Red and white graphical illustration featuring the University of Wisconsin-Madison crest with 'WISCONSIN IDEAS' text, depicting various academic and local symbols like a building, trees, a sailboat, and scientific elements.

Tracking Avian Flu: UW Research Is Keeping Milk Safe

A group of people sit on wooden benches in an open-air setting. They face each other in two rows, some holding drinks and others using phones. A rustic barn and green trees are in the background under an overcast sky.

When avian influenza made an unprecedented jump into dairy cattle in 2024, UW–Madison scientists quickly stepped in to study the risks to farmers, consumers, and the dairy industry. Their federally funded research confirmed that pasteurization makes milk safe and offered key insights into how the virus spreads and the implications for public health. Led by virologist Yoshihiro Kawaoka at the Influenza Research Institute, the team’s work has provided policymakers and farmers with crucial information. The research, funded in part by the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, continues as H5N1 remains a concern for Wisconsin farms and communities.

From the article: “The experiments were crucial in demonstrating that pasteurized dairy products are safe, while raw milk and products made from it pose an H5N1 infection risk in people.” – Yoshihiro Kawaoka, UW–Madison

UW for You

10 Ways UW Directly Supports Wisconsin Communities
From dog parks to downtowns, UniverCity Alliance celebrates 10 years of connecting UW–Madison with local governments statewide.

Caring for Wisconsin’s Aging Population
As Wisconsin ages, rural areas face growing care challenges. UW–Madison’s Center for Aging Research and Education trains caregivers, supports healthy aging, and partners with communities to help older adults thrive close to home.

The Cheat Sheet

Cool your cows! ● Combating digital abuse. ● The ocean is no longer too big to watch. ● Listen: Dreams, beer-making, and geocaching. (🎧) ● Mindfulness and CBT reduce chronic pain. ● The best hospital in Wisconsin. ● Water your lawn smarter. (🔒) ● A cure for dry mouth. ● Listen: Larry Meiller talks oceans and space rovers with UW researchers. (🎧) ● UW Summer Snapshot.

Were U Wondering?

What’s up with those bright yellow mushrooms?

Mushrooms emerge from the wood of a tree stump.

Photo by Chris Briggs/Unsplash

A UW–Madison study has traced the rapid spread of golden oyster mushrooms, an invasive species first spotted in Wisconsin in 2014. Popular in kitchens for their nutty flavor, these mushrooms are less welcome in our forests. Their effects on local fungal diversity and the nutrient cycle could have ripple effects for insects, birds, and even carbon emissions.

Researchers are now enlisting citizen scientists to help track the mushrooms’ expansion and uncover why they have thrived here. Read the full story to see what this mushroom’s spread could mean for Wisconsin’s forests.

Can't Stop a Badger

Once a Badger, Always a Badger
UW–Madison alum and Pewaukee native David Koepp is back with Jurassic World: Rebirth, more than two decades after writing the original Jurassic Park screenplay. Koepp fondly recalls his Wisconsin roots and the time he spent studying at UW–Madison.

Career Preparedness
LinkedIn ranked UW–Madison among the nation's top colleges for long-term career success. "UW–Madison students are prepared for a complex and ever-changing workforce," says Tara Milliken, Director of Institutional Career Services Strategy.

Coming Up

Miami (OH) at Wisconsin
Camp Randall Stadium, Madison, WI | Aug. 28 | 8:00 p.m.
The Wisconsin Badgers football team will host the Miami (OH) RedHawks at Camp Randall Stadium for the season opener.

Women's Volleyball Opening Spike Classic
Kohl Center, Madison, WI | Aug. 29 & 31 | 6:30 p.m.
The Wisconsin volleyball team will kick off the 2025 season with the Opening Spike Classic featuring Creighton, Kansas, Texas, and Wisconsin.

Wisconsin Extension: Weed Management Workshop
Arlington Agricultural Research Station, Arlington, WI | Sept. 11 | 8:30 a.m.
A full day of the latest weed management science, technology, and take-home tips.

Badger Talks: Dementia Prevention
UW-La Crosse, 615 East Avenue N., La Crosse, WI | Oct. 8 | 6 p.m.
Alexis Eastman shares evidence-supported strategies on how to modify dementia risk.

More events from UW–Madison

Picture This

A serene lake scene at sunrise with a kayak in the foreground on the left side of the image. The calm water reflects the surrounding forested hills, which are covered in autumn foliage. A light mist hovers over the lake's surface, and the sky is clear with a soft blue hue.

Up North. Lakes and summer cabins. Bad River and Good Water. Walleye, sturgeon, and wolves. To better understand what gives northern Wisconsin its meaning, we turned to historians, ecologists, linguists, and others and asked them to define this place and why it matters. What is Up North Wisconsin?

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