Madison Reporter

Six members of the University of Wisconsin–Madison faculty have been honored with prestigious titles, with Michael Wagner appointed as the William T. Evjue Distinguished Chair for the Wisconsin Idea. The chair, established to recognize exceptional contributions to outreach and service, is named after the late William T. Evjue, founder of The Capital Times. Wagner, director of the Center for Communication and Civic Renewal, will focus his scholarship on the influence of news and political messages on individuals' beliefs and civic engagement.

In addition to the Evjue Distinguished Chair, five professors have been named as recipients of the Hilldale Professorships. These professors, spanning disciplines from English to Computer Science, have demonstrated excellence in scholarly activity and research. Russ Castronovo, known for his work on American literature and democracy, David Kaplan, specializing in Bayesian statistical methods for education research, Mark Kenoyer, focusing on the archaeology of early urbanism, Stephen Wright, designing algorithms for continuous optimization, and Ellen Zweibel, a theoretical astrophysicist, have all been recognized for their outstanding contributions.

The appointments, ranging from five years with the possibility of renewal, come with salary increases and research support. These appointments highlight the University of Wisconsin–Madison's commitment to fostering academic excellence and innovation across various fields of study.