On May 2, 2008, Gov. Jim Doyle and UW–Madison alumni John and Tashia Morgridge joined the UW–Madison community to celebrate the start of construction of the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery. Doyle proposed the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery in 2004 as a UW-Madison research enterprise to strengthen the state’s position in science and technology.

The groundbreaking ceremony took place at the construction site on the 1300 block of University Avenue. The event featured several speakers, including UW–Madison Chancellor John Wiley, Doyle and the Morgridges.

The Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery made possible by a $50 million gift from the Morgridges, matched by $50 million from the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) and $50 million from the state.