Each summer, the University of Wisconsin–Madison offers a range of courses during its Summer Term, allowing students to advance their studies, gain practical experience, or explore new subjects. This year’s session ran from mid-May to early August and included classes in environmental studies, engineering, art, dance, and chemistry.
Graduate student Katie Bollini participated in Environmental Studies 719, a Water Resources Management Summer Practicum held in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. During the course, she used a Secchi Disk to measure water clarity as part of an interdisciplinary project hosted by The Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies. The practicum brought together students and staff to collaborate with local groups such as the Beaver Dam Lake Improvement Association and the Beaver Dam Lake District on efforts to improve water quality at Beaver Dam Lake.
Eamon Peterson and Lexi Guzman surveyed shoreline erosion and runoff into Beaver Dam Lake as part of the same practicum. Their work included identifying problem areas and evaluating properties for potential native planting grants aimed at reducing erosion.
Incoming first-year undergraduates Joshua Won and Matthew Jordan took Mechanical Engineering 201 (Introduction to Mechanical Engineering) over the summer. The class featured hands-on labs investigating motor measurements. Won noted that his favorite aspect was enjoying the campus while getting ahead academically.
Mason Nuesse and Wyatt Glaymon also enrolled in Mechanical Engineering 201 to reduce their fall course load before starting their first semester.
In UW–Madison’s Art Lofts, Christian Ulloa—a second-year graduate student—enrolled in Art Department 454 (Neon: Light as a Sculpture). He described learning neon sculpture as a rare opportunity: “I feel privileged to work with a medium that most artists never get to touch.” UW–Madison is among only a few institutions nationwide with full facilities for creating neon art.
Students in this course learned every step of neon sculpture creation—from initial sketches through glass bending and gas filling—to produce glowing artworks using Neon and Argon gases.
Lecturer Kelsey Macomber taught Dance 135 (Pilates Mat I) in Lathrop Hall using models to explain lung function. She said her favorite part is “seeing transformation of student bodies and awareness.” Pilates classes focus on core strength, posture improvement, joint decompression, and muscle toning. Macomber added that smaller summer classes allow more individual attention than during regular semesters.
In Chemistry 103 (General Chemistry I), students conducted experiments such as filtering solutions during zinc-iodine labs. They also used batteries and electrodes for electrolysis demonstrations—decomposing compounds into elements through electrical current—in UW–Madison’s Chemistry Building.
These courses reflect UW–Madison’s approach to offering both traditional academics and unique hands-on experiences during Summer Term.
