When the Oregon Ducks and Wisconsin Badgers take the field Jan. 1 in Pasadena, the matchup will harken back to more than just the 2012 Rose Bowl game.That’s because the University of Oregon and the University of Wisconsin-Madison have more in common than just success on the gridiron. Though the two campuses are roughly 2,000 miles apart, the communities they call home date to the same historic period: Eugene was founded in 1846, the same year Madison, Wisconsin was chartered.

Each of the students received up to $1,000 to help cover project expenses

The awards are for piloting grants, which offer a foundation to pursue additional funding

Check out the latest update on UO research discoveries with big results

Joseph Yaconelli will pursue a master’s degree at University College Dublin in Ireland