William Sandholm Iii

William H. Sandholm III [49] of Madison, Wisconsin, made the choice to end his life on Monday, July 6, 2020 after a long battle with depression.

Bill was born in Brooklyn, New York and attended Manhasset High School where he met his future wife Leah.  Bill and Leah married on June 12, 1999.

In 1992, Bill graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a degree in Economics from Dartmouth University.  He went on to study at the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University and earned a Ph.D in 1998.

Bill spent his entire 22-year academic career at the University of Wisconsin, most recently as the Richard E. Stockwell Professor of Economics. Bill’s primary area of research was evolutionary game theory.  His colleagues deem his book, Population Games and Evolutionary Dynamics, the bible of the field. He was known as a generous mentor to his students and junior faculty and a passionate collaborator to his colleagues around the world.

Bill was devoted to his family.  He enjoyed sharing his favorite pastimes, including hiking, roller blading, cross country skiing, playing cards and listening to jazz, with his daughter Lily.

Bill was preceded in death by his father William H. Sandholm Jr. He is survived by his wife Leah, daughter Lily, mother Patricia, brother David, and nephews Tommy & Otto.

A memorial service will be planned for a later date when it is safe to gather in large groups. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Friends of the Arboretum Fund or the  National Park Foundation in his memory.