The University of Wisconsin-Platteville will host a virtual Senior Design Open House on Wednesday, Dec. 16, offering engineering students the opportunity to showcase their capstone projects to students, faculty, industry representatives and the general public.

The Senior Design program pairs student groups with industry sponsors to solve real problems or create new products. The students are supervised by an industry and faculty advisor while they explore all aspects of the project – from creative development and project management to engineering ethics, product safety, copyrights and patents, robust engineering and more. The open house will feature projects from more than 130 students in the disciplines of mechanical, industrial and software engineering.

Thousands of hours of field work and undergraduate research, conducted by more than 75 University of Wisconsin-Platteville students spanning seven years, has come to fruition. Dr. Chris Underwood, associate professor of geography and department chair; Dr. Evan Larson, professor of geography; and alumna Sara Allen, a 2013 history and geography graduate, co-authored “The Driftless Oaks: A new network of tree-ring chronologies to improve regional perspectives of drought in the Upper Midwest, USA.” Their paper was published this fall in the academic journal Progress in Physical Geography: Earth and Environment.

Together the University of Wisconsin-Platteville community is working together to help stop the spread of the novel coronavirus. To adapt to this unprecedented time, UW-Platteville moved to alternative delivery in March and as the spring semester continued the Teaching and Technology Center and the Office of the Provost began preparing for the fall semester.

To assist with these new classroom challenges, the TTC created professional development opportunities for faculty. The summer training courses, titled Level 1 and Level 2, were designed to help instructors develop familiarity with tools that facilitated blended learning while also providing additional resources on designing elements of a blended learning course. Level 2 took a deeper dive into academic technology. More than 90% of UW-Platteville instructors took advantage of these educational opportunities.

The Confucius Institute at UW-Platteville welcomes all to a free virtual Chinese New Year Celebration on Feb. 6, 2021, at 1 p.m. The program consists of various performances offered in collaboration with Confucius Institute of Chinese Opera at Binghamton, San Diego Confucius Institute, and South-Central University for Nationalities in Wuhan, China. Performances include dances, songs, martial arts performances, yo-yo playing, musical instruments and Peking Opera.

University of Wisconsin-Platteville alumnus Lavern Nall, a 1972 civil engineering graduate, will present at the final virtual event of the College of Engineering, Mathematics and Science Engineering Seminar Series on Tuesday, Dec. 1. Nall, who is the president of Strass Maguire and Associates, a civil and structural engineering consulting company in Mequon, Wisconsin, will discuss the topic of Protection of Buildings from the Construction of Milwaukee’s “Deep Tunnel.” Nall will draw on his nearly 50-year engineering career to highlight different aspects of large infrastructure from identification of building damages caused by tunnel construction to preconstruction inspections.

This summer, Dr. Asad Azemi joined UW-Platteville as the department chair and professor of electrical and computer engineering. Prior to his move to the Midwest, Azemi was an associate professor of engineering at Penn State. His research interests are in the areas of estimation and signal processing with agriculture and health science applications.

Azemi became interested in engineering at a young age. It continued to grow after a family member pursued the degree. "I feel like anyone who is interested in math and physics tends to look into engineering as an option for a major," he said. "My cousin went to school for engineering and I followed."

Azemi earned his bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from UCLA. He continued his education at Loyola Marymount and the University of Arkansas, where he received his master's and doctorate degrees in electrical engineering.

Several faculty members in the University of Wisconsin-Platteville School of Business are capping off the year with recent publications and major conference presentations, demonstrating their breadth of expertise in a variety of areas.

Dr. Abdollah Soofi, professor of economics, published several scholarly papers over the past year, focusing on three diverse subjects. One of the articles covers the financial effects of economic sanctions against Iran. The second examines the mechanism of diffusion of innovation in the techno-economic system with an application on the German techno-economic system. A techno-economic system, Soofi explained, is a “technological system that is represented by the interindustry transactions (economics) combined with a matrix of sectoral innovative efforts as measured by research and development investment intensity (technology).”

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville chapter of the American Concrete Institute recently participated in the 2020 Concrete Solutions Competition, where students competed against 18 teams representing six countries. Held virtually, the competition tasked teams with conceptualizing and demonstrating a use of concrete that could positively impact the world.

Eight UW-Platteville students began working on a concept for the competition in mid-September. They brainstormed several ideas, considering innovations in pervious concrete and 3D printing concrete, before selecting their final idea for eco-friendly concrete.

“We selected this because we saw issues of global warming as some of the biggest problems in today’s world,” said Cole Nellis, a senior mechanical engineering major from New Franken, Wisconsin, and president of the student chapter.

When Beth and Gary Goldberg graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville in 1981, they had no idea their degrees in mining engineering would take them around the world.

“It was far beyond what we ever expected to do. We lived in England for two years and Australia for three years. It gave us a whole different perspective of the world,” said Gary. “At one point I visited 25 countries and their capital cities before I made it to Washington, D.C.”

“Sometimes we look at each other and say we are two kids from UW-Platteville,” said Beth. “We have lived all over; what an experience.”

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville has partnered with the Career Leadership Collective, a higher education solutions group, to conduct a national online survey to collect career pathway data from alumni.

"The National Alumni Career Mobility Survey is an opportunity for alumni to share their unique experiences,” said Shelby Lang, UW-Platteville interim alumni relations manager. “It will help UW-Platteville continuously improve how we prepare students. We invite alumni who graduated in 2010 and 2015 to participate and give feedback on how experiences at UW-Platteville helped prepare them for their professional career journey."

Amid a decades-long trend of declining bird populations in North America, setting land aside for preservation has long been a primary approach to protect biodiversity. Dr. Lynnette Dornak, associate professor of geography at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, researched the effectiveness of this method, and her work, “Assessing the Efficacy of Protected and Multiple-Use Lands for Bird Conservation in the U.S.,” was recently published by the scientific journal, PLOS ONE.  

Dr. Afzal Upal joined the University of Wisconsin-Platteville in July as the chair of the Computer Science and Software Engineering Department. He has more than 20 years of experience in the computing field, with an expertise in artificial intelligence and cognitive science. Upal has held several technical and leadership positions in the computer science and software engineering industry and government, however his love for education brought him back to academia.

“My mother was an elementary school teacher and I’ve always believed that there is nothing more noble or rewarding than teaching the future generations,” said Upal. “My experience in computing industry and government allows me to draw on real world problems to inspire them to develop solutions that will make a real difference in people’s lives.”

Two-time University of Wisconsin-Platteville graduate and Criminal Justice Instructor Chris Polzer was named one of the university’s 2020 Distinguished Alumni. Recipients of the honor, which is presented by the Alumni Association, are chosen for their contributions to and recognition in their professions and communities, and continued engagement with the university.

Polzer earned his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in 1988 and his master’s degree in guidance and counseling in 1992. After more than 25 years with the Federal Bureau of Prisons—working in roles including Equal Employment Opportunity counselor, drug treatment specialist, certified hostage negotiator, and diversity management instructor—he retired and now teaches criminal justice online and in-person for UW-Platteville.

Wisconsin is known worldwide for its dairy products, and ice cream is an almost universal favorite. Yet what we love about it can often be hard to describe. Now, mechanical engineering professors Dr. Thomas Zolper and Dr. Bidhan Roy are looking at the science behind one of the world’s most popular treats as part of their research for the UW-Platteville Dairy Innovation Hub.

Throughout his career, Ryan Weigel has felt the influence of UW-Platteville. From the time he graduated as an animal science major, to his own role as an educator today, Weigel acknowledges the friends, family and mentors that have helped him along the way.

Early in his career, a recommendation from Jeff Dornink, who at the time was the manager of Pioneer Farm, helped him secure a job he loved with Bou Matic, a dairy equipment manufacturer out of Madison, Wisconsin. For several years, Weigel had the opportunity to travel the world as a product specialist for the company, covering much of North America and New Zealand. Later, when he was looking for a new opportunity, it was Dr. Michael Mee who gave him a lead that would change his life.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville is known as the Pioneers, but the moniker is much more than a nickname. The university has been a pioneer and industry leader in distance education since 1978, when it began offering degrees through its print-based program.

“Nobody else in the UW System was doing this, and there were very few programs out there across the country,” said Susan Hansen, the interim Dean for the Division of Professional Studies. “The instructors and the support that was provided to those students kind of stole the show and helped those programs grow.”

Without a road map to reference, the first distance education recruiters pounded the pavement to sell the programs to potential students. As the reputation of the print-based program grew, so did the number of students and degree programs.

Thanks to an internship at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s University Counseling Services, Anna Klimesh had the opportunity to make a potentially big impact on both current and future students at the university. This summer, Klimesh was tasked with creating and publicizing Peers Promoting Mental Health – a student-led support program that aims to increase student engagement in mental health promotion, education and awareness on campus.

Klimesh, a senior psychology major, originally from Cuba City, Wisconsin, began her internship with University Counseling Services in June. While she had several responsibilities, her main task was to create and launch a peer-led group.

“The reason for this program is that research has shown that people respond more positively to their peers than a counselor who is 20 years older,” said Klimesh.

The Center for Distance Learning is proud to announce the 2020 winners of the Dawn Drake Excellence in Distance Education Scholarship, Gary Apperson Memorial Scholarship, and Ruth Miller Challenge Scholarship. The scholarships, which are awarded each year to students enrolled in distance education programs, were created to provide additional financial support for UW-Platteville students.

Growing up as the oldest of seven, Angela Yang was the first in her family to earn a college degree. Yang, an alumna of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, now hopes to inspire students throughout their collegiate journey. As a TRIO Student Support Services advisor and SUCCEED coordinator, she works with incoming UW-Platteville students and assists them with accessing campus resources. Her favorite part is developing relationships with students and watching them grow from their first year to graduation.

“I really get to know the students at a deeper level,” she said. “It’s such a crazy experience to see the students I have worked with from the beginning and to see how far they have come. I’m proud I’m able to be a part of it and watch it all happen and see the students grow into their elements and be their true authentic selves.”

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville Mock Trial Team participated in its first invitational tournament of the season and received a top witness award. “Testing the Waters” tournament took place virtually from Oct.16-18 and featured 12 colleges from across the country.

“The students worked really hard. They did really well. We faced some really tough teams,” said Kyle Reimann, J.D., lecturer of criminal justice at UW-Platteville and a criminal defense attorney. “To earn the top witness award is big. In every tournament we have competed in since last year, we have won a trophy. It’s important for motivation and for the students to get recognized for the good work they are doing.”

Emily Stegich, who joined the Mock Trial Team this year, portrayed the witness and tied with the highest score in the entire tournament of 17 points.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s Department of Performing and Visual Arts-Theatre and Pioneer Players will kick off their 2020-2021 season with William Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew.” This comedy about the hard-to-control Kate and the overly-confident man who sets out to “tame” her, Petruchio, is a well-known Shakespeare play. It has been a mainstay on stages and in films since it was written in the 16th century. Performances will be livestreamed on the UW-Platteville Pioneer Players Facebook page, running Nov. 12 through Nov. 14 at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 15 at 2 p.m.

John Schaeffer’s love of learning has led him down a very unique academic path.  At the spry age of 79, he’s pursuing his fourth college degree, a bachelor’s degree in health and human performance from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. It’s a university Schaeffer knows well. He has already earned a pair of bachelor’s degrees from UW-Platteville in biology and medical technology. He also received a master’s degree in microbiology from the University of Arizona.

But Schaeffer’s love of learning extends outside the classroom as well. After taking advantage of some of the classes offered through the UW-Platteville Confucius Institute, Schaeffer recently participated – and placed – in two different international video competitions for Ba Duan Jin, a popular traditional Chinese mind-body exercise.

As the lead admissions specialist for the University of Wisconsin-Platteville Center for Distance Learning, Clint Nemitz works with his team to connect prospective students with their desired academic programs. It’s work Nemitz sets to with a passion, partly because he understands the struggle of finding the right program, as was the case with his own academic journey. 

“My educational path was a winding road to say the least, as most of that time I had more questions than answers,” said Nemitz. “What do I want to do with my life? I have some visions of how I see my life, but how can I get there?”  

Kaley Mumma, a University of Wisconsin-Platteville senior from Byron, Illinois, was selected to present at the 2020 Red River Women’s Studies Conference, hosted by North Dakota State University last week. The conference’s theme, “Imperfect History,” marked the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment. Mumma’s presentation, “Black Women and the Suffrage Movement,” aimed to re-examine the women’s suffrage movement in the context of women who are marginalized due to the color of their skin.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville Department of Geography is now offering a new undergraduate degree, environmental science and conservation. The program launched this fall with more than a dozen students declaring the major.

“The B.S. in environmental science and conservation is a multi-dimensional degree built upon curriculum from the natural, physical and social sciences, as well as the humanities and technology,” said Dr. Kory Wein, interim dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Education. “The College of LAE is the perfect home for such a diverse degree. This offering provides a highly desirable major that will engage our students in modern approaches to environmental stewardship and conservation and prepare them to solve environmental problems in the 21st century.”

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville College of Engineering, Mathematics and Science is hosting its third virtual event in the Engineering Seminar Series on Tuesday, Nov. 10, featuring alumna Lauren Ray, a 2001 civil engineering graduate, and Marc Ruden, both of IIW, P.C. Their presentation is titled Bee Branch Pumping Station: Solution to Aid the City of Dubuque’s Flooding Issues. Attendees will receive an inside look at what went into the planning and design of the project.

Since joining UW-Platteville in 2015, Dr. Hynek Boril, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, has been instrumental in providing students with unique research opportunities on campus, particularly through his creation of the Pioneer Speech Signal Processing Laboratory.



Boril earned both a master’s degree in electrical engineering and a Ph.D. in electrical engineering and information technology from Czech Technical University in Prague. He then started a position as a research associate at the University of Texas at Dallas, in the Center for Robust Speech Systems. There, he met his future wife, Dr. Yan Shi, who was completing her Ph.D. at UT-Dallas at the time. After graduation, Shi found a tenure-track position at UW-Platteville, and she is now an associate professor of computer science and software engineering.

Last week, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville Department of Industrial Studies hosted an open house to celebrate the newly-renovated electronics and industrial controls systems laboratory. Located in Russell Hall, the lab is one of two automation labs that underwent a $1.5 million renovation to offer students the opportunity to use world-class technology and give them an edge in the workforce.

The lab space serves a range of courses – from basic AC/DC to advanced automation and control. Lab activities include electronic devices exploration, troubleshooting, data acquisition and control with LabVIEW, digital logic, instrumentation, circuit analysis and simulation.

A new agreement between the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and Carroll University will allow Carroll students to earn Bachelor of Science degrees in mechanical and electrical engineering without ever leaving southeast Wisconsin. Carroll students will complete UW-Platteville engineering courses in an online format through UW-Platteville Engineering Partnerships (UW-PEP).

Dr. Kristina Fields, professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, was named one of four recipients across the UW System of the 2020 Alliant Energy Underkofler Excellence in Teaching Award. The $3,000 award, funded by an endowment from Alliant Energy, is intended to recognize and reward extraordinary teachers at UW System institutions within Alliant Energy’s service area. 

“I am humbled and grateful to receive this award,” said Fields. “It is rewarding to work each day with faculty, staff and students who are dedicated to using their talents to improve the quality of lives for people in our communities.”

Fields earned her Ph.D., Master of Science and Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from Michigan Technological University. She began teaching at UW-Platteville in 2007.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville Continuing Education Institute is pleased to announce a new partnership that will give students the ability to advance their careers by acquiring the knowledge and requirements needed to sit for the CFP® Certification Exam. Starting in January, Continuing Education Institute will begin offering Dalton Education’s CFP® Certification preparation curriculum.



The Certified Financial Planning Certificate program will allow Continuing Education Institute Professional Pathway students to receive instruction from UW-Platteville’s distinguished and dedicated professors while also taking advantage of Dalton’s industry-leading CFP Board-registered and approved program. This will allow professionals to meet the academic and hour requirements needed to sit for the CFP® Certification Exam.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville Health and Human Performance program recently rolled out three new minors that can be paired with majors across the university to increase the marketability of graduates. Beginning this fall, students can enroll in a health promotion, coaching or sports management minor.

According to Dr. Scott Ringgenberg, associate professor of health and human performance, the minors were developed with feedback from students outside of the Health and Human Performance program, and there are a number of ways skills gained from the minors can be used outside of the traditional education setting.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville School of Business recently announced a new partnership with Foster MSP. The collaboration will offer students a unique apprenticeship opportunity, providing them with a valuable, rare skillset to give them an edge in a growing field.

Foster MSP is based in Phoenix, Arizona and Naperville, Illinois, but serves a range of clients nationwide, providing information technology, information systems security and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. ERP is a rapidly growing field that helps companies fully integrate and coordinate all aspects of their business processes and resources.

University of Wisconsin-Platteville alumni and friends celebrated Pioneers Day of Giving by raising $141,514 on Oct. 9. The university surpassed its goal with more than 290 donors.

“The outpouring of support from the UW-Platteville community was remarkable,” said Scott S. Baumgartner, chair of the UW-Platteville Foundation and 1972 UW-Platteville graduate. “The UW-Platteville Foundation is extremely grateful to all of our alumni, friends and corporate partners who made our 2020 Pioneers Day of Giving the best yet. Thank you for your generosity.”

The annual event is in honor of Founder’s Day and raises funds to support student success. Alumni and friends were able to stay virtually connected by following the UW-Platteville social media pages where updates were given throughout the day. The Pioneers Day of Giving set a goal of 241 donors, one for each of the 241 steps of the world’s largest M.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville School of Education recently received a grant from the Rural Schools Collaborative (RSC), a national nonprofit committed to strengthening the bonds between schools and communities. The grant is part of RSC's I am a Rural Teacher campaign, a national advocacy effort that is supported by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. 

The grant will support a collaboration between the RSC and the School of Education that will expand the Proud Rural Teacher podcast – created by Jessica Brogley, a lecturer in the School of Education – giving it a national audience.

Dr. Hal Evensen, University of Wisconsin-Platteville professor of engineering physics, is the recipient of the inaugural Dale Dixon Professor of Engineering Award. The award was established by Dr. Dale Dixon, a former engineering department chair in the College of Engineering, Mathematics and Science, to celebrate engineering faculty excellence.

“To be recognized is humbling,” said Evensen. “We have a lot of good, young faculty members who really inspire me. Through them I see new and better ways to do things. It’s very gratifying. I work hard at what I do. It’s nice to be recognized.”

The award provides a total of $15,000 over a three-year period to be used for summer salary, professional development, research and/or student salaries. Evensen focused his budget on research, supplies, student salaries and professional development opportunities.

The Dairy Innovation Hub has released its first annual report that reflects progress and activities from initial funding approval by the Wisconsin Legislature in early October 2019 through June 2020.

The report outlines the major accomplishments of the Hub, both since its inception and during the preceding fiscal year.

Read and download the report from the Hub website.

“In a time of great uncertainty and extremely unusual operating conditions throughout the dairy community, and on all three campuses, we are pleased with our progress, having met or exceeded all internal timelines for project decisions for our current fiscal year, as well as plans for year two,” said Dr. Heather White, an associate professor in the UW–Madison Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences and faculty director of the Hub.

Highlights of the report include:

Heather Burkholder grew up in Platteville and began working at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville in 2007 in the Admission and Student Affairs office before moving over to Athletics in 2010, where she is coordinator for internal operations. 

“I am very grateful to be able to work with such a great department and campus community,” she said. “I grew up in Platteville, so I know the area and have seen first-hand, from a young age, the positive impact the university has had on the community. In athletics, there is never a dull moment. We are always in the fast lane with events, travel, tickets and ensuring a great student-athlete experience. It is rewarding to know that you can always be there to help with the next task that is presented. Most of all, it is rewarding to work with so many great people.”

The School of Business at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville has realigned its programs to ensure that students are ready for the changing needs in business and industry, with the launch of six new undergraduate degree programs and an ongoing commitment to providing a cutting-edge education – from its teaching philosophy to leveraging the latest online resources.

Launched this fall, the new majors include management, finance, human resources, marketing, supply chain management and professional sales. Previously, the School of Business offered each of these as emphasis areas. Moving forward, the majors allow students to gain more depth in their area of expertise – a need that has been emphasized by employers and alumni.

In recent months, Dr. Phillip Gordon, associate professor of English and Gay Studies coordinator at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, has received continued recognition for his book, “Gay Faulkner: Uncovering a Homosexual Presence in Yoknapatawpha and Beyond” (December 2019, University Press of Mississippi), including a newly published essay, an upcoming article and delivery of a keynote speech at a United Kingdom conference.  

Based on overwhelming interest, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville Continuing Education Institute is pleased to announce the expansion of its cannabis-related certificates to include an Agriculture and Horticulture Certificate program.



Students will learn how to care for cannabis plants, study cannabis botany and genetics, and explore plant growth techniques during the innovative six-month certificate program. The certificate is offered in partnership with Green Flower, a national leader in cannabis education. UW-Platteville is the only state university to offer this type of opportunity, thanks to an exclusivity agreement.

“This is the academic fairytale,” said Dr. Jenna Zucker, associate professor of psychology. “I’m teaching in my hometown. It’s incredible. It worked out perfectly. I’m very happy to be here.” Zucker joined the University of Wisconsin-Platteville Department of Psychology in 2019 and teaches courses focused on development.

Zucker’s experience as an undergraduate researcher at UW-Eau Claire inspired her to pursue academia and become a college professor. She earned her master’s and doctorate degrees in educational psychology from the University of Kansas.

“I like that college students really have a goal in mind when they come into my classes,” she said. “Trying to broaden their horizon and trying to take advantage of those “adolescent into early adulthood” interests in the world. The experience of being out on your own for the first time and being exposed to a lot of new ideas. All of that is really interesting to me.”

The sculpture is titled “Pandemic” and for University of Wisconsin-Platteville fine arts major Sara Ditchman, it’s a reflection of the uncertainty of COVID-19. Ditchman was selected to present her piece at the Water Street Studios 11th Anniversary Show: Create-in-Place in Batavia, Illinois. The socially distanced exhibition ran from Sept. 25-27. According to Water Street Studios, the collection of artworks explored the complexities of thought and emotions during this time of the coronavirus.

“I created the masks to stare directly back to the viewer,” said Ditchman a junior from Batavia. “It was supposed to be something vaguely haunting. Now we know how many lives have been lost [due to COVID-19], how many people have been homeless and displaced and how this has completely wreaked havoc for so many families and people across America. Those faces are more and more impactful. It makes it seem personal. I want people to take that away.”

For more than 50 years, the Busby family has helped transform and enrich the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and greater Platteville community. From paving the way for UW-Platteville’s esteemed engineering programs to volunteering in the community and supporting students with scholarships, the Busby family – Edward and Lois, and their children John, Thomas and Paula (Latta) – have left their mark. To honor their family legacy, UW-Platteville will rename Engineering Hall to the Busby Hall of Engineering.

The Busby family moved from Madison, Wisconsin to Platteville in 1966, when Edward was hired as the dean of UW-Platteville’s College of Engineering. For the next 18 years, Edward played an instrumental role in the growth of the college, overseeing the process for the first ABET accreditation and the addition of mechanical, industrial and electrical engineering programs to the curriculum. He retired from UW-Platteville in 1988.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville Foundation is giving future Pioneers the opportunity to submit their college application at no cost until Saturday, Oct. 31.

“The Foundation supported the application fee to remove the financial worry from our prospective students,” said Joshua Boots, assistant vice chancellor for Development and Alumni Engagement. “Choosing a university is already a significant undertaking; the Foundation wanted to make applying for UW-Platteville as simple and carefree as possible. This is a fantastic initiative which we are confident will allow more prospective students to see the great educational opportunities UW-Platteville has to offer.”

It’s an idea that has evolved since 2019 when four University of Wisconsin-Platteville engineering students and Dr. Gokul “Gopal” Gopalakrishnan, associate professor of engineering physics, discussed their passion for rock climbing and developed the first prototype of Skillzboard. The device won first place at the  2019 WiSys Innovation Showcase at the Wisconsin Science and Technology Symposium, and second place at the Prototype Hackathon. Today, Gopal; Brian Tuttle, a 2019 mechanical engineering major; Chloe Thomas, a 2019 mechanical engineering major; Bobby Hebel, a 2019 mechanical engineering major; and Seneida Biendarra, a 2020 industrial engineering major, are now partners and have started their own company.

Two recent University of Wisconsin-Platteville alumni, Kathryn Bartels and Dominique Kornely, have had their research work accepted for publication in academic journals. Both alumni are former participants of UW-Platteville’s Summer Undergraduate Scholars Program and credit the program for their success.

After growing up in Canada, Demi Vetesnik, program coordinator for the University of Wisconsin-Platteville Continuing Education Institute, made the jump to the United States for college when a soccer scholarship led her to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

“While attending UW-Milwaukee I met my now husband, who convinced me to stick around post-graduation,” said Vetesnik. “Once I had received approval for my Permanent Residence Card, I was eager to find a position where I could serve my community.”

This opportunity arrived in June 2019, when Vetesnik joined the CEI team at UW-Platteville Richland Center. As part of her responsibilities, Vetesnik provides quality programming for the community she now lives in.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville will celebrate 154 years since becoming an institution on Friday, Oct. 9. In honor of Founder’s Day, alumni and friends are invited to participate in the annual Pioneers Day of Giving. The all-day event raises funds to support student success.

“Pioneers Day of Giving is a special day for Pioneers near and far. It is a day they demonstrate their love for the University of Wisconsin-Platteville,” said Josh Boots, assistant vice chancellor for Development and Alumni Engagement. “They can give to the department that was influential to them, a scholarship that supported them through college or to the university’s greatest need. Our goal is 241 donors so every gift, large and small, will have an impact.”

Nicole Ruchotzke may be one of the newest advisors to join the University of Wisconsin-Platteville Center for Distance Operations, but she’s already left her mark. This week, Ruchotzke will officially be awarded the Advising Profession Impact Award by the Wisconsin Academic Advising Association.



The award is granted to advisors who have five or fewer years of experience in advising but have significantly impacted their campus.



Ruchotzke has certainly lived up to that billing. Since starting at UW-Platteville three-and-a-half years ago, she has been instrumental in streamlining the process for taking online and print courses through the Center for Distance Operations. She also authored two grants that provide funding for scholarships and equipment for Continuing Education Institute classes.