Congratulations to the UWL Medical Dosimetry Cohort of 2025 on their successful manuscript productivity. Four of eight projects from faculty mentored by Program Director Nishele Lenards were accepted in "Medical Dosimetry," the official journal of the American Association of Medical Dosimetrists. Four more manuscripts are either "pending" or "in review".

Victor Macias-Gonzalez, History, presented "Lessons from Writing a Mexican Trans History: The Media, Politics, and the Science of Gender Affirming Care in the Case of Martha Olmos Romero, 1952-1957" at the Latin American Critical Cultural Studies Working Group, Kellogg Institute and Department of History, at the University of Notre Dame on April 24 in Notre Dame, Indiana. Macías-González was a guest of the Mexico Working Group and the Latin American History Working Group at the University of Notre Dame.

Amber Miller-Adamany, Lexi Budden and Michele Overgard, Graduate & Extended Learning; and Erica Srinivasan, UWL Center for Death and Grief Education and Psychology, collaborated with the UW–Madison Badger Talks Program to host two free public talks on dementia research, featuring guest speakers, Kimberly Mueller and Alexis Eastman. Held both on April 22 and earlier in the spring semester, these events created meaningful opportunities for the UWL and the broader community to increase dementia awareness and deepen their understanding of current research in dementia care, supporting UWL's ongoing dementia education programming. Learn more about dementia  care and support online courses.  

Constance Arzigian and Heather Walder, both Archaeology & Anthropology, received the Outstanding Public Archaeology Initiative award at the Society for American Archaeology annual meeting on May 1 in San Francisco. These two UWL scholars contributed case studies to the book "A Practitioner’s Guide to Public Archaeology," (Elizabeth C. Reetz and Stephanie T. Sperling, editors). All 37 co-authors and contributors to this volume were honored during the recent SAA meetings.

Marissa Eckrote-Nordland, Economics, received the Best Poster award at the Society of Labor Economists Annual Meeting on May 1 in Denver, CO. Her research, co-authored with Lisa Giddings, Laurie Miller, John Nunley, and Garrett Soper, examines how student–faculty gender match influences persistence in economics and was selected as the top poster among more than 40 presentations.

Tanner Knorr, Recreation Management & Recreational Therapy, presented "Impacts of Lake Onalaska Research Report" during a REC 360 course on May 1 in La Crosse. In REC 360 (Sustainable Tourism), students presented their semester-long research project on the Social, Environmental, Economic, and Political resident and visitor impacts of Lake Onalaska. From 13 for-profit and non-profit interviews and 294 survey questionnaires, this funded project by Brice Prairie Conservation Association through the UWL Tourism Research Institute produced important findings related to the management, conservation and clean-up of Lake Onalaska for the benefit of tourist and community recreation.

Polly Berra, Health Professions, presented "Predicting OT Student Success: The Role of Undergraduate Admission Factors & Student Characteristics" at the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) INSPIRE Annual Conference on April 24 in Anaheim, CA.

Laura Schaffer, Health Professions, presented "Integrating Facility Dogs in Occupational Therapy Education: A 10-Step Roadmap to Enhance Practice, Student Learning, and Therapeutic Outcomes" at the American Occupational Therapy Association on April 23 in Anaheim, CA. This presentation served to provide guidance to other programs in the steps required for a successful Facility Dog Program, such as Dr. Wags, with facility dog, Rossi.

Polly Berra, Natalie Brauer, Naghmeh Gheidi, Molly Loy, Amanda Martin, Brandon Mccauley, Emma Mickelson, Julia Seidel and Madison Wrobleski, all Health Professions, presented "Occupational Therapy for Chronic Pain: Practitioner Insights on Barriers, Gaps, and Future Directions" at the American Occupational Therapy Association Conference on April 23 in Anaheim, CA.

This experience provided an outstanding opportunity for students to share their research on a national platform, engage with clinicians and researchers from across the country, and build valuable professional connections within the occupational therapy community. The positive feedback and strong interest from practitioners highlighted the importance and relevance of this work to current clinical practice. We are proud of our students for their professionalism, dedication and enthusiasm throughout the research and presentation process. We also extend our appreciation to the faculty mentors and the OT program for fostering a supportive environment that encourages scholarship, collaboration, mentorship and experiential learning opportunities. Congratulations to everyone involved in this meaningful accomplishment and representation of our program at the national level! 

Naghmeh Gheidi and Brandon Mccauley, both Health Professions, presented "Lymphedema Care in the United States: Treatment Approaches and Provider Understanding of the Lymphedema Treatment Act" at the American Occupational Therapy Association Conference on April 23 in Anaheim, CA.

This important work was completed through a collaborative effort with ALFP and the Sinclair School of Nursing at the University of Missouri, highlighting the value of interdisciplinary research and partnership in advancing healthcare knowledge and practice. We are proud to see our faculty representing the Occupational Therapy Program at a national conference and contributing to conversations surrounding lymphedema care, provider education and healthcare policy awareness. Opportunities like this strengthen the visibility of our program, promote scholarly collaboration, and support the continued growth of evidence-based occupational therapy practice. Faculty engagement in national research dissemination also enriches student learning by bringing current clinical perspectives, research experiences, and professional networking opportunities back into the classroom and program environment. These experiences help foster a culture of scholarship, collaboration, and leadership within occupational therapy education. Congratulations to everyone involved on this outstanding accomplishment and meaningful contribution to the profession. 

Laura Godden, Murphy Library, presented "Postcards of the Past" at the Vernon County Historical Society on May 5 in Viroqua, WI. The presentation highlighted the significance of postcards as tools for historical research.