Snout-Out Picnic
Chemistry ends the summer and kicks off the new academic year in style with a legendary department picnic. It starts with a pig roast and other summertime foods to sate the appetite, and follows with the annual department Softball Tournament. Enjoy an afternoon full of games, friendly interdepartmental rivalries, sociable scientists, and good food. Advertisements and tickets will be sent out over the summer, and will be available on the website. Check back as the date approaches!
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Wellness
Pet of the Week
A weekly email highlighting a pet within the department, offering the chance to admire the animals that support our community. Members of the chemistry community are encouraged to submit a photo and description of their pet using this form.
If you would like to see pets from previous weeks, check out this slideshow.
Coffee Hours
Chemistry coffee hours are hosted frequently around the department, providing students and staff with much needed caffeine and time to decompress.
Community Building
Bonfire
Fall semester kickoff event at Picnic Point to welcome new students to the department in a casual environment away from chemistry. Particularly benefits first year students who are joining research groups.
Department Breakfast
Biannual catered breakfast in Chemistry Room 9341 for department members to meet and socialize with those outside of their paths/groups.
Ice Cream Social
Summer event with ice cream from Babcock Dairy. Way to meet people outside of groups people regularly interact with, take a break from work, and enjoy the outdoors.
Madison Capitols Hockey Game
Winter outing to a minor league hockey game, with transit directly to and from game provided, to encourage group bonding over a shared interest.
Madison Mallards Baseball Game
Summer outing to a minor league baseball game in a large group setting to encourage bonding and provide students with entertainment.
Ice Skating
Winter activity at the Shell or Bakke ice rink to enjoy the winter sport at a convenient campus location.
Mini Golf
Summer outing to Vitense Mini Golf to facilitate activity that requires large group, encouraging team building, physical activity, and stress relief through a shared interest at an off-campus location.
Game Nights
Causal way to get to know department members while enjoying a mentally stimulating non-work activity.
Career Development
Travel Grants: These awards offer graduate students (with dissertator status) funding to apply towards conference expenses.
Mentor Awards: The purpose of the Mentor Awards is to recognize graduate students, postdocs, and academic staff/faculty who have had a positive and profound impact on their mentees. All members of the chemistry community that have aided in the guidance, growth, and development of student’s careers are eligible to be nominated. Undergraduate students, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows are allowed to write letters. Nominations from undergraduate and graduate students are strongly encouraged. There are separate nominee categories for graduate students (who will receive a monetary award), postdocs, and faculty/staff (who will receive a certificate).
Career Support Circle: Join your fellow graduate students/postdocs in the Career Support Circle to meet up for an hour of dedicated time to applying to jobs, updating resume/LinkedIn, etc. We will meet on the following Wednesdays during Spring 2026 from 5:30pm-6:30pm in 8351. Come and go whenever is best for you!
Contact Brittany Trinh (btrinh2@wisc.edu) if you have questions or want to RSVP.
Career Development Seminar Series:
- November 11, 2025: Q&A with Dr. Jim Tung, Lacamas Laboratories
- Aug. 13, 2025: Applying to Faculty Positions at Primarily Undergraduate Institutions (PUIs), Dr. Bryan Wakefield
- November 8, 2024: Graduate’s Guide to Negotiation: Turn Job Offers into Win-Win Deals, Dr. Charlie Trevor