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University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh Associate Professor of Anthropology Stephanie Spehar has been named the Carl E. Gulbrandsen Innovator of the Year by WiSys. The award, presented annually at the WiSys SPARK Symposium, recognizes individuals from Universities of Wisconsin who have made significant contributions as innovators.

Spehar holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Anthropology from New York University and a B.A. from California State University-Los Angeles. She previously served on the Steering Committee for the 2023 WiSys SPARK Symposium at UW-Oshkosh, contributing to event planning.

“Receiving the Innovator of the Year award is an honor and means a lot to me. It gives me renewed motivation to keep doing research and engagement to support social innovations that can address some of society’s biggest challenges—from creating more sustainable food systems, to improving water quality, to preserving biodiversity,” Spehar said.

Among her accomplishments is securing a WiSys Ignite Grant for her research project “Assessing Public Risk Perception of Harmful Algal Blooms in Lake Winnebago to Improve Policy and Outreach.” This grant supported her work, which later led to a $1.58 million grant through the NSF DISES (Dynamics of Social Integrated Social Ecological Systems) and RUI (Research at Undergraduate Institutions) Program for her project titled “Emplacing Algal Blooms to Advance Sustainability Theory and Praxis.”

Spehar is also collaborating with WiSys on intellectual property related to nutritional analysis in food items. She serves as Co-PI for the WiSys-led Forward Agriculture (Forward Ag) NSF Engine application, currently at the semi-final stage, and leads UW-Oshkosh’s efforts in translation activities linked with Forward Ag.

“Dr. Spehar is truly deserving of this award.  She has been an inventor and innovator with extraordinary impact,” said WiSys President Arjun Sanga. “In addition to being a co-inventor on a patent, she took a WiSys Ignite grant and used the results of her work to get a major grant from the National Science Foundation to address the problem of algal blooms that disrupt ecosystems in Wisconsin lakes.  Her leadership as Co-PI and Director of the Translation Group has been critical to the success of Wisconsin Forward Agriculture in Wisconsin lakes that disrupt ecosystems and negatively impact recreation.”

“I am so grateful to WiSys for recognizing the important role that interdisciplinary, community-based, and collaborative approaches play in promoting innovation. I’m also deeply grateful to the many collaborators and partners that have been essential to me being able to do my work,” Spehar added.

The Carl E. Gulbrandsen Innovator of the Year Award honors faculty, staff, students or community members making exemplary contributions as innovators within Universities of Wisconsin institutions. It is named after Carl E. Guldbrandsen, former managing director of the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation.

Spehar received her award during July’s annual SPARK Symposium event organized by WiSys, which brings together faculty, staff, students and alumni from across Universities of Wisconsin for networking opportunities, research presentations and discussions about innovation.