College of Letters & Science
IN FOCUS
January 2020, Vol. 10, No.1
What’s cookin’?
Communication alum Tyler Mader dishes on his cooking show, the restaurant biz, and the taste of memories. Pg. 6.
Geography professor gi
Contents
Things are heating up in Milwaukee.
Feature Stories
Professor researches urban climate change Alum feeds WI on Hunger Task Force Farm Alum teaches Milwaukee to cook Trad to Rad UWM dean honored at Discovery World Professor details Milwaukee’s socialist past Anthropologists examine state’s gaming roots
p.2 p.4 p.6 p.8 p.10 p.12
Columns In the Media Alumni Accomplishments Laurels and Accolades People in Print Published College the
the first
Tuesday
of Letters and
University
Contact
of
of each month by the
Science
at
Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
us at let-sci@uwm.edu or
(414) 229-2923.
L&S Dean: Scott Gronert In Focus Editor: Deanna Alba
p.14 p.15 p.15 p.15
As climate change drives global temperatures higher, heat can cause health problems for multitudes of people, especially in urban environments. Woonsup Choi wondered if it might affect certain people in particular. “I wanted to see whether this heat stress map would be somehow associated with the distribution with the socio-economic categories in Milwaukee,” he said. “In some parts of the city, the temperature may go up a little more than in other parts, Woonsup Choi depending on how dense the (population or buildings) are, how much vegetation is out there, or if there are parks nearby.” Choi is an associate professor of geography at UWM. His main research focuses on how climate change influences water storage and flow, but his recent side project sought to determine if lower-income areas of urban environments are more susceptible to heat stress due to hotter nighttime temperatures than more affluent neighborhoods. “Maybe (rising temperatures) may not be a big deal to those who live in a nice house that is well air-conditioned,” he reasoned. “But if people live in a building that is not well-ventilated or air-conditioned, then heat stress could be very dangerous.” The mercury’s rising Choi focused on Milwaukee and Minneapolis as mid-sized Midwestern cities. He collected temperature data from each area from a repository of climate model outputs dating back to 1950 and forth over the next 80 years. He focused on extreme events – those nights where
Find us at UWMLetSci
2 • IN FOCUS • January, 2020
ives his ‘hot take’ on warm nights to come temperatures fell into the top 5 percent of the hottest temperatures recorded that year. This type of data is “coarse,” as Choi describes it. The climate modeling breaks the surface of the earth into large, grid-like pixels, with each pixel covering several counties in Wisconsin. To obtain refined data for the cities, Choi borrowed a technological fix from researchers at the University of Idaho, who were able to reduce the size of the pixels down to mere kilometers. Then he began to look at how frequently each area experienced extreme temperatures – historically, and what the model predicted for the future. Scientists need to think about the data statistically, he added. The model can’t predict which nights in the future will see extreme heat, but it can calculate how many nights might experience hot temperatures within a 10-year period. “The number of days that have a hot night is going to increase a lot in a 10 year period. Right now, it is close to 0 – just a few days, when aggregated in 10 years,” Choi said. “But in the future period, there will be, say, five or six days per decade. It’s likely to occur a lot more frequently.” The city heat sink Not only will there be more hot nights, but some areas of the city will get warmer than others. Choi’s data shows that the city center will tend to experience higher temperatures than the outskirts or the suburbs, especially in Minneapolis. In fact, cities in general usually experience hotter nighttime temperatures than rural areas. “Urban heat islands” are a product of the concrete and pavement used to build them, as well as significant artificial heat from human activities. “During daytime, the sun is sending energy to the ground. The ground will reflect some of the incoming energy, and also absorb some of the incoming energy,” Choi said. “Different materials have different fractions between absorption and reflection. Urban and rural areas have
quite different material – whether pavement, vegetation, or bare ground. With pavement, a lot of energy is absorbed by the ground.” At night, that heat energy slowly seeps back out. Because pavement and asphalt absorb more heat than dirt, cities release more heat at nighttime than rural areas, contributing to greater nighttime temperatures. A socioeconomic factor? Though residents of poorer neighborhoods are often at greater risk for health hazards than more affluent areas, Choi found that’s not the case when it comes to heat stress. “I could not find a strong link to socioeconomics as much as I expected,” Choi said. The data shows that residents of Milwaukee and Minneapolis currently experience roughly the same nighttime temperatures, no matter their location or income status. Choi warns that there might well be a disparity in the future, however. And there are limitations to his findings. Historical temperature data doesn’t include humidity levels, and increased humidity can exacerbate heat stress among urban residents. But there might be ways to combat those coming hot nights – a “hot” topic, especially as Milwaukee readies to host the 2020 Democratic National Convention and Democratic candidates make climate change a central part of their platform. Choi said the simplest solution is to make the city greener – literally. “One way to reduce the impact could be planting more trees in neighborhoods that do not have large parks,” he said. “Trees and vegetation generally absorb water from the soil and release it into the atmosphere. It’s called transpiration and (like evaporation), it has a cooling effect. That’s the low-hanging fruit, I believe.” Until then, we’re all in the hot seat together. By Sarah Vickery, College of Letters & Science
College of Letters & Science • UW–Milwaukee • 3
Down on The Farm
Conservation alum
Sarah Wisniewski has a lot of mouths to help feed – about 50,000 in any given month. In her office is a map of all of her fields with notations written in dry-erase marker: This field will grow green beans; this one is for cabbage; zucchinis will be here. It’s the middle of winter, but she’s already planning ahead for spring planting. Southeastern Wisconsin is counting on her to deliver a healthy crop. Wisniewski is the produce manger of the Hunger Task Force’s farm in Franklin, Wisconsin. The Hunger Task Force is a nonprofit that collects and organizes food donations to supply shelters, soup kitchens, senior centers, and food pantries with groceries for people experiencing food insecurity. About 10 percent of the food they distribute to 183 program sites includes fresh produce from The Farm. That produce is crucial.
conservation and environmental science when she began attending UWM. Initially, she thought she was interested in river restoration. “But then I started volunteering at a local farm and I was hooked. That was it,” Wisniewski said. She began volunteering with some of her friends at Growing Power, a nonprofit that, at the time, ran an urban farm in Milwaukee. She graduated from UWM in 2010 and rose in the ranks at Growing Power before starting her own mushroom farm, Sugar Bee Farm, in 2013. But the long hours on the farm began taking a toll, so Wisniewski decided to make a career switch to find more balance. A friend told her about a farming position with the Hunger Task Force. She started as an intern and rose through those ranks too, eventually ending in her current position as a farm manager.
“To help with malnutrition and hunger, the most important thing is access to healthy food,” Wisniewski said.
Now, she’s responsible for cultivating 75 acres’ worth of food production each year.
Families struggling with food insecurity frequently rely on inexpensive, processed meals like pasta, which have little nutritional value. Fresh fruits and vegetables add vitamins back into their diet.
“Right now, we’re crop-planning,” Wisniewski said. “I put together an average of our (previous years’) yields and project what we’re going to yield next season. … I figure out when we’re going to be planting or when we’re going to be weeding or when we’re going to be harvesting.”
Though she’s a pro at produce these days, Wisniewski had no background in farming growing up. Instead, she and her family were outdoors-y types, passionate about fishing, hiking and camping. That inspired Wisniewski to pursue a major in
The Farm, run by The Hunger Task Force, includes 75 acres of land for farming, including 12 acres of orchards like the one shown here. Photo by Sarah Vickery.
4 • IN FOCUS • January, 2020
The Farm has numerous fields, 12 acres’ worth of fruit orchards, an enormous greenhouse, hoop houses, and even a fish hatchery on the premise. Come growing season, she’ll be marshalling an army of about 5,000 volunteers to help her in each area. Like any farm, the work is labor-intensive and extensive.
m works to feed Wisconsin’s hungry Last year, for example, Wisniewski and her volunteers planted more than 400,000 seedlings. But just because it’s winter doesn’t mean there’s not food growing. Wisniewski has rows of kale and spinach in a hoop house, and she and the other farm employees just finished washing dozens of winter squashes slated to be bussed to food pantries the next day – the quicker, the better.
indoor classroom where they’ll learn to make healthy, affordable meals with the foods they’ve grown. “One of their favorite recipes is the ‘Green and Gold Mac’n’Cheese.’ It’s mac’n’cheese with broccoli. They like the kale chips too,” Wisniewski said. “We give them a recipe book every time they come out to The Farm.”
Like any growing operation, The Sarah Wisiewski, the produce manager of The Farm, the agricultural arm of The Hunger Task Force, checks a row of kale growing Farm has its in a hoop house in December. Photo by Sarah Vickery. nutrient-rich when difficulties. Bad it’s within the first 24 weather is always hours of harvest,” she explained. stressful, because any crop loss means that the Hunger Task Force has less food to feed families in need. But But Wisniewski’s job goes beyond farming; she’s also Wisniewski says that whatever the weather, she comes to an educator. Each year, the Hunger Task Force works work with a smile. with Milwaukee Public Schools to teach students about nutrition and healthy eating. They literally get their hands “I feel fortunate to be able to help people doing something dirty – Wisniewski proudly shows off the raised beds that I love.” where kids will grow their own crops, and then shows the By Sarah Vickery, College of Letters & Science “Food is the most
College of Letters & Science • UW–Milwaukee • 5
Cooking up a storm
Alum’s “Trad to Rad” sh Tyler Mader remembers the taste of his mom’s grilled cheese sandwiches. “It’s something that’s very special to me. My parents divorced when I was very young. The memories I had were my mom, my brother and I, sitting down by the fireplace, and we would have grilled cheese and tomato soup every Sunday,” he recalled. So, he recreated the dish, with a twist – a sandwich called “10,000 Leagues Under the Cheese” that he shared with all of Milwaukee on TMJ4’s “The Morning Blend.”
industry. Then, when it came time to further his education, he jumped from the Midwest to Napa Valley in California to attend the Culinary Institute of America. The school serves chefs and restauranteurs, who can take classes in everything from European wines to plating desserts to making soups to restaurant operations and layout. Mader dove in, relishing the opportunity to not only hone his industry skills but to experience Napa Valley’s world-class dining.
Mader is the host of “Trad to Rad with Tyler Mader,” a mini-cooking show segment that travels the country, having appeared on stations from New York to Florida to Wisconsin. The concept is simple: Mader takes traditional favorites – like grilled cheese, ribs, bratwurst, and mousse – and adds a radical twist to punch up the dish. “You can probably think back to one meal right now, and you can picture who was there. You can smell the food and the environment,” he said. “That’s what the ‘traditional’ part of Trad to Rad is all about. It’s about sharing those memories that you had as a child and tweaking them to fit today’s active lifestyle.” Food has always been an important part of Mader’s life. If you don’t know him from his television appearances, you might know his family name: He’s part of the Mader family of Mader’s Restaurant fame. The establishment has been serving German cuisine in Milwaukee for over 100 years. Mader spent his childhood inside the family business, but he spent his college years at UW-Milwaukee. He transferred to the university after a year at Carthage College, looking for a bigger school and more opportunities to study another love of his: Communication. He relished public speaking and especially enjoyed his classes with Nancy Burrell, now a professor emerita. After graduating in 1996, Mader did a stint at Westmoor Country Club in Brookfield, Wisconsin, working with a family friend to gain more experience in the restaurant 6 • IN FOCUS • January, 2020
Tyler Mader, the host of “Trad to Rad,” adds broth to a sauce pot during a live cooking segment on TMJ4 segment on Channel TMJ4’s “Morning Blend” show. Photo courtesy of Tyler Mader.
m
how displays his culinary talents One of those Napa Valley restaurants was Tra Vigne, coowned by celebrity chef Michael Chiarello, who had his own show on PBS and appeared on The Food Network. After completing years’ worth of courses at the Culinary Institute of America, Mader signed on as a manager at Chiarello’s restaurant, where he learned about the heart of fine dining. “I absolutely fell in love with what I call ‘The Experience,’ which is very difficult to find in the restaurant industry.
It consists of so much more than just the food,” he said. “It’s the direct eye contact and shaking someone’s hand when they walk through the door. It is the way you walk them to the table. It’s the etiquette of pulling out the chair and addressing everybody once they’ve been seated with menus. It’s the timing between dishes. “It’s those details that are so significant to the overall experience, that I learned by being a part of running a restaurant in one of the premier locations in the world.” He took that knowledge with him back to Milwaukee in 1999 when he returned to Mader’s Restaurant. Mader worked to revamp the menu by adding wine and beer pairings, and trained staff to deliver “The Experience” to guests, among other changes. But, Mader acknowledges, working with family can be tricky. His uncle, who owns the restaurant, disagreed with some of the changes. Mader soon parted ways and joined the Bartolotta Restaurant group to run one of their properties instead. Even though he loved his job, the restaurant industry runs on a late schedule with long hours. Feeling burned out and wanting to spend time with his family, Mader eventually moved to Georgia and took a job in health care sales. But something was missing. “I’ll never forget sitting at my desk, looking out the window, thinking, what can I do? I love people; I love food; I love sharing and creating an experience,” Mader said. “I thought, you know what? I’m going to try and create a brand and come up with something where I can showcase my experience and my talents.” And so “Trad to Rad” was born. Mader met with a Wisconsin-based public relations company and worked to build the concept of the show. He pitched the idea to the TMJ4 producers, who agreed to give him a trial run on The Morning Blend. If he was successful, they said, they would invite him back. Continued on page 8
4. Mader is a restaurant industry professional and a television personality who regularly hosts a cooking College of Letters & Science • UW–Milwaukee • 7
Discovery World’s ‘He The dean of UWM’s Graduate School and physics professor Marija Gajdardziska-Josifovska was selected to be featured in Discovery World’s “Heroes of Science” gallery. “Heroes of Science” is a temporary 3D gallery experience produced in the recently remodeled mezzanine level of Discovery World’s Technology Building.
Tyler Mader cooks in the kitchen with his children. Mader believes that good meals create warm memories of those you shared it with. Photo courtesy of Tyler Mader.
Trad to Rad He made his Radical Root Beer Ribs. He got invited back. Mader’s been doing Trad to Rad ever since. The show combines his culinary expertise and his UWM degree. “To be able to interact with people, to be on camera, and to be able to share some of my background experiences since I was growing up, and my love for food and cooking, is the absolute perfect marriage (of my education) and I’ve never been so passionate and excited about something in my life,” Mader said. That’s not to say there aren’t challenges. Putting together a two-and-a-half-minute segment takes two to three weeks of preparation. Mader has to lay out his ingredients and memorize their order, then cook a dish, show off a finished product, and entertain the audience with a story all at the same time. It’s nerve-wracking, but he’s delighted that his show has helped making cooking more accessible to Milwaukeeans. For everything else nervewracking in his life, Mader turns to his faith - “It’s a very important part of my life,” he said. “It will be part of every decision I make moving forward and it’s something that has provided incredible stability for me.” Come Jan. 8, Mader is embarking on a new project. The first episode of “Mader’s Menu” airs as a monthly feature where he reviews a Milwaukee restaurant. “But it’s not just about food,” he warned. “It’s about delivering the experience that people don’t realize is critical to a memorable meal.” Whether that meal is a five-star dish or a grilled cheese sandwich by the fire, Mader is sure it will deliver memories that make us smile. By Sarah Vickery, College of Letters & Science 8 • IN FOCUS • January, 2020
A selection of 37 posters features the unsung heroes of science, engineering, astronautics and research. Two of the posters feature Milwaukee scientists, including Gajdardziska-Josifovska. Guests wear 3D glasses to tour the interactive gallery and uncover hidden messages. “We wanted to highlight a few extraordinary people who have done some incredible science and have changed the world in some way,” said Ryan Kresse, Discovery World’s senior exhibit content strategist. “This experience tells the surprising stories of interesting people who did or are doing remarkable work.” Gajdardziska-Josifovska was selected for her research on the behavior of nanomaterials used for sustainable energy and environmental applications. She and another UWM physics professor, Carol Hirschmugl, developed a material not found in nature called graphene monoxide, which is used as an electrode in the lithium-ion batteries that are found in electric cars and consumer technologies. Gajdardziska-Josifovska and Hirschmugl founded a startup company, SafeLi LLC, to commercialize the material and sell battery components that improve battery life and storage in electronic and wireless power devices. ‘It’s an honor’ As the founder and director of the Laboratory for High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy in UWM’s physics department, Gajdardziska-Josifovska is pictured in the gallery with her Hitachi microscope and statements about what fascinates her about physics and microscopy. “It’s an honor,” Gajdardziska-Josifovska said in response to her selection. “I think it’s a huge privilege to work on a question that nobody in the whole world knows the answer to, and it still gives me goosebumps.” Gajdardziska-Josifovska joined UWM’s physics department in 1993 as its first female faculty member and is the first woman to hold the position as the university’s graduate school dean. “In physics, the science we work on is genderless,” Gajdardziska-Josifovska said. “I was lucky to grow up in a place where nobody told me that physics was just for boys.”
eroes of Science’ gallery features UWM dean
UWM physics professor Marija Gajdardziska-Josifovska is among 37 “Heroes of Science” featured at Discovery World. The 3D gallery experience was created by Ryan Kresse, the museum’s senior exhibit content strategist. (UWM Photo/Allison Beebe)
Scientists can be anybody
Among the greats
She is one of two UWM recipients to win the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers in 1995, which is awarded by the U.S. government to professionals in early stages of their research.
The gallery features other scientists such as Deborah Jin, who invented the first fermionic condensate; James Edward West, who created the type of microphone used in smartphones and speakers; Emmy Noether, who contributed to mathematical breakthroughs in quantum mechanics; and Walter Lincoln Hawkins, who developed a durable plastic additive.
“Gajdardziska-Josifovska is probably the most successful scientist I’ve ever had the chance to talk with,” Kresse said. “She’s completely wonderful, and the technologies that she and her team are developing around graphene monoxide are fascinating.” “Heroes of Science” highlights the idea that scientists can be anybody. By humanizing people behind the research, the experience encourages curiosity, drive, determination, intelligence, and interest community-wide, Kresse said. Gajdardziska-Josifovska pondered the question of what a scientist looks like to her. “I’ve always felt that scientists are portrayed by the media in the most erroneous way,” she said. “We’re either Dr. Goofball or Dr. Evil and nobody in between. I think a scientist is someone who gets excited when there is no answer to a question yet rather than being scared or disappointed.”
Coinciding with Discovery World’s Girls & STEM event, the “Heroes of Science” experience promotes the idea that everyone is a “science person” with an intricate, curious brain that works to make sense of the complex and dynamic planet and universe, Kresse said. “When you do science, you end up playing like a kid who is learning about the world and asking questions,” Gajdardziska-Josifovska said. “Being published in journals everywhere on the planet is almost like a form of immortality because what you discover about how the world and how nature works will stay there.” By Alison Beebe, University Relations
College of Letters & Science • UW–Milwaukee • 9
As DNC 2020 nears, a look back at Milwauk The Democratic National Convention is coming to a city once known for its prominent ties to socialism. Milwaukee was home of Rep. Victor Berger, who in 1910 became the first member of Congress elected on the Socialist Party ticket. The city had three Socialist Party mayors in the 20th century, starting with Emil Seidel, who served as mayor from 1910-1912 and was the first Socialist to govern a major American city. Daniel Hoan had a 24-year tenure as mayor ending in 1940, winning 10 straight citywide elections as a Socialist before joining the Democratic Party in 1941. The socialist influence in Milwaukee politics has disappeared, its sway eroding after the last of the Socialist Party mayors, Frank Zeidler, left office in 1960 after 12 years. But the arrival of the Democratic convention in July, along with the political philosophy of presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, presents a fresh opportunity to look back at the historical connections to socialism. There are some parallels between the ideas and thinking of Milwaukee socialists from the early to mid20th century with the democratic socialism that Sanders says he supports, said Joel Rast, an associate professor of political science at UWM and director of urban studies. Sewer socialism Socialism in Milwaukee drew the nickname “sewer socialism” because it focused on infrastructure projects. Rast described it as the idea that government’s role was to supply infrastructure that helped not just people, but also businesses, to be able to perform better.
10 • IN FOCUS • January, 2020
There are some parallels between the ideas of Milwaukee socialists from the mid-1900s and the democratic socialism that presidential candida science at UWM. (UWM Photo/Troye Fox)
“And so they put a big emphasis on building things like streets and bridges. The kinds of things that businesses need to do well,” Rast said. “These are things that most people are not going to have a big problem with – better infrastructure.”
care proposals as an example. “So why shouldn’t government step in? Maybe government can do that better.”
There was an emphasis on addressing market failures and recognizing government as a force to address shortcomings, Rast said.
For instance, Zeidler saw public housing as a big priority not just to help the poor but also working-class people. The view stemmed from a housing shortage after World War II similar to those that other cities experienced around the country.
“There has been a tendency, even among some Democrats (today) to minimize the role that government can play as a positive force in society, to talk about how we can streamline government,” Rast said. Sanders’ philosophy Conversely, Sanders has spoken out about government needing to play a stronger role in areas like health care. “The private sector is not supplying it in a way that’s efficient or cost effective,” Rast said in using Sanders’ health
Sewer socialists would say the same thing, Rast said.
“So what Zeidler thought was let’s build public housing, because the private market is not supplying enough housing,” Rast said. “So it’s this notion of government being this legitimate force in society to step in where the market fails and do the job in place of the private sector,” Rast said. “It’s very similar to what Bernie Sanders is arguing.” Influence fades
kee’s socialism
Join us in January for Science Bag!
ate Bernie Sanders supports, says Joel Rast, an associate professor of political
The latter years of Zeidler’s tenure as mayor, which took place as the Cold War escalated, were marked by attacks that he was a Communist sympathizer. “The Cold War came along and made socialism a dirty word,” Rast said. “No liberal Democrat, or even somebody who was sympathetic to what socialists were doing, was probably going to label himself as a socialist.”
Gluten, Glucose, and Glyphosate: The Chemistry of Bread What transforms four very humble ingredients — flour, water, yeast, and salt — into one of our favorite foods? In this edition of the Science Bag, discover what gives bread its texture, structure and flavor. We explore what happens during baking and also look at the “dark” side – how chemical contaminants like glyphosate (in the weed killer Roundup) can find its way into our bread and negatively impact our health. January’s Science Bag show is presented by associate professor of chemistry Nick Silvaggi.
Today, socialist influence on local politics is minimal, Rast said. Milwaukee is a Democratic stronghold. Parts of downtown and the East Side are thriving with new construction, though poverty and segregation remain problems.
Science Bag is a free, family-friendly presentation that reveals the fun in science! The show is held in the Physics Building, Room 137.
“I would say the socialist kind of thinking would be that ‘We have to lift those people up somehow. The market is failing these people in Milwaukee. What can we do to redirect resources to benefit those parts of the city more,’” Rast said. “We’re just not seeing that now.”
Jan. 12 at 2 p.m.
By Genaro C. Adams, University Relations
Dates: Jan. 10 at 7 p.m. Jan. 17 at 7 p.m. Jan. 24 at 7 p.m. Jan. 31 at 7 p.m.
College of Letters & Science • UW–Milwaukee • 11
It’s all fun and game Wisconsin’s roots run deep when it comes to ways to play. Many taverns have a version of bar dice. Strikes are still being rolled on Milwaukee’s South Side at the Holler House, the country’s oldest sanctioned bowling alley. The region is the birthplace of Dungeons & Dragons, which appears to be as popular as ever around the world nearly five decades after a Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, man — in collaboration with others in the Midwest — created the fantasy, role-playing game. Those ties helped make southeastern Wisconsin an epicenter for tabletop roleplaying games, according to UWM anthropology professor Thomas Malaby. So what’s with all the fun and games around here? Malaby’s doctoral student, Laya Liebeseller, is so intrigued by this question that it’s the topic of her research. “It’s so interesting to me how Milwaukeeans in general use games, festivals and playful behavior to bring people together and create community here,” said Liebeseller, who is from Iowa. Whether it’s rolling a bowling ball or a 20-sided die, such games serve as a lure to bring people together and create friendships. Or it could also be that there’s something about the culture in southeastern Wisconsin that lends itself to folks being drawn to creating and congregating over games. Maybe it’s a little of both. “So that is part of what I’m trying to figure out,” Liebeseller said. Also a game designer, Liebeseller plans to study community gaming spaces, like bars that cater to video or board gamers, as well as the history of how games have shaped social interactions.
12 • IN FOCUS • January, 2020
UWM doctoral student Laya Liebeseller is studying why southeastern Wisconsin is such a hotspot for gaming. (UWM Photo/Troye Fox)
Big business This isn’t just child’s play. The Entertainment Software Association said in January that the U.S. video game industry generated a record $43.4 billion in revenue in 2018, up 18% from the previous year, and that about 150 million Americans play video games. Malaby is part of a group of UWM faculty and students called Serious Play, which is using its own Twitch channel to explore the academic aside of video games. They break down game theory and serve as a venue for gaming scholars to conduct research. An estimate by the website ICv2, which follows the “hobby game” industry, estimated that there were nearly $1.5
es
Here in ‘Nerdwaukee,’ people love to play “I would add too that I think we’re in a moment right now where there’s a bit of techno-skepticism going on,” Malaby said. “We’re stepping back a bit on screens and the Internet.” “There’s an interest in what’s local, just like there’s an interest in local food and local experiences that invite people to say, ‘Hey what about the face to face? What about us not looking at our phones?’” Malaby added. “What about doing something together playing a game?” Region is a hotspot Milwaukee is fertile ground. Liebeseller said there about nine independent game stores in the area, as well as the local chain Board Game Barrister. It’s a lot for a metropolitan area with about 1.6 million residents.
We’re living in a golden age of board gaming, says UWM anthropology professor Thomas Malaby, with some gamers stepping back from the online and high-tech games. (UWM Photo/Troye Fox)
billion in sales in the United States and Canada in 2018, down 3% from the previous year. Hobby games include board, role-playing and dice games. It was the first decline since the site started keeping estimates in 2013, though sales were still more than double what they were that first year. Sales of board and role-playing games, specifically, had the biggest increases over the past year. A golden age of board gaming Malaby describes this time as a “golden age” for board gaming with so many diverse and interesting titles on the market. He suspects that some of that popularity may be due to how information and reviews about games can be easily shared on social media and the Internet.
The Oak & Shield Gaming Pub boasts on its website that it brings people together with “food, games and geek culture.” Other taverns or gathering spots that appeal to gamers have also sprouted in the area in recent years – and that’s not including more common activities like bowling leagues, bar dice or card games like euchre or sheepshead. Games are played in public, no longer confined to basements or family rooms. It’s earned the city the nickname “Nerdwaukee.” “That is definitely a term that gamers use for themselves and is used fondly,” Liebeseller said. “‘Nerd’ as a word has kind of become re-appropriated by the nerd community as a mark of pride.” By Genaro C. Adams, University Relations
College of Letters & Science • UW–Milwaukee • 13
In the Media and Around the Community Producing microgreens, honey, maple syrup, and other crops, Jennifer Gordon (’17, BS Conservation and Environmental Science) and her partner, John McConville, are successful local farmers. They were profiled in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. https://bit.ly/340lHVG
Women need to know how hormonal birth control can affect their brains and mental health, Sarah Hill (’00, BA Anthropology) said on Wisconsin Public Radio. https://bit.ly/35XvE7K
A Milwaukee Bucks player recorded a video using the app Cameo, unaware that the message he had been asked to deliver was negative toward police. Michael Mirer (Journalism, Advertising, and Media Studies) told TMJ4 that the app can connect people with celebrities, but can cause issues such as these. https://bit.ly/2OIAfVA
President Trump’s demeanor and public behavior may lose him votes from American women, Kathy Dolan (Political Science) said in U.S. News and World Report. (https://bit.ly/36SqJFJ) She was also quoted in a City Journal article (https://bit. ly/2PYLDMp) and a New York Post article (https://bit.ly/2QKRxB7) about women’s tendency to vote for the Democratic party, rather than for female candidates. Roll for initiative: Thomas Malaby (Anthropology) discussed the table-top role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons – and its Wisconsin ties – on WUWM’s Lake Effect. https://bit.ly/2YD0csY UWM’s chief sustainability officer Kate Nelson (’07, BA Conservation and Environmental Science) shifted to biking to work. A nonprofit proposing to lay new bike trails in southeastern Wisconsin hopes others will follow her lead, Wisconsin Public Radio reported. https://bit.ly/36a8Sth
14 • IN FOCUS • January, 2020
UWM’s Cultures and Communities program has been facilitating community engagement in Milwaukee for 17 years, Rachel Buff (History and Cultures & Communities) told Wisconsin Muslim Journal. The Journal highlighted the program’s involvement in a Somali Pop-Up Dinner hosted by Tables Across Borders in December. https://bit.ly/2LBSWsb The Thanksgiving holiday comes packed with tradition and history, but that history can be fraught for Native Americans. Margaret Noodin (English) and students Austin Schuh (English) and Lacey Meyer (Conservation and Environmental Science) explained their views in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. (https://bit.ly/2rPwPHx) Noodin was also featured on CBS 58 News for her class on Annishinaabemowin, an endangered American Indian language (https://bit.ly/34wVAWv) and offered her opinion in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel about a business allowing people to rent teepees. (https://bit.ly/2SwdIO0) Finally, WUWM re-aired a segment of its show “Bubbler Talk” in which Noodin discussed the meanings of several names of locations in the Milwaukee area, like “Oconomowoc,” “Nagawicka,” and “Okauchee.” (https://bit.ly/2STptOO) Thomas Holbrook (Political Science) discussed how impeachment and the USMCA trade agreement have impacted the Trump administration with Sinclair Broadcasting Group. https://bit.ly/34AmZXV Iran will likely retaliate against the United States after one of their top military officials was assassinated in a drone strike, but it probably won’t be on U.S. soil, Shale Horowitz (Political Science) told Fox 6 News. https://bit.ly/2FnRwxT
Olena Jennings (’00, BA French and Russian) was profiled in the Long Island City Journal. Jennings is a poet who also translates poetic works in English. She is the founder of Poets of Queens, a group promoting local writers, and will publish a book of the members’ works this year. https://bit.ly/2ZS1cdf
Alumni Accomplishments Marcus White (’03, MS Urban Studies) was named president of the Conferences that Inspire Solutions conference center. White will oversee programming, partnerships, and business operations for the Racine, Wisconsin-based organization. White was previously the vice president of Civic Engagement with the Greater Milwaukee Foundation. https://bit.ly/34mhgoi Amy Sings in the Timbers (’00, BA Anthropology) was named the executive director of the Montana Innocence Project, an organization that works to exonerate wrongfully-incarcerated people. She previously worked for the Montana Justice Foundation. https://bit.ly/39KdbhR
https://bit.ly/2ST3tDD
Amy Sings in the Timbers
Bryce Stevenson (’17, BA English) has brought a different sort of cuisine to fine-dining: He started his new job as the chef de cuisine at the Hotel Fauchère in Milford, Penn., with a seven-course meal featuring traditional Ojibwe dishes. His tasting, held Jan. 3, was an immersive cultural experience featuring native songs, poetry, and discussion. https://bit.ly/37xCsJS
Laurels and Accolades PhD student Ae Hee Lee (English) was awarded the Thomas Lux Scholarship by the Palm Beach Poetry Festival. The award recognizes a “poet of promise” and provides covers full tuition for the annual Palm Beach Poetry Festival. https://bit.ly/2ONYL7X
Monica Parchia Price (’90, BA Journalism, Advertising, and Media Studies) was profiled in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel for her leadership of the Mt. Zion Assembly Healing Temple, a Pentecostal Church. Price is a suffragan bishop who represents the entire state of Wisconsin at the Minnesota, Wisconsin Dakotas District Council, which is part of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World.
Ae Hee Lee
Kathy Dolan (Political Science) won the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Holiday Cookie Contest this year with her Tiramisu Alfajores cookies. Dolan was profiled in the newspaper in an article that includes a video of her demonstrating her baking process. https://bit.ly/38ql7nM
Monica Parchia Price
Layne Cozzolino (’04, BA Communication) received the award for “Innovative Local Sourcing” at the sixth annual Feast Local Foods Marketplace in Rochester, Minn. Cozzolino is the cofounder of Siren Shrubs, a beverage company that produces flavorful concentrates made from shrubs. The company sources its ingredients from Wisconsin farmers. https://bit.ly/2ZQhROx
Mike McKinney (’09, Masters of Public Administration and Urban Planning) was named the Village of Yorkville’s first-ever administrator/clerk. McKinney steps up to the position after serving as Yorkville, Wisconsin’s clerktreasurer for seven years. https://bit.ly/38gxYbI
People in Print Sonia Khatchadourian (English). 2019. “The Blues in Milwaukee.” In Milwaukee Rock and Roll, 1950-2000: A Reflective History (eds. Bruce Cole, David Luhrssen, and Phillip Naylor). Milwaukee: Marquette University Press (127-141). https://bit.ly/2uflMIQ
College of Letters & Science • UW–Milwaukee • 15
Congratulations, graduates! On December 15, 2019, UWM conferred degrees on a new batch of graduates, including hundreds of students from the College of Letters & Science. We are so proud of all of our new alumni and we wish each and every one success in their next steps in life! One of the students recognized at graduation was Kimberly Stuart. After retiring from the military with full disability, Stuart lost her sense of purpose. But her volunteer efforts with military nonprofits led her to UWM’s Nonprofit Management and Leadership graduate program, and that made all the difference. “It not only changed my life, it literally saved my life,” she said. She’s now chairman and CEO of Veterans for Diversity, a group that provides services to improve the mental, physical and emotional health for LGBTQ+ veterans. It’s Wisconsin’s only organization focusing on LGBTQ+ veterans and service members. Click the video above to watch the full 2019 December Commencement.
