Events

Join Author, Sociologist and Professor, Jessica Calarco, as she discusses the inequalities in family life and education.

Other countries have social safety nets. The U.S. has women. Holding It Together chronicles the causes and dire consequences of this arrangement, drawing on surveys, interviews, and historical and media analyses to trace present-day policies back to their roots and reveal a systematic agreement to persuade Americans to accept the precarity of a do-it-yourself society while women bear the brunt. Weaving eye-opening original research with revelatory sociological narrative, Holding It Together is a bold call to demand the institutional change that each of us deserves, and a warning about the perils of living without it.

Join Tom Still, President of the Wisconsin Technology Council as he delves into the evolving presence of AI and Data Centers in our world, and in Wisconsin. Tom Still has worked for the Wisconsin State Journal, with a weekly Inside Wisconsin column, focusing on public policy, business, politics, and trends in technology. He was also a Senior Lecturer for 16 years in the Department of Life Sciences Communication at UW-Madison, where he continues to serve on advisory roles.

Can Do Canines’ mission is to transform lives by creating mutually beneficial partnerships with specially trained dogs.  For more than 37 years, Can Do Canines has provided assistance dogs, free of charge, to people with disabilities and to community centers and hospitals in Minnesota and Wisconsin. In 2026, Can Do Canines will provide its 1000th assistance dog team! Sheila Ross, Development Director of Can Do Canines, will share the inspiring stories of how each Can Do Canines partnership is formed and the impact they are having on every step of their journey. 

Dr. Qiang Chang, Director of the Waisman Center, will present an overview of autism spectrum disorder, including what autism is and what we know about its prevalence locally and nationally. The talk will explore why autism diagnoses have increased over time, address common misconceptions, and highlight the importance of evidence-based research, services, and community supports and suggest how we can work together to better support autistic individuals and their families.

How did a free newspaper founded at the Dangle Lounge manage to become a vital voice in a city of discerning skeptics, winning prestigious awards and earning the loyalty of thousands? Since it first hit the streets in April of 1976, Isthmus has informed and engaged Madison readers with in-depth local news reporting and informed coverage of arts and culture, reported and edited with great care and financed by novel business strategies. Hear about the realities of newspaper publishing in particular and the media industry at large.  Like all journalists working today, Isthmus staff work to serve our audience and connect with sources in new and changing ways. Since its “reboot” as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2021, Isthmus has been led by editor and president Judith Davidoff and publisher Jason Joyce, both veteran Madison journalists.

April 22 marks Earth Day, a global reminder that caring for our planet also means caring for
each other. In this engaging, story-driven talk, Dexter Patterson, author of Birds of the Great
Lakes, shares how the BIPOC Birding Club of Wisconsin is reimagining conservation through
joy, accessibility, and intentional design.

Drawing from real-world experiences and the sense of wonder that birding inspires, he
emphasizes practical ways to create inclusive, welcoming outdoor spaces where more people can
connect with nature and find their own spark.

Participants will leave with practical strategies, a new perspective, and a deeper understanding
that when more people experience joy and belonging in nature, both humans and wildlife benefit.

Have you experienced the wonder of planting a tree and watching it grow from seedling to maturity?

Come meet the guy who wants to give every child this joy…and, in the process, beautify our neighborhoods, remove carbon from the atmosphere, and help instill in the hearts of our little ones a sense of magic, wonder, and love for our planet. What started as a seed in Minneapolis in 2010 has grown into a continent-wide movement ~ one of the largest and fastest growing tree planting initiatives in North America involving youth. Since 2010, Neighborhood Forest has mobilized over 4,500 schools, libraries, and youth groups, engaged over 750,000 volunteers, and given over 450,000 children in all 50 states (plus Canada and Mexico!) the opportunity to plant their very own tree!

Join Vikas Narula, Co-Founder of Neighborhood Forest, for an inspiring session and learn how you can help grow the forest in Madison and beyond!

Barry Burden is the professor of political science and director of the Elections Research Center at UW-Madison. His presentation will look ahead to the upcoming midterm elections across the country, highlighting the factors that political scientists have identified as important predictors of election outcomes as well as unique aspects of the 2026 election cycle.