltail, the newly named Nelson Institute assistant professor of Native American Environment, Health, and Community. Bulltail joins new colleagues from the School of Nursing and the School of Human Ecology as part of a multi-faculty hire to collaborate with tribal communi-ties and sovereign Native Nations on a variety of initiatives.

A member of the Crow Tribe and a descendant of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Tribes of Fort Berthold, North Dakota, Bulltail has spent much of her career studying the impact of oil and gas extraction on water quality and watershed management. A professional engineer and American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) board member, Bulltail received a bachelor of science in civil and environmental engineering from Stanford University and a doctorate from the Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University.

During Bulltail’s doctoral work at Cornell, she researched the ways in which natural resource development in

Champions of Conservation & Justice

multi-jurisdictional watersheds through-out Montana, Wyoming, and Crow tribal lands impacted water quality. Following her graduation from Cornell, Bulltail continued her water quality research, becoming a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University in the Department of Earth System Science, where she investigated the water quality impacts of oil and gas development on tribal lands. In her new role at the University of Wisconsin-Madison,

Nelson Institute welcomes Grace Bulltail, assistant professor of Native American Environment, Health, and Community

Nelson Institute and Forest and Wildlife Ecology welcome assistant professor Zuzana Burivalova

Grace Bulltail completing fieldwork of sampling water quality in a federal oil and gas field in Toole County, Montana in summer 2019.

In Common Spring 2020 • 50.nelson.wisc.edu Visit: GO.WISC.EDU/INCOMMON-SPRING20 to read the full stories.8 9

Gibbs Lab Research featured in New York TimesThe research lab led by Holly Gibbs, asso-ciate professor, Nelson Institute Center for

Second edition of the Nelson Issue Brief focuses on deer ecology, CWD, and moreThe Nelson Institute Issue Brief summarizes and conveys up-to-date scholarship from across the University of Wisconsin-Madison on key issues of environmental concern. The sec-ond edition focuses on deer-related research taking place at UW-Madison. In particular, researchers share insight into the ecological impact of deer, the social and economic impact of deer hunting, and the potential dangers of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). Read more at nelson.wisc.edu/issue-brief

Nelson Institute partner UniverCity Year wins a Community-University Partnership AwardIn June, University of Wisconsin–Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank presented the UniverCity Year (UCY) program and its partners, including Green County, with a Community-University Partnership Award for their collaborative efforts to address community challenges while exemplifying the Wisconsin Idea of expanding education and outreach beyond the classroom. An inter-disciplinary effort, UCY engages with local government leaders to identify challenges and then leverages the talents and expertise of UW-Madison’s faculty, staff, and students

40 year partnership expands international collaborationDuring the summer of 2019, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Guadalajara in the state of Jalisco, Mexico made a decades-old partnership official with the signing of a new, three-year cooperative agreement that will expand collaboration on projects relating to socio-environmental topics

to address these hurdles through, analysis, research, concept plans, designs, and policy recommendations.

Now in its fifth year, UCY has engaged with over 1,000 students and faculty members on more than 100 projects with the City of Monona, Dane County, Green County, and Pepin County. This year, the program expects to make a greater impact across the state by partnering with seven communities at the same time: the villages of Egg Harbor and Marshall, the city of Wisconsin Rapids, and Adams, Brown, La Crosse and Milwaukee counties.

The UCY program engages with Schools, Colleges, and Units across UW-System and is a collaborative effort including the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and COWS, a national think-and-do tank that pro-motes high road solutions to social problems, and is housed within the UW-Madison College of Letters and Science.

Pictured l-r: Earlise Ward, Director, Morgridge Center for Public Service, UW-Madison, Gavin Luter, Managing Director of the UniverCity Alliance, UW-Madison, Cara Carpenter, Executive Director of Green County Development Corporation, Chancellor Rebecca Blank. (Photo by Jeff Miller/UW-Madison)

while continuing the legacy of this partnership, which began in the late 1970s.

Signed by University of Wisconsin-Madison representatives, Paul Robbins, Dean, Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, Guido Podestá, Vice-Provost and Dean, International Division and University of Guadalajara representatives, Cinthya Alejandra Navarro Pantoja, Vice Provost for International Affairs and Lilia Victoria Oliver Sánchez, Costa Sur campus Rector, this new document expands the Wisconsin Idea and increases collaboration on environmental and social justice initiatives throughout Mexico and the United States. The initial memorandum formalized in 1988 was the result of a collaboration between then Nelson Institute director, Tom Yuill and Eduardo Santana-Castellón, UW-Madison alumnus, and now a Nelson Institute visiting professor and University of Guadalajara professor.

“What the University of Guadalajara is doing on urban sustainability and environmental justice is simply phenomenal,” Robbins said. “It also matches the Nelson Institute mission and vision perfectly. I’m really excited about this ongoing partnership.”

Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts revived under Governor’s Task ForceThis past fall, Governor Tony Evers established the Governor’s Task Force on Climate Change in an effort to better understand the impacts of climate change on Wisconsin. This new task force, which will be chaired by Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes, will bring together organizations and individuals from around the state, including those involved in the Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts (WICCI), which is led by the

University of Wisconsin–Madison Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Dan Vimont, director, Nelson Institute Center for Climatic Research (CCR), and professor, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, and Steve Vavrus, senior scientist, CCR, serve as co-directors of WICCI.

New faculty team to address key research and education needs in emerging polar regionsSeveral departments at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, including the Nelson Institute Center for Climatic Research, are collaborating to hire three new faculty mem-bers who will focus on research and outreach related to the emerging polar regions. While the faculty will work on a wide range of projects related to the changes occurring around the Earth’s polar regions, UW-Madison will spe-cifically be seeking a Polar Climate Modeler, a Glaciology/Ice Sheet Modeler, and a Polar/Arctic Ecosystems and Ecological Modeler.

Sustainability and the Global Environment (SAGE) and Department of Geography, was featured in the New York Times for their pioneer-ing work to track deforestation. Utilizing cattle movement and supply chain data, the team worked with the National Wildlife Federation to track outcomes from the Zero-Deforestation Commitments in the Brazilian Amazon. These findings were used to create a free, cloud-based supply chain traceability tool called VISIPEC designed for use by Brazilian meatpackers within the cattle sector.

Monica White receives two awards for her research on Agricultural Resistance and the Black Freedom MovementNelson Institute professor of Environmental Justice, Monica White has been awarded both the 2019 Eduardo Bonilla-Silva Outstanding Book Award and the University of Wisconsin-Madison Race, Ethnicity, and Indigeneity (REI) Fellowship for her research relating to Agricultural Resistance and the Black Freedom Movement.

White received the book award for her book, Freedom Farmers: Agricultural Resistance and the Black Freedom Movement, which was published by the University of North Carolina Press in 2018.

White has also been selected for the Institute for Research in the Humanities University of Wisconsin-Madison Race, Ethnicity, and Indigeneity (REI) Fellowship. This award allows tenure or tenure-track faculty to be released from teaching and service duties for up to two semesters so that they can focus full-time on their research. White will be working on her next book which will focus on the individuals who stayed in the south and did not participate in the Great Migration.

Around the Nelson Institute

Visit: GO.WISC.EDU/INCOMMON-SPRING20 to read the full stories. 11

University of Wisconsin-Madison. Madison’s service to the Nelson Institute was significant and impacted many ranging from co-leading the field trip portion of ES 901, chair of the Water Resources Management program, and advisor to nearly 100 students. An excerpt from a memorial resolution presented at the faculty senate included the following:

Professor Fred Madison, Dr. Dirt as his license plate proudly proclaimed, was one of a kind. Through his drooping mustache came a gravelly but kind voice that loved to help people understand the diverse landscapes of Wisconsin and its thin veneer of life-giving soil. Inspired by early life acquaintance with the Boundary Waters and Quetico Wilderness areas, he was passionate about protecting natural resources through education, research, and advocacy throughout his career, and inspired many people along the way.

Our

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ries Jean Bahr, professor emerita, Department of Geoscience

(formerly Geology and Geophysics)

For University of Wisconsin-Madison professor emerita of Geoscience Jean Bahr, Earth Day has always had a special place in her life.

So, it was more than a happy coincidence when Bahr, a California native, accepted a faculty position in Wisconsin, the home of Earth Day. From there, it wasn’t long before she became involved with the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, which is named after U.S. Senator and Earth Day founder, Gaylord Nelson.

A proponent of interdisciplinary research, Bahr found the Nelson Institute to be a place that transcends disciplinary boundaries and pays homage to the collaborative aspects of Earth Day. In fact, she became deeply involved with the Institute, serving as chair of the Water Resources Management (WRM) program for three years and an advisor for certificate students for many more.

Nelson Institute alumna expands community conservation efforts around the globe

From the lush rainforests of Napo Province, Ecuador to the golden shores of Coron Island in the Philippines, Nelson Institute alumna April Sansom has traveled the world to work with communities on land rights and conservation initiatives. A long-time believer in the power of community-based conservation, Sansom focuses much of her work on small scale conservation projects that empower local groups to independently manage land use and conservation projects. Although her first experience with this work occurred during her time with the United States Peace Corps, she became deeply involved in community-based conservation during her time as a graduate student at UW-Madison, forming relationships that she continues to foster in her new role as Director of Community Conservation. Sansom is a graduate of the Conservation Biology and Sustainable Development master’s program and Environment and Resources PhD program.

Nelson alumni working to create a bright future for solar power

As cities and states move to increase renewable energy usage, two Nelson Institute alumni will be leading the way on Long Island. August Schultz, Environmental Observation and Informatics (EOI)

alumnus and Jessica Price, Conservation Biology and Sustainable Development (now Environmental Conservation) and Environment and Resources alumna, are a part of The Nature Conservancy’s Long Island Solar Roadmap Project, which is working to locate low-impact sites for solar energy installations on Long Island. The locations, which will be identified using a variety of data, will aid New York in meeting its goal of receiving 70 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030.

Nelson alumna is studying the positive connection between agriculture and conservation in her latest role with the USDA

Along the edge of America’s farmland is a lush border of trees, grasses, and wild-flowers that often mark property lines or a break between crops. These wild areas are often deemed unusable, but accord-ing to Nelson Institute alumna Alison Duff, they may be the key to improving

economic and conservation outcomes for farms as well as the greater community. In fact, studying the way in which working farms can serve as both production and conservation lands has been at the heart of Duff ’s research since her early days as a graduate student at the Nelson Institute.

FutureEnvironmental

Leaders

Alison Duff

A remembranceFrederick W. Madison passed away on June 3, 2019. Madison was a legislative aid to Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson and professor emeritus of soil science at the

Professors Emeriti Born and Temple selected for the 2020 Wisconsin Conservation Hall of FameThe 2020 Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame (WCHF) inductees will include two longtime champions of the Nelson Institute, alumnus and University of Wisconsin-Madison Professor Emeritus Steve Born, as well as UW-Madison Professor Emeritus Stanley Temple.

Born, who was one of the earliest graduates of the Nelson Institute Water Resources Management (WRM) program has dedicated his career to the interdisciplinary field of sustainable resource management. Early in his career, Born worked with the WRM program before taking a leave of absence to serve as Director of the State Planning Agency with Wisconsin Governor Patrick Lucey’s

administration. During his time there, he had a hand in supporting the establishment of the UW-Madison and Nelson Institute Energy Analysis and Policy (EAP) program, a gradu-ate-level certificate program.

Temple, who is currently a senior fellow for the Aldo Leopold Foundation, spent 32 years with the UW-Madison Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology.

The WCHF induction ceremony will take place on April 25, 2020 at the SentryWorld (the Atrium) in Stevens Point.

Stanely Temple Steve Born

August Schultz

April Sansom

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NELSON INSTITUTE RECOGNIZES OUTSTANDING ALUMNI

Whether it is advancing social justice and equity, improving renewable energy solu-tions, educating the next generation of environmental leaders, or championing conservation, Nelson Institute alumni are at the forefront of important efforts around the world. The Nelson Institute recognizes this impactful work and honored outstanding alumni through the annual Rising Star and Distinguished Alumni Awards.

Recognizing alumni whose work truly embodies the community-based philos-

ophy that is cultivated within the Nelson Institute, the 2019 Rising Star Alumni Award was presented to two individuals who are making a significant difference in the world soon after graduation, while the Distinguished Alumni Award was presented to two individuals who have demonstrated considerable professional achievement and/or community service in the decades following their time as a student at Nelson Institute. Recipients were honored at our annual alumni gathering Rendezvous on the Terrace on September 20, 2019.

NELSON INSTITUTE ALUMNI AWARDSAccepting nominations May 1 - 31, 2020

For more information, visit:nelson.wisc.edu/alumni/awards/

Pictured l-r: Erik R. Olson, Jane Elder, Ashley Lee, Emily Reynolds, assistant director community engagement and alumni relations, Paul Robbins, dean.

The business of environmental advocacy

Joe Foye, an undergraduate student major-ing in environmental studies at the Nelson Institute and marketing at the Wisconsin School of Business (WSB), found his passion for environmental advocacy while working to raise money for trips with his Boy Scout troop. During his childhood, Foye participated in fundraising initiatives which allowed him to draw a connection between business and the environment, later inspiring him to pursue his current majors. Now a junior at University of Wisconsin-Madison, Foye works to edu-cate and inspire diversity in the commu-nity while exploring the outdoors. In particular, he serves as the alumni outreach chair and backpacking chair for Hoofers. Foye is also working to promote environmental learn-ing within the WSB through the Social and Environmental Business Advocates (SEBA) organization. Ultimately, Foye credits the Nelson Institute with promoting student involve-ment in environmental action. “They rec-ognize that relationship and partnership is really important moving forward for business and the environment,” he said.

Nelson Institute CESP graduates and sisters Iffat and Ismat Bhuiyan share how their educational experience shaped their futures

As children, sisters Ismat and Iffat Bhuiyan dreamed of attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison. For Ismat, who is a few years older than Iffat, that dream became a reality in 2011, when she began her first semester as a biology major at UW-Madison. For Iffat, that dream came to fruition a few years later

when she began her freshman year in the UW-Madison College of Engineering. While both were thrilled to be Badgers, they were looking for a way to connect their shared interest in environ-mental conservation with their career goals.

That’s when Ismat happened upon the Nelson Institute Environmental Studies Certificate and the Nelson Institute Community Environmental Scholars Program (CESP), a discovery that ulti-mately shaped the career trajectory for both sisters.

Nelson Institute undergrad implements change on campus and beyond

Nelson Institute undergraduate Jeremy Sanford is a driving force behind con-servation efforts on campus. He’s used the knowledge he gained during his time at University of Wisconsin-Madison to become active in community outreach efforts ranging from his internship with the Office of Sustainability to his work with fraternities and underrepresented communities. Originally an economics

major, Sanford decided to pursue environmental studies and conservation biology after taking an introduction ecology class at UW-Madison. “I was interested in how humans can impact ecological systems that go back long before we were a species on this planet.

I was invested in it after taking that one class,” he said. Sanford, a senior, now focuses his studies on how human activity can both positively and negatively impact our surroundings. He’s hoping to educate and inspire others to take an active part in conservation efforts.

FutureEnvironmental

Leaders

Ismat and Iffat Bhuiyan

Joe Foye Jeremy Sanford

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Tales from Planet Earth Film Series

The Tales Film Series had a strong kickoff with the world premiere of Anthropocene: The Human Epoch, a film that showcased the provocative and unforgettable experi-ence of our species’ breadth and impact. In conjunction with Native November, a screening of the documentary film, The Return of Navajo Boy, marked the 20th anniversary of its release. In February, the film Youth Unstoppable took viewers inside the rise of the Global Youth Climate Movement. Following the screening, attendees heard from a panel discussion with members of the Wisconsin Youth Climate Action Team. The film series will come to a close on April 14, with a double feature showing of Chasing Coral and Chasing Ice. With

Lectures and films abound

2020 Upcoming events

coral reefs around the world vanishing at an unprecedented rate, a team of divers, photographers and scientists set out on a thrilling ocean adventure to discover why and to reveal the underwater mystery to the world. The second film follows National Geographic photographer James Balog across the Arctic as he deploys time-lapse cameras designed for one purpose: to capture a multi-year record of the world’s changing glaciers. Chasing Coral and Chasing Ice filmmaker Jeff Orlowski will be a featured speaker at the 2020 Earth Day Conference on April 20, 2020.

go.wisc.edu/talesfilmseries

Jordahl Public Lands Lecture: Land Stories: Voices of the Past, Present, and Future

A special storytelling event that featured diverse voices sharing personal stories about the importance of public lands was the focus of the 2019 Jordahl Public Lands Lecture. A pre-lecture storytelling workshop led by Jen Rubin, co-producer Moth StorySlam, Madison, Wis. and James Mills, freelance journalist and independent media producer, provided an opportunity for members of the com-munity to learn about the art of storytell-ing. The lecture held a few weeks later included at least one workshop attendee among the speakers. From stewardship to recreation, the audience heard personal and poignant stories of the impact of public lands on their lives. The featured speakers included:

Althea Berstein,18 year old, Emergency Medical Technician.

James Mills, fellow, Mountain & Wilderness Writing Program, recipi-ent of the Paul K. Petzoldt Award for Environmental Education.

Curt Meine, senior fellow, Aldo Leopold Foundation and the Center for Humans and Nature; research associate, International Crane Foundation.

Ali Muldrow, co-executive director of GSAFE, an organization for LGBTQ+ youth.

Jackson Nesbit, 8th grade student, Cardinal Heights Upper Middle School, Sun Prairie, Wis.

Bill L. Quackenbush, Ho-Chunk Deer Clan Member, Tribal Historic Preservation member, and Officer Cultural Resources Division Manager.

go.wisc.edu/jordahl2019

As we celebrate the Year of the Environment encompassing our 50th anniversaries, the Institute’s lectures, films, performances, and special events were designed to honor and expand the legacy of Earth Day founder and Nelson Institute namesake, Gaylord Nelson. Our signature events such as the Jordahl lecture and Tales from Planet Earth Film Series addressed topics such as public lands, climate change, and Native American culture. On a lighter note, Career Week for students offered opportunities to hear from Nelson alums who continue to forward environmental work. On February 6, commu-nity members enjoyed cupcakes and refreshments at a 50th anniversary celebration for the Nelson Institute.

MARCH 26

Sustainable Success Lecture SeriesThe Business of Renewable Energy5:30-6:30 p.m.1310 Grainger Hall, Wisconsin School of Businessgo.wisc.edu/sustainablesuccess2020

APRIL 14

Tales from Planet Earth Film SeriesChasing Coral and Chasing Ice – Double Feature6-9:30 p.m.Marquee Theater, Union Southgo.wisc.edu/talesfilmseries

APRIL 16

Rendezvous on the Road: Washington, DCJoin U.S. Senator Russ Feingold and Nelson Institute Alumnus Steven Olikara, founder of the Millennial Action Project millennialaction.org/, in Washington, DC for a special evening event commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Nelson Institute and the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. This event is held in partnership with the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association. Pre-registration is required. 6:30-8:30 p.m.Russell Senate Office Building

SEPTEMEBER 10-12

Rendezvous 2020 – Nelson’s 50th Anniversary Join us for our 2020 Rendezvous on the Terrace weekend!UW-MadisonRegistration opens in May.50.nelson.wisc.edu

Nelson Institute Dean Paul Robbins (left) is joined by 2019 Jordahl Lecture storytellers. Photo: Ingrid Laas.

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In Common Spring 2020 • 50.nelson.wisc.edu Visit: GO.WISC.EDU/INCOMMON-SPRING20 to read the full stories.16 17

Our StoriesTom Yuill, director emeritus, Nelson Institute, professor emeritus, Pathobiological Sciences, Forest and Wildlife Ecology, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison

For more than 50 years, UW-Madison alumnus and professor emeritus Tom Yuill has been working with univer-sity leaders to expand interdisciplinary research and international collaboration on environmental and ecological initiatives. From his time as the first associate dean for research and graduate training at the School of Veterinary Medicine to his time as the director of the Nelson Institute where he helped to establish a partnership with the University of Guadalajara in Mexico, Yuill has been instrumental in the creation of community partnerships.

For Yuill, communities and systems have long been of interest. As a graduate student at UW-Madison, Yuill studied viruses and the way in which they impact ecosystems. When he graduated, he entered the military, serving as a medical researcher at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in that National Military Medical Center before travelling to Bangkok, Thailand where he worked for over two years before he says he realized he wanted to return to building communities at UW-Madison.

Morgridges pledge a new gift to continue investment in UW-Madison faculty Through the continued generosity and leadership of John and Tashia Morgridge, the University of Wisconsin-Madison recently announced a new $70 million dollar Morgridge Match campaign for faculty professorships and chairs at UW-Madison.

We are pleased to announce that Nelson Institute Board of Visitors member and alumnus Jeff Rudd has made a $500,000 pledge to support the Jeff Rudd and Jeanne Bissell Professorship in Energy Analysis and Policy. This professorship will guarantee the continued success and growth of campus-wide graduate training in energy, as embodied by the Nelson Institute’s Energy Analysis and Policy Program.

Nelson Institute donors also supported a similar Morgridge Match program in 2015 that resulted in two new professorships and a faculty chair position: Bradshaw Knight Professorship of the Environmental Humanities, Nelson Institute Professorship in Water Resources, John P. Holton Chair in Health & the Environment. As every dollar is matched, this is a great opportunity to invest in growth areas within the Nelson Institute. Chairs and professorship funds help us recruit and retain outstanding faculty members.

If you are considering a transformational gift to support the teaching, research, and outreach mission of the Nelson Institute through support of our incredible faculty, please contact Dan Fallon, Director of Development, UW Foundation and Alumni Association at dan.fallon@supportuw.org or (608) 852-7929.

In honor of the Nelson Institute’s 50th anni-versary, Lloyd and Pat Eagan made a gener-ous donation to the Environmental Futures Fund. The Eagans bring both a professional and personal commitment to the environ-ment and education.

“Sustainability and climate change continue to loom larger in our in lives. The Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies provides world class people that can make practi-cal environmental contributions in their personal and professional lives. They/we can make a difference,” shared Pat.

Lloyd Eagan, an environmental protection expert with over 38 years of experience in water resources management, air quality and environmental restoration, is a Nelson Institute Water Resources Management alumna. She worked for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for 30 years where she was able to have a real impact as both a policymaker and a policy program implementation. Pat Eagan, professor emeritus, College of Engineering, was a leader in adult professional education programs on sustainability, water resources, industrial environmental engineering and management, and related environmental issues. In addition to this role, he also served as the Environment & Resources Program Chair for the graduate program housed within the Nelson Institute.

Environmental Futures Fund

The Environmental Futures Fund is a cat-alytic resource that provides the Nelson Institute with the ability to pursue emer-gent priorities and to explore, enhance, and expand innovative partnerships, collaborations, and programs. These resources help us turn vision into reality.

In the Nelson Institute, the Wisconsin Idea is more than just a concept, it is a philosophy that is woven into the fabric of every Nelson experience. Global citizenry and change agency requires an interdisciplinary approach and willingness to collaborate. We know that the Earth is changing and there’s no going back. The Nelson Institute is training students to find innovative ways to address the chal-lenges that lie ahead, adapt our societies, mitigate undesirable change, and to imag-ine new environments and economies. We are developing visionaries and equipping them with the tools they need for success.

Whatever the future of the environment brings, it will not be the same as the past

we have known. This fact demands new and extended public engagement and novel forms of curriculum and research.

As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Nelson Institute, the 50th anniver-sary of Earth Day, and grapple with the swift-moving chaos of the environment, we seek to raise a brand-new $2 million endowment. This fund will support proj-ects and programs that:

Advance the Wisconsin Idea by providing new, transformational, and disruptive public engagement to solve emerging environmental problems.Reach new and diverse publics that would significantly engage new kinds of life-long learners, diverse communities, and students.Create new resources through program revenue or increased efficiencies.Scale existing environmental knowledge from the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus into regional, national, or interna-tional programs, policies, or products.

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supportuw.org/giveto/EnvironmentalFuturesFund

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The Eagans reconnected recently in Tucson, Ariz. with fellow Water Resources Management students. L-r: Bob Probst, Pat Eagan, Lloyd Eagan, David Ballman, Marita Valencia.

Getting to know Dan Fallon, Director of Development, UW Foundation and Alumni Association

What I do at the Nelson Institute: In my role I help Paul Robbins, dean of the Nelson Institute, stay connected to alumni and supporters, and work to secure private financial support for the Nelson Institute and the University.

When I started: February 11, 2019. I was very excited to join the Nelson Institute in advance of our 50th anniversary and the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. We have much to celebrate this year.

Why I joined the Nelson Institute: I was motivated by the opportunity to support the efforts of this truly remarkable inter-disciplinary organization in its quest to grapple with, and develop solutions to, the world’s most wicked environmental challenges.

My first memories of nature: When I was four and five years old, we lived in Youngstown, Ohio in a house across the street from a ravine. With my older siblings I would explore the area, including sledding in the winter, and getting into all sorts of out-door trouble. Parenting may have been a bit more lax back then!

My hometown: Glen Cove, N.Y. but I’ve lived in Madison longer than any other place I’ve lived! Going on 8+ years…

Where you can find me: I have plans to be at alumni events and donor meetings in Washington DC, San Francisco, Denver, New York, Chicago, Twin Cities, and Florida in 2020. If you would like to meet, please email me at dan.fallon@supportuw.org. And, you can find me in room 122 Science Hall each Wednesday.

Barbara Borns, academic program advisor emerita

According to Academic Program Advisor Emerita Barbara Borns, there is nothing our current world needs more than the type of education offered at the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies. That’s why she is proud to have spent more than 25 years working with the Institute as an academic advisor and program leader.

From her involvement in the Land Resources, Environmental Monitoring, and Water Resources Management (WRM) programs to her role in the development of a pre-college pro-gram focused on Native American students, Borns has been a crucial part of the Institute’s mission to educate and inspire the next generation of environmental leaders.O

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The ArkBY PAUL ROBBINS, DEAN, NELSON INSTITUTE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

the countless existing community-based partnerships, and a whole new generation of energetic problem-solvers to rise to the challenge and reverse the tide of species extinction. The current scale of our efforts, however, is short of the challenge that such a global threat warrants. On the eve of the 50th Earth Day, UW’s Nelson Institute is therefore proposing a robust initiative to immediately address global species decline, investing in three tools that will be critical for success:

• Conservation Leadership Corps: Recruiting and training a massive number of next generation conservation leaders, leveraging our thousands of community, state, and organizational networks, at a scale far beyond our current educational regime, targeted in a wholly new way: at the areas of highest species loss, impact, and threat.

• Center for Conservation Genetics: Developing, staffing, and deploying this novel field to bank the genes of whole, critically threatened ecosystems, all at once, in these same global hotspots; an effort, at scale, never attempted before.

• Restoration Ecology Labs: Launching a series of large-scale, novel, targeted habitat resto-rations, in collaboration and on site with our already-existing partners (e.g. governments and NGOs) and local communities, especially including indigenous ones.

in collaboration with willing partners (e.g. UW field sites in Costa Rica), setting a model to be repeated at multiple sites to follow.

• Within 10 years, habitat restoration would be ongoing at more than one dozen sites, with work linked to, and rooted in, community-identified priorities, based in long-term existing trust-building and collaboration.

This initiative will follow the Wisconsin Idea to its logical conclusion: addressing the largest biological threat in human history by actually protecting species, nurturing their genetic resources, and reviving the places they live across the globe. With investment in this effort, the Nelson Institute and the UW become a global clearinghouse for best practices in conservation, based on current research, tied to local partnerships, supporting work by countless other governments, NGOs, firms and local communities. Our graduates will be trained to utilize the UW as a source of vital ecological knowledge so that the billions of dollars currently spent on species conservation and restoration will be focused in the most impactful way.

BACKGROUND

For 50 years, the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies has catalyzed the remarkable resources of UW-Madison to train cohorts of dedicated students from around the world to protect critical habi-tats, innovate new forms of energy, design new environments, and communicate the urgency of our incredible moment. The Institute and its UW community nurtures and supports scientists who track forest conservation with satellites, protect human health on a changing planet, sequence the genomes of endangered species, and interact with faith leaders on green solutions. Most urgently, we do all this by attending, first and foremost, to justice, equity, and basic human fairness.

These tools, all of which were either invented at UW-Madison, or for which the institution stands at the forefront in their development, are available now. Greatly expanding their power, scale, reach, and focus requires a significant investment. To implement them together, in an effort aimed at rescuing a specific set of targeted hotspots (e.g. India, Madagascar, Botswana, Southeastern United States, Brazilian Amazon), would be without precedent.

THE IMPACT

Immediate action by UW-Madison scholars, students, and graduates, linked closely to local communities and conservation authorities, will have immediate impacts.

• Within two years, global trainees would go from 50 to 250 annually, and newly minted graduates would be recruited from, and sent directly to, sites of key conservation concern across the globe. These sites would be ones with strong existing community partnerships and where trainees work has already been closely linked.

• Within five years, a new cadre of conservation geneticists would recover and bank dozens of species samples (500 per species) within a single globally recognized, critical ecosystem,

UW-Madison second annual Day of the Badger is coming on April 7!In the span of 1,848 minutes — a nod to the university’s founding in 1848 — alumni, friends, and donors across the globe will unite their passion for the UW and support the people, places, and programs that make it great. Wear Red. Stay Connected. Give Back.It’s what Badgers do!

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THE IMPERATIVE

According to a 2019 United Nations study, nearly one million species are threatened with near-immediate extinction. This represents one eighth of all life on Earth, and science suggests this is the beginning of a larger trend. As the number of these plants and animals dwindles, moreover, the odds of saving them, and their unique genes, only become worse. While climate change is a critical driver, the central culprits are habitat loss and direct competition for resources with human beings. While the globe must tackle climate change, the urgency to preserve species and habitats is immediate. A huge part of the tapestry of life is set to vanish from the face of the Earth.

Not only does this loss represent a trag-edy in and of itself, these losses in genetic resources will endanger things depended on by humanity, including pharmaceu-ticals and foods. We must bolster efforts not only to mediate this loss, but to actually bring species back from the edge.

THE INITIATIVE

We have the tools to reverse this trend. At the University of Wisconsin–Madison, we have the knowledge, the science, the methods,

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and my research involved a lot of field work and we feel that’s where the rubber meets the road. It’s important to be able to do large-scale research in the right climates and building travel funding into this sus-tainability fund will allow for this. This is good discretionary funding for a faculty member as there is always a need for all sorts of funds, but often the funding isn’t there or you need to apply months ahead of time, so this kind of funding is meant to improve productivity, support faculty research, and help fund travel, which gets the word out and spreads the name of the university.”

Likewise, Nelson Institute Dean Paul Robbins echoed the need for sustain-ability funding that supports a range of individuals working on critical issues.

“Right now, research on sustainability is crucial. This fund not only supports faculty and students doing things of critical impor-tance, it helps to build a sustainability community on this campus, a tradition and culture of thinking creatively together about the future.” –Dean Paul Robbins

Jim and Nazli also shared that in addition to contributing to the sustainability work on campus, they are proud to have the opportunity to create this gift in an endowed format, which will provide benefits to the university in perpetuity and help new and future Badgers such as Gwendolyn (Gwen) Kelley, who represents the fourth generation of the Hanson family to attend UW. Gwen is majoring in nutritional sciences with certificates in global health as well as Chicanx and Latinx studies. While running between finishing a paper for her Climate Change Governance Course and attending a UW Sustainability Club meeting, Gwen shared the importance of the Wisconsin Idea—the principle in which everything the university does

Detering Gurfield Family establishes new scholarship

Local business owners of Ian’s Pizza and Batch Bakehouse, world travelers, and nature lovers, Ian Gurfield and Susan Detering established the Detering Gurfield Family Scholarship to support undergraduate and graduate students whose research efforts are helping to move our world toward a decarbonized future. The $1,500 scholarship provides support for students whose research focuses on climate change, alternative energies, clean technologies, geoen-gineering, public policy, economic analysis and related studies that will help lead our world to a sustainable energy model. The inaugural award was presented to Jiaqi Lu, a graduate stu-dent pursuing a degree in public affairs and a certificate in Energy Analysis and Policy.

Hanson Family Fund for sustainability researchThe Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies is pleased to announce the Hanson Family Fund for Sustainability Research, which will support faculty and student sustainability-related research as well as an annual sustainability-related public lecture. This fund is made possible thanks to the generous support in the form of a gift of $500,000 from the Lewis P. Hanson family.

The Hanson family has a long history at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, with 12 family members and four generations attending the university over the past 100 years. Hanson Family Fund donor and business major Lewis (Lew) P. Hanson of Cedarburg, Wis. was the second generation to attend UW-Madison, following in the foot-steps of his father, who graduated from UW-Madison in 1917. Lew’s son, Jim Hanson, and his wife, Nazli Yesiller, who helped to inspire Lew’s donation, were among several members of the third generation of the Hanson family to attend the UW, earning degrees in civil and environmental engineering. As family members have graduated from a variety of programs, the Hanson family was eager to create a fund that could be used to support interdisciplinary sustainability research. The Nelson

Institute for Environmental Studies, which encourages broad, interdisciplinary collaboration across the UW-Madison

campus through its various graduate and undergraduate programs, fit well with the family’s interdisciplinary goals for the fund.

“We met with some folks at the Nelson Institute and had a good feeling about following through with the gift being donated to the Nelson Institute,” said Jim Hanson. “The Nelson Institute was a good point for opening the fund to the entire university while ensuring that it supports sustainability efforts.”

Lew, his wife, children, including Jim and Nazli, and two grandchildren visited campus in late summer to meet Dean Paul Robbins and sign the Memorandum of Agreement. The signing took place at Earth Day founder and Nelson Institute namesake Gaylord Nelson’s desk which is maintained at the Nelson Institute. And, while Lew did not personally attend the Nelson Institute, he said he is proud to be contributing to a university that has meant so much to him over the years. In fact, he shared that, to him, the UW has always been synonymous with education. He said, as a child, “If you were thinking of a university, I thought that it was spelled starting with a W.”

Members of the Hanson family also shared that they are excited to be able to contribute to a fund that will provide direct support and travel funds to faculty and students who are working on sustain-ability, a topic that has been a lifelong pas-sion for civil and environmental engineers Jim and Nazli Hanson.

“Career wise, we both have strong ties to sustainability and continue to work in these areas,” shared Nazli. “It’s a lifetime commitment from our end.”

Jim echoed this and added, “Both Nazli

The Hanson Family joined Paul Robbins, dean, Nelson Institute, to celebrate their gift. Front row, l-r: Julie Kelley, Gwendolyn Kelley, UW-Madison student, Lorraine Hanson, Faye Kelley, Nazli Yesiller (PhD, Civil and Environmental Engineering, 1994). Back row, l-r: John Hanson (BA, History, 1984), Lew Hanson (BA, Business, 1954; MBA, 1955), Paul Robbins, dean, Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, Jim Hanson (BS, Civil and Environmental Engineering, 1990; PhD, Civil and Environmental Engineering, 1996).

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Our StoriesSherman Stock, Legal Counsel for Senator Gaylord Nelson (1963-81)

Sherman Stock met Gaylord Nelson for the first time while Stock was a law student at Marquette University in the 1950s. At the time, Nelson was a state senator running for governor and Stock was a volun-teer, who was campaigning for Nelson and driving Milwaukee-area notables around town.

Given his role in the campaign, Stock had several opportunities to connect with Nelson and the two quickly found that they shared similar interests, marking the beginning of a friendship that would last for over 50 years.

Stock spent 18 years working together with Nelson, becoming the only mem-ber of the original staff to serve during Nelson’s entire tenure as a United States Senator. For nearly two decades the duo worked on projects that ranged from the humanitarian crisis in Biafra, Africa to the establishment of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in Wisconsin, but above all else, they remained friends who were dedicated to environmental protection.

should improve the lives of every individ-ual in the State of Wisconsin.

She said, “I believe sustainability is a huge aspect of this. As students and at a large research university, we should be leading towards a more sustainable future, with the intent of reducing environmental injustice and preserving the environment for generations to come.”

“This gift will change lives, and in an edu-cational setting, nothing is more exciting than seeing a student have a true learning moment – seeing a lightbulb going on,” said Jim.

Nazli added, “We are living in an era, both nationally and internationally, where people, animals, and plants are constantly threatened by political, industrial, and military forces, and interests. We consider UW a bastion against these threats. The Hanson Family Fund for Sustainability Research is intended to support these efforts by encouraging faculty members to positively contribute to the well-being of humans and the environment.”

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Dear Jim and Bill,

My, oh my, does time fly! I have been back in the states for about a month now, readjusting to being back at my old jobs, catching up with friends, and preparing to move! That being said, I have had plenty of time to reflect on my experience in Denmark and Norway and wanted to share it with you!

As I mentioned to you when we met at the Nelson Institute’s Commencement, I was taking a course on sustainable development in Northern Europe. During my first week in Copenhagen, myself and my classmates spent our time in the classroom learning about every-thing that Denmark has done to advance sustainability in their country, including abiding by the sustainable development goals set by the United Nations, expanding carbon offsetting programs, investing in education, perfecting their biking infrastructure, and much more! Their goal is to achieve zero emissions by 2020 and to be carbon neutral by 2030…

…My experience in Denmark is one I will never forget. The knowledge, friendships and insight I gained there have transformed the way I think about sustainability holistically and have inspired me to pursue graduate school for urban and regional planning in the future! I owe it all to you two for supporting my study abroad and I am forever grateful that I was able to make this dream of mine a reality. Thank you so much once again, I hope we will be in touch!

Many thanks, Natalie

Aldo Leopold Land Ethic Wisconsin Distinguished Graduate Fellowship

In celebration of the Nelson Institute’s 50th anniversary, the Lawry Land Ethic Wisconsin Distinguished Graduate Fellowship has been renamed Aldo Leopold Land Ethic Wisconsin Distinguished Graduate Fellowship. Established by alumnus Steven Lawry in 1999, the inaugural recipient of the award was Nelson Institute alumna Leela Hazzah, PhD ‘11 Land Resources, founder of the internationally-acclaimed Lion Guardians.

Lawry is pleased that the award will honor Leopold, whose work has had a significant influence on his own thinking and career. An alumnus of the Nelson Institute doctoral program in Land Resources (now known as Environment and Resources), Lawry first studied Aldo Leopold’s work while attending University of Wisconsin-Madison. He began his studies in 1980 after working in Botswana from 1975 to 1979, first as a Peace Corp volunteer and then for the Swedish International Development Authority, helping to improve land use and land use governance practices in Botswana’s Kalahari Desert region.

“It was during my time in Botswana that I became motivated and inspired to study land tenure and land reform.”

“I applied to study at the Nelson Institute because I was drawn to its interdiscipli- nary approach. I knew from my experience in Botswana that difficult issues of pov-erty and environment can’t be addressed without understanding how social,

economic and governance arrangements interact in different ecological contexts. In Botswana, as in much of Africa, control over pasturelands and forests had been vested in state authorities. Local communities lost the abil-ity to work out solutions to complex problems on their own. Without the benefit of local knowledge

and the right of communities to actively govern land use environmental and social outcomes were not good.”

As a graduate student, Lawry held a research assistantship at the Nelson Institute’s Land Tenure Center (LTC). After securing his doctorate, Lawry was appointed senior scientist at the LTC, and developed a research program on

the relationships between tenure arrange-ments and natural resource management outcomes, with a focus on Sub-Saharan Africa countries. He became LTC Associate Director in charge of Africa research in 1990. In 1992, he left the university to join the Ford Foundation as program officer for Rural Poverty and Resources in South Africa and Namibia. He went on to head the Foundation’s Middle East regional office in Cairo. He subsequently held positions at the Foundation’s New York headquarters, was president of Antioch College, served as a senior fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School, and recently retired from the Center for International Forest Research, where he served as Director of Forests & Governance Research.

The Ford Foundation’s initiative for matching staff charitable donations enabled Lawry to fund a Wisconsin Distinguished Graduate Fellowship award in 1999. The fellowship supports students whose research integrates elements of ecology, ethics, and culture to better understand stewardship of the environment. Lawry felt that the schol-arship would help recruit top graduate students to the Nelson Institute, and especially students who wanted to build a 21st century legacy for Aldo Leopold’s ideas on environmental stewardship. To date, recipients of the fellowship include: Leela Hazzah (2007-08), Gina Collignon (2011-12), and Gail Rosen (2013-14). Another fellowship will be awarded in spring 2020.

New study abroad scholarship announcedJim Schleif, BA ‘87 French and international relations, and Bill Morley pledged a $10,000 gift to establish The James A. Schleif and William H. Morley Undergraduate Study Abroad Travel Award. The purpose of this schol-arship is to provide support to full-time undergraduate students pursuing a Certificate in Environmental Studies or an undergraduate major in environmental studies with the Nelson Institute. Natalie Brunner, the inaugural recipient, received a $3,000 award in spring 2019.

An excerpt from a post-trip email from Natalie

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Steven Lawry

Photo Courtesy of the Aldo Leopold Foundation and UW-Madison Archives.

Hardangervidda National Park in Norway, the country’s largest national park.

Natalie Brunner (left) accepts the scholarship award at the spring 2019 Nelson Institute Commencement Ceremony. She is joined by, l-r, Paul Robbins, dean, Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, Jim Schleif, Bill Morley.

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40 Science Hall550 North Park StreetMadison, WI 53706

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