The College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the University of Wisconsin–Madison is pleased to host the 12th annual World Food Prize Foundation Wisconsin Youth Institute, which will be held at the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus on Wednesday, May 20, 2026.

This free, one-day event brings together high school students in grades 9–12 from across Wisconsin to interact with UW–Madison faculty, partake in interactive sessions, and engage in rich dialogue about critical global challenges surrounding food systems, natural resources, world hunger and poverty. The event is for students who want to be involved in creating a more food-secure, equitable and sustainable world, and who would like to help develop positive solutions to global challenges.

To participate in this unique experience, ahead of the event students must research a global issue they care about and submit a research paper under the supervision of a teacher or mentor. During the Wisconsin Youth Institute, students will present their research papers and share their proposed solutions to these grand challenges. The deadline to register is May 6, 2026.

The top students at the Wisconsin Youth Institute will be invited to attend the World Food Prize Foundation Global Youth Institute held in conjunction with the World Food Prize International Symposium in October in Des Moines, Iowa. Participating students are eligible for international internships and fellowships. Mentors who attend the Global Youth Institute can participate in professional development programming.  

In October 2025, Aditya Behara, a Wisconsin Youth Institute participant, took part in the Global Youth Institute and was a recipient of a 2025 Global Challenge Award. In Des Moines, he had the opportunity to share his research on animal agriculture in Somalia, take part in the Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue— a premier international symposium on global food security—and gain insights from thought leaders shaping the future of food.

“I wanted to participate in the institutes because they gave me the opportunity to apply academic research and critical thinking towards real world problems,” says Behara. “The most significant aspect was the connections I made with changemakers. Collaborating with determined people was an incredible experience and gives me the inspiration to make my own change in a world where youth so often feel disempowered.”

The WYI is a partnership between the UW–Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences and The World Food Prize Foundation. The program is supported by gift funds to the WYI provided by private donors.

For more information about the WYI, research paper guidelines and to register, visit https://cals.wisc.edu/academics/k-12-outreach/wisconsin-youth-institute/.

For questions, contact Kara Henderlight at kara.henderlight@wisc.edu.