Three members of the UW–Madison School of Education community are among 16 extraordinary Wisconsinites receiving a 2026 Fellows Award from the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters. The award, which honors outstanding accomplishment and a lifelong commitment to intellectual discourse and public service, is the Academy’s highest honor.

Emily Arthur, a professor in the School of Education’s Art Department, is an American artist who has been a visiting fellow in Print & Graphic Art at Harvard University and a fellow at the Barnes Foundation. Her work is held in the Smithsonian Portrait Gallery, Chazen Museum of Art, Saint Louis Art Museum, and Tweed Museum of Art. Arthur’s work explores themes of environment, exile, and return to home. Her ongoing research into the early 19th-century engraving chemistry used to publish “The Birds of America” challenges John James Audubon’s images of natural history within the context of imperialism, manifest destiny, and the narrative of singular genius. As Arthur explains, “Art is not in the service of science. Art and science share the responsibility of observation and witness. It is through observation that science gives us proof of our material make up. It is through observation that art gives us material proof of our spiritual make up. Encountering a great work of art or a great leap in science changes our perception; it asks us to see and then to see once again, more deeply.”

Angela Byars-Winston, a Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor of Medicine at UW–Madison and investigator within the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Education (CIMER) within the School of Education’s Wisconsin Center for Education Research, is a leader in diversifying the scientific workforce through her research on mentorship. A national authority on the “human side” of scientific innovation, her scholarship applies social cognitive career theory to identify and dismantle the barriers facing historically underrepresented groups in STEMM fields. Her work is widely cited by major policy bodies, including the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. She codeveloped the Culturally Aware Mentorship (CAM) program, a recognized model for culturally responsive mentoring. Recognized at the highest levels for her impact,  Byars-Winston was honored as a “Champion of Change” at the White House and received the 2022 Outstanding Educator for Innovation in Mentorship Research Award from the Association of Clinical and Translational Science. Her influence extends across Wisconsin, where she has led critical conversations on racial justice and partnered with educators to inspire a more inclusive future for the state’s scientific community. Through her research and her deep commitment to the Wisconsin Idea, she ensures that the next generation of innovators has the support and mentorship necessary to solve the world’s most complex challenges.

Li Chiao-Ping, the Sally Banes Professor of Dance and a Vilas Research Professor in the School of Education’s Dance Department, has been a major force in the arts at UW–Madison for over three decades. Praised by the New York Times, Village Voice, and Dance Magazine for her trademark physicality and “marvelously imaginative” vision, she creates layered, multi-disciplinary pieces that combine striking visual design with contemporary music. Since founding her namesake company in 1990, she has produced athletic, emotionally charged contemporary works that explore complex themes of culture and identity. Her choreographic reach extends to the world’s most prestigious stages, including The Kennedy Center, Jacob’s Pillow, and the Joyce SoHo. Beyond her performance career, Chiao-Ping is a devoted educator and researcher who fosters community through her “Dancing Through Life” philosophy. Her work spans K-12 residencies, professional mentorship, and specialized movement workshops for seniors, demonstrating her belief that dance is a universal language. A former Discovery Fellow at the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, she continues to push the boundaries of contemporary dance to promote health, tolerance, and life-long learning for diverse populations of all ages.

Since 1982, the Wisconsin Academy Fellows Award has recognized educators, researchers, mentors, artists, and civic or business leaders from across Wisconsin who have made substantial contributions to the cultural life and welfare of the state and its people.

This year’s Wisconsin Academy Fellows will receive their awards at the 2026 Fellows Induction Gala on Sunday, Oct. 4, from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at the Overture Center for the Arts in Madison.