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Oral History Interview, Nicholas Syrett (2564)
No full textIn his 2025 interview with Edwin Thomas, Nicholas Syrett describes his role as the incoming chair of the Gender & Women’s Studies (GWS) Department at UW-Madison. To learn more about this oral history, download & review the index first (or transcript if available). It will help determine which audio file(s) to download & listen to.In his 2025 interview with Edwin Thomas, Nicholas Syrett describes his role as the incoming chair of the Gender & Women’s Studies (GWS) Department at UW-Madison. He discusses his initial interest in the GWS field, citing the influence of his feminist mother and taking GWS courses during his undergraduate studies. He previously worked as an associate dean at the University of Kansas’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences before accepting his new position at UW-Madison. This interview was conducted for inclusion into the GWS @ 50 Oral History Project of the UW-Madison Archives & Records Management oral history collection
Rabies vaccine vehicle optimization for orotopical administration to wild vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus)
No full textRabies vaccination of vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus) has been proposed as a superior control method to culling but has yet to be implemented. Success of rabies vaccination depends on a topical vehicle that spreads through a bat colony via allogrooming while additionally preserving vaccine immunogenicity. This work describes the in vitro and in vivo optimization of a new orotopical gel made with carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) for rabies vaccine delivery to vampire bats.
Physical properties three CMC formulations were compared to petroleum jelly, a commercial ointment, and glycerin jelly at 40 °C, 20 °C, and 0 °C using rheological tests. These tests indicate that CMC exhibits optimal properties for topical application to bats even at extreme temperatures possible during field vaccination.
The in vitro stability of our raccoon poxviral-vectored rabies vaccine candidate within CMC was measured at time points up to 6 months at 40 °C, 23 °C, and 4 °C. CMC preserved vaccine titers after extended storage of CMC at 4 °C and short exposure at higher temperatures of potential vampire bat environments.
Autonomous transferability of our CMC vaccine delivery formulation was tested in three microchipped vampire bat colonies in rural Jalisco, Mexico. Intra-colony gel uptake using the fluorescent biomarkers rhodamine B and rhodamine 110 allowed differentiation of topical spread
by adult females and adult males. In all three colonies, application of topical treatment of ∼15-
20% of the bat colony resulted in estimated uptake by 70-90% of the colony by Bayesian modeling. This study advances our rabies vaccination strategy for vampire bats by providing a topical vehicle suitable for field application that may additionally be employed for other significant bat diseases
Delineation and Spatial Distribution of Lake Superior's Walleye Stocks
No full textUnderstanding spatial genetic variation within and among wild populations is a key factor for informing conservation. In fishes, reductions in abundance often result in losses of genetic diversity that can lead to declines in resiliency. In populations where isolation or reduced abundance have occurred, maintaining connectivity can help offset some of these negative consequences. Lake Superior walleye (Sander vitreus; Ojibwe: Ogaa) are a native fish species with cultural, recreational, and commercial importance that have experienced widespread declines in abundance throughout the last century. In recent decades, numerous efforts to restore walleye via habitat improvement, regulation modifications, and stocking have been attempted with mixed success. My objectives were to inform Lake Superior walleye rehabilitation efforts by 1) identifying factors associated with variation in genetic diversity among spawning aggregations, 2) characterizing genetic structure and assessing if influences from stocking exist, and 3) identifying environmental correlates of genetic connectivity. Despite widespread declines, walleye spawning aggregations in Lake Superior have maintained a high degree of genetic diversity, are spatially structured into distinct patterns of diverged populations, but have been influenced by stocking. While geographic distance is likely the most influential environmental factor on connectivity, other factors such as water temperature, relative shoreline exposure to wind and waves, and water currents may also influence gene flow and connectivity among Lake Superior walleye spawning aggregations. The results provided here may serve as a useful guide for identifying walleye spawning aggregations harboring endemic genetic variation, habitats that influence gene flow, and potential broodstock sources suitable for conserving genetic diversity.
In mixed-stock fisheries, knowledge of stock-specific movement patterns, spatial distribution, and the factors that influence them can inform adaptive management strategies. Understanding proportional contributions of distinct stocks to harvest-oriented mixed fisheries allows for regulation that decreases risks from overfishing vulnerable stocks and shifts harvest toward more sustainable stocks. Genomic techniques such as genetic stock identification and mixed stock analysis (MSA) can be used to delineate genetic fish stocks and determine mixing rates across space and time. In walleye fisheries like Lake Superior where subsistence, recreational, and commercial fishing exist, MSA monitoring may help inform strategies for maintaining and restoring once abundant genetic stocks. Walleye movement and genetic structure in Lake Superior has been studied at local geographic scales, but no lake-wide analysis has been conducted. My objectives were to delineate genetically distinct walleye stocks in Lake Superior and characterize genetic stock-specific movement patterns using MSA. I used a recently developed genotyping-in-thousands by sequencing panel for Great Lakes walleye to develop genetic stock assignment baselines from 32 Lake Superior walleye spawning aggregations and broodstock sources to estimate stock-specific contributions to 68 samples representing over 1300 individuals collected during non-spawning times. Self-assignment testing using leave-one-out cross-validation of spawning aggregations resulted in highly accurate genetic stock delineations for MSA (82.7–100%). My results indicate genetic stock mixing rates were variable by region, with greater mixing rates detected in southwestern and southcentral Lake Superior. Measures of alpha-diversity varied regionally, with higher Shannon diversity indices estimated in northwest Lake Superior, and greater genetic stock richness in the southeast. These results may provide useful insights to guide genetic stock-specific management actions that aim to achieve restoration of walleye throughout Lake Superior
AN ASSESSMENT OF CURTIS PRAIRIE IN 2021: 86 YEARS OF RECONSTRUCTION and CHANGES TO ITS PRAIRE-WETLAND CONTINUUM and THE MOTIVATIONS OF THE VOLUNTEERS WHO COLLABORATED
No full textAs the oldest prairie restoration in the world, Curtis Prairie serves as a benchmark in restoration ecology. Its development provides knowledge and insights to others trying to achieve similar objectives. The 2021 survey is the most recent in the 75-year history of vegetation monitoring of Curtis Prairie which has been surveyed semi-regularly since 1946. This comparative study focuses on the vegetation changes that occurred within the prairie-wetland continuum since the last survey 19 years prior by resampling 1,010 1-m2 plots.
Species presence was recorded, as well as species cover for the first time along a 16.8 m grid system. Shifts along the prairie-wetland continuum were rated by presence of the Curtis indicator species in combination with average wetland indicator status (WIS). Ecological integrity was assessed by the Floristic Quality Index (FQI) and mean coefficient of conservatism. Additionally, the changes in native status, growth form, life span, and invasive status were measured.
Considered a successful restoration – as the ecological integrity of Curtis Prairie is on par with the contemporary remnant prairies of Wisconsin – its integrity has declined. The decline is due to the native plant assemblage of Curtis Prairie becoming less conservative coupled with increasing richness of non-native species. The decline in integrity is offset by a decrease in the frequency (proportion of plots occupied) of non-natives combined with an increased frequency of native species. Overall, diversity is increasing, but average abundance is decreasing. On average plant communities with higher integrity in 2002 declined in species richness.
The 1976 and 2002 surveys reported successful restoration of the prairie based upon continuous frequency increases in native prairie species. This survey reveals dramatic loss of drier prairie species, especially mesic prairie, as 78% of plots shifted towards more hydrophytic communities. Existing wetlands expanded dramatically while a new hydric habitat, emergent marsh, appeared. Characteristic tallgrasses diminished the most with Sorghastrum nutans (Indian grass) contracting 5-fold and
Andropogon gerardi (big bluestem) contracting almost by half, while many prairie forbs also diminished in frequency.
The shift to wetlands was likely caused by the increased average annual precipitation compounded by urbanization. Observed changes echo outcomes recorded in rainfall variability manipulation studies in Konza Prairie. Options for future sampling efforts are discussed. Curtis Prairie is a valuable living experiment documenting the reversal of European anthropogenic disturbance back to an adaptive ecosystem that warrants more attention now and into the future.
Concurrently, nonprofit organizations rely on volunteers to accomplish their conservation goals.
Research has shown that matching volunteer motivations to tasks increases volunteer satisfaction, which in turn increases volunteer retention. Most citizen science literature focuses on contributory volunteers who collect data independently, not teamed with a professional. This study aimed to fill the knowledge gap of collaborative volunteer motivations for conservation. All the volunteers who collected plant monitoring data were interviewed to assess their motivations, connection to nature, backgrounds, and suggestions for improvement. Revealed volunteer motivations aligned with past studies, but the number of categories largely depended upon the philosophical definition of ‘others’
Comorbid development of fatty liver and hyperketonemia and its impacts on performance in periparturient dairy cows
No full textThe transition from late gestation to early lactation in dairy cattle has been characterized as a pivotal point involving many physiological changes and adaptive responses that will determine a cow’s success in the production of her subsequent lactation. At the onset of lactation, there is an increase in energy demand to support lactation that is commonly not supported by sufficient dietary nutrients, as a natural decrease in dry matter intake (DMI) is observed around parturition. This creates an imbalance as the energy demands surpass the energy and nutrients supplied by the diet, resulting in a negative energy balance (NEB). Some key adaptations occurring during this time include alternative metabolism pathways, changes in endocrine status, and immune fluctuations.
More commonly than not, cows will inadequately adapt to an NEB and other challenges faced during the transition to lactation period, causing them to rely more heavily on mobilizing body reserves, especially fatty acids (FA) from adipose tissue. In this case, increased FA mobilization increases the risk of exceeding hepatic capacity for the complete oxidation of FA and subsequently developing lipid-related metabolic disorders, such as fatty liver (FL) and hyperketonemia (HYK). These metabolic disorders independently have negative impacts on the production, overall health, and profitability of dairy cows, with a high incidence of HYK (40 to 60%) and FL (above 50%) in dairy cows in the United States. The nature of these two lipid-related metabolic conditions is physiologically and biochemically related to the NEB challenge during the transition period and usually develop concurrently; however, there is a gap in research knowledge on how comorbid development influences cow performance and success. Therefore, the hypothesis of this thesis was there would be detrimental differences in performance, metabolic status, liver function, and inflammatory status in cows that naturally developed FL with the presence of HYK, when compared to cows that developed FL alone and cows that did not develop either.
In this experiment, the objective was to retrospectively characterize cows into three groups (GRP): 1) NonFL, NonHYK, 2) FL, NonHYK, 3) FL, HYK and to determine the impacts of comorbid development of FL and HYK in multiparous Holstein cows on production and health parameters throughout the transition period. Liver samples were collected via liver biopsy and liver triglycerides (TG) concentrations were quantified by Folch extraction and expressed on a DM basis to diagnose, using previously defined thresholds, if a cow developed FL if their liver TG content was ≥ 13.9% DM or NonFL if their liver TG content was < 13.9% DM. Cows were also diagnosed with HYK by quantifying if a cow had a plasma beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) concentrations ≥ 1.2 mM or NonHYK if their plasma BHB was < 1.2 mM during the first 14 days postpartum. In this study, no differences were detected in milk yield and components between the groups. All cows had similar prepartum baseline liver TG concentrations, while cows under comorbid conditions (FL, HYK) had the greatest accumulation of liver TG during the postpartum period, with peak liver TG content occurring at +14 days relative to calving (DRTC) and experienced inadequate recovery to baseline levels by +56 DRTC, compared to cows without HYK (NonFL, NonHYK and FL, NonHYK). Cows with FL (FL, NonHYK and FL, HYK) tended to have greater concentrations of circulating FA pre- and postpartum and decreased postpartum insulin and glucose concentrations. Additionally, cows with FL, HYK tended to have decreased postpartum DMI and lost more body weight and body condition throughout the transition period. Finally, the FL, HYK group experienced an increase in aspartate aminotransferase: alanine aminotransferase and more fluctuations in inflammatory status, such as a tendency of decreased prepartum serum amyloid A and tended to have increased postpartum lipopolysaccharide-binding protein concentrations.
We concluded that comorbid development of FL and HYK does negatively impact a cow’s metabolic, energy, and inflammatory status throughout the transition period but did not impact production metrics in this study. Although this thesis provides novel insight into the comorbid development of FL and HYK in dairy cattle, we were not able to fully compare the independent development of HYK independent of FL due to a lack of the NonFL, HYK group. Future research is needed to fully understand the etiology and risk factors of these lipid-related metabolic disorders and to possibly be able to predict before the onset occurs and evaluate the economic losses of comorbidity
Student Perceptions of AI Text Generators
No full textPosterWe conducted a research study to explore student perceptions and attitudes regarding the use of generative AI (gen-AI) tools in classes at UW-Superior. Data collected using an anonymous survey revealed that most respondents do not use generative AI to complete coursework, yet 56% of participants use it in their personal life
Subsurface Mapping of Holocaust Execution Sites at the Lighthouse in Liepāj, Latvia
No full textColor poster with text, images, photographs, and maps.During the early stages of the Holocaust in 1941, over 5,470 people were shot by bullets within the city limits of Liepāja, Latvia. Near the Liepāja Lighthouse, a film recorded by Reinhard Wiener captures the scene of active killings while a 1945 Soviet Commissions Map illustrates four execution trenches. The map and film present geographic reference points that suggest trench locations near the Lighthouse. The research aims to build upon prior research to map the continuation of execution trenches. The primary method, ground penetrating radar (GPR), a non-invasive technique that transmits high-frequency electromagnetic pulses into the subsurface. Seven grids were laid out using survey tapes with a 0.25m line spacing and ranging from 4.5-29m in length and 12-33m in width. All seven grids used an antennae frequency of 500MHz with an odometer wheel triggered step size of 0.02m. The data was processed using Sensors and Software pulseEKKO Pro V6 software. Pairs of erosional truncation reflections are interpreted as trench outlines within local subhorizontal semicontinuous coastal aeolian sediments. Two possible trenches extend in grids 1 and 5. The project builds an understanding of how to detect mass burial sites worldwide and help the Liepāja Jewish community identify memorial locations for execution trenches.L.E. Phillips Family Foundation; University of Wisconsin--Eau Claire Office of Research and Sponsored Program
Upending Chevron: The Loper Bright Decision and the Imbalance of Powers in American Government
No full textSenior Honors Thesis, Department of Legal Studies, University of Wisconsin-MadisonThe U.S. Supreme Court’s Loper Bright decision overturned the Chevron doctrine, reshaping administrative law and shifting power between the three federal branches of government. By transferring statutory interpretation authority to the judiciary, the ruling curtailed executive power while expanding judicial influence. This paper examines its impact on all three branches, particularly Congress. Through an extensive law review, I analyze how executive and judicial actions from 2016–2024 dismantled Chevron and undermined Congress’s constitutional powers. My findings suggest that Loper Bright concentrates excessive authority in the judiciary, violating the Constitution and endangering democracy. Simultaneously, through the process by which Loper Bright was overturned, the case demonstrates how President Donald Trump’s administration co-opted the Supreme Court to usurp power away from executive agencies and the U.S. Congress. The ruling reflects a broader power shift, where executive-judicial collaboration weakened congressional authority and disregarded the essential role of bureaucratic agencies, threatening the balance of power essential to effective governance in American democracy
Conferring with Students to Improve Their Reading Comprehension
No full textReading comprehension is important because it is how readers understand and interpret
what they read. Recently, reading conferences have resurfaced as a common instructional
practice in elementary classrooms with the promise to improve reading outcomes. Existing
research primarily emphasizes the teacher’s instructional strategies and student engagement
behaviors rather than the impact on reading comprehension. This study aims to fill that gap by
exploring the effectiveness of weekly reading conferences in improving second-grade students’
comprehension skills. The research question is, how does conferring with second-grade
students on a weekly basis improve their reading comprehension as measured by asking
questions and observations? To answer this question students were given two comprehension
assessments as baseline data, the AimsWeb+ Reading Comprehension assessment and the
CORE Reading Maze assessment. For eight weeks, the researcher met with each student
individually to discuss the text they were reading, ask comprehension questions, and set a goal
for them to work on. At the end of the eight weeks, the students took the AimsWeb+ Reading
Comprehension assessment and the CORE Reading Maze assessment a second time.
According to those two measures, the majority of the students showed a decrease in their
reading comprehension, which focused on their ability to answer questions. However, looking at
anecdotal notes, students found success in their comprehension in their ability to retell and
summarize. This study would be beneficial to educators and administrators looking to evaluate
the effectiveness of current conferring practices and to inform the design of targeted
interventions and professional development
Gateways: How pre-health advisors develop advising philosophies when working with first-generation and Black, Indigenous, and people of color pre-health students. A narrative inquiry and critical event analysis study
No full textDespite efforts to increase racial and ethnic diversity among healthcare providers,
enrollment in health professional school and the United States physician workforce
remains disproportionately White. Historical exclusion of minoritized populations due to
pervasive deficit-based thinking has impacted first-generation (FG) and Black,
Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) students from accessing equitable opportunities
to prepare competitive applications to health professional schools. Pre-health advisors are
uniquely positioned to provide marginalized students with support and information that
can increase a FG or BIPOC student’s persistence through college and into health
professional school. This narrative inquiry and critical event analysis study aimed to
understand how pre-health advisors develop advising philosophies, how they are taught
to advise FG and BIPOC students, and how they feel they advise marginalized students.
The results suggest that despite engaging with largely deficit-based training and
resources, the pre-health advisors in this study developed strengths and asset-based
advising philosophies and provide advising to FG and BIPOC students from an
empowering place with honesty and care. The findings from this study have implications
for advisors supporting FG and BIPOC students in a time when policy in education is
shifting away from Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion practices