2025 Lightning Talks

Exhaust Rebreathing: A pathway to adapt sustainable fuels

Saurabh is a DERC fellow and PhD candidate at UW–Madison.

Lessons from the Health and Air Quality Applied Sciences Team (HAQAST) on Engaging New Users with Satellite Data for Air Quality Applications

The NASA Health and Air Quality Applied Sciences Team (HAQAST) connects researchers and stakeholders to use satellite data to help solve real-world public health and air quality problems. Collaborative, team-based projects address needs on the timescales of users. This presentation will discuss best practices.

enny Bratburd is a researcher and science communicator focused on intersections between science policy, health, air pollution, and climate change. She serves as the Outreach Program Manager for the NASA Health and Air Quality Applied Sciences Team (HAQAST), which connects NASA data, particularly satellite data, with real world health and air quality problems. She is also a researcher in the Climate Solutions for Health lab at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Direct Ammonia Fuel Cells: A Safe, Carbon-Neutral Fuel

Though hydrogen fuel cells have been a topic of industrial research for carbon neutral fuels for many years, there are many safety hazards associated with its transportation and use. Ammonia, by contrast, is a much safer and cheaper carbon alternative. As the second most commercialized chemical in the world, extensive infrastructure for ammonia transport and dispensation already exist globally. There is current research in utilizing this infrastructure for ammonia combustion engines, but the more energy-efficient ammonia fuel cell research has lagged, due to the necessity of high operating temperatures or caustic materials. Here, we describe the design of a direct ammonia fuel cell, using a novel electrocatalyst that can oxidize ammonia at low overpotentials and ambient temperature and releases safe, benign byproducts. We also investigate various second-generation electrocatalysts, which have the potential to harness even more energy from the fuel cell than their first-generation counterpart.

Catherine Getty is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Chemistry. Her research focuses on the design and synthesis of second generation electrocatalysts for the ammonia oxidation reaction. She also has an interest in science communication, receiving the PhD Minor in Life Science Communication, and she currently works as an Associate Science News Editor for The Badger Herald.

STARS Success

How academics propelled UW–Madison to STARS Gold.

Kyle works to uncover and showcase the impact of sustainability initiatives at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. As the senior sustainability analyst, he manages the university’s carbon inventory, ensuring precise tracking and analysis of greenhouse gas emissions data from activities such as energy use, business travel, and procurement. Kyle also leads reporting through the STARS framework, which measures campus-wide sustainability efforts in a broader sense.

Comparing the Air Quality and Health Implications of the Inflation Reduction Act and a Net-Zero Pathway

The transition to a low-carbon economy has the potential to improve health by reducing ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure. We apply a data-driven, systems-level framework that integrates detailed energy system modeling (EnergyPATHWAYS and RIO) with three air quality models (APSCA, COBRA, and ISRM) and exposure–response functions to evaluate cumulative and disparate air quality and health effects associated with climate change mitigation policies and pathways. This approach seeks to comprehensively represent and assess the spatial and temporal distribution and sectoral attribution of impacts, accounting for uncertainty in the choice of air quality model and exposure–response function. Here, we evaluate the health effects of county-level air quality changes in the US from 2022 to 2050 across 15 emission source categories induced by the climate and energy provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and a more ambitious scenario to achieve net-zero emissions by mid-century. Averaged across the three air quality models, the IRA would prevent 5,860 (95% CI: 5,140–6,570) premature deaths in 2035, largely driven by changes in the electricity and transportation sectors. This equates to 82% of the avoided mortality benefits of the net-zero scenario (7,110 [95% CI: 6,240–7,970] premature deaths) in the same year. By 2050, the IRA prevents 5,140 (95% CI: 4,510–5,760) premature deaths compared to 14,480 (95% CI: 12,700–16,240) under the net-zero scenario. Cumulatively from 2022 to 2050, the IRA has the potential to prevent 115,000 (95% CI: 101,000–130,000) premature deaths from decreased PM2.5 exposure, nearly half (48%) the 239,000 (95% CI: 210,000–268,000) premature deaths prevented under the net-zero scenario. The sectoral distribution of avoidable mortality benefits is largely consistent for all three air quality models. Across all combinations of air quality models and exposure–response functions, avoidable mortality estimates differ at most by a factor of three to five, with most of this variation attributable to the exposure–response relationship.

I am a Postdoctoral Research Associate with the Climate Solutions for Health Lab in the Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment. I hold a PhD in Environment and Resources from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. My work focuses on quantifying the air quality and health benefits of the transition to a clean energy economy in the United States. I previously worked as a climate research and engagement specialist in the Climate & Energy Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists.

Oscar Sort: AI Recycling

Sharing information about Oscar Sort, an artificial intelligence recycling assistant.

Campus Resource Coordinator at the Office of Sustainability.

Satellite Data for Air Quality, Energy & Health

For over a decade, NASA has invested in the Health and Air Quality Applied Sciences Team (HAQAST, “hay-kast”) to broaden the relevance of space-based data to decision needs faced by public- and private-sector organizations. This talk will share the opportunities and challenges in connecting science with real-world needs, and emerging directions in air, energy, and health.

Dr. Tracey Holloway is a Professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, based at the Nelson Institute Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment (SAGE). She is the three-time Team Lead of the NASA Health and Air Quality Applied Science Team (HAQAST), the national team funded by NASA to connect satellite data with health and air quality decision-making and applications. Holloway has been recognized as a Member of the National Academy of Medicine and a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union, among other awards. Prior to joining the UW–Madison faculty, Dr. Holloway earned her Sc.B. with honors in Applied Mathematics from Brown University, and a Ph.D. in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences from Princeton University, with a graduate certificate in Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy from Princeton School of Public and International Affairs. Following graduate school, she completed a postdoctoral fellowship with the Columbia University Earth Institute, working with the Mailman School of Public Health.

Upcycling of Waste Plastics into Carboxylic Acids for Biodegradable Surfactants

Waste plastics can be pyrolyzed to produce an olefin rich pyrolysis oil. These olefins can then undergo hydroformylation to form aldehydes which can be further synthesized to carboxylic acids. After neutralization, these acids become surfactants. These surfactants when tested have performed comparably to commercial surfactants in metrics such as critical micelle concentration and foam stability.

I grew up in Arkansas where I got my bachelor’s in chemical engineering from the University of Arkansas – Fayetteville. Afterwards I came here to UW–Madison in pursuit of my PhD in the department of chemical and biological engineering. I stay involved through club leadership here at the university, and I enjoy going to the gym, watching movies, and eating fast food.

What percent green space is the UW–Madison campus?

Green space supports community health by improving air and water quality, reducing heat, and enhancing mental wellbeing. This project used remote sensing to measure green and gray space on the UW–Madison campus, providing insights to guide sustainable campus planning.

Alayne Kulp (she/her) is a graduate student at UW–Madison pursuing double M.S. degrees in the Water Resources Management and Urban & Regional Planning programs. As a Graduate Sustainability Analyst with the Office of Sustainability, she supports campus sustainability initiatives across campus through data analysis and reporting.

Preventing Bird Collisions on the UW–Madison Campus

This presentation will give an overview of efforts to reduce bird collisions with campus buildings, efforts that have been undertaken as a collaboration between the Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance, the Audubon Society of UW–Madison, and the Office of Sustainability’s Green Fund. Past successes of these efforts include citizen science gathered by the Bird Collision Corps, a Madison city ordinance requiring bird-safe glass on new construction, and retrofits on Ogg and Dejope residence halls. Current efforts and future directions include retrofitting Microbial Sciences, the deadliest building on campus for birds, a project which includes combinations of multiple methods of collision deterrence.

Lydia Pulsinelli is a senior at UW–Madison, majoring in Horticulture with certificates in Food Systems, Theatre, and Art History. They are the treasurer of the Audubon Society of UW–Madison, which aims to get students outside and enjoying birds and nature.

RISE-AI Collaboration HQ

I will describe the RISE-AI collaboration HQ.

Kyle Cranmer is the Director of the Data Science Institute and lead of the RISE-AI Collaboration HQ. He is a professor of physics with affiliate appointments in computer science and statistics.

Green Buildings as Everyday Educators: Fostering Environmental Awareness through Design

Green buildings do more than reduce environmental impact—they can actively teach sustainability. This flash talk explores how features like solar panels, green roofs, and daylighting can serve as informal educational tools that promote environmentally responsible behaviors. Drawing on research in public libraries, I highlight how interpretive signage and interactive displays help (or hinder) occupant understanding of sustainable design. The talk will share examples of effective communication strategies and offer insights into how green buildings can become powerful platforms for environmental education in everyday life.

Erin Hamilton is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Design Studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where she teaches undergraduate interior architecture courses on evidence-based design, research methods, and sustainable materials. She advises doctoral students in environmental design research. Erin earned a Ph.D. in Architecture and Natural Resources & Environment from the University of Michigan. She holds an M.S. in Design Studies, a B.S. in Interior Design, and a B.A. in Psychology. Erin’s research focuses on how social and environmental cues in green buildings influence conservation behavior. Her work explores communicating sustainable design through signage and how green building atmospherics affect occupants’ awareness and well-being.

The Need for Turning Research into Comms for Collective Health Advocacy: Spotlight on Housing, Transit & Sustainability

Health professionals are trusted community advocates at a time when trust is a scarce resource in this country. Research on the positive impact of sustainable practices on our health and the health of the planet needs to be turned into effective communications that can be utilized for public health advocacy. I use Healthy Climate Wisconsin’s work on housing and transportation as an example.

Marco/Alexei has been a grassroots climate organizer for nearly 6 years. Most of his organizing experience focused on training high school students to become powerful climate activists all over Wisconsin. Now he is the Healthy Homes and Transportation Coordinator for Healthy Climate WI, a nonprofit that trains health professionals to take action on the climate crisis.

Making Sense of Energy Siting

Energy production is not a byproduct-free process. We will present updates on a DOE-funded study that uses focus groups and surveys to better understand stakeholder perceptions of nuclear, carbon capture, and general energy storage facilities. This has implications for codesign and siting processes as the energy transition continues.

Libby Foster is a PhD student in Life Science Communication at UW–Madison. She is from Louisville, KY.

Growing food sustainably at the UW Dining Campus Farm

The UW Dining and Culinary Services Campus Farm grows a diverse mix of fruits and vegetables on about two acres of land in and around the UW Madison campus. We will share our current initiatives and future goals that emphasize low-input, year round production of healthy food for the campus dining halls using as many local inputs as possible. These include compost made with fall leaves from the neighborhood and coffee grounds collected from campus cafes, passive-solar greenhouses that grow winter spinach, and summer veggies planted in a no-till clover field.