Some of the 2009 Wisconsin Academy Fellows and the Minerva Society Laureate pose for the camera at the Oct. 11 induction ceremony at UW-Fox Valley.

The Fellows Program of the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters was established in 1981. It represents the highest level of recognition conferred by the Academy. Fellows of the Wisconsin Academy are elected for their high levels of accomplishment in their fields as well as a lifelong commitment to intellectual discourse. These distinguished individuals from a wide range of disciplines help us shape our programs and projects.

To be considered, one must have or have had a meaningful relationship with the state of Wisconsin and be highly esteemed for qualities of judgment, perceptiveness, and breadth of knowledge of how literature, art and science contribute to the cultural life and welfare of the state. Those elected will also have a career marked by an unusually high order of discovery; technological accomplishments; creative productivity in literature, poetry, or the fine or practical arts; historical analysis; legal or judicial interpretation; or philosophical thinking.

A Wisconsin Academy committee broadly representative of the sciences, arts and letters recommends individuals to the Academy Council and the total number of Fellows is limited to 100 at any time.

Fellows Nomination Form
You can either download a PDF copy of our 2011 Fellows nomination form to print, fill out, and return via mail, or complete and submit the online form here. The nomination deadline is February 1, 2011.

Introducing the 2009 Wisconsin Academy Fellows

Seven of Wisconsin's most accomplished artists, writers, and scientists have been named Wisconsin Academy 2009 Fellows. The new Fellows are: geneticist William Dove; neuroscientist Ian Duncan; historian John Gurda; microbiologist Jo Handelsman; artist David Lenz; writer Lorrie Moore; and musician Karlos Moser.

Click here to watch the Wisconsin Academy's 2009 Fellows and Minerva Society Laureate induction ceremony online.



Fellows of the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters

• Shirley S. Abrahamson, Chief Justice, Wisconsin Supreme Court
• Julius Adler, Professor of Biochemistry and Genetics, UW-Madison
• George Archibald, Co-founder and Director, International Crane Foundation, Baraboo
• Emily Auerbach, Professor of English, UW-Madison
• Alfred Bader, Former Chairman, Aldrich Chemical Company, Art Collector, Milwaukee
• Robert Byron Bird, Professor of Chemical Engineering, UW-Madison
• Karen Johnson Boyd, Arts Executive and Gallery Owner
• Nina Leopold Bradley, Conservationist, Baraboo
• Nancy Ekholm Burkert, Literary Illustrator
• Molly Carnes, Physician and Professor of Medicine, UW School of Medicine and Public Health
• Sean Carroll, Professor of Molecular Biology and Genetics, UW-Madison
• Ferne Caulker, Choreographer, Director of Ko-Thi Dance Company, Milwaukee
• Alta Charo, Biomedical Ethicist, UW Law School
• Catherine B. Cleary, Former Chairman, First Wisconsin Trust Company, Milwaukee
• Warrington Colescott, Artist and Printmaker, Professor of Art, UW-Madison
• William Cronon, Professor of History, UW-Madison
• James Crow, Professor Emeritus, Department of Genetics, UW-Madison
• Richard Davidson, Neuroscientist and Psychologist UW-Madison, Madison
• Richard Davis, Bass Player and Professor of Music UW-Madison, Madison
• Hector DeLuca, Professor and Chair, Department of Biochemistry, UW-Madison
• John DeMain, music director and conductor, Madison Symphony Orchestra
• Michael Dombeck, UW-Stevens Point Professor of Global Environmental Management and UW Systems Fellow
• William Dove, Professor of Oncology and Medical Genetics, UW-Madison
• Ian Duncan, Neurology Professor in the UW-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine
• Michael Fiore, Physician and Smoking Cessation Researcher UW-Madison, Madison
• Janine Geske, Marquette University Law School professor and former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice
• Raymond Gloeckler, Wood Engraving Artist and Art Professor Emeritus, UW-Madison
• John Gurda, author, historian, and columnist for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
• Jo Handelsman, Bacteriology Professor and Co-Director of the Women in Science and Engineering Leadership Institute at UW-Madison
• John Harmon, Composer, Pianist and Educator, Winneconne
• Paul G. Hayes, Journalist, Milwaukee Journal, Retired
• Sister Esther Heffernan, Professor Emerita of Social Science, Edgewood College, Madison
• Geneva Johnson, President and Chief Executive Officer, Family Service America, Inc., Milwaukee
• James R. Johnson, Executive, Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing, Retired, River Falls
• Roland Johnson, Director Emeritus, Madison Symphony Orchestra
• Laura Kiessling, Hilldale Professor of Chemistry and Laurens Anderson Professor of Biochemistry, UW-Madison
• Anne Kingsbury, Mixed Media Artist and Manager, Woodland Pattern Book Center
• Joanne Kluessendorf, Museum Director and Professor, UW-Fox Valley
• Ruth DeYoung Kohler, Director, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan
• Ellen Kort, Poet and First Wisconsin Poet Laureate, Appleton
• Melvin R. Laird, Former Secretary of Defense
• Henry Lardy, Professor Emeritus of Biochemistry, UW-Madison
• Barbara Brown Lee, Chief Educator, Milwaukee Art Museum
• David Lenz, painter and 2009 winner of the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery Competition
• Gerda Lerner, Professor Emerita of History, UW-Madison
• Harvey Littleton, Artist, Spruce Pine, North Carolina
• Truman Lowe, Artist, Curator of National Museum of American Indian, D.C., UW Professor
• Nancy O. Lurie, Curator of Anthropology, Milwaukee Public Museum
• Katharine C. Lyall, UW System President, retired
• Dennis G. Maki, Professor UW-Medical School, Madison
• Lorrie Moore, award-winning author and Delmore Schwartz Professor in the Humanities at UW-Madison
• Clifford H. Mortimer, Professor Emeritus of Biological Sciences, UW-Milwaukee
• Warren Nelson, Founder, Producer and Executive Director Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua
• Sara O'Connor, Managing Director, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, retired
• Rev. Francis Paul Prucha, Professor of History, Marquette University, Milwaukee
• Sister Joel Read, President, Alverno College, Milwaukee, retired
• Don Reitz, Professor of Art Education, UW-Madison, retired
• Walter Sava, executive director emeritus, Latino Arts and United Community Center
• Irving Shain, Chancellor Emeritus, UW-Madison
• Bassam Z. Shakhashiri, Professor of Chemistry, UW-Madison
• Peter Sheehan, curator of geology, Milwaukee Public Museum
• Ben Sidran, Musician, Composer, Producer, Madison
• Hans Sollinger, Surgeon and Professor of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
• Kenneth Starr, Director Emeritus, Milwaukee Public Museum
• Athan Theoharis, Marquette University Professor of History, Milwaukee
• James A. Thomson, Professor, UW-Madison Medical School, and Scientific Director, WiCell Research Institute UW-Madison
• Kerry Trask, Professor of History, UW-Manitowoc
• Tom Uttech, Artist, Saukville
• Ronald Wallace, Author, Poet, Professor of English, UW-Madison
• Lee Weiss, Watercolor Artist, Madison
• Allen Young, Vice President for Collections, Research, and Public Programs, Milwaukee Public Museum
• Robert S. Zigman, Chairman, Zigman Joseph Skeen, Inc., Milwaukee
• Karlos Moser, University Opera conductor and Fox Valley Symphony founding conductor