Grainger VIP Impact Report

2023 GIFT IMPACT REPORT THE GRAINGER FOUNDATION

THE YEAR IN REVIEW

THE GRAINGER FOUNDATION: GIFT IMPACT January–December 2023

Photo by: Althea Dotzour, University Wisconsin–Madison

CONTENTS

INDEX ................................................................................................................................................ 3

2023 FINANCIAL SUMMARY . ............................................................................................ 6

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING ............................................................................................ 8 Executive Summary Grainger Dean of the College of Engineering Fund Grainger STAR Scholars Grainger Dean’s Innovation Fund Grainger Faculty Scholarship Fund in Electrical and Computer Engineering Grainger Fund for Undergraduate Education Renovations Grainger Institute for Engineering Grainger Institute for Engineering Named Faculty Positions Grainger Instructional Laboratory for Electrical Machines and Power Electronics

Grainger Power Engineering Awards Program Grainger Professorship in Sustainable Energy Grainger Professorship in Nuclear Engineering Grainger Undergraduate Learning Center Grainger Wisconsin Distinguished Graduate Fellowships Grainger Engineering Design Innovation Lab Grainger Professorship in Engineering Fund #1 Grainger Professorship in Engineering Fund #2

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WISCONSIN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS ......................................................................... 51 Executive Summary Wisconsin Naming Fund Grainger Center for Supply Chain Management

Grainger Professorship of Supply Chain Management Grainger Wisconsin Distinguished Graduate Fellowship

COLLEGE OF LETTERS & SCIENCE ............................................................................ 61 Executive Summary

Juli Plant Grainger Institute for Economic Research Juli Plant Grainger Distinguished Chair Fund #1 Juli Plant Grainger Distinguished Chair Fund #2

WISCONSIN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION® ....................................................................... 77 Chicago Scholarship Trust Fund

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INDEX

INDEX

IMPACT REPORT

FINANCIAL REPORT

UNIT

FUND #

FUND NAME

EGR

132340066

Grainger Dean of the College of Engineering Fund

11–12

29

EGR

132340057

Grainger STAR Scholars Fund

13–14

22

EGR

132340018

Grainger Dean’s Innovation Fund

15–16

19

EGR

132328230

Grainger Faculty Scholarship Fund in Electrical and Computer Engineering

17–20

18

EGR

112340013

Grainger Fund for Undergraduate Education Renovations

21

1

EGR

132348181

Grainger Institute for Engineering Fund

22–30

35

EGR

112343502

Grainger Instructional Laboratory Fund for Electrical Machines and Power Electronics

31–34

3

EGR

132341531

Grainger Power Engineering Awards Program Fund

35

30

EGR

112576530

Grainger Professorship in Sustainable Energy

36

4, 28

EGR

132638980

Grainger Professorship Fund in Nuclear Engineering

37–38

36

EGR

132340019

Grainger Undergraduate Learning Center Fund

39–41

20

EGR

132342291

Grainger Wisconsin Distinguished Graduate Fellowships

42

31

EGR

132340020

Wendt Grainger Fund for Undergraduate Education

43–45

21

EGR

132340058

Grainger Professorship in Engineering Fund #1

46–47

23

EGR

132340059

Grainger Professorship in Engineering Fund #2

48–49

24

BUS

132176067

Wisconsin School of Business Naming Fund

53–54

BUS

132170354

Directorship of Grainger Center Fund in Supply Chain Management 55–56

7

BUS

132170308

Grainger Center for Supply Chain Management Corporate Donations Fund Grainger Center Supply Chain Management Opportunity Endowment Fund Grainger Center Supply Chain Management Opportunity for Outreach Program Endowment Fund

55–56

6

BUS

132174892

55–56

13

BUS

132174896

55–56

14

BUS

132170355

Grainger Professor of Supply Chain Management Fund

57–58

8

BUS

132172158

Grainger Wisconsin Distinguished Graduate Fellowship Fund #1

59

9

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IMPACT REPORT

FINANCIAL REPORT

UNIT

FUND #

FUND NAME

LET

132126878

Grainger Postdoctoral Fellowship in Astronomy Fund

61

5

LET

132695530

David Grainger Physics Library Energy Sources College Fund

62

37

LET

132290006

Juli Plant Grainger Institute for Economic Research Fund

63–75

15

LET

132290019

Juli Plant Grainger Distinguished Chair Fund #1

65

16

LET

132290020

Juli Plant Grainger Distinguished Chair Fund #2

66

17

WAA

132817530

Chicago Scholarship Trust Fund

77–78

The following funds were not awarded this year but will be awarded in upcoming academic years.

EGR

132340060

Grainger Professorship in Engineering Fund #3

25

EGR

132340062

Grainger Professorship in Engineering Fund #4

26

EGR

132342291

Grainger Wisconsin Distinguished Graduate Fellowship for College of Engineering Fund #1 Grainger Wisconsin Distinguished Graduate Fellowship for College of Engineering Fund #2 Grainger Wisconsin Distinguished Graduate Fellowship for College of Engineering Fund #3 Grainger Wisconsin Distinguished Graduate Fellowship for College of Engineering Fund #4

31

EGR

132342347

32

EGR

132342348

33

EGR

132342349

34

BUS

132172364

Grainger Wisconsin Distinguished Graduate Fellowship #2

10

BUS

132172365

Grainger Wisconsin Distinguished Graduate Fellowship #3

11

BUS

132172366

Grainger Wisconsin Distinguished Graduate Fellowship #4

12

The following funds were not included in the impact report or financial report.

BUS

112174893

Grainger Center Supply Chain Management Opportunity Fund for Faculty Support (dispersed in full in 2021) Grainger Center Supply Chain Management Opportunity Fund for Marketing and Student Recruitment (closed)

BUS

112174894

CHAZEN

112333653

Juli Plant Grainger Chazen Museum of Art Fund (closed)

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2023 FINANCIAL SUMMARY

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Photo by: Jeff Miller, University of Wisconsin–Madison

2023 FINANCIAL SUMMARY

$10,000

JANUARY–DECEMBER 2023

GIFTS, JANUARY TO DECEMBER 2023 Chancellor Rebecca Blank Great People Scholarship Fund $

10,000

Total Giving:

$

10,000

LIFETIME GIVING

$

194,068,250.26

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COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

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Photo by: Bryce Richter, University of Wisconsin–Madison

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This past year has been a period of remarkable growth for the College of Engineering. On trend with the past decade, the demand of students wanting to major in engineering has grown continuously. The College of Engineering admitted 1,100 first-year students, remaining true to our commitment to expand both intentionally and strategically. Part of our strategic growth includes ensuring that our students, particularly our undergraduate students, can cultivate their own individual yet exceptional engineering experience. Our college prides itself on providing students with an extensive number of opportunities for involvement, such as joining one of many engineering-specific student organizations. Along with the social aspects of membership, our students also develop leadership skills, learn to work with others, and apply their engineering education in a variety of ways. One of the foundational elements of our undergraduate program is hands-on learning, offering students opportunities to apply classroom knowledge in real-world settings. Whether through lab work, student organizations, internships, or co-ops, our students gain valuable practical experience. For example, this past year, a team of freshmen in our multidisciplinary design course collaborated with a local resident who has multiple sclerosis, which limits her ability to get into her car. By listening to her needs, the team developed a tailored solution to assist her. This course not only empowers freshmen to engage in engineering from day one, but it also fosters a sense of community and reinforces the principle that engineering exists to improve lives. Another notable aspect is that, because of the immense support of matching gifts from The Grainger Foundation,

Photo by: Paul L. Newby II

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we now support 120 STAR scholars. This is a 118 percent increase from the first cohort of 55 in 2021. As you’ll see in the fund report, this program has been developed into a valuable and loyal community of committed scholars and staff advisers invested in their success. In many cases, the STAR program is the deciding factor in students choosing UW–Madison and the College of Engineering over other institutions, because of the high level of financial assistance these scholarships provide. The support of The Grainger Foundation has been immeasurable in our mission to ensure that every student who wishes to pursue an engineering education may do so, regardless of their financial situation. We’ve also been maximizing and enhancing our existing spaces to accommodate our growing student body through strategic renovations. Recently, we completed two major projects within Engineering Hall. The Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering wrapped up a two-year renovation of its summer lab, transforming a 1990s-era space into a state-of-the-art facility, where hundreds of chemical engineering students receive hands on training each year. This transformation, primarily funded by donor gifts, creates a bright and modern environment for immersive learning. Similarly, we’ve revamped the structural materials laboratory, in Engineering Hall. The laboratory, also last renovated in the 1990s, now features industry-standard equipment, providing undergraduates with practical skills that will benefit them throughout their careers. These renovations enhance the quality of education and demonstrate our commitment to effective stewardship of existing resources, allowing us to educate more students in cutting-edge environments. Saving perhaps the best for last, I am pleased to share that after nearly six years of quiet fundraising and three years of lobbying, in March, funding for the new engineering building was finally signed into law. This approval is monumental for the College of Engineering. It will allow us to admit more undergraduates, expand research programs, provide much-needed space for collaborative learning,

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and allow for leasable space on campus for corporate partners. It will span the space currently occupied by 1410 Engineering Drive and Engineering Mall and create a stunning new focal point for our college for thousands of people who walk, bike, bus, or drive along University Avenue. We look forward to the next steps in this project and eventual groundbreaking. As you may recall from what I shared last spring, I plan to step down as the dean of the College of Engineering. It has been an honor to lead this college for the past 11 years and to be part of the remarkable legacy created by The Grainger Foundation on our campus. I am truly grateful for your partnership and the profound impact of your support. Your contributions have transformed the engineering campus, and I am humbled to have been a part of this journey.

Ian Robertson Grainger Dean College of Engineering

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GRAINGER DEAN OF THE COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING FUND

As you’ll read in the Grainger Institute for Engineering report, support from the Grainger Dean of the College of Engineering Fund was instrumental in advancing key initiatives, notably the Clean Energy Community Initiative (CECI). This initiative is dedicated to fostering clean and sustainable energy practices in local communities. Through partnerships with schools, businesses, and local governments, CECI promotes renewable energy solutions, aims to reduce carbon emissions, and advocates for increased energy efficiency. It also places a significant focus on education and community outreach, engaging students and residents to spread awareness about the benefits of clean energy. This funding has been crucial for CECI’s efforts to create meaningful change and inspire a cleaner, more sustainable future. This fund also provided critical support to the College of Engineering’s advancement team, enabling them to expand their outreach and deepen their engagement with alumni — a vital part of building a resilient and active engineering community. This year, the focus has been on cultivating support for the college’s new engineering building project, an effort that underscores the importance of investing in infrastructure to support innovation. The college’s participation in the Badger Caucus event was a key advocacy activity made possible by these funds. Lawmakers and representatives visited the engineering campus, offering a chance for college leadership to showcase the project’s significance. Additionally, the account supported alumni engagement activities, such as events in Milwaukee and Florida, aimed at rallying support for the building project. These events not only celebrated the college’s achievements but also highlighted the importance of ongoing investment in engineering education and facilities. Beyond supporting CECI and the new building, the Grainger Dean for the College of Engineering Fund embodies a broader vision for the college’s future. Flexible funds such as this one not only provide essential resources

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but also serve as beacons, attracting visionary leaders who are instrumental in shaping the institution’s trajectory. By addressing pressing challenges, such as faculty recruitment and research leadership, the fund ensures that the college remains at the forefront of academic excellence and innovation.

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GRAINGER STAR SCHOLARS

The Strategic Targeted Achievement Recognition (STAR) scholars' community continued to thrive during the academic year. During the third year of the STAR Scholarship Program, students continued to be offered and participated in events and advising designed to support their development as students, leaders, researchers, innovators, and professionals. To continue expanding the offerings available to students, the college created and hired a new position, student success and engagement coordinator, to additionally support the growing community of STAR scholars. A primary goal of the STAR Scholarship Program is to provide students with an immediate network of support upon entering the university. The STAR peer-mentoring program kicked off, which paired each new scholar with a continuing scholar who served as a peer resource to support their transition to the university. Mentors and mentees met monthly to participate in different activities, which included exploring study spots on campus, touring the research lab of a mentor, and meeting over lunch to discuss course enrollment for future semesters. Another new support, STAR Math Study Tables, launched and is an opportunity for new scholars to have regular support and supplemental instruction in their math course. This is facilitated through the Undergraduate Learning Center and offers STAR scholars both academic support and peer connections and community by regularly meeting with other STAR scholars and Leaders in Engineering Excellence and Diversity scholars. We also held social and community opportunities for students to gather for study nights at the Undergraduate Learning Center, as well as a variety of workshops hosted by Wheelhouse Studios. Students were able to decompress with others and express themselves creatively through making woodburning projects, fused glass coasters, mosaic frames, clay vases, and paintings. We continued to partner with local companies to provide students the opportunity for industry visits in the Madison area. Visits were hosted by Findorff, Sub-Zero, GE HealthCare, and Electronic Theatre Controls. Students

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appreciated learning more about the day-to-day work of an engineer and having the opportunity to build their professional networks. We also offered students opportunities to engage on campus with engineering companies. Eaton and PPG connected with our students and provided personalized career coaching, tips for the job-search process, and ideas for how to build a compelling résumé through the activities they participate in as students on campus. Other exciting accomplishments included six students participating in co-op experiences during the fall and spring semesters at Boston Scientific, Cargill, the Master Lock Company, General Dynamics, GE Appliances, and Sub-Zero. In December, our second STAR scholar graduated and began a position at Black & Veatch in Ohio. Two additional scholars graduated in May. We look forward to seeing the multitude of ways new and returning scholars grow as engineers and leaders on the campus and in the larger community!

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GRAINGER DEAN’S INNOVATION FUND

The Technology Entrepreneurship Office continued its growth by adding both a project manager and program specialist for translational research. The team has also bolstered its partnership with NSF’s I-CORPS. This is a program that aims at providing entrepreneurs with valuable insight into their target market, while also learning how to augment technology to meet customer needs, networking with experienced industrial mentors, and developing a strong foundation and credibility for future funding opportunities. The TEO team looks forward to hosting their first virtual workshop, which will use evidence-based strategies for achieving entrepreneurial success and is open to research faculty, staff, and students at any higher education institution. With help from NSF I–Corps trained instructors and the TEO Hi-Tech Mentor Network, participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of their future customers and market ecosystem. This year will also mark the third year of WiscProf, which is the College’s Future Faculty in Engineering Workshop. This workshop aims to broaden participation in the nation’s engineering faculty ranks, providing scholars the foundation for a successful faculty career in an engineering discipline. Designed for postdoctoral scholars or doctoral students within their last two years of study, this exciting, expenses paid, four-day program is an invaluable opportunity to learn more about academic careers and how to succeed in the interview process for a faculty position. Attended by more than 40 participants each year, the college is proud to offer this opportunity for emerging professionals to excel in the world of academia. Through these initiatives, bolstered by the Grainger Dean's Innovation Fund, we are steadfast in our commitment to nurturing innovative entrepreneurs and emerging faculty members. This support enables the development of robust

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and transformative research programs that will not only advance the field of engineering but also have a profound impact on society. The Grainger Dean's Innovation Fund ensures that we can continue to invest in the brightest minds and groundbreaking ideas, driving forward the future of engineering with unparalleled excellence.

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GRAINGER FACULTY SCHOLARSHIP FUND IN ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING

KASSEM FAWAZ Associate Professor, Associate Chair for Research I have spent some of the fund dollars to buy NVIDIA A6000 GPUs to enable development and testing with large language models (LLMs). My group has been looking at application of LLMs in the privacy domain, such as speeding up the analysis of privacy policies. These LLMs require GPUs with a large memory footprint, and the Grainger funds enabled acquiring such GPUs.

DOMINIC GROSS Assistant Professor

I am planning to use the Grainger funds to partially support international conference travel for my students. Flagship conferences of my academic community are often held outside of the U.S., and my current federal grants do not support international travel. Moreover, I am planning to use the funds to purchase supporting equipment for experimental validation of control algorithms for grid-connected power electronics and renewables.

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BHUVANA KRISHNASWAMY Assistant Professor

KANGWOOK LEE Assistant Professor Thank you for the generous support provided by the Grainger Faculty Scholarship funds. These funds have been instrumental in advancing my research group’s work on large language models, diffusion models, and efficient machine learning algorithms. The funds have enabled us to present our findings at prestigious conferences, such as the International Conference on Machine Learning and the Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems. The Grainger funds have not only facilitated our participation in these top-tier conferences but have also supported the dissemination of our research to the broader scientific community. We are grateful for this support, which has been crucial in advancing our research agenda, fostering collaborations with leading experts in the field, and ultimately, pushing the boundaries of machine learning and its applications. Thank you for your generous support. I used the Grainger Scholarship Fund for my summer salary. All my projects are funded through the National Science Foundation (NSF). However, because of the constraints of NSF funding on summer salary, I could not pay my salary entirely. With the additional help of this scholarship, I was able to focus on CAREER proposal writing without the additional responsibility of research work. My CAREER proposal was awarded and has had a successful year. The Grainger Scholarship Fund helped me spend an entire month focusing on writing, receiving feedback, and iterating my proposal.

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CHU MA Assistant Professor, Grainger Institute Fellow The Grainger Faculty Scholarship Fund has supported my conference travel to the 185th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America in Sydney, Australia, a visit to the 3M headquarters in Minnesota to establish potential research collaborations, and the annual membership fees for professional societies. We also used the fund to purchase experimental system components to generate preliminary results for grant proposals. The rest of the fund will support conference travel, publication fees, and lab supplies of my research group. I am grateful for the support of the Grainger fund, as it helps my research group to disseminate our research outcomes to professional societies and a broader audience, and it provides us the flexibility to explore new research ideas that do not have major external funding yet.

DIMITRIS PAPAILIOPOULOS Jay and Cynthia Ihlenfeld Associate Professor

I have spent funds on equipment for a student of mine who does research in machine learning and systems. My current plan is to spend the remaining funds supporting a new incoming doctoral student who accepted an offer to join my group.

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LINE ROALD Assistant Professor, Grainger Institute Fellow

I plan to use the discretionary funds for activities that help disseminate the results of our research to a wider audience. This ranges from covering the cost of public outreach events in Wisconsin (such as preparing activities for the Wisconsin Science Festival), enabling travel to international conferences and workshops, and helping cover mundane but crucial expenses involved in research dissemination, such as publication fees.

JOSHUA SAN MIGUEL Assistant Professor

The Grainger funds have been invaluable in the growth of our research group the past couple of years. With new incoming students, our research lab was in great need of more lab computers and equipment, as well as upgrades to our current machines. In our research area, keeping up to date with the state-of-the-art machines is vital for increasing productivity and enhancing the student experience. The funds were also spent on supporting research assistants and providing them the resources to develop new open-sourced software and hardware tools for both research and pedagogical use. Our group is very thankful for the generous support.

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GRAINGER FUND FOR UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION RENOVATIONS

ENGINEERING HALL 1313: MECHANICS OF MATERIALS INSTRUCTIONAL LAB

The renovation of this instructional lab significantly transformed the space. The project began with the removal of several interior rooms that lacked visual transparency, cutting off views between the lab and its surroundings. The new design introduced a contemporary layout that enhances natural lighting and creates clear sightlines within the lab, allowing passersby to observe testing equipment in action and fostering curiosity. As part of the renovation, outdated testing equipment — some of which was more than 70 years old — was replaced with a state-of-the-art teaching apparatus. Additionally, a new hydraulic system was installed to meet the demands of modern testing equipment. The renovation also included the creation of a collaborative area, providing a space for group work and discussion along with the integration of advanced audiovisual equipment to enrich the instructional experience. ENGINEERING HALL 1542: ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING INSTRUCTIONAL LAB The renovation project involved reconfiguring rooms and walls to resolve building code and security issues related to egress through a lab space. To modernize the facility, the utility infrastructure for power and data was upgraded to support the new lab benches and updated equipment, which were due for replacement. Additionally, a new fabrication room was constructed to complement the existing instructional labs, providing enhanced support for ongoing educational activities.

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GRAINGER INSTITUTE FOR ENGINEERING

The Grainger Institute for Engineering (GIE) continues to grow and expand upon our vision under the leadership of Oliver Schmitz. Over the year, we made strides to be seen within the College of Engineering and the broader community as an accessible, equitable, and valuable resource for those working in innovative, unconventional, and nontraditional spaces. Notable accomplishments over the past year include: • Undertaking a strategic planning effort for the Office of Research Innovation, which is the parent office of GIE, the Office of Corporate Relations, the Technology Entrepreneurship Office, and the Research Impact and Outreach Office. • We worked with the Office of Strategic Consulting to identify our North Star purpose and define a vision for our joint efforts across campus. • This allows us to measure decisions and actions to ensure that we serve the College of Engineering and the broader community in a way that will make a lasting impact. Ting-Ray Chang Lindley came to us with extensive experience in nonprofit management, industry, and research. She brings an industrial operational mindset to the team and fosters long-standing project coordination expertise, which is an asset for implementing our strategic goals. • Growing the Clean Energy Community Initiative (CECI) • Hiring an associate director. •

and the Semiconductor Science Initiative (SSI). • CECI has connected with more than 65 companies and more than 120 partners.

Those connections allowed CECI to successfully author the community benefits plans (CBPs) for two partner grant

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applications. Alliant Energy/Energy Dome successfully applied to the Department of Energy (DoE) for a Long-Duration Energy Storage project. The Bad River Tribe was also selected for its microgrid project with the DoE. Both partners have completed negotiations with the DoE, and CECI will play a critical role in implementing both CBPs once the funded work begins. – One of the differentiating factors in

the CBPs authored by CECI is the emphasis on community-led, two way engagement. We approach every interaction with a mindset that the community understands what they need, and our role is to help them advocate for themselves.

• CECI also partnered with the Walnut Way Conservation Corps, a nonprofit organization in a historically underserved area of Milwaukee. Walnut Way is passionate about resident-led engagement and determined to create lasting change in their community through environmental stewardship, community engagement, and economic development. • SSI has continued to coalesce around large scale semiconductor opportunities. We’ve initiated a distinguished seminar series inviting important guest speakers from the semiconductor industry, peer institutions, and alumni community. • Supporting the seed funding proposals of nine faculty members, including projects such as: • An entrepreneurial foundry, which could shape how future projects are approached within the College of Engineering.

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• A study focused on environmental justice and establishing an equitable approach to the clean-energy transition. • An investment in piloting a research program for advanced hydrogen sensing. • Planning, sponsoring, and executing several events throughout the year, including: • Energy Storage Day with Industry, which brought together faculty and more than 20 companies to discuss energy storage, industrial needs, and how we can bridge that gap. • A networking event on campus for UW– Madison, other universities, and the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) so people could learn about available resources and how the AFRL Midwest network can support research. • An upcoming regional workshop with industry,

government, and university stakeholders to discuss PFAS in the packaging industry andtheir impact on the Midwest.

In 2023, our first full year under new leadership, we made great strides in our goal to influence a cultural shift within the College of Engineering and laid the groundwork for continued success as we look forward to the years to come.

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GRAINGER INSTITUTE FOR ENGINEERING NAMED FACULTY POSITIONS

ADRIEN COUET Associate Professor Department of Engineering Physics

My research group — MADCOR (Materials Degradation under Corrosion and Radiation) — focuses on the study of complex degradation phenomena of materials subjected to corrosion and/or irradiation in extreme environments, such as advanced nuclear reactors with higher temperatures and radiation fields. Along with renewable energies, advanced nuclear reactors have been identified as a critical technology to reduce carbon emissions and fight climate change. However, materials are subjected to corrosion due to molten salts, liquid metals, or high-temperature gases, as well as intense irradiation environments. This past year, my group has developed novel methods of high-throughput irradiation and corrosion testing and their coupling to artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms. Seminal manuscripts have been published in Nature Communications and Matter , two high-impact journals. I have also secured a large grant from Schmidt Futures to develop a novel platform for the accelerated discovery of materials for fusion applications. While using high-throughput techniques has invaluable benefits to alloy design, it is also critical to understanding fundamental degradation mechanisms, and I have new projects starting on this topic. In particular, I secured a large grant from the Department of Energy’s Basic Energy Sciences program to study the effects of metallic nano-precipitates on the transport of charged species through oxides. After the MADCOR group joined the Energy Frontier Research Center for Moten Salts in Extreme Environments (at Brookhaven National Laboratory), multiple members of the MADCOR group were awarded beamtime at the National Synchrotron Light Source II to perform novel in situ experiments in molten salts. Finally, the MADCOR group has published 16 papers in peer-reviewed journals since May 2022.

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DANIEL RHODES Assistant Professor

Department of Materials Science and Engineering In the past year, I have continued to focus on quantum materials in the two-dimensional (2-D) limit. Two dimensional materials are atomically flat, making them easy to tune with external stimuli. Within this family of materials, I primarily focused on superconducting, topological, and magnetic behaviors. Research into these topics has resulted in two invited seminar talks, one invited conference talk (MRS fall meeting), and the funding of two proposals: a regular award from the Department of Energy and a career award from the National Science Foundation. Superconductivity is characterized by zero electrical resistance concomitant with the ability of a material to perfectly screen magnetic fields. In 2-D, it is difficult for materials to fully screen magnetic fields because of the atomically thin nature of 2-D materials. Working on 2-D superconductors, I have shown that magnetic fields can be efficiently screened, and enhanced, along directions parallel to the in-plane atoms that make up the superconductor when compared to bulk superconductors. I have illustrated that the multiple mechanisms responsible for this behavior can be discerned from one another by careful analysis of the magnetic field orientation and its impact on electrical behavior. This work has recently been submitted to Physical Review Letters. Two-dimensional quantum spin hall insulators (QSHIs) are like those that superconduct, in that conductivity exists without any electrical resistance. Different from superconductivity, this dissipationless transport of electrons only occurs along the one-dimensional edges of the 2-D QSHI material. In the past year, we have examined bulk counterparts to these materials in detail and compared their properties to few-atomic-layer devices. We have shown that strong quantum effects occur, whereas in the bulk, there were none. A manuscript on our results is currently in preparation. Funding from the Grainger Institute of Engineering was crucial for realizing these goals and receiving funding from external agencies.

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KRISHANU SAHA Associate Professor Department of Biomedical Engineering

Over the past year, our laboratory at the University of Wisconsin–Madison has made significant strides in human cell and gene therapies. Our dedicated team has been at the forefront of pioneering research, contributing original and impactful findings recognized in prestigious publications such as the CRISPR Journal and the Journal of Clinical Investigation . In collaboration with industry leaders like Cellares and Spotlight Therapeutics, we have deepened our engagement, merging cutting-edge science with practical applications. This partnership has enhanced our capabilities, particularly in automation and data analytics, through our work with the Center for Cell Manufacturing Technologies (CMaT), supported by the National Science Foundation and numerous life-science companies. Our biomanufacturing processes have transformed remarkably. We have moved to larger-scale bioreactors and incorporated higher-quality reagents that meet the stringent standards required for clinical-grade work. This scale-up is a testament to our lab’s commitment to excellence and our pursuit of therapies that can make a tangible difference in patients’ lives.

Natural killer cells from the blood were biomanufactured to express a receptor that recognizes cancer. New CRISPR genome editing methods were used to genetically remove an inhibitory receptor and add a synthetic receptor against a cancer antigen (anti-GD2 CAR, chimeric antigen receptor). The Saha lab is developing translational programs that could open new clinical trials involving these engineered cell therapies at UW–Madison and beyond (Shankar et al. bioRxiv).

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A notable advancement in our research has been a move to develop allogeneic “off-the-shelf” cell therapies alongside storage-stable nanoparticle formulations. These innovations are set to increase the accessibility of cell and gene therapy products, potentially revolutionizing how these treatments are delivered and experienced by patients worldwide. The support from nationally recognized centers, the CMaT and the Somatic Cell Genome Editing Consortium, has been invaluable. Their belief in our work has propelled us closer to our goal of submitting Investigational New Drug Applications for cellular immunotherapies for cancer and injectable gene therapies for retinal disorders. As we look to the future, the continued support from The Grainger Foundation will be crucial in our quest to improve patient health, not only within Wisconsin’s borders but also across the globe.

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XUDONG WANG Professor Associate Chair of Named MS Studies Department of Materials Science and Engineering We published eight papers, were awarded two patents, and filed two new patents. These works are centered around sustainable and eco-friendly materials for energy and public health. Among them, one significant achievement is the development of stretchable piezoelectric bio organic crystalline films, which were published in Nature Communication and patented by WARF. Piezoelectric property has tremendous application potential in a broad range of biomedical applications, such as physiological sensing, ultrasound, low-voltage modulation, and self-sufficient energy supply. How to introduce tissue-like mechanical properties, particularly stretchability, is a critical roadblock for the development of next-generation wearable and implantable piezoelectric devices. In this work, we developed a stretchable piezoelectric thin film that can withstand up to 40 percent tensile strain along different directions without impairing the structural integrity or piezoelectric performance. The film comprises a truss-like network that is self-assembled from DL alanine microfibers. Through the deformation of truss meshes, large tensile strain can be achieved without implementing high strains to the crystal lattices. Therefore, the network can be bent or twisted arbitrarily with all mechanical properties well matched to those of human tissues, such as skin and muscle. This material innovation is a step toward stretchable, wearable, implantable, and even degradable piezoelectric devices that may find broad applications in future bioelectronics.

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Aside from research, we have received an RO1 grant from the National Institutes of Health for more than $2 million to develop a battery-free and flexible vagus nerve stimulation device that can be implanted on the stomach surface to control food intake. I also assembled and led a 12-faculty team and prepared a technology development center proposal (approximately $11 million), named Biomaterials and Biotechnology Center, for the biomaterials network at the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering. This application is still pending.

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WISCONSIN FOUNDATION AND ALUMNI ASSOCIATION | 608-263-4545 | SUPPORTUW.ORG

GRAINGER INSTRUCTIONAL LABORATORY FOR ELECTRICAL MACHINES AND POWER ELECTRONICS

Mission: Expose students to the most up-to-date electric machine and drive technologies with a wide variety of machine types to help them learn more complex and advanced concepts while increasing teaching effectiveness and providing for enhanced laboratory safety. Key Staff: Pia Strampp and Giri Venkataramanan PhD’92, Keith and Jane Morgan Nosbusch Professor in Engineering Education ECE 304 Electric Machines Lab, taught by Giri Venkataramanan, had 20 students enrolled during the spring term. The students conducted experiments throughout the semester that covered transformers, different power electronic circuits such as TRIAC dimmers and battery chargers, three-phase circuits, three different machine classes (DC, induction, and wound-field synchronous), and drive types. The course familiarizes undergraduate students with power circuits, electrical power conversion, and the basic characteristics of the performance of electric machines, with a focus on torque production mechanisms and back-EMF voltage generation. It also makes use of the standalone solar cart designed for ECE 379 in the previous year.

ECE 304 students pose with teaching assistant Ratnesh Kumar Singh.

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WISCONSIN FOUNDATION AND ALUMNI ASSOCIATION | 608-263-4545 | SUPPORTUW.ORG

Accomplishments: In accordance with the multiyear plan, the laboratory space and surrounding area was remodeled with financial support from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) and the College of Engineering in summer and fall. The remodel: • separates the building emergency exit that used to be within the Grainger Instructional Laboratory and required the lab to be kept unlocked at all times. • upgrades the lab space to keycard access, like ECE’s other renovated teaching laboratories. • adds a modern 10-foot glass whiteboard to the Grainger Teaching Studio. • extends the lab space with the addition of part of the neighboring office space to house the prototyping facility, making it easily accessible to more ECE and mechanical engineering students and facilitating the integration of machine prototyping into lab courses in later semesters.

The rerouted emergency exit outside the Grainger Teaching Studio has a keycard reader for access.

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WISCONSIN FOUNDATION AND ALUMNI ASSOCIATION | 608-263-4545 | SUPPORTUW.ORG

In parallel with the renovations, six units of the previously designed custom-built 2 kW prototype dynamometers were fabricated for the Grainger Teaching Studio. The fabrication was completed by undergraduate student hourlies using purchased parts as well as donated industrial motion control equipment.

The Grainger Teaching Studio was remodeled and updated.

The glassboard in the Grainger Teaching Studio features a new glass whiteboard.

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WISCONSIN FOUNDATION AND ALUMNI ASSOCIATION | 608-263-4545 | SUPPORTUW.ORG

Outlook: To complete the setup of the fabrication facility, which will enable hands-on machine-building experiments in classes, the following existing fabrication equipment will be moved to the Grainger Teaching Studio’s new machine fabrication addition: • a workbench • a metal laser cutter (for lamination cutting) and lamination steel stock • two winding machines (CNC and manual) and magnet wire stock • insulation paper The control software for the custom-built benchtop prototype dynamometers will be updated, and the dynamometers will be commissioned so that they can be put into service.

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WISCONSIN FOUNDATION AND ALUMNI ASSOCIATION | 608-263-4545 | SUPPORTUW.ORG

GRAINGER POWER ENGINEERING AWARDS PROGRAM

The central goal of the Grainger Power Engineering Award program has been to attract students toward specializing in electrical power and energy systems, both at the undergraduate and graduate level. Since the inception of the program in the 1990s, the landscape of the electrical engineering discipline has evolved rapidly due to the growth of internet, wireless technologies, and more recently, machine learning and artificial intelligence. Concomitantly, the field of power and energy systems engineering is also transforming with the introduction and growth of electric transportation, solar and wind generation, and battery energy storage systems. The need for attracting students to power and energy systems has become even more pressing. In responding to this need, ECE faculty members who specialize in the field have changed the elective course sequences to improve the progression of students through the program. As a result, the faculty have concluded that it would be best to shift the identification of students in the spring semester of students' junior year and distribute the awards during the fall semester of students' senior year. The process of identifying awardees has been integrated with UW–Madison's online portal for scholarships. This will also enable a smooth payment process of the award amount through students' campus accounts. As part of this overhaul, ECE energy systems faculty are planning to hold the Grainger Awards Banquet in the fall semester. Awardees and records from the process will be reported during the coming year.

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GRAINGER PROFESSORSHIP IN SUSTAINABLE ENERGY

In the summer of 2023, I underwent emergency heart surgery. This event significantly altered the trajectory of the past year. Luckily for me, the issue was caught before it caused a major problem; surgery was successful, and I am recuperating well and approaching a recovered state. What was perhaps the most surprising aspect of the whole process was the toll it took on my ability to fully concentrate, which impacted my scholarly contributions writ large. In spite of this, in the fall semester, I taught the course that I recently developed — Energy, Sustainability, and Technology. While, for reasons given above, it did not go as well as I would have liked, I did learn some useful lessons about how to improve the course for this fall semester. First, I am engaging more outside practitioners as guest lecturers. Second, parts of the course are very information dense. I am moving some of that information to prerecorded lectures to free up time in class for discussion and problem solving. There is not a good reference text, which makes doing homework problems, most of which entail computer solutions, difficult for students. Finally, much of the course revolves around the analysis of different technologies from the perspective of establishing realistic performance limits and adverse consequences, and I present the analysis. I intend to engage student groups in this analysis and presentation to the class as a means of deepening their knowledge of specific topics. My research activities are focused on engine heat transfer and diesel ignition processes and are supported mainly by the Department of Energy and the Department of Defense. The work is a balance between experiments and computations, with a growing emphasis on the latter.

Jaal Ghandhi ’86, MS’88 Grainger Professor of Sustainable Energy Department of Mechanical Engineering

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GRAINGER PROFESSORSHIP IN NUCLEAR ENGINEERING

Over the last year, the Grainger professorship has supported the following activities:

• nuclear engineering education leadership • nuclear engineering program development • student support and publication costs

NUCLEAR ENGINEERING EDUCATION LEADERSHIP I served as the immediate past chair of the nation’s Nuclear Engineering Department Heads Organization (NEDHO) and member of the executive committee. This organization represents nuclear engineering departments and programs from around the country, primarily in their various interactions with the federal government and the nuclear industry. Support from the Grainger professorship enabled travel to important events organized by NEDHO under my leadership, including a roundtable discussion with reactor vendors about building new university research reactor facilities. I also represent the U.S. fusion research and development community on the International Energy Agency’s subcommittee on fusion neutronics. The Grainger professorship enabled me to travel to an international meeting on fusion nuclear technology to participate in meetings of this subcommittee. NUCLEAR ENGINEERING PROGRAM OUTREACH Following a year of restructuring, the Department of Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics planned a number of activities to highlight its renewed focus on nuclear energy from fission and fusion, including increased participation in Nuclear Science Week in October. The Grainger professorship supported two of these events, which engaged a broad public audience with a range of topics about the role and future of nuclear energy.

Photo by: Todd Brown

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