ME 903 Graduate Seminar: Margaret Busse
2026-09-10 16:00 - 17:00 (America/Chicago) | 3M Auditorium, rm 1106 Mechanical Engineering Building, 1513 University Ave, Madison, 53711
The ME 903: Graduate Student Lecture Series features campus and visiting speakers who present on a variety of research topics in the field of mechanical engineering. Professor Margaret Busse is an Assistant Professor at Penn State.

ECE Research Seminar Series: Dr. Haibo Huang, Director - Center of Excellence in Advanced Diagnostics, General Atomics
2026-09-11 11:00 - 12:00 | 2349 Engineering Hall, 1415 Engineering Drive, Madison, 53711
Delivering Quantum Advantages, a General Atomics Perspective

Event description:

General Atomics (GA) is a diversified private company with broad interests in energy and defense industry. With quantum technology affecting many aspects of our society and our lives, GA instituted a quantum program with three thrust areas: (1) Quantum PNT (Position Navigation and Timing) for GPS-free navigation (2) Quantum Communication for secure RF and optical communication (3) Quantum Diagnostics for critical mineral exploration in support of the semiconductor supply chain.

In this talk, we will discuss how to design a platform deployment focused applied quantum program to reap the benefit of modern technology. The following OpEd articles can be used an introduction to the topic:

Quantum Sensing: An Overlooked Strategic Advantage | Hoover Institution Quantum Sensing: An Overlooked Strategic Advantage

Turning Drones Into A Battlefield Team | Hoover Institution Turning Drones Into A Battlefield Team

This event is hosted by ECE Professor Mikhail Kats.

Mechanics Seminar: Professor Carmel Majidi
2026-09-11 12:00 - 13:00 | 1610 Engineering Hall, 1415 Engineering Drive, Madison, 53706
The Mechanics Seminar Series is a weekly seminar given by campus and visiting speakers on topics across the spectrum of mechanics research (solids, fluids, and dynamics). Professor Carmel Majidi is a professor at Carnegie Mellon University.

BME Student Welcome Back Social
2026-09-11 14:00 - 16:00 | Engineering Centers Building Atrium, 1550 Engineering Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
All Biomedical Engineering undergraduate and graduate students are welcome to join us in celebrating the new academic year. Enjoy snacks and department giveaways in the Engineering Centers Building (ECB) Atrium from 2- 4 p.m.

ECE Research Seminar Series: Dr. Max R. Lien, Northrop Grumman
2026-09-14 14:00 - 15:00 | 2349 Engineering Hall, 1415 Engineering Dr, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
Radiative Thermal Control of Spacecraft using Thermochromic Infrared Materials

Abstract: Thermochromic infrared surfaces have temperature-dependent emissivity spectra that enable radiators to respond to changes in the thermal environment. Spacecraft can leverage this unique behavior for autoregulating thermal control, where thermochromic surfaces are designed to passively transition between a high thermal emissivity (to radiate heat when hot) and a low thermal emissivity (to retain heat when cold). In this talk, we introduce the materials, methods, and analyses of Variable Emissivity Materials (VEMs) using thermal objectives, where spectral infrared engineering is used to achieve passive control over temperature and heat flux. We show how the models and materials are validated calorimetrically and describe a novel set of thermo-optic characteristics used in both the design and system modeling of VEMs. Finally, we present an optimization perspective for further development of VEMs for thermal control.

Bio: Dr. Max R. Lien is a research scientist focused on developing optical materials and photonics for national security applications. He earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 2019, followed by a Master of Science in 2021 and a Doctor of Philosophy in 2023 from the University of Southern California, all in electrical engineering. Currently, Dr. Lien is a Principal Research Scientist in the basic research laboratories at Northrop Grumman in Redondo Beach, California, where he oversees a portfolio of advanced material development and leads research collaborations with academic partners. Previously, he was a Visiting Technologist at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory working on mid-infrared optics for compact hyperspectral imagers.

ECE Discovery Panel: Applied Electromagnetics & Acoustics
2026-09-15 12:20 - 12:50 | 2317 Engineering Hall, 1415 Engineering Drive, Madison, 53711
Engineering undergraduates—any major or undecided! Join us in 2317 Engineering Hall as faculty members explore the technical area of Applied Electromagnetics & Acoustics.

All undergraduate students are welcome as Assistant Professor Chu Ma, Assistant Teaching Professor Nathan Strachen, and Assistant Professor Haihan Sun discuss real-world applications, where engineers are making an impact, and possible career paths.

This session is a great opportunity to learn about courses in this area and where this knowledge can take you.

Come for the insights, bring your questions, and stay for the sandwiches!

Chu Ma

Nathan Strachen

Haihan Sun

UW-ISyE Welcome Back Picnic
2026-09-15 16:00 - 18:00 | 1602 Vilas Park Dr., 1602 Vilas Park Dr., Madison, 53715
All ISyE students are invited to stop by the Vilas Park to meet the faculty, staff and fellow students of the UW-ISyE Dept. Burgers, Chicken, and vegan options will be available and games will be provided. Free department swag for all attendees!

ME 903 Graduate Seminar: Laura Grossenbacher
2026-09-17 16:00 - 17:00 | 3M Auditorium, rm 1106 Mechanical Engineering Building, 1513 University Ave, Madison, 53711
The ME 903: Graduate Student Lecture Series features campus and visiting speakers who present on a variety of research topics in the field of mechanical engineering. Dr. Laura Grossenbacher is the Director of the Program for Engineering Communication and Applied Ethics and the Director of Undergraduate Program Review.

Mechanics Seminar: Professor Guruswami Ravichandran
2026-09-18 12:00 - 13:00 | 1610 Engineering Hall, 1415 Engineering Drive, Madison, 53706
The Mechanics Seminar Series is a weekly seminar given by campus and visiting speakers on topics across the spectrum of mechanics research (solids, fluids, and dynamics). Professor Guruswami Ravichandran is a professor at Caltech.

BME Seminar Series: Ying Zheng
2026-09-21 12:00 - 13:00 | 1003 (Tong Auditorium) Engineering Centers Building, 1550 Engineering Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
Ying Zheng, PhDProfessorDepartment of BioengineeringUniversity of Washington

Topic TBA

ME 903 Graduate Seminar: Adam Steltzner
2026-09-24 16:00 - 17:00 | 3M Auditorium, rm 1106 Mechanical Engineering Building, 1513 University Ave, Madison, 53711
The ME 903: Graduate Student Lecture Series features campus and visiting speakers who present on a variety of research topics in the field of mechanical engineering. Adam Steltzner is a Chief Engineer at NASA.

Mechanics Seminar: Professor Michael Leamy
2026-09-25 12:00 - 13:00 | 1610 Engineering Hall, 1415 Engineering Drive, Madison, 53706
The Mechanics Seminar Series is a weekly seminar given by campus and visiting speakers on topics across the spectrum of mechanics research (solids, fluids, and dynamics). Professor Michael Leamy is a professor and department chair at the University of Vermont.

BME Seminar Series: Ian Wong
2026-09-28 12:00 - 13:00 | 1003 (Tong Auditorium) Engineering Centers Building, 1550 Engineering Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
Ian Wong, PhDAssociate ProfessorSchool of EngineeringPathology and Laboratory MedicineBrown University

Topic TBA

ECE Discovery Panel: Semiconductor Engineering
2026-09-29 12:20 - 12:50 | 2317 Engineering Hall, 1415 Engineering Drive, Madison, 53711
Engineering undergraduates—any major or undecided! Join us in 2317 Engineering Hall as faculty members explore the technical area of Semiconductor Engineering.

All undergraduate students are welcome as Assistant Professor Chirag Gupta, Professor Hongrui Jiang, and Assistant Professor Jennifer Volk discuss real-world applications, where engineers are making an impact, and possible career paths.

This session is a great opportunity to learn about courses in this area and where this knowledge can take you.

Come for the insights, bring your questions, and stay for the sandwiches!

Chirag Gupta

Hongrui Jiang

Jennifer Volk

CBE Seminar Series: Jeffrey Lopez
2026-09-29 16:00 - 17:00 | 1610 Engineering Hall, 1415 Engineering Drive, Madison, 53706
Jeffrey LopezAssistant ProfessorDepartment of Chemical and Biological EngineeringNorthwestern University

Interfacial Reaction Mechanisms Toward Precision Engineering of Interphase Chemistry in Next-Generation Batteries

While lithium based battery technologies are becoming increasingly widespread in our energy landscape, both in electric vehicles and grid scale storage, there is a continued need to increase energy density, reduce costs, and improve the sustainability of their manufacturing. At the heart of every battery is an ionically conductive but electronically insulating electrolyte that dictates the safety, charge rate, and cycling lifetime of the device. Furthermore, for every new battery technology, a new electrolyte must be identified and optimized so that it is compatible with the desired electrode components. Electrolyte decomposition is engineered to produce stabilizing interphases that kinetically passivate electrode surfaces, but the mechanisms to form these interphases and their ideal microstructure and composition are not well understood. In this presentation, I will discuss recent progress in our group toward improving the precision with which interphases can be designed to enable high energy density and low cost storage.

First, I will detail our group’s efforts to better understand electrolyte reaction mechanisms that initiate and propagate organic SEI matrix growth. I will discuss the development of spin trapping to stabilize radical intermediates in electrolyte reduction pathways to clarify reaction mechanisms. Through this approach, we have confirmed a ring opening mechanism for fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) reduction and the reduction of 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethyl 2,2,3,3-tetrafluoropropylether (TTE) into vinyl monomers that protect inorganic interphase components. Second, the kinetic competition between electrolyte components influences the composition of the organic phase of the SEI. We have used operando FTIR to identify how lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6) modulates the competition between FEC and lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (LiFSI) during interphase formation, and we have used quantitative measurements of selectivity to anion decomposition to develop a framework for estimating the solvent vs anion selectivity in interphase formation. Finally, I will discuss efforts to understand and control the morphology of the composite electrodes within which these interphase formation reactions take place. We have used Contrast Variation Small Angle Neutron Scattering (CV-SANS) for quantitative analysis of nanoscale interfaces in the composite electrode and surface modification to control the electrode-binder interfaces and improve dry battery electrode manufacturing. Increased cohesion between the active material and the PTFE dry binder enables more uniform distribution of the carbon and binder throughout the electrode and the use of only 0.1 wt% binder to fabricate dry electrodes. Together, these results build toward a more detailed understanding of critically important interphase chemistry. With a comprehensive view of reaction mechanisms, kinetics, and electrode structure, new opportunities will arise for precise design and control of the interphase in next generation batteries.

ME 903 Graduate Seminar: Yijin Liu
2026-10-01 16:00 - 17:00 | 3M Auditorium, rm 1106 Mechanical Engineering Building, 1513 University Ave, Madison, 53711
The ME 903: Graduate Student Lecture Series features campus and visiting speakers who present on a variety of research topics in the field of mechanical engineering. Professor Yijin Liu is an Associate Professor at The University of Texas at Austin.

Mechanics Seminar: Professor Alex Vakakis
2026-10-02 12:00 - 13:00 | 1610 Engineering Hall, 1415 Engineering Drive, Madison, 53706
The Mechanics Seminar Series is a weekly seminar given by campus and visiting speakers on topics across the spectrum of mechanics research (solids, fluids, and dynamics). Professor Alex Vakakis is a professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

College of Engineering Alumni Tailgate
2026-10-03 00:00 - 23:59 | WI
Save the Date: College of Engineering Alumni Homecoming Tailgate

Mark your calendars for the College of Engineering Alumni Homecoming Tailgate on Saturday, October 3, before the Wisconsin Badgers take on Michigan State.

Join fellow Badger engineers, Dean Devesh Ranjan (MS ’05, PhD ’07), college leadership, and friends of the college for an afternoon of food, conversation, and Homecoming spirit on the UW-Madison engineering campus.

The tailgate will begin 2.5 hours before kickoff, with the game time still to be announced. The exact tailgate location will be shared soon. Attendees will enjoy a large buffet and two drink tickets, with tickets priced at $25 per person. Children under 5 attend free.

Guests will also have the opportunity to purchase lower-level football tickets in Section Y1 through the event registration site when registration opens.

Whether you’re reconnecting with classmates, meeting fellow alumni, or celebrating all things Wisconsin Engineering, this Homecoming tradition is a great way to kick off your game day. Watch for registration details and additional event information coming soon.

BME Seminar Series: Jeff Saucerman
2026-10-05 12:00 - 13:00 | 1003 (Tong Auditorium) Engineering Centers Building, 1550 Engineering Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
Jeff Saucerman, PhDProfessorDepartment of Biomedical EngineeringUniversity of Virginia

Topic TBA

ECE Distinguished Speaker Seminar Series: Gabriel Rebeiz, Professor, UC San Diego
2026-10-05 15:00 - 16:00 | WI
Please check back for event details.

CBE Seminar Series: Nick Sahinidis
2026-10-06 16:00 - 17:00 | 1610 Engineering Hall, 1415 Engineering Drive, Madison, 53706
Nick SahinidisProfessorDepartment of Industrial & Systems Engineering and Chemical & Biomolecular EngineeringGeorgia Institute of Technology

Data-driven Optimization for Materials Discovery: Benchmarks and Case Studies

Self-driving laboratories can compress years of materials discovery into weeks. Instead of relying on trial-and-error, they use algorithms to learn from each experiment and decide what to try next. When experiments are expensive and budgets are limited, choosing the next experiment well can have a large impact on the quality of the material ultimately discovered.

I will present results from a recent benchmark of 46 data-driven optimization solvers on 502 problems, ranging from one to 300 dimensions and spanning a wide variety of mathematical behavior. Our new branch-and-model (BAM) algorithm achieves the highest overall success rate, outperforming several Bayesian optimizers as well as stochastic and deterministic derivative-free optimization solvers.

I will then show how branch-without-bound algorithms work in practice. In one example, an algorithm guided experiments on perovskite solar cells, jointly optimizing six processing parameters across three layers of the cell. I will also share results from optimizing digital twins and simulators developed by the self-driving-labs community.

Finally, I will discuss opportunities in batteries, semiconductors, catalysts, polymeric membranes, and biomolecules, and how deterministic methods such as BAM can help scientists discover better materials faster.

ME 903 Graduate Seminar: Larry Ilcewicz
2026-10-08 16:00 - 17:00 | 3M Auditorium, rm 1106 Mechanical Engineering Building, 1513 University Ave, Madison, 53711
The ME 903: Graduate Student Lecture Series features campus and visiting speakers who present on a variety of research topics in the field of mechanical engineering. Dr. Larry Ilcewicz is the Chief Scientist and Technical Advisor, Advanced Composite Materials at the Federal Aviation Administration.

29th Annual CEE Golf Outing
2026-10-09 09:00 - 17:00 | WI
Pleasant View Golf Course1322 Pleasant View RoadMiddleton, Wisconsin 53562

Register now

Golfers pose with Bucky Badger.

Gather with alumni, industry colleagues, faculty, staff, and students for a day of fun and fundraising to benefit the UW-Madison Civil and Environmental Engineering Department during the 29th Annual CEE Golf Outing!

9 am Check-in

10 am Shotgun start for 18 holes

3:00 pm After-party begins

3:30 pm Sponsor prizes, auction, and golf awards with Bucky

Players of all skill levels are welcome, and golf is played as a scramble.

For lunch, golfers can choose from a brat, grilled chicken sandwich, or veggie burger with chips and a piece of fruit.

A taco bar will be available during the after-party.

Funds raised through this event provide important support for Concrete Canoe and other hands-on experiences.

Unable to attend the full day or not a golfer? Join us from 3-5 p.m. for dinner and good company. We’ll have a silent auction, prizes, and special appearance from Bucky Badger!

Sponsorship Opportunities

Every sponsorship, contribution, and golfer registration makes a difference. With the funds raised through this event, we look forward to:

Expanding access to hands-on learning, leadership, and professional development opportunities outside of the classroom

Renovating existing facilities in Engineering Hall

Incorporating new methods of teaching and research

Together, we will empower the next generation of civil, environmental, and geological engineers to lead us forward.

Golf Packages

Event Sponsorships

Diamond Sponsorship – $4400
Includes lunch, dinner, golf fees, cart rental and drink tickets for 8 golfers, a tee or green sponsorship, and recognition on our website and event materials.
Platinum Sponsorship – $2900
Includes lunch, dinner, golf fees, cart rental and drink tickets for 8 golfers, a tee or green sponsorship, and recognition on our website and event materials.
Gold Sponsorship – $1800
Includes lunch, dinner, golf fees, cart rental and drink tickets for 4 golfers, a tee or green sponsorship, and recognition on our website and event materials.
Silver Sponsorship – $890
Includes lunch, dinner, golf fees, cart rental, and drink tickets for 2 golfers, a tee or green sponsorship, and recognition on our website and event materials.
Booth Sponsorship – $700
Connect with over 200 members of the Badger engineering community as a booth sponsor! This sponsorship includes one 10 x 10 booth space on the course, one golf cart, lunch and dinner for 2 people, and recognition on our website and event materials. Only 9 spots are available, and sponsors are asked to host a prize game or similar feature at their location to engage attendees. Sponsors are responsible for bringing their own booth materials and setting up on the course. Have questions? Please contact Amanda Thuss.
Single Player Registration – $290
Includes lunch, dinner, golf fees, cart rental, and a drink ticket for one player. Recent graduates (within the last 3 years) and retired alumni can golf at a reduced rate of $185!
After-Party Ticket – $35
Unable to attend the full day? Show your support off the course and have a great time by attending the after-party. Ticket price includes admission, dinner, and a drink ticket.

Student Golfers – Sponsors can choose to have CEE students golf with them as part of their paid sponsorship. To request a student golfer, please contact Amanda Thuss or enter “student” as one of the golfer names during registration. We do our best to match sponsors with students based on the student’s career interests and goals. Sponsors and students will be introduced via email before the event. Overall availability of student golfers depends on how many students register to participate.

If you can’t make it or don’t golf, an event sponsorship is another way to show your support and help us create a memorable event. Contact Amanda Thuss for any of the sponsorship opportunities listed below or to discuss another item you have in mind.

Prizes
Donate an item to our silent auction or 29 Envelope Challenge game, which are important fundraising aspects of the day. Your logo will appear on event materials on the day of the event and on our website for one year. Past donations have included UW merch, sporting event tickets, gift cards/certificates, wine baskets, tools, electronic items, coolers, and camping/tailgate equipment.
Tee or Green Sponsorship – $350
Includes display your company logo on one of the tee boxes or greens on the course the day of the event, as well as on our website and event materials.
Drink Cart Sponsor – $1500
Treat the golfers to a round of drinks! Your company logo will appear a drink ticket for each golfer and the golf course drink carts, as well as on our website and event materials.
Golf Cart Sponsor – $1500
Help our golfers navigate the course with ease by sponsoring the golf cart rental. Your logo will be displayed on the scorecard for every team, the golf carts for our event staff, and on our website and event materials.
Lunch Sponsor – $2000
Treat the golfers to a midday break to keep them going all day! Your logo will be displayed on every lunch, event signage, and our website and event materials.
After-Party Sponsors – $3000
Keep the party going off the course with Bucky Badger, food, and drinks! Your logo will be displayed on a banner during the party, on drink cups for each attendee, and our website and event materials.

Mechanics Seminar: Professor Melissa Green
2026-10-09 12:00 - 13:00 | 1610 Engineering Hall, 1415 Engineering Drive, Madison, 53706
The Mechanics Seminar Series is a weekly seminar given by campus and visiting speakers on topics across the spectrum of mechanics research (solids, fluids, and dynamics). Professor Melissa Green is an associate professor at the University of Minnesota.

ECE Discovery Panel: ECE Named Degree Options - Semiconductor engineering or machine learning & data science
2026-10-13 12:20 - 12:50 | 2317 Engineering Hall, 1415 Engineering Drive, Madison, 53711
Engineering undergraduates! Join us in 2317 Engineering Hall as faculty members explain how you can specialize in emerging technologies such as semiconductor engineering or machine learning and data science and earn a named option on your transcript. The option uses 20 of the elective credits within the 120-credit Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering BS degree program to focus on the science, tools, and practices associated with either semiconductor engineering or machine learning and data science.

All undergraduate students are welcome as Assistant Teaching Professor Eduardo Arvelo, Assistant Teaching Professor Setareh Behroozi, and Teaching Faculty Srdjan Milicic discuss the advantages of choosing a named option. This session is a great opportunity to learn about courses in these areas and where this knowledge can take you.

Come for the insights, bring your questions, and stay for the sandwiches!

Eduardo Arvelo

Setareh Behroozi

Srdjan Milicic

CBE Seminar Series: Ying Diao
2026-10-13 16:00 - 17:00 | 1610 Engineering Hall, 1415 Engineering Drive, Madison, 53706
Professor Ying DiaoDepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular EngineeringUniversity of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

AI-guided Closed-loop Learning for Functional Molecule Discovery

Closed-loop discovery of functional molecules represents a new paradigm to new materials discovery. However, so far, AI-driven closed-loop discovery approaches have rarely yielded new chemical insight. I am leading a team to address this challenge under the Molecule Maker Lab Institute, one of the first AI Institutes in US. We connect autonomous synthesis, autonomous device printing and testing, and machine learning in a closed loop to drive molecular design of light harvesting small molecules towards high photostability. We combined blind Bayesian Optimization (BO) with physics-based ML models to expand the classical “closed loop optimization” method for a more informative “Closed-Loop Transfer” (CLT) paradigm capable of making scientific discoveries We uncovered a first principles understanding of the molecular determinants of photostability in which the triplet excited state manifold plays a critical role against literature findings. We further applied this strategy to understanding molecular design rules underpinning chiral emergence of conjugated polymers. Such understanding laid the foundation to developing next generation chiral electronics spanning solar cells, conductors, spintronics and beyond. At present, we are working to partner Large Language Model with our closed-loop learning approach towards developing a chemical language model for organic electronics.

ME 903 Graduate Seminar: Adam Clare
2026-10-15 16:00 - 17:00 | 3M Auditorium, rm 1106 Mechanical Engineering Building, 1513 University Ave, Madison, 53711
The ME 903: Graduate Student Lecture Series features campus and visiting speakers who present on a variety of research topics in the field of mechanical engineering. Professor Adam Clare is a professor at The University of British Columbia.

Midwest Mechanics Seminar: Professor Jeff Eldredge
2026-10-16 12:00 - 13:00 | 1610 Engineering Hall, 1415 Engineering Drive, Madison, 53706
The Midwest Mechanics Seminar Series is a weekly seminar given by campus and visiting speakers on topics across the spectrum of mechanics research (solids, fluids, and dynamics). Professor Jeff Eldredge is professor and department chair at UCLA.

BME Seminar Series: Alan Wahl
2026-10-19 12:00 - 13:00 | 1003 (Tong Auditorium) Engineering Centers Building, 1550 Engineering Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
Alan Wahl, PhDPresidentD Biotherapeutics, LLC

Topic TBA

Mechanical Engineering Scholarship Night
2026-10-22 16:00 - 18:00 | Atrium – Mechanical Engineering Building, 1513 University Avenue, Madison, 53706
This invite-only event brings together students, their families, and scholarship supporters to award scholarships to Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, and Engineering Mechanics students who have distinguished themselves through academic success, curiosity in research, and leadership on and off campus. Contact Kassi Akers kakers2@wisc.edu or Caitlin Scott cscott8@wisc.edu with any questions.
