Frequently Asked Questions
What are the key objectives for the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery?
The key objectives are to:
- Foster new scientific approaches integrating biotechnology, nanotechnology and information technologies through interdisciplinary collaboration
- Build on the university’s cluster hiring program
- Establish educational components that will integrate cross-disciplinary science into K-12, undergraduate and graduate education
- Facilitate the invention of technologies that can be transferred to the marketplace to create jobs.
How does this public-private partnership work?
The partnership involves a $50 million donation from UW–Madison alumni John and Tashia Morgridge and a matching $50 million gift from the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, as well as $50 million in state funding that was previously approved. The goal is to establish a public institute — the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery — and a private institute — the Morgridge Institute for Research – that will work collaboratively.
Why was the location (the 1300 block of University Avenue) chosen?
This location is near the heart of the campus’s urban neighborhood and is close to related sciences. The site is within two blocks of the buildings that house biochemistry, physics, medical sciences research, the Genetics/Biotechnology Center, engineering, computer sciences and chemistry. The development is a key part of the Campus Master Plan.
Will the institutes be designed for environmental sustainability?
The architectural and engineering teams are committed to constructing a “green” building that consumes much less energy than comparable UW–Madison research facilities. They are also pursuing LEED certification (Leadership in Environment and Energy Design) from the U.S. Green Building Council to ensure the institutes meet the highest standards of environmental sustainability and occupational health.
What is the difference between the public Wisconsin Institute for Discovery and the private Morgridge Institute for Research?
The public institute, the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, will be part of the university and is organized under the Graduate School. The private institute, the Morgridge Institute for Research, will provide space for industry interactions, including technology transfer and privately funded research. It will interact with and complement the public institute. The Morgridge Institute director will report to the Morgridge Institute board of directors.
What is the importance of the interdisciplinary concept?
The institutes will build on the long tradition of interdisciplinary research at UW–Madison. Today’s problems relating to human health and welfare are more complex than one individual, one department or one institution can solve. The twin research institutes will encourage the kind of cross-pollination needed to attack these problems. One of the project’s key objectives is to foster new approaches to biomedical problems at the convergence of various areas of science.
How can architecture affect science or contribute to collaboration?
Designing a building for maximum flexibility is one answer; creating spaces that promote impromptu interactions is another. For example, open areas for seating; shared facilities such as conference and break rooms; and stairways with windows and views all lead people to cross paths frequently and, hopefully, stop and talk.
The laboratory space in the institutes is also being designed to promote collaboration among individuals and teams. Each laboratory zone, or “pod,” will house open lab areas that can be occupied by more than one principal investigator. The pods will also feature communal equipment areas that encourage interaction as well as unassigned meeting space that can be used for spur-of-the-moment discussions and sharing of data.
How does the project advance the educational role of the university?
Undergraduate and graduate students will be integrally involved in the institutes’ research. In addition to working in the institutes’ laboratories, students will gain knowledge about how complex problems are approached and the value of collaborative research. They also will have the opportunity to serve as mentors for middle school and high school students in special outreach programs aimed at cultivating future scientists.
The Wisconsin Idea is central to the UW–Madison’s mission. How does this project help fulfill that mission?
In addition to helping build a knowledge-based Wisconsin economy in 21st-century industries, the institutes will reach out statewide and globally on a number of fronts. The institutes will have state-of-the-art multimedia and telecommunications capability. Seminars and interactive Web-based programs given by institute scholars could be provided to other UW System campuses. Hands-on science programs will be available for K-12 students and visiting researchers will be invited to take part in the institutes’ work. Public lectures and other events will translate science for a lay audience and make it come alive for members of the community.
What are the goals of John and Tashia Morgridge?
John and Tashia Morgridge are passionate about education and research. The institutes will offer students of every age unique opportunities for hands-on training in cross-disciplinary approaches to complex problems. The Morgridges want to foster collaborative research; the building will allow for that by creating an environment in which collaboration can easily occur. Grants and fellowships for researchers must also play a role. Great minds working collaboratively will create discoveries that will benefit the students, the university, the state and the world.