We have new brand system including logo, color scheme, and typography. It was designed by Tim Ritz.

As part of their final project in ANTHROP 5505: Wicked Science, Ryan Burrows, Blue Lerner, Tobin Provenzale, and Lindsey Shimoda worked together to update this wicked science website. They had learned throughout the year that a large part of tackling wicked problems revolves around communication. Knowing that, they chose to update the website to increase the clarity of its information for both the wicked science program and the concept of wicked problems. Their goal was to introduce wicked problems to students who might be interested in the program but unfamiliar with the term “wicked problems”. To do so they added webpages describing wicked problem characteristics as well as case studies to exemplify what wicked problems can be. These pages are a valuable addition to the wicked science program website that highlights the opportunities for our students to make unique and meaningful contributions. They also created wonderful art using AI for the website (see below).

Maddison Elliot has successfully defended her MA thesis in anthropology and completed the Graduate Interdisciplinary Specialization in Wicked Science. This means that she graduated yesterday as the world’s first certified wicked scientist. Congratulations Maddison!

We have created a LinkedIn group to stay in touch with future alumni from our programs and to connect with professional wicked scientists in the wild. Join us, stay in touch, and share your ideas on careers with wicked science.

We have a listserv for wicked scientists at The Ohio State University, i.e., wicked buckeyes. The listserv is used to share events, resources, and opportunities for folks interested in wicked science. You can subscribe here: https://lists.osu.edu/mailman/listinfo/wicked.

Franny Lazarus from Ohio State News wrote a piece about our Graduate interdisciplinary specialization in Wicked Science, which helps students tackle complex problems. It also features graduate student David Hibler and undergraduate student Lydia Wisne. You can read the story here.

The Council of Academic Affairs has approved the Graduate Interdisciplinary Specialization in Wicked Sciences in their meeting on March 1, 2023. No additional level of review or approval is necessary. Yay!

Mark Moritz and Nick Kawa published a piece in the American Scientist The World needs Wicked Scientists about the wicked science program. Here is the abstract: Many problems facing humanity are so daunting they seem impossible to solve. Among these problems are global climate change, food insecurity, growing socioeconomic inequality, systemic racism, and emerging infectious diseases. Yet it is precisely these problems—identified by a growing number of scholars as “wicked problems”—that society most urgently needs to address. How, then, can our expanding scientific understanding of wicked problems help us find better approaches? And what specific skills, attitudes, and knowledge do scientists need in order to effectively tackle them?

The paper is behind a paywall, but if you want to read it, contact Mark Moritz and he will send you a digital copy.