Fall Symposium 2026
October 21–22, 3–6 p.m. each day
Varsity Hall, Union South
1308 W. Dayton Street, Madison
The Center for Ecology and the Environment invites you to the 2026 Fall Symposium. The event will explore new research and offer opportunities to network with faculty, staff, and students.
Highlighting the variety of ecology research across campus, the Fall Symposium will feature talks by UW faculty as well as two keynote addresses. This year, we will be joined by Dr. May Berenbaum, a leading ecologist from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Keynote Speaker
May Berenbaum
Ecologist, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Dr. May Berenbaum is a leading ecologist who studies the interactions between insects and plants, including herbivores and pollinators, and their implications in the organization of natural communities and agroecosystems.
Her work reveals the biochemical, genetic, and molecular mechanisms underlying interactions between insects and the plants they consume, including detoxification of natural and synthetic chemicals, and for applying ecological principles in developing sustainable management practices for natural and agricultural communities.
She is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and teaches and fosters scientific literacy.
Symposium Schedule
Wednesday, October 21
- 3 p.m.: Welcome remarks
- 3:15 p.m.: Beth Tellman, assistant professor, Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, “Flood Risk in an Urbanizing World: Using Satellites to Address Adaptation and Injustice”
- 3:35 p.m.: Zach Feiner, assistant professor, Department of Biology and Center for Limnology, “Phenological Whiplash in Aquatic Ecosystems”
- 4 p.m.: Keynote by Dr. May Berenbaum, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- 5 p.m.: Reception
Thursday, October 22
- 3 p.m.: Welcome remarks
- 3:15 p.m.: John Orrock, professor, Department of Biology, “New Species Changing Old Interactions: Invasive Shrubs, Animal Behavior, Granivory, Predation, and Disease”
- 3:35 p.m.: Michael Belitz, assistant professor, Department of Entomology, “How Warming and Extreme Weather Disrupt the Timing of Plants, Insects, and Birds”
- 4 p.m.: Keynote by Dr. May Berenbaum, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- 5 p.m.: Reception
