This annual lecture honors the life’s work of Robert J. Lampman, a professor of economics at UW–Madison for over 30 years and IRP’s founder and guiding spirit. The lecture features eminent poverty scholars discussing their research on the topics to which Lampman devoted his intellectual career: poverty, the distribution of income and wealth, and related public policy. The lecture is held on the UW-Madison campus and is open to the public. Videos and transcripts of past lectures, as well as the opportunity to donate to the Robert J. Lampman Memorial Fund are available on this website.
Research events
2026 Organoids in Action: Modeling human health and disease Symposium – April 14
Location: Biotechnology Center building, 425 Henry Mall
This will be a dynamic exchange of ideas, cutting-edge technologies, and transformative applications shaping the next era of biotechnology research.
The symposium features speakers such as keynote Dr. David Beebe, a pioneer of microengineered organoid systems, Dr. Sri Kidambi, the Director of NIH’s Standardized Organoid Modeling Initiative, and many other leaders in organoid research.
Wisconsin Stem Cell Symposium – April 15
Join us for the 20th annual Wisconsin Stem Cell Symposium. Coordinated by the UW–Madison Stem Cell & Regenerative Medicine Center and the BTC Institute, this year’s event brings together leading researchers studying how stem and immune cells communicate during regeneration, using powerful experimental and translational models.
Location: BTC Institute, Promega Corporation, Fitchburg, WI
2026 Robert J. Lampman Memorial Lecture – 4 to 6 p.m. April 16 (hosted by the Institute for Research on Poverty)
Location: Varsity Hall Ill (2nd Floor), Union South
Event is Free.
The Skill Divide in the Gig Economy
Katharine G. Abraham
Distinguished University Professor of Economics
University of Maryland
Growing numbers of U.S. workers are employed as independent contractors rather than wage-and-salary employees. A sizable share of the workforce pieces together multiple streams of income rather than relying on earnings from a single job. For some, these arrangements offer real benefits and are personally satisfying. For others, however, the picture is bleaker. The lecture will present new evidence on the skill divide in today’s gig economy and consider its implications for workers and public policy.
Eloquence & Eminence Emeritus Faculty Lecture Series: The Economic and Social Status of the Elderly: Beware of the Mean — 2 p.m. April 15
By Timothy M. (Tim) Smeeding, Ph.D.
Lee Rainwater Distinguished Professor of Public Affairs and Economics, Hilldale Professor Emeritus, La Follette School of Public Affairs, UW–Madison
The goal of this lecture is to convey an important piece of advice. Never begin a sentence with ‘The elderly are…,’ or ‘The elderly do…’ No matter what you are discussing, some are, and some are not; some do, and some do not. The most important characteristic of the aged is their diversity. The average can be very deceptive, because it ignores the tremendous dispersion around it. Bottom line: beware of the mean. This lecture will discuss how this realization, which applies across all domains of aging inquiry, changes and challenges our science, as well as policy, and practice.
The lecture will be at the Pyle Center (702 Langdon St.) with refreshments to follow. The event is free and open to the public. Registration is requested.
The talk is part of the 29th Annual Eloquence & Eminence Emeritus Faculty Lecture Series. The award-winning series features retired UW faculty known for their teaching and research excellence.
For more information, visit Eloquence and Eminence Lectures.
Sifting and Winnowing Science and Technology Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison: The Holtz Center turns 25 – April 30-May 1 Symposium (register by April 15)
Robert F. and Jean E. Holtz Center for Science and Technology Studies 25th Anniversary Symposium
Location: Pyle Center
Registration is required. Zoom option is available. Please register for the symposium by April 15 at the following link.
The Center’s 25th anniversary provides a timely opportunity to reflect on the vocabularies and frameworks that can be used to make sense of the current and future social contract of science, technology, higher education and the state more broadly. The symposium will open space for dialogue and debate regarding recent policy and political shifts, and showcase the heterogeneity of perspectives about what STS thinking can bring to science and technology research and development across campus and beyond.
As the University of Wisconsin-Madison responds to shifts that impact scientific knowledge and technological innovation on campus, the symposium provides an apt moment to reimagine the role of STS research and education. By accounting for the specificities of Wisconsin political history and political culture, we endeavor for the symposium to explore how STS at UW-Madison can meaningfully make sense of shifting relationships between science and democracy as well as science and “the public good.”
Earth Fest – April 17-23
Earth Fest events are open to the public unless otherwise stated. Most events are free; some may require a nominal fee or registration. View the event details for more information.
Earth Fest Headquarters is located in the Chazen Museum of Art lobby! From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily during Earth Fest, stop by for giveaways, games, and pop-up events including:
- Earth Fest’s Little Free Library: Take an environmental book, share an environmental book
- Community Art: Contribute to our Earth Fest 2025 banner and help us create yard signs
On April 23, the Sustainability Research Hub will host its 3rd Annual Sustainability Research Networking Event as part of Earth Fest, convening faculty, researchers, and staff across RISE-EARTH and related areas to catalyze new collaborations and align emerging research priorities.
On that same day, the Hub will be featured at UW’s Showcase event, delivering a flash talk and presenting a poster highlighting the strategic value and early outcomes of our Research Working Groups. We will also join the UW Office of Sustainability for Conversations on Campus Sustainability Goals: Progress and Paths Forward, contributing perspective on how coordinated research efforts are advancing institutional sustainability priorities.
Registration Now Open for the 2026 Wisconsin Nathan Shock Center Annual Symposium – May 12 (register by May 5)
The Wisconsin Nathan Shock Center (WiNSC), established in 2025 and part of a national network of eight NIA‑funded Centers that lead basic research in the biology of aging, will host its inaugural Annual Symposium on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery (WID).
The event theme, Metabolism of Aging, will bring together UW–Madison researchers, trainees, and collaborators for scientific talks by internal and external speakers, opportunities for discussion and networking, and a poster session showcasing research from UW investigators and trainees.
There is no cost to attend; registration is required by May 5.
Learn more and register: https://nathanshockcenter.wisc.edu/symposium/
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