University of Wisconsin-Madison
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Monday, October 27, 2014
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STUDENT PROFILE
UW researcher discusses the role of women in STEM fields
By Sreedevi Nair THE DAILY CARDINAL
STATE STREET
103 years of tradition
Miss Wisconsin USA Haley Laundrie, a UW-Madison junior, waves at the crowd during the Homecoming Parade Friday, Oct. 24. Thousands of spectators gathered to watch the 103rd year of this UW-Madison tradition. + Photo by Betsy Osterberger
Spring commencement to return to Camp Randall for second year By Phoebe Kiekhofer THE DAILY CARDINAL
On May 18, 2014, thousands of Badgers “jumped around” at Camp Randall Stadium as they would on any gameday Saturday, but for the first time in 24 years, the beloved tradition did not indicate the start of a fourth quarter. Instead, the stadium shook under the feet of UW-Madison’s class of 2014, freshly graduated and displaying its Wisconsin pride. Last year, spring commencement was held at Camp Randall for the first time since 1990, a tradition that is scheduled to return
for a second year this spring. Chancellor Rebecca Blank and the senior class 2014 committee made the decision to return the event to Camp Randall following the success of last spring’s commencement ceremony, Allison Golden, liaison between commencement ceremonies and the Chancellor’s office, said. “The chancellor said she was really looking for a way to elevate the commencement, to make it very special and memorable and to give a great showcase for the Wisconsin community,” Golden said. Golden said initial reactions
to the announcement of commencement in Camp Randall were mixed. Parents were disappointed they would not see their children walk across the stage or hear their names read. However, Golden said she did not receive any negative feedback from parents following last year’s ceremony. Class of 2014 graduate and class secretary Nick Checker said some expressed concern that students would not receive the same recognition at Camp Randall, forgoing the “two seconds of fame” they would other-
ceremony page 3
UW police investigate sexual assault An unidentified female UW-Madison student reported she was sexually assaulted early Saturday morning, according to a UW Police Department incident report. Though the location of the assault is still unconfirmed, police believe the crime, which the victim reported around 3 a.m.
Saturday, occurred off campus. UWPD has yet to identify the suspect who is described as a 5-foot-9-inch male likely between the ages of 19 and 24. He has a thin build and short, spiked blond hair, according to the report. The suspect was last seen wearing a blue plaid shirt with
Maria Estevez, a UW-Madison senior majoring in biomedical engineering, has been a research assistant in one of the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery’s BIONATES labs for the last three years, working to advance stem cell use and regenerative medicine through innovations in engineering. Estevez works on re-engineering human embryonic stem cells to function as brain cells. These new cells are then used to model and study diseases that affect the human brain. More notable than Estevez’s unique experience in such a rising field, however, is her position as a woman in research. Having been a teacher’s assistant in an introductory engineering lecture, Estevez has seen some of the patterns in class demographics first-hand. “A lot of girls start coming into the intro to engineering classes, but you go through the years and, class by class, there are less of them,” Estevez said. These concerns aside, Estevez acknowledged that efforts by the College of Engineering and the WID to attract more girls to science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields have
been effective. As an example, she pointed to private tutoring offered by the College of Engineering specifically for female and minority students enrolled in STEM classes, which she considers one of the most useful opportunities available to historically underrepresented students in these fields. She added that all students have the same faculties, but lack of support, encouragement and the presence of psychological barriers can often affect different people in different ways. Therefore, she said this kind of tutoring has the potential to be incredibly helpful in closing the achievement gap and increasing retention rates. Perhaps the biggest hurdle facing women, Estevez contended, is balancing priorities. Sometime in their lives women must make decisions about family and choices about their roles at home, she said. Perhaps considering her own varied interests, such as a mission trip she hopes to take in the future, Estevez said it is important for women to find meaningful work they are passionate about. “I think it’s easy to define ourselves by our careers,” she said. “I’m just a biologist, or he’s just an engineer. But we are so much more than just our careers.”
its sleeves cut off, a straw cowboy hat and jeans. The victim reported not knowing the assailant. The case is still under investigation and UWPD encourages anyone with pertinent information about this or any crime to contact 608264-COPS.
Man arrested for taking nude pictures of tanning woman Officers arrested 28-year-old Madison resident Benjamin J. H. Brossard for taking pictures of a nude woman at an East Campus Mall tanning salon at 5 p.m. Oct. 3, according to a Madison Police Department incident report. MPD arrested Brossard Thursday on tentative charges
of representations depicting nudity, according to the report. The 24-year-old woman reported to police a person in a neighboring booth had slipped a phone into the tanning area, according to the report. MPD spokesperson Joel DeSpain wrote in the report the victim said she believed Brossard
used the phone to take pictures of her while she was undressed. Following the initial investigation, police identified the suspect, Brossard, and took him into custody, according to the report. The tanning salon business is being very cooperative with the ongoing investigation, DeSpain wrote in the report.
Dave Stand-up tour entertains Madison Chappelle +ARTS, page 4
THOMAS YONASH/THE DAILY CARDINAL
UW-Madison senior Maria Estevez emphasizes the importance of balancing priorities for women in STEM fields. +SPORTS, page 8
Hip hip, Duje!Badgers Duje Dukan and the return to Kohl Center
“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”