Outreach to the public is a core requirement of many grants and an essential part of all research at UW-Madison. The Wisconsin Idea, which encompasses research and outreach, is the principle that the University should improve people’s lives beyond the classroom, and that the boundaries of the University are the boundaries of the state.
It’s important to consider outreach throughout your research project, and the resources listed on this page support the outreach you may need to engage in at various points during your research, from finding study participants to disseminating your findings.
Quick Links
Outreach Assistance
Share Your Work with the Public
Equipment Rentals
Outreach Assistance
The groups listed below can assist you with connecting you with other researchers, new opportunities for your research, and potential study participants.
Wisconsin Network for Research Support (WINRS)
For assistance creating accessible, engaging, and appropriate materials for diverse audiences, contact the Wisconsin Network for Research Support (WINRS). They provide feedback on materials to help you communicate clearly with your target groups, and can assist you in seeking study participants.
UniverCity Alliance
The UniverCity Alliance connects education, service, and research within UW-Madison and throughout Wisconsin to provide resources that strengthen communities. They provide news about funding opportunities, and ways of connecting your work to community initiatives.
UW-Madison Extension
The Division of Extension helps to extend university knowledge across the state. They have many initiatives that may be helpful for further outreach, including: supporting Wisconsin’s agriculture industry, fostering leadership and civic engagement, creating positive, healthy change, empowering families and communities, enhancing resilient natural resource systems, and further positive youth development.
WARF Therapeutics
WARF Therapeutics partners health researchers with industry to develop novel medicines. If you are interested in such industry partnerships, you can submit a proposal about your work to their 5R Program.
Share Your Work with the Public
Disseminating your research involves publishing your findings and presenting at relevant conferences, as well as making your work and research focuses publicly available. This is often done through news stories and, less formally, blog posts on individual’s websites.
University Communications
University Communications can assist with sharing your research by writing news articles through the UW-Madison’s publishing channels, working with the media on stories, and coordinating other communications projects.
WiscWeb
If you’re creating a website for a research project, you can do so through WiscWeb. Using this service is available to students, faculty, and staff making websites related to your work. WiscWeb offers themes customized for UW-Madison, making your project’s website fit with UW branding.
DesignLab
DesignLab is a digital media design consulting service for students and instructors at UW-Madison. DesignLab consultants provide expertise in a range of media, including video and audio production, graphic design, scientific communication, web design, social media, and more.
Teaching & Research Application Development (TRAD)
Within DoIT, TRAD partners with instructors, researchers, and staff to develop and implement custom solutions to managing your research data, creating instructional and other interactive materials, designing and developing websites, and more.
Community Academic Partnerships (CAP) Core
If you’re part of the Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, the Community-Academic Partnerships (CAP) Core provides researchers with information about community partnerships for accumulating data and disseminating results.
Discovery Outreach Programs
Through a partnership with the Morgridge Institute and the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF), Discovery Outreach Programs range from hands-on programs for school children to a four-day statewide science festival that showcases UW-Madison people and ideas. They can work with you to develop curriculum for your materials for various audiences. The Discovery Building Town Center provides meeting and event spaces for campus and community groups to give lectures and hold exhibitions, and can provide A/V equipment and support for these events.
Broader Societal Impacts Research Guide
From UW-Madison’s Science and Engineering Libraries, this guide contains information and resources about how to anticipate, communicate, document, and assess the impact of your research on a network of stakeholders. This research guide walks researchers through the lifecycle of a project with a focus on its impact.
Illuminating Discovery Hub
The Illuminating Discovery Hub connects scientists, professional communicators, and members of the public around innovation and research. The Illuminating Discovery Hub can help you connect with collaborators at UW-Madison and in the community, and also offers training programs in effective research communication, public discourse, and media representation.
Wisconsin Public Television (WPT) Production Services
Wisconsin Public Television (WPT) Production Services assists outreach, community engagement, and reporting efforts through digital media. Research findings can be shared with both general and specialized audiences through field and studio video production, lecture and presentation recording, video editing, file transfer and DVD/Blu-Ray authoring as well as ADA-compliant closed-captioning services.
Writing Center
The University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Writing Center offers individual help, workshops, and online resources for all students, including graduate and professional students. Individual help can be specifically tailored to writing longer research works, writing for your discipline, using sources, creating posters, and more.
Equipment Rentals
You may need additional tech equipment for outreach, especially if doing anything virtually. There are several campus entities that rent laptops, recording equipment, and projecting equipment to students, faculty, and staff.
DoIT Computer Rental
DoIT provides laptops, 4G modems, and projectors that can be rented on a daily, weekly, monthly, or semester basis. You can consider using this service for your teaching needs, as well as for conferences and trainings.
UW Libraries InfoLabs Equipment Checkout System
Both Windows and Mac laptops can be checked out from College, Memorial, and Steenbock Libraries. This is available to anyone with a WisCard.
Equipment Elsewhere
In addition to renting laptops from the Libraries’ InfoLabs, College Library maintains a list of other campus resources for renting A/V equipment.