Alums to Watch
2023 Five of the Future
This third-annual feature celebrates rising stars from each of the School of Pharmacy’s degree programs. From international outreach about toxicology, to an app to improve recycling, to consulting with the World Health Organization, these five are shaking up their fields.
Improving Outcomes
Resilience Roadmap
How do we add more responsibilities for pharmacists while also increasing patient safety? Professor Michelle Chui and Associate Professor Jay Ford aim to map the way to a solution.
Webinar: Pharmacy in Population Health
In a webinar, alumni Chris Barron (BS ’97), Tyler Prickette (PharmD ’17), and Tony Knutson (PharmD ’20) illuminate pharmacists' role in population health.
Reducing Diabetes Disparities
Associate Professor Olayinka Shiyanbola explores how peer and clinical support can address social determinants of health among Black and Hispanic patients.
Photo Gallery
Alumni Tailgate and Viewing Party
The School of Pharmacy and Pharmacy Alumni Association’s most popular annual alumni event once again brought generations of Pharmacy Badgers together. See who made it and what transpired for the Badgers v. Hawkeyes game.
See the gallery >
From the Dean
Dean’s Corner
As pressures on pharmacists grow, School of Pharmacy Dean Steve Swanson discusses the evolution of the profession over the years and what’s on the horizon, both for the field of pharmacy and for the School.
Learn more >
Alumni Change-Makers
4 Alumni Celebrated with Citations of Merit
The Citation of Merit is the UW–Madison School of Pharmacy’s highest annual honor. This year’s honorees include alumni who have improved pharmacy practice and education, medication therapies, hospital waste management, and more. Meet the honorees and learn about their careers.
20 Years of Tribal Service
From riding a rocking horse to calm kids to leading a wildfire evacuation, alum Tom Blumenberg's (BS '74) career in the U.S. Public Health Service came with a host of adventures at tribal clinics around the country.
Director's Awards
Out of four awards given by the ASHP Board of Directors in 2023, three went to Badger pharmacists. See why Philip Schneider (BS '70), Julie Dagam (BS ’98, PharmD ’99), and Tom Thielke (BS '67, MS '69) are nationally recognized.
Ambulatory Pharmacy Pioneer
In his time with the Madison VA, Arthur Schuna (BS ’73, MS ’75) was instrumental in expanding clinical pharmacists’ roles on local and national levels. Learn about the services he developed.
Enabling New Therapies
How Traumatic Stress Changes the Brain
New research by School of Pharmacy Professor Lingjun Li uncovers the role of neuropeptides in post-traumatic stress disorder, which could unlock more effective treatments.
International Education to Boost HIV Therapies
Through an international partnership with USAID funding, the School of Pharmacy launches online drug development courses in Kenya, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.
Stress and Psilocybin
Assistant Professor Cody Wenthur explores the link between psilocybin and stress to shed light on how the drug produces anxiety-reducing effects.
New Antibiotic Targets
Armed with two new grants and new approaches, School of Pharmacy Assistant Professor Jason Peters continues his quest to find new targets for the hardest-to-treat bacterial infections.
Looking Back
African American Trailblazer
Leo Butts became the first African American graduate of the School of Pharmacy in 1920. That's just one of his groundbreaking achievements covered by UW–Madison in this roundup of overlooked scientists.
50th Anniversary: Class of 1973
The School of Pharmacy Class of 1973 shares photos and memories from their time in pharmacy school. Get a closer look at student life 50 years ago.
140 Years of Leadership and Innovation
As UW–Madison celebrates its 175th anniversary, the School of Pharmacy reflects on more than a century of field-leading firsts in practice and education.
Photo Gallery
White Coat Ceremony
Our PharmD Class of 2027 met their first major milestone in pharmacy school: receiving their white coats. The ceremony also featured several School of Pharmacy alumni, including Heather Spatchek (PharmD ’18), Hannet Tibagwa Ambord (MS ’00), and more.
See the ceremony in photos >
Educational Excellence
National Student Scholar
PharmD student Morgan Oettinger is selected for the inaugural cohort of the a new program created by AACP, APhA, and NCPA to provide extra opportunities to promising future community pharmacists.
Setting the Standard
The School of Pharmacy earns a prestigious national award for its inclusive curriculum, recruitment, and hiring practices that support the education of practitioners ready to serve diverse populations.
3 APhA-ASP Awards
The School's PharmD students earn three awards for their community outreach initiatives focusing on immunizations, reproductive health, and substance misuse disorder. See what sets them apart.
Involved Alums
Pharmacy Forward
“I would do anything for this school that has given me everything,” says Nancy Gilbride (BS ’90, MS ’93). That's why she's helped the School of Pharmacy launch a new campaign aimed toward lowering the financial barriers for top future pharmacists.
Grandparents University
Designed for UW–Madison alumni, the School of Pharmacy hosts a two-day "major" to give kids and their grandparents a hands-on peek into a career in pharmacy.
'Worth Every Penny'
The scholarships created by alumni and friends of the School open doors for student pharmacists to immerse themselves in their future career.
Making Headlines
Alumni Events
Virtual Alumni and Friends Trivia Night
Tuesday, February 6
Come test your Badgers, Pharmacy, and general trivia knowledge in our fourth annual trivia fundraiser for student scholarships, hosted by the School of Pharmacy and the Pharmacy Alumni Association.
Rural Health Program Reunion
Thursday, February 8
Join School of Pharmacy faculty, alumni and students for a virtual event to give Rural Health participants the chance to reunite, reconnect, and hear from instructors and peers.
APhA 2024: Alumni and Friends Reception
Date TBD
Join fellow Badger pharmacists at the American Pharmacists Association Annual Meeting in Orlando, Fla., March 22-25. Time and location of reception TBD. Check back for more details.
Class Notes
Winter 2023 Class Notes
Our Pharmacy Badgers are always busy, meeting professional and personal milestones, getting national recognition, or just checking in to say how life has been. Keep in touch with your School of Pharmacy alumni peers through class notes.
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Submit your class note >
Professional Development
CMC Project Team Leadership
Thursdays April 18-May 23 | Webinars
This course covers effective leadership skills in the context of CMC development. In addition to leadership skills, the course also covers regulatory compliance and quality assurance.
Find more information and register >
Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics
June 11, 12, 18 & 19 | Webinars
This course helps pharmaceutical scientists get well versed in the details of PK-PD. Pharmacokinetics (PK) describes what a body does to a drug. Pharmacodynamics (PD) describes what the drug does to the body.
Find more information and register >
Fundamentals of Solid Dosage Form Development
June 3–6 | Pyle Center, UW–Madison campus
This course covers the “A to Z” of solid dosage forms from screening and selection to manufacturing.
Find more information and register >
DISCOVERX Staff
Editor-in-Chief | Katie Gerhards
Photographer | Sally Griffith-Oh
Contributing Photographers | Todd Brown, Andy Manis, Beau Gustafson, Carla Osberg, Jon Fleming, Matt Yeoman, Zachry Bolinger
Contributing Writers | Katie Ginder-Vogel, Nicole Etter, Jessica Steinhoff
Editorial Interns | Maren Stewart, Logan Underwood
Editorial Advisors | Alyson Kim, David Mott
DiscoveRx magazine is a quarterly digital publication by the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Pharmacy.
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