University of Wisconsin–Madison

Category: Education

Human Capital and Racial and Ethnic Gaps in Mid-Life Labor Market Outcomes: Evidence from High School and Beyond 1980

Economics of Education Review (2026) Authors: Soobin Kim, Michael J. Culbertson, Eric Grodsky, Chandra Muller, John Robert Warren Abstract: We document the role of premarket human capital in explaining racial and ethnic income disparities in labor market outcomes for individuals from their late 20s to mid-50s. Using comprehensive measures of the human capital students possess …

Why Expert Advising Matters for College Access

Brookings (2026) Authors: Isabel McMullen and Taylor Odle Abstract: States are increasingly seeking ways to invest in programs that strengthen the workforce and widen the pipeline of those entering college and other career preparation programs. One type of intervention, college advising and coaching, is designed to help students navigate the complex college-going process. Using a statewide advising program …

Best Practices to Promote the Success of Students of Color: Insights From a New Type of Climate Survey

Frontiers in Education (2026) Authors: Kamila Redd, Kevin Kennedy, Markus Brauer Abstract:  Despite attempts to promote inclusion in STEM, disparities in belonging, academic achievement, and experiences of discrimination persist between students of color and their White peers. In alignment with the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation’s (LSAMP) focus to better understand the factors contributing to …

Developing the HeART: Tracking Racial Heterogeneity in Fiction Reading Habits

Reading Research Quarterly (2026) Authors: Maya Rabinowitz, Abla Alaoui Soce, Nick Buttrick, Diana I. Tamir Abstract: Tracing the stories people have read may help us understand their beliefs and social attitudes. In this study, we develop and validate a scale to measure racial diversity in people’s fiction reading: the Heterogeneous Author Recognition Test (HeART). To …

Culturally aware mentoring interventions create enduring changes among graduate biomedical faculty

Scientific Reports (2026) Authors: Angela Byars-Winston, Stephanie C. House, Remi Jones, Sylvia Hurtado, You-Geon Lee, Ellyssa Eiring, and Richard McGee Abstract: Most science faculty are ill-equipped to navigate how racial inequalities impact interactions with students and peers in their research training contexts and their mentoring relationships. We show that faculty mentors in graduate biomedical training …

Creating a Conversation Facilitation Curriculum for Journalism Schools

Journalism Practice (2025) Authors: Sue Robinson, Margarita Orozco, and Lori Shontz Abstract: This article analyzes the impact of a conversation facilitation training program for journalism students from six universities across the United States as a so-called “intervention” in applied research to build a new curriculum for journalism schools. We found three areas that demand careful …

Small Syllabus Change Boosts Grades and Inclusion for Students from Marginalized Groups

A new study by Mitchell Campbell, Kevin Kennedy, Andrea Miller, and IDS Executive Director Markus Brauer suggests that a small, low-cost change in university classrooms can make a meaningful difference for students’ academic success and well-being, especially for those from marginalized backgrounds. The study, published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, tested a simple “Inclusivity …

White Supremacy, Scientific Racism, and Extractivism: A Framework For Anti-Racist Histories of Science in STEMM Education

Science and Education (2026) Authors: Aida Arosoaie, Elizabeth Hennessy, Erika Marín-Spiotta, Evan Hepler-Smith Abstract: Science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM) disciplines have long grappled with racism and racial overrepresentation, prompting recent critical approaches to the possibilities of enacting systemic change that go beyond Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives focused on recruitment and retention. …

Childhood Fluoride Exposure and Cognition Across the Life Course

Science Advances (2025) Authors: John Robert Warren, Gina Rumore, Soobin Kim, Eric Grodsky, Chandra Muller, Jennifer J. Manly, and Adam M. Brickman Abstract: How are children’s fluoride exposures associated with cognitive test performance in adolescence and midlife? Whereas most prior research has estimated effects of exposure to extremely high levels of fluoride, we consider exposure …

A Brief Pro-Diversity Social Marketing Intervention Improves Grades and Well-Being of Students From Marginalized Groups

Personality and Psychology Bulletin (2026) Authors: Mitchell R. Campbell, Kevin R. Kennedy, Andrea L. Miller, Markus Brauer Abstract: Despite much research on improving intergroup relations, the evidence for long-term effects in real-world settings is mixed. We used the social marketing approach to create an “Inclusivity Page” that could be added to course syllabi. The page contained …