Hub Activities

Capacity Building

The FY26 Request for Proposals for Capacity Building:
Call for Capacity Building Projects - link here.

Faculty Research Fellowships

The FY26 Faculty Research Fellowships:
Call for Faculty Research Fellowships - link here.
Fellowship Budget Template - link here.

Project Showcase

At this link (click here) you will find the Dairy Innovation Hub’s Project Showcase.
This online tool is a searchable database for all Hub-funded projects. Projects can be organized by campus, funding year, priority area and project type. Each project entry contains PI information, co-PI information (if applicable) and a project summary.

Faculty Research Fellowships awarded in FY25

Project Title	Principal investigator
Growing a New UW Collaboration to Continuously Measure Groundwater Nitrate in Western Wisconsin Farm Wells Using a Novel Sensor Technology	Dr. Jill Coleman Wasik, Professor of Environmental Science
Development of Whey protein-lignin Based Film/Coating Materials for Dairy Food Packaging Applications	Dr. Youngmi Kim, Associate Professor of Agricultural Engineering
Processing-Induced Alterations in Casein Protein Digestibility and Enzymatic Interactions	Dr. Grace Lewis, Assistant Professor of Food Science
Filling Existing Gaps in the Monitoring of Soil Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Environmental Health at Mann Valley Farm	Dr. Susanne Wiesner Assistant Professor of Environmental Science

Faculty Research Fellowships awarded in FY24

Project Title	Principal Investigator
Groundwater Fluctuations – Related Nutrient Cycling and Stream Water Quality in Agricultural Headwater Areas	Dr. Bahar Hassanpour, Assistant Professor of Environmental Science
Optimizing Forage Cover Crop systems for Agronomic Production and Environmental Stewardship	Dr. Veronica Justen, Professor of Crop Science
Effects of using calf jackets on performance and health of purebred and crossbred dairy calves in different rearing environments.	Dr. Sylvia Kehoe, Professor of Dairy Science
Effect of In-Field Prairie Strips on Nutrient Cyling and Biodiversity in Crop Production Systems: A preliminary study	Dr. Natasha Rayne, Associate Professor of Soil Science
Rural Economic Development in Wisconsin: Analysis of Intergenerational Mobility and Community-Centered Case Studies	Dr. James White, Associate Professor of Agricultural Economics
Establishing a Baseline Greenhouse Gas Budget and Climate Resilience Target for the Mann Valley Dairy Farm	Dr. Susanne Wiesner, Assistant Professor of Environmental Science
Efficient Manure Land Application Through Innovative Tillage Systems: Feasibility and Environmental Impacts	Dr. Bob Zeng, Assistant Professor of Agricultural Engineering

Faculty Research Fellowships awarded in FY23

Project Title	Principal investigator
Characterizing the Behavior and Management of Dairy Cows and Neonate Calves Shortly After Birth	Dr. Kate Creutzinger, Assistant Professor of Dairy Cattle Behavior and Welfare
Development of Whey Protein-lignin Based Film/coating Materials for Dairy Food Packaging Applications	Dr. Youngmi Kim, Associate Professor of Agricultural Engineering
Optimization of Casein Micelle Nanoparticle Formation Using High Pressure Homogenization and Processing Aids	Dr. Grace Lewis, Assistant Professor of Food Science
Efficient Manure Land Application Through Vertical Tillage Systems: Preliminary Studies	Dr. Bob Zeng, Assistant Professor of Agricultural Engineering

Faculty Research Fellowships awarded in FY22

Project Title	Principal investigator
Preliminary Comparison of Carcass Composition, Average Daily Gain, and Feed Efficiency of HolSim Cattle vs. Angus x Holstein Cattle	Dr. Arquimides Reyes, Assistant Professor of Animal Science
Updating Manure Excretion Values in SnapPlus for Better Nutrient Management Planning	Dr. Joel Peterson, Professor of Agricultural Engineering
Understanding the Impact of Dairy Farm Changes on Social Capital in Rural Wisconsin	Dr. Christopher Holtkamp, Assistant Professor of Conservation and Environmental Planning
Evaluation of Effectiveness and Pain Behaviors Between Two Caustic Paste Brands When Disbudding Calves	Dr. Sylvia Kehoe, Professor of Dairy Science

Faculty Research Fellowships awarded in FY21

Project Title	Principal investigator
Analysis and Publication of Dairy Cow Research Data	Dr. Larry Baumann, Professor of Animal Science; Steven Kelm, Professor of Dairy Science
Calf Management Practices, Animal Welfare and the Social Sustainability of the Dairy Industry	Dr. Albert Boaitey, Assistant Professor of Agricultural Economics
Seeking Solutions to Groundwater Contamination in Agricultural Communities: Strategic Study of Factors Influencing Contaminant Transport From the Land Surface into Aquifers	Dr. Jill Coleman Wasik, Professor of Environmental Science
Novel Dairy Cropping Systems to Enhance Economic and Environmental Resilience of Wisconsin Dairy Farms	Dr. Veronica Justen, Professor of Crop Science
Improving the Health and Welfare of Dairy Calves	Dr. Sylvia Kehoe, Professor of Dairy Science
UWRF Mann Valley Farm Bovine Compost Research Expansion	Dr. Patrick Woolcock, Assistant Professor of Agricultural Engineering