Industrial Studies

UW-Platteville launches new partnership in construction safety training for WisDOT

Authored on: , Written by: Kristie Reynolds

Faculty in the Construction Safety Management program have been working on a partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation for the last two years to provide construction safety training for WisDOT staff in all regional offices.


Construction Networking Event continues to grow

Authored on: , Written by: Kristie Reynolds

The bi-annual Construction Networking Event has set a new company attendance record for the spring event. More than 40 construction companies and over 200 construction management, construction safety management and civil engineering students were in attendance at this spring’s event.


Staab Construction makes significant pledge to UW-Platteville Construction Management Program Fund

Authored on: , Written by: Stephen Kelley

Staab Construction Corporation, located in Marshfield, Wisconsin, has pledged $100,000 to support the Construction Management program at UW-Platteville.


UW-Platteville and Madison College streamline transfer opportunities for technical education students

Authored on: , Written by: Stephen Kelley

Continuing a long-running and mutually beneficial partnership, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and Madison College recently signed a new articulation agreement that will streamline transfer opportunities for students pursuing a degree in technical education.  


Students see many benefits from Foundry Educational Foundation certification

Authored on: , Written by: Stephen Kelley

UW-Platteville students have again shown their prowess in industrial studies and metal casting, as four students were awarded scholarships at the Foundry Educational Foundation's College Industry Conference in November.


Heimerdinger receives outstanding advisor award

Authored on: , Written by: Kristie Reynolds

David Heimerdinger, assistant professor in agricultural engineering technology and manufacturing technology management, is being recognized with the 2023 Outstanding Faculty/Instructional Academic Staff Academic Advisor Award.


Construction management students compete in national competition, place among top schools

Authored on: , Written by: Kristie Reynolds

A team of construction management students recently traveled to Kissimmee, Florida, for the 2023 Construction Management Competition at the Associated Builders and Contractors Convention, where they competed against 21 other teams and took home fifth place.


Findorff’s equipment donation enhances Construction Lab

Authored on: , Written by: Alison Parkins

In its latest show of support to the Construction Management and Construction Safety programs, Findorff donated a telehandler, to be used in the university’s Construction Lab. Officials from UW-Platteville celebrated the arrival of the new equipment last week and remarked on the impact it will have on students’ experience in the program.


Construction Networking Event builds connections between students, industry

Authored on: , Written by: Alison Parkins

Now in its third year, UW-Platteville’s bi-annual Construction Networking Event has been growing in popularity, with last month’s spring event hitting record attendance.


Construction Lab Campaign kicks off with lead donations from industry partners

Authored on: , Written by: Alison Parkins

The UW-Platteville Construction Management program announced the official kickoff of its Construction Lab Campaign, thanks to lead donations from Findorff and Portzen Construction, including monetary support, equipment and scholarships.


UW-Platteville to host inaugural Construction Safety Summit, welcome professionals from across country

Authored on: , Written by: Alison Parkins

UW-Platteville, along with industry partners, is hosting the inaugural Construction Safety Summit, March 27-30. The event is open to construction safety professionals at any stage in their career, as well as manufacturers and distributors in the safety field.


UW-Platteville to welcome president, CEO of the national Associated Builders and Contractors organization

Authored on: , Written by: Alison Parkins

The Department of Industrial Studies will host Mike Bellaman, president and CEO of the national Associated Builders and Contractors organization, on Wednesday, Nov. 9 at 6 p.m. in Room 103, Doudna Hall.


Hensel Phelps shares special partnership with UW-Platteville

Authored on: , Written by: Kristie Reynolds

UW-Platteville has a big supporter in Hensel Phelps – a commercial contractor and construction company headquartered in Colorado. The company comes to construction events, career fairs and has partnered with the university to speak to classes and host alumni Zoom events, providing faculty and students with insight into the construction industry and what the changes and challenges are.


UW-Platteville, Madison College sign transfer agreements

Authored on: , Written by: Bill Bessette, Madison College

UW-Platteville and Madison College celebrated the signing of three new transfer agreements between the schools, involving the programs of business management, construction management and criminal justice.


UW-Platteville team places third in national competition

Authored on: , Written by: Kristie Reynolds

The UW-Platteville TeamWorks team placed third out of 14 post-secondary schools in the Construction SkillsUSA national competition in Atlanta, Georgia.


UW-Platteville takes grand prize in CastExpo competition

Authored on: , Written by: Alison Parkins

The UW-Platteville cast in steel team won the grand prize at the Steel Founders' Society of America (SFSA) CastExpo 2022 Cast in Steel competition in Columbus, Ohio, on April 24.


UW-Platteville team qualifies for SkillsUSA national competition

Authored on: , Written by: Kristie Reynolds

The UW-Platteville TeamWorks team recently qualified for the Construction SkillsUSA national competition. Team members are Noelle Elfering, Brennan Sullivan, Jake Gathje and Henry James.


Alumnus, vice president of General Motors shares advice with students

Authored on: , Written by: Alison Parkins

UW-Platteville alumnus and Vice President of Electric Vehicle Excellence at General Motors Tim Herrick recently visited campus and shared advice with students from his 38 years with General Motors, many of which were spent in leadership roles. 


Construction management students place among the top in national competition

Authored on: , Written by: Alison Parkins

A team of six construction management students recently competed in the 2022 National Associated Builders and Contractors’ annual Construction Management Competition, where they placed fifth overall.


Technology Education program introduces new coordinator

Authored on: , Written by: Kristie Reynolds

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s Technology Education program recently welcomed a new coordinator.


JP Cullen continues long-time support of Construction Management program

Authored on: , Written by: Kristie Reynolds

JP Cullen continues to support its long-time relationship with the University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s Construction Management program.


Student researches virtual, augmented reality in construction, helps implement in curricula

Authored on: , Written by: Alison Parkins

Senior Allison Stencil’s research project has her viewing construction sites through a new lens. The construction management and construction safety management double major is researching the use of both virtual reality and augmented reality software to determine how it improves pre-planning on construction sites.


Construction Networking Event offers a valuable opportunity to students, industry partners

Authored on: , Written by: Alison Parkins

UW-Platteville recently hosted the 2022 Spring Construction Networking Event. Held twice a year, the event  allows UW-Platteville students to network with company representatives and learn about their projects, company culture, and job and internship opportunities.


UW-Platteville hosts Construction Career Day and Construction Networking event

Authored on: , Written by: Ruth Wendlandt

Hundreds of high school students from across the Midwest packed the UW-Platteville campus for the third annual Construction Career Day held on Oct. 6. The event featured nearly 300 students from 14 schools and dozens of construction companies.


MidWestOne makes pledge to complete hands-on construction classroom

Authored on: , Written by: Kristie Reynolds

MidWestOne Bank Foundation has pledged $5,000 over two years toward the completion of a hands-on student construction classroom in the University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s Construction Safety Lab.


Construction management student leaves his mark on campus through internship projects

Authored on: , Written by: Ruth Wendlandt

As the fall semester gets underway, students are once again filling the hallways of the newly renovated Boebel Hall, but for one student, touring the floors has an extra special meaning. Since May of 2020, UW-Platteville senior Matt Babich, who is double majoring in construction management and construction safety management, has been interning for Miron Construction, the company responsible for the Boebel Hall remodel and the building of Sesquicentennial Hall – two projects Babich has been heavily involved in.


Renewed articulation agreements ease transfer 
for students from NICC to UW-Platteville

Authored on: , Written by: Alison Parkins, UW-Platteville and Doug Ropa, NICC

Officials from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and Northeast Iowa Community College met on Friday, Aug. 27, to sign articulation agreements that will streamline transfer opportunities for students.


UW-Platteville Industrial Studies collaborates with local schools on innovative safety protocol

Authored on: , Written by: Alison Parkins

With 31 years of experience in the safety profession, Mark Miner, who is currently the program safety coordinator in UW-Platteville's Industrial Studies Department, is always looking for new ideas to incorporate into the program’s curriculum. During National Safety Week, he found inspiration just down the road from UW-Platteville in the Potosi (Wisconsin) School District.


UW-Platteville designated as official OSHA training center

Authored on: , Written by: Alison Parkins

UW-Platteville was recently designated as an official Mid-America OSHA Education Center training site, making it one of the only universities with a construction management program to be designated as such. 


Partnership with Wisconsin Technical Colleges helps industrial studies students find success

Authored on: , Written by: Ruth Wendlandt

Through a memorandum of understanding between UW-Platteville and Wisconsin Technical Colleges, students pursuing industrial studies can transfer their credits from an approved associate's degree program to UW-Platteville and significantly streamline their time to graduation.


Pioneer Spotlight: Dr. Karim Iskandar

Authored on: , Written by: Ruth Wendlandt

Dr. Karim Iskandar, assistant professor of construction management in the department of industrial studies, always knew he would be involved in the field after watching his father work in the construction industry. He earned his master’s and doctorate degrees in civil engineering with an emphasis in construction management from UW-Madison and joined UW-Platteville in 2018.


Newly-renovated automation lab features world-class technology

Authored on: , Written by: Alison Parkins

Last week, the 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.


Pioneer Spotlight: Gretchen Bockenhauer

Authored on: , Written by: Alison Parkins

Gretchen Bockenhauer grew up in the field of construction, learning from her family’s business. But it was her experience as a student at UW-Platteville that cemented her interest in the field. Now, as lecturer and co-program coordinator for UW-Platteville’s Building Construction Management program, she enjoys sharing her experience with students and helping them find their own passion in the construction management field.


Safety first: Students take top place in national competition

Authored on: , Written by: Alison Parkins

A team of five University of Wisconsin-Platteville construction management students took first place in the area of safety and second place overall, among 26 teams, at the recent 2020 National Associated Builders and Contractors’ annual Construction Management Competition.


Equipment donation enhances student experience in building construction programs

Authored on: , Written by: Alison Parkins

Thanks to a recent donation from industry partner Kraemer Brothers, LLC, the UW-Platteville building construction programs now have a piece of new equipment to offer students additional hands-on experience. The commercial construction firm in Plain, Wisconsin, recently donated a 753 Bobcat skid steer.


UW-Platteville instructor lends emergency management expertise

Authored on: , Written by: Alison Parkins

Julie Durst, a lecturer in UW-Platteville's Department of Industrial Studies, is playing a significant role in Grant County’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Called on for her expertise and nearly two decades of experience in the area of safety and risk management, Durst is serving as public information officer for the Southwest Wisconsin county during this crisis.


Industry partnerships help UW-Platteville respond to pandemic

Authored on: , Written by: Alison Parkins

Thanks to partnerships forged between industry and UW-Platteville's Construction Management and Construction Safety Management programs, custodial staff at UW-Platteville have been able to use advanced equipment to ensure their safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. Industry partner Miron Construction Co. Inc., in Neenah, Wisconsin, recently provided the university with a Powered Air Purifying Respirator, or PAPR.


Industry partners help create one-of-a-kind opportunities for building construction programs

Authored on: , Written by: Alison Parkins

With the recent UW System Board of Regents approval of a Bachelor of Science in construction management at UW-Platteville, more students will have the opportunity to experience the university’s one-of-a-kind construction labs, including the newly launched Road and Infrastructure Construction Lab.


Students take first place and innovation award for cutting-edge technique at casting competition

Authored on: , Written by: Alison Parkins

Students in the American Foundry Society Club at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville recently topped their previous successes in a regional casting competition by not only taking a first-place finish, but also earning the competition’s Imagination in Metalcasting Award – a first in the competition’s history.


Workforce training at UW-Platteville contributes to high-tech manufacturing in Wisconsin

Authored on: , Written by: Alison Parkins

In a commitment to providing students with the most relevant hands-on education and advancing the workforce in the state of Wisconsin, Dr. Bandara Gamini, Automation and Electronics program coordinator in the Department of Industrial Studies, recently visited GE Healthcare in Madison, Wisconsin, to further the university-industry relationship.


UW-Platteville strengthens industry partnerships

Authored on: , Written by: Alison Parkins

As part of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s goal to build strategic partnerships with industry in Wisconsin, a group of faculty and staff members – from multiple disciplines across campus – recently participated in the Industry 4.0 Impact on Manufacturing Workforce conference, sponsored by the NEW Manufacturing Alliance.


Students gain invaluable experience in national building competition

Authored on: , Written by: Alison Parkins

A team of University of Wisconsin-Platteville students in the Building Construction Management and Building Construction Safety Management programs recently competed against 21 other universities at the national Associated Builders and Contractors Construction Management Competition, held in Long Beach, California.


Department of Industrial Studies receives equipment donation

Authored on: , Written by: Ruth Wendlandt

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville Industrial Studies Department received an equipment donation valued at more than $300,000 from Rockwell Automation, Inc. The presentation was acknowledged in an appreciation ceremony Thursday in UW-Platteville’s Russell Hall.


Industrial Studies safety programs become GSP qualified

Authored on: , Written by: Ruth Wendlandt

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville Industrial Technology Management program's building construction safety management emphasis and occupational safety management emphasis have been approved as Qualified Academic Programs by the