ECE Distinguished Speaker Seminar Series: Gabriel Rebeiz, Professor, UC San Diego
2026-10-05 15:00 - 16:00 (America/Chicago)
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
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.

ME Advising Day
2026-10-23 09:00 - 15:00 | Atrium – Mechanical Engineering Building, 1513 University Avenue, Madison, 53706
As part of an effort to provide quality advising for Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, and Engineering Mechanics undergraduate students, we have designated Friday, October 23, 2026 as the Dept. of Mechanical Engineering Advising Day. This day will be dedicated to curriculum and holistic advising for ME students through conversations with academic and faculty advisors. Please stay tuned for more directions!

BME Seminar Series: Taimoor Qazi
2026-10-26 12:00 - 13:00 | 1003 (Tong Auditorium) Engineering Centers Building, 1550 Engineering Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
Taimoor Qazi, PhDAssistant ProfessorDepartment of Biomedical EngineeringPurdue University

Topic TBA

ME 903 Graduate Seminar: Katrina Groth
2026-10-29 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 Katrina Groth is a Professor at the University of Maryland.

Mechanics Seminar: Professor Qiang Zhong
2026-10-30 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 Qiang Zhong is an assistant professor at Iowa State University.

BME Seminar Series: Grace Bushnell
2026-11-02 12:00 - 13:00 | 1003 (Tong Auditorium) Engineering Centers Building, 1550 Engineering Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
Grace Bushnell, PhDAssistant ProfessorDepartment of Biomedical EngineeringUniversity of Minnesota

Topic TBA

ECE Distinguished Speaker Seminar Series: Mahta Moghaddam, Distinguished Professor, University of Southern California
2026-11-03 15:00 - 16:00
Please check back for event details

CBE Seminar Series: Sarah Perry
2026-11-03 16:00 - 17:00 | 1610 Engineering Hall, 1415 Engineering Drive, Madison, 53706
Sarah PerryGary R. Lapidus ProfessorDepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular EngineeringUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst

Polyelectrolyte Complex Materials

Electrostatic interactions can be used in the self-assembly of a wide range of responsive, bioinspired soft materials ranging from dehydrated thin films, fibers, and bulk solids to dense, polymer-rich liquid complex coacervates, as well as more complex hierarchical structures such as micelles and hydrogels. This responsiveness can include swelling and dissolution or solidification, which can be harnessed to facilitate encapsulation and the subsequent fabrication of functional materials. We draw inspiration from biomolecular condensates, which utilize liquid-liquid phase separation to create transient compartments in cells. These condensates form due to weak, multivalent interactions involving intrinsically disordered proteins, and have been shown to enable the selective uptake of specific proteins, nucleic acids, and small molecule drugs. We study how the patterning or presentation of charges and other chemical functionalities can modulate the potential for liquid-liquid phase separation via complex coacervation. We further examine how the distribution of charge on proteins and viruses can be used to facilitate selective uptake into coacervate phases, and stabilization against denaturation. This molecular-level understanding of polyelectrolyte complexation is further enhanced by detailed dynamic mechanical and thermodynamic examinations of the molecular nature of the various material transitions present in these systems. Our experimental efforts are supported by the parallel development of computational approaches for modeling and predicting the phase behavior of patterned polymeric materials.

Our goal is to establish molecular-level design rules to facilitate the tailored creation of materials based on polyelectrolyte complexation that can both illuminate self-assembly phenomena found in nature and find utility across a wide range of real-world applications.

ME 903 Graduate Seminar: Katie Fitzsimons
2026-11-05 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 Katie Fitzsimons is an Assistant Professor at Penn State.

CEE Engineers' Day Luncheon
2026-11-06 11:30 - 13:30 | Olbrich Botanical Gardens, 3330 Atwood Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin, 53704
Join alumni, faculty, staff, and industry partners as we celebrate Engineers’ Day and honor our 2026 award recipients on Friday, November 6, at Olbrich Botanical Gardens. To assist with planning, please register by October 29.

Register Now

Check-in and refreshments begin at 11:30 a.m., followed by lunch from Blue Plate Catering at 12:00 p.m., and a short program. This year’s honorees are:

Jenna Gruter, BSCE 2011, Project Manager at Findorff

Steven Baldridge, BSCE 1982, President of Baldridge Associates

All meals include a garden salad, starch/grains, fresh baked dinner rolls, and dessert. For the main dish, you may choose from:

Cheese tortellini and chicken with pesto cream

Baked cod

Stuffed acorn squash with curry seasoned quinoa salad and red pepper coulis (vegan/gf)

Meals are $30 per person for alumni and friends of the department. Payment may be made on the day of the event via check or cash. Ample parking onsite is available free of charge.

CEE faculty and staff, along with Visiting Committee members, emeritus faculty, and award winners, are invited at no cost.

ME 903 Graduate Seminar: Matthew McDowell
2026-11-12 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 Matthew McDowell is a Professor at Georgia Tech.

Mechanics Seminar: Dr. Julian Winkler
2026-11-13 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). Dr. Julian Winkler is a Aerodynamics & Acoustics Discipline Lead at RTX Technology.

BME Seminar Series: Alex Dunn
2026-11-16 12:00 - 13:00 | 1003 (Tong Auditorium) Engineering Centers Building, 1550 Engineering Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
Alex Dunn, PhDProfessorDepartment of Chemical EngineeringStanford University

Topic TBA

ME 903 Graduate Seminar: Venkat Viswanathan
2026-11-19 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 Venkat Viswanathan is a professor at the University of Michigan.

Midwest Mechanics Seminar: Professor Filippo Coletti
2026-11-20 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 Filippo Coletti is a professor at ETH Zurich.

BME Seminar Series: Diego Mantovani
2026-11-23 12:00 - 13:00 | 1003 (Tong Auditorium) Engineering Centers Building, 1550 Engineering Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
Diego Mantovani, PhDProfessorDepartment of Mineral, Metallurgical, and Materials EngineeringUniversité Laval, Québec, Canada

Topic TBA

BME Seminar Series: Boris Hinz
2026-11-30 12:00 - 13:00 | 1003 (Tong Auditorium) Engineering Centers Building, 1550 Engineering Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, United States
Boris Hinz, PhDKeenan Chair in Fibrosis Research, St. Michael’s Hospital, TorontoProfessor, Faculty of DentistryUniversity of Toronto, Canada

Topic TBA

ME 903 Graduate Seminar: George Em Karniadakis
2026-12-03 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 George Em Karniadakis is a professor at Brown University.

Mechanics Seminar: Professor Hannah Ross
2026-12-04 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 Hannah Ross is a researcher at the Center for Energy Conversion & Storage Systems at National Laboratory of the Rockies.

ECE Distinguished Speaker Seminar Series: Federico Capasso, Professor, Harvard University
2026-12-04 15:00 - 16:00
