Environmental Studies Student Opportunity Forum

10/15/2026

Data Centers and the Grid

Tuesday, October 27, 4:30 p..m.
WEI 1115 and Online via Zoom Webinar
Register at link

As data centers expand, utilities, regulators, and communities must consider how rising electricity demand will affect the power grid now and in the years ahead.

At the October Forward in Energy Forum, experts from UW–Madison and the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin will discuss the challenges data centers present for grid reliability, affordability, and long-term resource planning.

Panelists:
Paul Robbins, Dean of the Nelson Institute; Professor of Environmental Studies and Geography, UW–Madison
Bernie Lesiuetre, Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering & Associate Chair of Undergraduate Studies, College of Engineering, UW–Madison
Anna Haensch, Research Associate Professor, Data Science Institute, Libraries, UW–Madison
Eric Stein, Policy Advisor, Division of Energy Regulation and Analysis, Public Service Commission of Wisconsin
Sharan Ganjam Seshachallam, PhD student, Agricultural and Applied Economics, UW-Madison

The rapid expansion of data centers could create an unprecedented surge in energy demand, reshaping an electric grid built over the past 150 years. How does the addition of hyperscale data centers affect current grid reliability and future planning? What solutions are being explored to maintain reli...

10/12/2026

Please join us this Thursday for a Weston lecture on the topic of:

Ticks, Bats and Manatees - Forecasting Zoonotic Risk in a Changing World

Speaker: Johnny Uelmen, Assistant Professor, Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Medicine and Public Health, UW-Madison

Thursday, October 15 | 4:15–5:15 p.m. | 1153 Mechanical Engineering

Disease emergence is a moving target: as climate and land use change, so do the ranges of vectors, hosts, and pathogens. Drawing on projects spanning West Nile virus ecology in Las Vegas, Nipah virus in Bangladesh, and citizen-science applications for improving disease surveillance, Johnny Uelmen traces how environmental change reshapes disease risk across scales. He highlights how One Health surveillance, remote sensing, and AI-driven modeling convert environmental data into forecasts - and what these approaches mean for pandemic preparedness in a rapidly changing world.

Cookies, coffee, and tea will be served.

10/10/2026

https://energy.wisc.edu/events/wisconsin-weather-festival-0

The Wisconsin Weather Festival brings together meteorologists, climatologists, and scientists from across southern Wisconsin to share how we measure, forecast, and warn on the weather of Wisconsin.

10/07/2026

https://mailchi.mp/sustainability.wisc.edu/2026-sustainability-symposium-oct-28?e=ab4b67b9f4

A campus-wide showcase of sustainability research, creative work, and entrepreneurship at UW–Madison.

10/07/2026

Biodiversity Collections, Tribal Sovereignty, and Indigenous Values

Tuesday, Oct. 13, 1-2:30 p.m.
Wisconsin Idea Room, Union South

RSVP Here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdPLbirfyHrvCRQd7ouwYfQa5C_0mmqv-E_q4OaPwmygYQkAg/viewform

Around the world, museums, research facilities, and state sponsored "cabinets," hold untold numbers of wildlife specimens, collected and preserved for the purposes of research, conservation, and education. For Native Nations and Peoples in North America, these collections can evoke deep senses of kinship, obligation, collective belonging, and values of the sacred. Most biological collections, however, fall outside of legal consultation and access requirements for Tribal communities.
This facilitated discussion will provide an open venue to raise questions and develop ideas about appropriate outreach and consultation with Tribal partners, as well as policies and best practices for governing these collections in light of Tribal interest and concern.
Panelists include: Kelly Applegate - Natural Resources Commissioner of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, Dr. Prashant Sharma and Dr. Laura Monahan - UW Zoological Museum Directors, and Elizabeth Leith - Campus NAGPRA Coordinator and Anthropology Museum Director.

10/07/2026

10/06/2026

Industry Insights: Government, Policy & Nonprofits
School of Human Ecology Workshop

Wednesday, October 7, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
2194 Innovation Lab , Nancy Nicholas Hall

Connect directly with an industry professional and build the skills you need to land your next internship! This interactive 60-minute workshop offers real-world advice, a chance to ask any career questions, and time to practice networking and your elevator pitch. Our guest will be Emma Dreikosen, Administrative Manager, Health Policy & Advocacy, who works directly with the Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association (HOPA) to drive key health policy and advocacy efforts.

10/06/2026

Study Abroad 101
Virtual Info Session

Wednesday, October 7, 1-2 p.m.
Online

Join us to learn the study abroad basics & how to plan ahead!

We'll cover:
• Academics abroad
• Choosing a program
• Funding tips (scholarships & financial aid)
• Internship, research & fieldwork opportunities
• & MORE!

Join us to learn the study abroad basics & how to plan ahead! We'll cover: • Academics abroad • Choosing a program • Funding tips (scholarships & financial aid) • Internship, research & fieldwork opportunities • & MORE!