Chris Kucharik and Alan Turnquist were honored Nov. 5 for their work toward sustainable change in the Madison community.
The two University of Wisconsin–Madison sustainability community members were named 2013 Badger Bioneers at an event co-sponsored by the UW–Madison Office of Sustainability and Sustain Dane, a non-profit organization that promotes the development of the Madison area as a sustainable community. Kathryne Auerback and Jim Lorman of Edgewood College were also honored.
Kucharik, a professor in the Department of Agronomy and the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, researches how climate change impacts agricultural ecosystems. He is leading a large interdisciplinary team studying the complex links between water quality and use and climate in the Yahara watershed, which includes Madison’s lakes.
Turnquist is the program coordinator for the GreenHouse Residential Learning Community at UW–Madison and program manager for the graduate program in agroecology. In these roles, he helps students explore numerous facets of sustainable living, including food systems, energy, and globalization.
Badger Bioneers is part of a national organization that highlights innovation in search of solutions for existing social and environmental challenges.