https://www.uwlax.edu/currents/CurrentsPosts tagged with 'Community':2024-03-25T10:43:25.553Zhttps://www.uwlax.edu/currents/solar-eclipse-2024/Solar eclipse 20242024-03-25T10:43:25.553Z2024-03-25T10:37:00ZKjerstin Langhttps://uwlax.edu/profile/klang/klang@uwlax.edu
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<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">10:37 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Monday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>March</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>25</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2024</span></p>
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<figcaption>Total solar eclipse image where the sun is blocked out by the moon and only the solar corona is visible.</figcaption>
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<h3 class="tagline">UW-La Crosse astronomer explains this rare alignment of celestial bodies</h3>
<p>“It is the most unearthly experience you can have on the Earth,” explains <a data-mce-href="/planetarium/" href="/planetarium/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UW-La Crosse Planetarium</a> Director Robert Allen, describing a total solar eclipse.</p><p>During a total solar eclipse, the sun falls behind the moon, leaving only a sign of the outermost atmosphere of the sun — the solar corona. This corona appears like a glowing ring perched high in the sky. Daylight succumbs to an eerie twilight with only a thin sunset all around the horizon. Birds go to roost and certain flowers close as if nightfall has truly come. Planets and some of the brighter stars come into view. Then, within minutes the moon’s shadow has moved on and world returns to a normal day.</p><p>People will have a chance to see a total solar eclipse this Monday, April 8, if they live in any <a data-mce-href="https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2024/where-when" href="https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2024/where-when" target="_blank" rel="noopener">communities along the projected direct path</a> of the moon’s shadow or “path of totality” that will move diagonally across the North American continent, stretching from Mexico’s Pacific coast to Newfoundland, Canada. This dark shadow will travel across portions of various U.S. states including Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and small parts of Tennessee and Michigan.</p><p>This will be the first total solar eclipse to cross the continental U.S. since 2017.</p><p>Wisconsin doesn’t fall within the path of totality, so the state will experience a partial solar eclipse, along with nearly all of North America. A partial solar eclipse is noticeable if you know what you’re looking for, but not nearly as spectacular, explains Allen.</p><p>Allen will be traveling to Arkansas, along with a host of other local astronomy buffs to see the total solar eclipse — a phenomena he’s witnessed only three times in his life: In 1979 in Canada, in 1991 in Hawaii, and in 2017 in Nebraska.<br></p><p>Below Allen answers common questions about total and partial solar eclipses.<br></p><h3>What is a solar eclipse?&nbsp;</h3><p>During a solar eclipse, the moon comes between the sun and the Earth, blocking out the sun’s rays. This is possible because the moon and sun appear to be roughly the same size in the sky when viewed from the Earth’s surface. In reality, the sun is much larger than the moon — about 400 times larger. However, coincidentally, the sun is about 400 times farther away than the moon, making the two appear roughly the same size from the Earth. This phenomena makes a solar eclipse possible.</p><p>During a solar eclipse, the moon’s shadow is projected onto the Earth, causing those on Earth to experience dawn or dusk-like surroundings despite it being daytime. However, not all shadows are created equal. Two types of shadows are projected on Earth, and one is much darker than the other.</p><ul><li><strong>Umbral shadow: </strong>A smaller, darker shadow cast on the Earth. The umbral shadow is considered the “path of totality” and those in this path experience a total solar eclipse. The width of this umbral shadow can be up to about 150 miles wide. During the April 2024 eclipse it will span about 115 miles, creating a dark and truly otherworldly experience for viewers below. Being in the umbral shadow is a rare opportunity considering the path of totality is fairly narrow when considering the Earth’s full diameter is nearly 8,000 miles.</li><li><strong>Penumbral shadow:</strong> A much broader and lighter shadow cast on the Earth by the moon. Many more people experience the penumbral shadow of the moon during a solar eclipse, which means they are experiencing a partial solar eclipse. The darkness they experience ranges, depending on how far they are from the path of totality. La Crosse, Wisconsin, for instance can expect to be at 85% of totality for the April 2024 solar eclipse. &nbsp;<a data-mce-href="https://youtu.be/cxrLRbkOwKs?si=fLlNQuq10qAqtXPA" href="https://youtu.be/cxrLRbkOwKs?si=fLlNQuq10qAqtXPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">See a video demonstrating umbral and penumbral shadows</a>.&nbsp;<br></li></ul><h3>Why don’t we have a solar eclipse every month?</h3><p>The moon takes about one month to orbit Earth, so one could reason that a solar eclipse should occur every month — each time the moon makes its round to orbit Earth and comes in front of the sun. That would be true if the moon’s orbit around the Earth was perfectly aligned with the Earth’s orbital plane around the sun. However, the moon’s orbit is not perfectly aligned — it is inclined a few degrees north or south in relation to the Earth. Because of its inclined orbit, the moon sometimes doesn’t block the sun at all, and, at other times, it is only partially blocking it.&nbsp;<br></p><p>During a total solar eclipse, orbiting planes of the Earth and moon intersect, and the moon lines up perfectly in front of the sun. This happens relatively infrequently. Consider that eclipse season — a 35 day period when the new or full moon happens and a solar or lunar eclipse is possible — occurs only about twice a year. But the chance of seeing a solar eclipse during this period is even less frequent as it must happen in locations on the Earth that is possible to get to. Eclipses over the oceans, arctic tundra and deserts often go unseen. That’s why seeing a solar eclipse is so special. It is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity — and potentially more depending on how far you’re willing to travel.</p><h3>How long does a solar eclipse last?</h3><p>A solar eclipse can last from several seconds to a maximum of just a little over seven minutes. The 2024 eclipse will last a maximum of about six minutes in some places and less in others. &nbsp;</p>
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<h3>How do you safely observe a solar eclipse?  </h3>
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<figcaption>Sun funnel - Taken in the stadium parking lot during the partial solar eclipse on Oct. 14, 2023.</figcaption>
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<p>One should never look directly at the sun with the naked eye or other tools such as binoculars or a telescope, except during totality, as it can instantly cause severe eye injury. Use special-purpose solar filters or other devices created to view a solar eclipse indirectly.&nbsp;</p><ul><li><strong>Eclipse viewing glasses </strong>– Many libraries, museums, and planetariums provide eyewear specifically created for solar eclipse viewing. Eclipse glasses should meet all ISO 12312-2:2015 standards for direct solar observation. They block 99 percent of UV light, 97 percent of IR radiation and only allow a transmission of roughly 0.0003 percent of visible light through them.<br>Indirect ways to watch –</li><li><strong>Pinhole projection - </strong>The simplest way to view a partial solar eclipse is to poke a small hole in a piece of cardboard and project the image onto a second piece of cardboard behind the first one. A piece of white paper taped to the cardboard makes the image brighter.</li><li><strong>Colander - </strong>A colander with multiple holes in it can also be used to project images of the crescent sun onto the ground.<br><a href="https://youtu.be/cxrLRbkOwKs?si=fLlNQuq10qAqtXPA" data-mce-href="https://youtu.be/cxrLRbkOwKs?si=fLlNQuq10qAqtXPA">https://youtu.be/cxrLRbkOwKs?si=fLlNQuq10qAqtXPA</a></li></ul><h4><br>When is the solar eclipse in 2024?&nbsp;<br></h4><p>The 2024 eclipse will be on Monday, April 8 at varying times depending on where you are located.<br></p><h4>Where is the solar eclipse in 2024?&nbsp;<br></h4><p>The 2024 solar eclipse path or <a data-mce-href="https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2024/where-when" href="https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2024/where-when" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“path of totality”</a> includes portions of Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Canada, and small parts of Tennessee and Michigan. Most of North America will experience a partial solar eclipse.&nbsp;</p><p>Even if you are in the path of totality, you are not guaranteed to see the total solar eclipse as it requires a clear sky. The clearest skies for the 2024 eclipse are predicted to be in southwest Texas and Mexico.<br>Even if you are not in the “path of totality” you can view the partial solar eclipse, which may create a noticeable darkness and create a crescent shape on the sun when viewed through a filter. Check your community for local viewing events.</p><p>Former astronomy teacher at Logan High School Jim Konichek will be set up at La Crosse’s Riverside Park, if the sky is clear, around 1 p.m. Monday, April 8 to view the partial solar eclipse. Peak coverage will be at 2 p.m. with the outgoing partial eclipse over by 3 p.m. Everyone is welcome to come and view. Viewing glasses will be provided.</p>
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<h3>Solar eclipse 2024, can you see it in Wisconsin?</h3>
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<figcaption>Partial solar eclipse on June 10, 2021. Photo taken from Ridge History Park near Middle Ridge on Hwy. 33.</figcaption>
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<p>We will see a partial solar eclipse of varying degrees in Wisconsin. La Crosse, Wisconsin, for instance, will experience an 85 % solar partial eclipse. &nbsp;This may produce a noticeable darkening of the sky and the moon will come partially in front of the sun, but not fully cover it. For comparison, Allen says La Crosse had an 92 % partial eclipse in 2017, and it became dark enough that the street lights came on. He doesn’t expect an 85 % partial eclipse to cause street lights to turn on.</p><h4>When can we expect to see the solar eclipse in Wisconsin?</h4><p>Times will vary. In La Crosse it will begin to be visible at 1 p.m. with a peak at 2 p.m. and wrapping up at 3 p.m.</p><h4>Why does a lunar eclipse last so much longer than a solar eclipse?</h4><p>A lunar eclipse is typically several hours long while a solar eclipse lasts only minutes. Why the difference? Remember during a solar eclipse the moon casts a shadow on the Earth and during a lunar eclipse, the Earth casts a shadow on the moon. The Earth is much larger than the moon, and so is its shadow, meaning it takes much longer for the Earth’s full shadow to pass across the moon’s surface. The moon is one fourth the diameter of the Earth, so its shadow quickly makes its trek across the Earth’s surface. &nbsp;</p><h4>Solar eclipse 2024 myths, theories and legends</h4><p>Various myths, theories and legends have been associated with solar eclipses over the centuries of human existence. Early and even more modern day humans have pondered whether they signal the end of the world. These stories likely gained popularity in early times as humans had no scientific explanation for why the world was suddenly growing an eerie dark.</p><p>In ancient China it was thought that a dragon was swallowing the sun. In ancient Hindu mythology, the deity Rahu is beheaded by the gods for capturing and drinking Amrita, the gods' nectar. Rahu's head flies off into the sky and swallows the sun causing an eclipse. Traditionally, people in many cultures get together to bang pots and pans and make loud noises during a solar eclipse. It is thought that making a noise scares the demon causing the eclipse away.</p>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/188c6d7903cb4c2fa317c799dff97c17/pexels-eclipse-chasers-18285260.jpg/Medium" alt="Total solar eclipse image where the sun is blocked out by the moon and only the solar corona is visible." />
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<span class="title">Solar eclipse 2024</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">10:37 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Monday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>March</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>25</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2024</span></span>
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UW-La Crosse astronomer explains this rare alignment of celestial bodies
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</span>https://www.uwlax.edu/currents/mathematics-in-motion/Mathematics in motion2023-11-22T10:47:53.577Z2023-11-21T10:26:00ZKjerstin Langhttps://uwlax.edu/profile/klang/klang@uwlax.edu
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<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">10:26 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Tuesday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Nov.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>21</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2023</span></p>
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<figcaption>David Elzinga, UWL assistant professor of mathematics and statistics, combines approaches from Mathematics, Statistics, and Data Science to address scientific questions based on biological topics.</figcaption>
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<h3 class="tagline">Mathematical models answer farmers’ questions about infectious disease</h3>
<p>David Elzinga has a history of using math to help animals survive. From moose suffering from too many ticks to bats with fungal infections, Elzinga has developed mathematical models to answer a plethora of questions biologists have about the spread of disease.&nbsp;</p><p>Elzinga, a UW-La Crosse assistant professor of Mathematics &amp; Statistics, recently presented “Baa-ttling Sore Mouth in Sheep” at a symposium in Richmond, Virginia. Sore Mouth, a viral infection primarily of sheep and goats, is a global problem that has been the most destructive in developing countries that depend on healthy flocks for their livelihood, as well as major sheep producers in the U.K. and Australia. Although sore mouth is not a major management concern in the U.S., Elzinga is finding new ways to use mathematical models help Midwestern farmers analyze the health of their flocks. &nbsp;</p><p>The beauty of mathematical models is that no costly or inhumane testing is involved — like slaughtering half a flock of sheep to test out one control method. Elzinga compares mathematical modeling to building a paper airplane to see how modifications to a real plane would work. You can bend a wing to evaluate flight changes without the risk of crashing a real plane. &nbsp;</p><p>“We want to transform what we see in the real world into a simplified computer reality,” explains Elzinga. &nbsp;“Like a computer game, with my mathematical model, I can see what happens as we change variables — all within the model on the computer.”&nbsp;</p><p>Elzinga uses differential equations from calculus in the mathematical models to analyze how adaptations could potentially protect sheep health — like increasing the rate of vaccination or isolating a group of sheep. The ideas he applies to the models are aligned with questions from government, wildlife organizations and even vaccine development companies. &nbsp;</p><p>Elzinga isn’t the only one applying mathematics to help solve biology questions on the UWL campus. A MathBio Working Group at UWL has been meeting regularly for more than a decade to help solve problems at the intersection of math and biology. Initially a student and faculty group, in 2014 scientists from both the US Geological Survey (USGS) and the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) joined. &nbsp;</p><p>Since 2018, James Peirce, professor of Mathematics &amp; Statistics, and Greg Sandland, professor of biology, have been working with USGS to develop mathematical models to help with the problem of invasive carp in the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers. This work has now expanded to include the entire MathBio Working Group, along with a number of undergraduate research students. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“Our hope is that these models will help to guide management strategies aimed at reducing carp numbers in these systems,” says Sandland. &nbsp;</p>
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<h3>Solutions for sheep farmers</h3>
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<figcaption>A compartment diagram of sheep, their maturity, and their disease status. Each compartment is represented as a square, with lamb classes on top (L) and ewe classes on bottom (E). The disease status of each compartment is either Susceptible (S), Infectious (I), Vaccinated (V), or Recovered (R). Solid, black arrows denote the transfer of sheep between compartments due to infection/recovery. Blue lines indicate contributions to the environmental infectious reservoir by viral shedding. Dashed lines indicate influence of an external class on the transfers between compartments due to fomites (blue), stolen nursing (pink), or bodily contact (yellow).</figcaption>
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<p>Elzinga’s sore mouth sheep models have provided some answers for farmers about control strategies and more. The results will be published this spring in an international veterinarian journal and shared with various organizations such as UW Extension to help spread the word among farmers. Among the results Elzinga found that:&nbsp;</p><ul><li>Regular monitoring of disease and isolating sheep has a much better potential to prevent outbreaks on a small farm than on a large one. For a large farms with 100s or thousands of sheep, farmers would need to isolate more than 99 % of the sick sheep immediately to stop the spread — an unreal expectation. But the picture looked brighter for small farms with herds of up to 100 sheep as farmers would have a period of 2-3 weeks to find the sick sheep and isolate them. This suggests that regular monitoring for outbreaks followed by isolation is only a realistic management plan for small flocks, whereas large flocks must rely on intensive biosecurity measures to prevent sick sheep from being introduced into the flock.&nbsp;</li><li>If one new sick sheep was introduced to the herd, it would spread to about 12 other sheep. Those 12 would spread to another 12 sheep and so on. At this rate it’s easy to see how a disease outbreak would spread quickly in a large herd of hundreds or thousands of sheep, yet how it would be easier to monitor in smaller herds.&nbsp;</li><li>Fomites, spots in the environment that harbor viruses like feeding troughs, can ignite an outbreak on sheep farms. His models show an area around a trough erupting in cases after just a few sheep were previously sick. &nbsp;</li></ul><p>Elzinga says a big push in the mathematical modeling community right now is to get closer to stakeholders. For his next project, he has been working directly with a sheep farm in Ottawa, Illinois and will base his model off a map of their real farm and animals. Using this specific data, he can let the farmer know answers to questions that could potentially save money and improve sheep health. &nbsp;</p><p>Elzinga’s work is all about applying math. While math sometimes gets a bad rap for being highly theoretical, Elzinga says it’s because schools teach numerous, individual math tools early in the curriculum and few students get to the point in education where they see how those tools work together on real world problems.&nbsp;</p><p>“How many times do you get to see applications in school before you’re done with math?” asks Elzinga. “Someone has shown them the hammer, the screwdriver and the ruler, but no one said, ‘with these tools you can build a bookshelf.’”&nbsp;</p>
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<h3>What is mathematical modeling?</h3>
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<figcaption>The model demonstrating its ability to reproduce behavior found in a dataset similar to an Australian outbreak among three flocks (one in Western Australia and two in Victoria.) Nearly all sheep have left the susceptible (green) class, become infected (yellow), and recovered (purple) by 7 weeks. The data is presented as orange circles with black error bars.</figcaption>
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<p>Mathematical models are basically a simplified form of something happening in the real world – like how paper airplanes are models of real airplanes. With a model, you can try out things you wouldn’t want to do in real life, like changing the shape of a wing to test how a real plane flies with the modification. One of the first steps of mathematical modeling is getting your math to replicate reality, which means finding specific facts that are already known and producing those with the model. Then, mathematicians can move on to the unknown – changing the variables and analyzing how the model responds.&nbsp;</p>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/188c6d7903cb4c2fa317c799dff97c17/2023-uwl-david-elzinga-mathematics-statistics-5.jpg/Medium" alt="David Elzinga, UWL assistant professor of mathematics and statistics, combines approaches from Mathematics, Statistics, and Data Science to address scientific questions based on biological topics." />
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<span class="title">Mathematics in motion</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">10:26 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Tuesday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Nov.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>21</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2023</span></span>
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Mathematical models answer farmers’ questions about infectious disease
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</span>https://www.uwlax.edu/currents/research-for-better-running/Research for better running2023-08-07T13:57:05.377Z2023-08-02T14:03:00ZKjerstin Langhttps://uwlax.edu/profile/klang/klang@uwlax.edu
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<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">2:03 p.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Wednesday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Aug.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>2</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2023</span></p>
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<figcaption>Kelsey Redman, left, says the results of her research on impact forces in running has also informed the cues she gives herself as a runner with two half marathon finishes so far.  </figcaption>
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<h3 class="tagline">Want less impact on joints? UWL PT research shows a simple cue can make a big difference</h3>
<p>The type of cues that female runners receive can significantly alter their running pattern and reduce the stress they put on lower body joints such as the knee and hip.&nbsp;</p><p>A study from a <a data-mce-href="/" href="/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-mce-selected="inline-boundary">University of Wisconsin-La Crosse</a> <a data-mce-href="/grad/physical-therapy/" href="/grad/physical-therapy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Physical Therapy</a> graduate student found that the simple instruction to “land more softly with each footfall” is a more effective instruction to positively alter running patterns and decrease impact forces on lower body tissues than “bend your knees more as you land.” The study involved female runners only. The results were published in the <a data-mce-href="https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/jsr/32/5/article-p597.xml" href="https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/jsr/32/5/article-p597.xml" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Journal of Sports Rehabilitation</a> in April.&nbsp;</p><p>“I think that it’s important for physical therapists, coaches and trainers to realize the cues they are giving when training runners matter because some are more effective than others,” says UWL Alumna Kelsey Redman, one of the study’s authors. “It is a really simple and easy cue to use in the prevention of running-related injuries or overuse injuries.”&nbsp;</p><p>The difference between the two cues is an external vs. internal focus, explains Redman. “Landing more softly with each football” is an instruction that is not focused on internal body mechanics but instead on the outward effect of the movement. &nbsp;</p><p>Studies related to internal and external focus and impact forces have been done before, and instructions promoting an external focus (EF) tend to be more effective for altering movement patterns in activities such as jumping off of a box. This is the first study to measure the benefits of external focus in running, notes Redman. &nbsp;</p><p>The study found that loading rates and impact peaks were reduced when given the external focus instruction. These two measurements collectively describe the impact force when someone lands. Greater impact forces can lead to more overuse injuries such as stress fractures, shin splints and knee pain. &nbsp;</p><p>The study used an instrumented treadmill with force plates to measure impact forces and cameras with a 3D motion capture system to record reflective markers on clothing and shoes to measure body movements. &nbsp;</p><p>Redman, a recent graduate of UW-La Crosse’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program, recently began her career in travel physical therapy this summer with a 13-week contract in Arlington, Texas. She loved the PT program at UW-La Crosse, which prepared her with clinical rotations, multiple physical therapy research projects, and a national conference presentation experience at the American Physical Therapy Combined Sections Meeting (APTA CSM).&nbsp;</p><p>“I think the experiences I had in UWL’s Physical Therapy program are pretty rare. UWL does a good job of integrating us with research experiences,” she says. “I was able to get a job that doesn’t traditionally accept people new to the PT profession. I think that was largely because of my research experience and references from UWL. I would highly recommend this program.”&nbsp;</p>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/188c6d7903cb4c2fa317c799dff97c17/2023-uwl-pt-running-study-6.jpg/Medium" alt="Kelsey Redman, left, says the results of her research on impact forces in running has also informed the cues she gives herself as a runner with two half marathon finishes so far.  " />
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<span class="title">Research for better running</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">2:03 p.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Wednesday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Aug.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>2</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2023</span></span>
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Want less impact on joints? UWL PT research shows a simple cue can make a big difference
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</span>https://www.uwlax.edu/currents/women-statues/Women statues2023-10-11T09:35:55.067Z2023-04-12T13:07:00ZKjerstin Langhttps://uwlax.edu/profile/klang/klang@uwlax.edu
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<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">1:07 p.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Wednesday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>April</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>12</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2023</span></p>
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<figcaption>Harriet Tubman Monument (1994) in Battle Creek, Michigan. Created by artist Ed Dwight. Tubman is the second most honored women in monuments in the U.S., after Joan of Arc.</figcaption>
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<h3 class="tagline">UWL expert explains lack of female statues in public art in the U.S. </h3>
<p>If you were walking around American city streets looking for clues about the country’s past, you might think that history was based almost entirely on men. Only 6 % of statues in the U.S. are of real women, according to <a href="/profile/srooney/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-mce-href="/profile/srooney/">UW-La Crosse Art Professor Sierra Rooney</a>. In addition, statues of allegorical figures of women – those that represent ideas like liberty and peace, but not real women — are more prevalent than real, named representations. &nbsp;</p><p>The Wisconsin state Capitol grounds will help reverse this trend when its first statue commemorating a prominent <a href="https://gargoyle.law.wisc.edu/2021/05/vel-phillips-statue-would-honor-a-lifetime-of-firsts/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-mce-href="https://gargoyle.law.wisc.edu/2021/05/vel-phillips-statue-would-honor-a-lifetime-of-firsts/">Wisconsin African American trailblazer Vel Phillips</a> is likely to be placed in 2023 or 2024. A campaign is currently underway. Likewise, other city projects in diverse sections of the country have placed more women from history in public art from <a href="https://news.artnet.com/art-world/san-francisco-statues-women-quota-1367269#:~:text=Acknowledging%20that%20its%20public%20art,streets%20depict%20real%2Dlife%20women." target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-mce-href="https://news.artnet.com/art-world/san-francisco-statues-women-quota-1367269#:~:text=Acknowledging%20that%20its%20public%20art,streets%20depict%20real%2Dlife%20women.">San Francisco</a> to <a href="https://www.nyc.gov/site/dcla/publicart/shebuiltnyc.page" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-mce-href="https://www.nyc.gov/site/dcla/publicart/shebuiltnyc.page">New York City</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>Below, Rooney, who studies public art, monuments and memorials of the U.S. and is developing a database of monuments to women, answered questions about the dearth of female statues and the movements to change the tide.&nbsp;</p>
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<h3>How many statues in the U.S. are of women? </h3>
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<figcaption>UW-La Crosse Art Professor Sierra Rooney standing next to statue of Rosa Parks in the U.S. Statuary Hall. In 2018, Rooney received a fellowship to research monuments to women in the U.S. Capitol. </figcaption>
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<p>There are around 300 statues honoring real women in the U.S. compared to around 5,000 statues honoring real men in the U.S. Only 6% of American monuments feature real women as their subjects. &nbsp;</p><p><strong>Why are there so few women monuments?&nbsp;</strong></p><p>During the mid-to-late 19th to early 20th centuries, America experienced an intense period of monument building where primarily elite, Anglo-Saxon men were put on pedestals. So many monuments were built during this era that newspapers called it “monument mania” and recounted a public fear that the streets were being overrun with statues. &nbsp;</p><p>Although more than a century has passed since this period, the bias of many more elite, male monuments is still reflected in public art today. &nbsp;</p><p><strong>Of the top 50 represented individuals in U.S. statues:&nbsp;</strong></p><ul><li>11 are U.S. presidents&nbsp;<br>12 are U.S. generals&nbsp;<br>50 % are men that enslaved other people&nbsp;<br>40 % were born into a wealthy family &nbsp;</li></ul><p><em>(Data from <a href="https://monumentlab.com/audit" target="_blank" data-mce-href="https://monumentlab.com/audit" rel="noopener">Monument Lab.</a> Note: While Monument Lab data does not include every U.S. monument, it is the best current source of data for monuments across the U.S.)&nbsp;</em></p><p><strong>Why are monuments significant and why should we care about this gap? &nbsp;</strong></p><p>Monuments are not history. They are interpretations of history by people who determine what and whom are important of honoring.&nbsp;</p><p>These concepts, people and events honored on pedestals across the country are built-in reminders of what people think are worthy of enshrining. Within the current monumental landscape, the idea of a hero has been largely conceived to be a wealthy, elite white male. It is not representative of the vast contributions of women, the LGBTQ+ community, Hispanics, Black, Asian and Indigenous people.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>How are monuments around the U.S. officially tracked? &nbsp;</strong></p><p>Because monument-building is so decentralized and often exists outside traditional collections like museums or archives, there is no comprehensive, up-to-date source for data collection. &nbsp;</p><p>In 2021, <a href="https://monumentlab.com/" target="_blank" data-mce-href="https://monumentlab.com/" rel="noopener">Monument Lab</a>, an organization dedicated to creating more diverse and inclusive public art, did the most comprehensive audit of monuments in the U.S. But even this is incomplete, and there are many omissions. For example, the statue of Ellen Hixon on the Bluffs in La Crosse, Wisconsin, does not show up on the Monument Lab map.&nbsp;</p><p>Part of Rooney’s research involves tracking down monuments to women. She has been keeping a database since 2016 using an array of sources.</p>
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<h3>Most famous female statue? </h3>
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<figcaption>Portrait Monument to Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony (artist Adelaide Johnson), 1920, U.S. Capitol, Washington D.C. </figcaption>
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<p>One of the most famous statues to women is the <a href="https://www.aoc.gov/explore-capitol-campus/art/portrait-monument-mott-stanton-anthony" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-mce-href="https://www.aoc.gov/explore-capitol-campus/art/portrait-monument-mott-stanton-anthony">Portrait Monument that’s in the U.S. Capitol in Washington</a> D.C. The statue, which honors suffragists Susan B. Anthony, Lucretia Mott, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, was sponsored by the National Woman’s Party in honor of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920.&nbsp;</p><p>It remains an unconventional monument: the heads and shoulders of the three busts of Mott, Stanton, and Anthony seem to emerge from a massive, eight-ton rough-hewn Carrera marble block. The artist Adelaide Johnson purposefully left the block incomplete to symbolize that work of the women’s rights movement was unfinished.&nbsp;</p><p>The unveiling ceremony for the monument was held in the Capitol Rotunda in 1921 on the 100th anniversary of Anthony’s birthday and was attended by representatives of over 75 women’s organizations. But just 24 hours later, a group of congressmen had the monument unceremoniously moved to the basement, to a space known as the “Crypt.” Here it earned the derisive nickname: “Three old ladies in a bathtub.”&nbsp;</p><p>It remained in the Crypt for decades, until consistent lobbying efforts by a coalition of women’s groups finally spurred the monument to be moved back to its prominent place in the Rotunda in 1997.&nbsp;</p><p>More recently, you can see the Portrait Monument in the background in many of the photos from the Jan. 6 riot in the Capitol.&nbsp;</p>
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<h3>What woman has been represented the most in monuments? </h3>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/188c6d7903cb4c2fa317c799dff97c17/photo4.-harriet-tubman-nyc.jpeg/Large" alt="" />
<figcaption>Harriet Tubman Monument (artist Alison Saar), 2008, New York City, New York.</figcaption>
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<p>Joan of Arc is the most represented women in statues in the United States, which is ironic because she wasn’t American. Harriet Tubman is the second most honored women in the U.S., followed by Sacagawea, Rosa Parks, and Sojourner Truth.&nbsp;</p><p>Allegorical figures of women are more frequently represented than real, named women. For example, according to the Monument Lab data, there 22 sculptures of mermaids to 21 honoring Tubman (though the number of monuments to Tubman have increased since the audit, so she’s pulled ahead!)&nbsp;</p>
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<h3>When unnamed, what do statues of women represent?</h3>
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<figcaption>This monument in New York City depicts American Civil War features General William Tecumseh Sherman, the union general, sitting on a real historical horse. He is led by an allegorical figure of victory. This image by Thehornet is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.</figcaption>
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<p>Going back to late 19th and early 20th century period of monument mania, figures of women in monuments served allegorical roles such as symbolizing peace, liberty, loyalty, vice and justice. Think of the frequently-used symbol for justice being the female figure holding a scale. &nbsp;</p><p>Two allegorical monuments of females most prominent in the U.S. both symbolize freedom: the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/stli/index.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-mce-href="https://www.nps.gov/stli/index.htm">Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor</a> and the <a href="https://www.aoc.gov/explore-capitol-campus/art/statue-freedom" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-mce-href="https://www.aoc.gov/explore-capitol-campus/art/statue-freedom">Statue of Freedom at the top of the Capitol in Washington D.C.&nbsp;</a></p><p>Sometimes monuments combine allegorical figures of women with figures of real men. In New York City, for example, there is a <a href="https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/grand-army-plaza-m062/monuments/1442" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-mce-href="https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/grand-army-plaza-m062/monuments/1442">gilded monument depicting the union victory in the American Civil War features General William Tecumseh Sherman</a>, the union general, sitting on a real historical horse (we know the horse’s name!) He is led by an allegorical figure of victory. The statue of victory was based on a Blac-woman model, Hettie Anderson, but she is not named in the statue nor is she intended to have a specific identity. Instead, she serves as a symbolic prop to Sherman’s accomplishments.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>What do you encourage monument builders to do when considering a new project? &nbsp;</strong></p><p>This is an exciting time because there is a lot of public discussion and debate around greater diversity in monuments across the globe. Anyone considering a new project should consider how monuments contribute to greater racial justice and gender equity. How can monuments reflect the beautiful plurality of this country?&nbsp;</p><p>Don’t just think about who is represented but how they are represented. It is not just the subject matter in a monument that is important, but also the way that the story is told. For example, when you think of a typical monument, you probably think of a large bronze statue sitting on a pedestal. This type of monument originated in ancient Rome when leaders would erect portraits of themselves as propaganda to establish their authority. Standing high on pedestals these powerful figures were intended to be literally and symbolically looked up to. This has served as the model for monuments for thousands of years. &nbsp;</p><p>But this is antithetical to the more democratic ideals of today. Monuments should be reflective of this change and be more expansive, more engaged and reflective of communities. A great example of a new kind of monument that is not just a person on a pedestal was unveiled last week with the <a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/03/13/1163024069/harriet-tubman-monument-unveiled-newark-new-jersey" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-mce-href="https://www.npr.org/2023/03/13/1163024069/harriet-tubman-monument-unveiled-newark-new-jersey">monument to Harriet Tubman in Newark, New Jersey</a>. It replaces a long-standing statue of Christopher Columbus. Harriet Tubman is known for liberating people in the south. She has 21 statues in the U.S. The majority depict her role with the underground railroad, but her life was long and full. After the underground railroad, she served in union army as cook, was the first woman to lead a military expedition, joined the national women’s suffrage movement, and established a hospital for elderly and sick Black Americans. She had a rich life full of remarkable accomplishments, but all of these other contributions are absent from her monuments. In this new monument, it is not a single statue, but a space you can enter. It is a large circular lane wall with stories of her entire life and it features a likeness of her face. It also includes stories of Newark’s Black liberation movement and mosaic tiles designed by Newark residents. The monument connects the legacy of Harriet Tubman with the community of Newark today.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>What is the significance of the placement of a monument?&nbsp;</strong></p><p>Anytime a monument is raised up, we symbolically look up to it. By bringing a monument down to ground level, we create the impression that we are on the same level as them. Monuments are in public spaces, so we should be able to interact with them: touch them, throw an arm around them, and take pictures with them. &nbsp;</p><p>Think of placement in terms of their level and where on the site it is. If you put a monument where the subject worked or lived, that can be powerful. Vel Phillips statue on the Capitol grounds in Madison is a more meaningful site for that statue than to be a random park because it conveys the impact of her political work.&nbsp;</p>
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<h3>When did we start to see an increase in monuments for women? </h3>
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<figcaption>Women’s Rights Pioneers Monument (artist Meredith Bergmann), 2020, Central Park in New York City, New York. </figcaption>
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<p>We see a marked increase of statues of women beginning in 1980. This was part of a larger effort to include the voices of women into the history of the U.S. 1980 was also the year of opening of the<a href="https://www.nps.gov/wori/index.htm" data-mce-href="https://www.nps.gov/wori/index.htm"> Women’s Rights National Historic Park in Seneca Falls, New York</a> — the first national park honoring women — and the establishment of National Women’s History Week, which eventually became National Women’s History Month in 1990. &nbsp;</p><p>In the last few years, we’ve seen another sharp increase in monuments to women. This is in large part of result of the activism of #MeToo and Black Lives Matter movements. #MeToo gave rise to a dialogue about women’s empowerment and the vital importance of equal representation more broadly. &nbsp;</p><p>In the summer of 2020, protestors around the world began defacing, beheading, and toppling monuments with racist and colonialist histories, including those honoring Confederate soldiers and generals and Christopher Columbus. These actions were spurred by the BLM protests against police brutality and specifically the murder of George Floyd. Public monuments quickly became vectors for reckoning with a racist past and present. This has prompted communities across the country to call for the replacement of monuments to historic figures with complicated, and often troubling legacies with monuments that honor previously marginalized or underrepresented subjects.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>What initiatives have happened state and nationwide to change this gap? &nbsp;</strong></p><ul><li><a data-mce-href="https://www.nyc.gov/site/dcla/publicart/shebuiltnyc.page" href="https://www.nyc.gov/site/dcla/publicart/shebuiltnyc.page" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SheBuiltNYC</a>, which received $10 million in city funds to commission new public art works honoring women important to the city, like Shirley Chisolm Billie Holiday, Helen Rodríguez Trías, and Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson. &nbsp;</li><li><a data-mce-href="https://www.artforum.com/news/san-francisco-decrees-30-percent-of-city-s-public-art-to-depict-historical-women-77037" href="https://www.artforum.com/news/san-francisco-decrees-30-percent-of-city-s-public-art-to-depict-historical-women-77037" target="_blank" rel="noopener">San Francisco, which passed an ordinance in 2018</a> that required 30% of new artworks installed depict real women.&nbsp;</li><li><a data-mce-href="https://www.aoc.gov/explore-capitol-campus/art/about-national-statuary-hall-collection" href="https://www.aoc.gov/explore-capitol-campus/art/about-national-statuary-hall-collection" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The National Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol</a>, which is a microcosm of commemorative patterns national wide, has also seen several new women enter the Hall.&nbsp; Each state in the union can donate two statues of notable residents to the hall. Representative of the figures deemed important at the time — presidents, politicians, military leaders. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it’s historically been dominated by white men, some who are not well remembered today. Wisconsin honorees are: Jacques Marquette, French Jesuit missionary and explorer, donated in 1897 &amp; Robert M. La Follette governor in 1900, he proposed and implemented his "Wisconsin Idea, donated in 1929&nbsp;</li><li>To increase diversity of representation, Congress passed a bill in 2000 that allowed states to replace their previously donated statues in the hall. Last year, Florida replaced its statue of Confederate leader, with statue of Mary McLeod Bethune, and Kansas donated a statue of Amelia Earhart. And there are several more statues of women currently in the works. &nbsp;</li><li>In Madison, there is a campaign to place a statue of Vell Phillips, the civil rights activist and the first Black individual elected to statewide office in Wisconsin and the first Black judge in the state, on the ground of the Capitol. The statue could be the first African American woman to have a statue at any capitol in the U.S. outside of Rosa Parks at the U.S. Capitol building.&nbsp;</li><li><a href="https://www.centralparknyc.org/locations/womens-rights-pioneers-monument" target="_blank" data-mce-href="https://www.centralparknyc.org/locations/womens-rights-pioneers-monument" rel="noopener"><strong>Women’s Rights Pioneers Monument:</strong></a> Until 2020, New York City’s Central Park — one of the most visited spots in the city — had 22 statutes dedicated to male historical figures but no statue dedicated to a real woman from history. Statues dedicated to fictional characters were also part of the park’s art including Mother Goose and Alice in Wonderland, and even a statue to a dog, Balto. In 2020, a monument of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, and Sojourner Truth was dedicated on the centennial anniversary of the passage of the 19th amendment.&nbsp;</li></ul><p><strong>What is the difference between a monument and a memorial? &nbsp;</strong></p><p>Monuments and memorials are sculptural or architectural works that mark and honor the past. These words are often used interchangeably. but I think it’s helpful to distinguish them. &nbsp;</p><p>Monuments celebrate. Their tone is triumphant. They are a physical manifestation of a hero or a military victory. An example of this would be the Washington Monument on the National Mall. &nbsp;</p><p>Memorials commemorate. Their tone is somber. They express loss from war or disease or remember a tragic event. An example of this is the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the National Wall.&nbsp;</p>
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<h3>More resources on women monuments coming</h3>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/188c6d7903cb4c2fa317c799dff97c17/rooney.sierra1.png/Large" alt="" />
<figcaption>Sierra Rooney, UWL assistant professor of Art</figcaption>
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<p>Sierra Rooney teaches <a data-mce-href="/academics/art-history/" href="/academics/art-history/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">art history</a> at the <a data-mce-href="/" href="/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.</a> She is currently working on a book about monuments to women in the U.S. Accompanying this will be an open-access database and a digital map.&nbsp;</p><p>An example of her methodology can be seen in her most recent article, “<a href="https://journalpanorama.org/article/commemoration-of-an-epoch/" target="_blank" data-mce-href="https://journalpanorama.org/article/commemoration-of-an-epoch/" rel="noopener">Commemoration of an Epoch: Monuments to the Women’s Suffrage Movement in the United States,</a>” which was selected as the inaugural project for the &nbsp;“Toward a More Inclusive Digital Art History,” a initiative funded by the Terra Foundation for American Art and administered by Panorama: The Journal of the Association of Historians of American Art, that supports accessible digital art history scholarship that focuses on the contributions of constituencies that have historically been marginalized or under-researched. Rooney's research has also been <a data-mce-href="https://www.wpr.org/portraying-women-wisconsins-public-monuments" href="https://www.wpr.org/portraying-women-wisconsins-public-monuments" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-mce-selected="inline-boundary">featured on Wisconsin Public Radio</a>.</p>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/188c6d7903cb4c2fa317c799dff97c17/4.-harriet-tubman-battle-creek-copy.jpg/Medium" alt="Harriet Tubman Monument (1994) in Battle Creek, Michigan. Created by artist Ed Dwight. Tubman is the second most honored women in monuments in the U.S., after Joan of Arc." />
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<span class="title">Women statues</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">1:07 p.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Wednesday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>April</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>12</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2023</span></span>
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UWL expert explains lack of female statues in public art in the U.S.
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<span class="read">Read<span class="sr-only"> more about Women statues</span></span>
</span>https://www.uwlax.edu/currents/self-care-at-work/Self-care at work2023-02-10T07:55:50.667Z2023-02-09T14:28:00ZKjerstin Langhttps://uwlax.edu/profile/klang/klang@uwlax.edu
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<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">2:28 p.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Thursday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Feb.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>9</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2023</span></p>
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<figcaption>Mindfulness and meditation are forms of self-care. Here students in MIND 110: Introduction to Mindfulness sit in a circle practicing mindfulness on the UW-La Crosse campus. The class is another way the Recreation Management and Therapeutic Recreation Department is contributing to the greater goal of self-care.</figcaption>
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<h3 class="tagline">Recreational Therapists share 11 ways teams can create a sustainable environment for self-care </h3>
<p>Self-soothing activities like a warm bubble bath or a movie marathon can help us de-stress in the moment. But true self-care is about long-term sustainable changes to our everyday routines that are good for us physically, mentally and emotionally — like eating healthy, meditating, or getting our bodies moving.&nbsp;</p><p>Creating long-term changes to promote self-care requires a commitment — not only from oneself but also from the people and communities around us, explain Jennifer Taylor and Tara Delong, <a data-mce-href="/academics/therapeutic-recreation/" href="/academics/therapeutic-recreation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-mce-selected="inline-boundary">UW-La Crosse Therapeutic Recreation</a> professors.&nbsp;</p><p>“The myth of self-care is that we alone are responsible for what keeps us healthy, happy, and thriving. We know systems play a role in sustainability of this,” says DeLong. “Leaders, administrators, communities, individuals, systems, workplaces and governments all contribute to better self-care ... You can't soothe yourself out of distress, and you can't do it alone. Healing happens in relationships.”&nbsp;</p><p>So how do we build a self-care work environment where everyone is contributing to the routines that keep us healthy? Taylor and Delong provide tips from some of their past workshops and seminars.&nbsp;</p>
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<h3>11 tips to integrate self-care during the workday</h3>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/188c6d7903cb4c2fa317c799dff97c17/2020-uwl-computer-ipad-desk-0023.jpg/Large" alt="" />
<figcaption>Turn an unused office into a self care space for employees.</figcaption>
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<p><strong>1. Create a designated space for self-care at work. </strong>Turn an empty office space into a wellness room with a table to eat lunch together and room for relaxation and self-care items. Our brains are hardwired to make the easy choice when it comes to finding ways to de-stress — we want something that is easily accessible and will soothe us quickly. Self-care activities like meditating or creating art aren’t always the easy choice in the work environment as they require finding space, time and tools to do it. But what if all of this was readily available in the work setting? UWL Therapeutic Recreation students helped create a self-care room for a Whole Foods store in December 2022 that included a card making station, lounge chairs, and a QR code that led listeners to a five-minute meditation session. Workers had easy access to tools to make good self-care choices on their breaks, explains Taylor. &nbsp;</p><p><strong>2. Normalize taking breaks for movement.</strong> Evidence is mounting about <a data-mce-href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000440" href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000440" target="_blank" rel="noopener">how serious sedentary lifestyles can be for our health</a>. Getting movement in your day is a great way to engage in self-care. Getting up to walk around – <a data-mce-href="https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Abstract/9900/Breaking_Up_Prolonged_Sitting_to_Improve.200.aspx" href="https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Abstract/9900/Breaking_Up_Prolonged_Sitting_to_Improve.200.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">even for five minutes can make a difference</a>. In some work settings, it may be difficult or impossible to get a short break. Imagine a healthcare setting where workers are assisting someone with a serious injury. In these cases, it is important for the team to keep track and be aware of who hasn’t had a break, and purposefully substitute in another employee.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>3. Try habit stacking.</strong> Better incorporate self-care strategies into your day through a method called <a data-mce-href="https://jamesclear.com/habit-stacking" href="https://jamesclear.com/habit-stacking" target="_blank" rel="noopener">habit stacking</a>. Habit stacking is adding a new habit into an existing one you already have like washing dishes after a meal or making coffee every morning. Align a self-care habit with one you already have at work, and you’ll be amazed how much more likely you are to do it. Every time you go to the copy machine, take a minute to do some stretching. During your morning walk to the bathroom, stop and fill up your water bottle. This way, your brain doesn’t have to consider whether you want to do it or not, you just do because it has become automatic.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>4. Plant visual cues.</strong> Create visual cues in the work environment such as a posted calendar to jot down self-care habits. UWL students created visual cues for Whole Foods staff when they made the QR code linking to a five-minute meditation podcast. Look around your office space and assess what cues would help you and your team remember to make healthy choices.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>5. Take walking meetings.</strong> Studies have shown physical activity is <a data-mce-href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-68632-9" href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-68632-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">linked to imagination and creativity.</a> So, why not take a meeting to a new level of creativity by making it a walking meeting?&nbsp;</p><p><strong>6. Resist having meetings and lunch at your desk.</strong> During the pandemic, virtual meetings became the norm. But in-person meetings have their benefits and shouldn’t be forgotten. Walking to a meeting is good for your physical health. Physically connecting with others helps to crush silos that can exist in the workplace, and creates the opportunity for chance encounters that help build new connections. Likewise, eating lunch away from our desk improves physical health and connections with others.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>7. Police non-promotable work</strong>. Are the same people in your office continually asked to do things that require emotional energy and bandwidth, but aren’t promotable tasks — like planning a party? Consider what your team can do to navigate these type of tasks in a more equitable way, so everyone participates and they don't always fall on the same people. &nbsp;</p><p><strong>8. Find self-care champions.</strong> Find multiple people in your office who want to be self-care champions. Having someone who has a passion for self-care is important instead of assigning someone who may not have interest. &nbsp;</p><p><strong>9. Incorporate self-care into your commute</strong>. Many people drive to work – sometimes for an hour or more. How do you use this time to care for yourself? Taylor says she uses her long drive to call friends and catch up, listen to music or make a more purposeful intention to take in her surroundings on a beautiful stretch of road. &nbsp;</p><p><strong>10. Verbalize your self-care strategies</strong>.Taylor and DeLong say a key to improving the self-care culture at work is to make your intentions known. So, if you plan to go for a wellness walk to generate creativity, don’t be ashamed to let co-workers know that. If you want people to engage in breaks during a three-hour long seminar, write it into the agenda and have someone prepared to lead stretches. It is important for managers and leaders to model these strategies as well. Discuss self-care ideas and introduce potential new concepts such as self-compassion and resiliency with your teams. Addressing these concepts together can create opportunities for people to share their personal stories and help team members understand they are not alone in their need for self-care and compassion.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>11. Keep it simple.</strong> Don't think that you have to change multiple things at once. Small changes — one by one — can lead to a better overall self-care lifestyle at work. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p><br data-mce-bogus="1"></p><h3>About Tara DeLong and Jennifer Taylor</h3><p><a href="/profile/tdelong/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-mce-href="/profile/tdelong/">Tara DeLong</a> is a teaching associate professor in the Recreation Management and Therapeutic Recreation Department at UW-La Crosse. She is dually certified as a therapeutic recreation specailist and health education specialist, as well as a practicing therapist in behavioral health at Gundersen Health System for 25 years.</p><p><a href="/profile/jtaylor/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-mce-href="/profile/jtaylor/">Jennifer Taylor</a> is an assistant professor in the Recreation Management and Therapeutic Recreation Department at UW-La Crosse. She also instructs a first year seminar <a href="/news/posts/a-lesson-in-happiness/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-mce-href="/news/posts/a-lesson-in-happiness/">course on the science of happiness</a>. &nbsp;</p>
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<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/188c6d7903cb4c2fa317c799dff97c17/uwl2022mindfulnessclass-7-1.jpg/Medium" alt="Mindfulness and meditation are forms of self-care. Here students in MIND 110: Introduction to Mindfulness sit in a circle practicing mindfulness on the UW-La Crosse campus. The class is another way the Recreation Management and Therapeutic Recreation Department is contributing to the greater goal of self-care." />
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<span class="title">Self-care at work</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">2:28 p.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Thursday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Feb.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>9</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2023</span></span>
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Recreational Therapists share 11 ways teams can create a sustainable environment for self-care
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