Dr. Gulustan Ozturk’s research at UW-Madison focuses on bioactive compounds found in milk and dairy streams. Her main goal is to isolate these compounds using advanced processing methods to develop microbiome-centered interventions for improving human health, with potential applications in personalized nutrition and precision treatments. This work supports sustainability by adding value to dairy coproducts and streams, such as utilizing whey protein phospholipid concentrate which is a byproduct of whey processing, contributing to economic, environmental, and social sustainability as part of the Dairy Innovation Hub’s mission.
Sustainability
Cows, Crops, and Climate: Rebecca Smith’s Research on Sustainable Forage Crops and Plant-based Biofuels
Dr. Rebecca Smith’s research focuses on making forage crops, which are crops grown to feed animals, more sustainable by reducing methane emissions and improving plant traits, like digestibility. This is done by altering the lignin within the plant cell wall. The altered lignin increases nutrient availability and potentially reduces the time required for cow digestion. Dr. Smith hopes that her work will benefit the scientific community and improve the quality of forage crops and plant-based biofuels to make agriculture more sustainable.
UW’s Zero Waste Compass: Your Guide to Sustainable Disposal on Campus
Have you ever had questions like “Does plastic cutlery go in the recycling?” or “Are greasy pizza boxes recyclable?” So have we. That’s why we created the Zero Waste Compass — a tool to help …
Cultivating Resilience: How Chris Kucharik is Transforming Agriculture Amid Climate Change
Chris Kucharik’s lab investigates the dynamic interactions between climate change and land management through fieldwork and ecosystem modeling, focusing on ecosystem services like crop production, water quantity and quality, nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, and climate regulation. His research highlights the anticipated stress on agricultural systems due to climate change, which reduces crop yields and harms both farmers and consumers. Dr. Kucharik aims to inform policymakers and develop regulations to support farmers in mitigating climate impacts on their own and surrounding land.
From Coffee Cherries to Aronia Berries: How Food Science Professor Brad Bolling is Rethinking Food
Brad Bolling works to increase access to healthy, nutrient-dense foods to minimize costly chronic diseases. He uses a holistic approach, participating in the entire life cycle of his research; he measures the nutrients and bioactive compounds in foods, assesses their nutritional content and health impacts, then collaborates with food producers and consumers to grow support for foods that will be sustainable sources of nutrition for Wisconsin. His work promotes practices that reduce waste, support biodiversity, and prevent diet-related diseases to address systemic inefficiencies in food production and healthcare.
My Green Lab Certification Program Seeks More Early Adopters
Over the last three years, 21 labs on the UW–Madison campus have committed to becoming more sustainable by limiting waste, reducing energy consumption, and using greener chemicals. Through the Office of Sustainability (OS), these labs …
Understanding Sustainability Through Privilege and Survival
This essay, by Maisha Islam, is one of three winners of the 2024 Sustainability Writing Awards hosted by the Office of Sustainability. You can read more about Maisha here. The summer of 2022 completely changed how I …
Public trust in scientists is falling fast, so Nan Li looks to art and emotion
This article, by Tayt Armitage, is part of a series highlighting members of the Office of Sustainability’s Experts Database. In a collaboration with instructor Hannah Monroe’s course, LSC 561: Writing Science for the Public, students …
For Luca Mastropasqua, fuel cells combine basic science and practical applications
This article, by Caiti Lahue, is part of a series highlighting members of the Office of Sustainability’s Experts Database. In a collaboration with instructor Hannah Monroe’s course, LSC 561: Writing Science for the Public, students …
Qunying Huang uses AI and machine learning to make predictions — and save lives
This article, by Rodrigo Cuellar, is part of a series highlighting members of the Office of Sustainability’s Experts Database. In a collaboration with instructor Hannah Monroe’s course, LSC 561: Writing Science for the Public, students …