Spring 2027

Measurements and Instrumentation for Biological Systems

Covers principles of instrumentation and measurement systems, experimental data analysis, and electronic components for measuring biological parameters like temperature, force, and flow.

offering recorded3 credits
Recorded instructors · Spring 2027 Jeff Nelson

Summary

1 / 6

Past student reviews · Robert Anex

The course is described as difficult, with one student noting that the professor challenges students and makes the classes tough.

What you’ll be able to do

  • Describe the calibration and measurement process.

  • Design systems for the acquisition, analysis, and communication of measured data.

  • Describe the principles of operation and limitations of common engineering instruments and sensors.

  • Implement measures to minimize electromagnetic interference and noise in measurements.

  • Select and use position, velocity, force, torque, temperature, pressure, and fluid flow sensors.

  • Display enhanced problem solving skills involving electronics and instrumentation.

  • Display improved communications skills both written (lab reports) and oral (presentation).

  • Display enhanced teamwork skills.

  • Select and/or utilize the most appropriate methodologies and practices.

Source: UW Guide

Grade history

↗
average GPA
letter grades
A
AB
B
BC
C
D
F

All recorded terms · compare terms & instructors

Prerequisites

Course map

Declared in Biological Systems Engineering or Environmental Engineering BS

  • Declared in Biological Systems Engineering or Environmental Engineering BS
BSE 365

This is a best-effort interpretation; check the catalog requirements above.

Prerequisite text tree
  • Declared in Biological Systems Engineering or Environmental Engineering BS

Professors

Spring 2027

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2016: 3.14 GPA, 59.5% A/AB (n=42 letter grades). Includes jointly taught sections.

Historical instructors & teaching patterns

JEFFREY NELSON is recorded teaching in Spring 2016. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

ROBERT ANEX is recorded teaching in Spring 2017, Spring 2018, Spring 2019, Spring 2020, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024, Spring 2025, Spring 2026. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

SUNDARAM GUNASEKARAN is recorded teaching in Spring 2007, Spring 2008, Spring 2009, Spring 2010, Spring 2011, Spring 2012, Spring 2013, Spring 2014, Spring 2016. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

Calendar & sections

Spring 2027

Schedule loads here as you scroll.

SectionModeEnrolled / capacityWaitlist
LEC 001Classroom Instruction0 / 600
LAB 301Classroom Instruction0 / 200
LAB 303Classroom Instruction0 / 200
LAB 302Classroom Instruction0 / 200

Times are Central. Select a meeting for details; export includes recorded dates for the selected sections. Enrollment reflects scan time.

Meeting source records
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Student experience

the class

Past student reviews · Robert Anex

One student found Professor Anex to be an excellent instructor who makes a significant effort to ensure students learn the material.

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2024: 3.12 GPA, 35.0% A/AB (n=40 letter grades); Spring 2025: 3.02 GPA, 38.6% A/AB (n=44 letter grades); Spring 2026: 2.79 GPA, 20.5% A/AB (n=39 letter grades).

difficulty & workload

Past student reviews · Robert Anex

The course is described as difficult, with one student noting that the professor challenges students and makes the classes tough.

Past student reviews · Robert Anex

A student reported that Professor Anex is extremely accessible outside of class to provide help and support.

Topics

  • Instrumentation and measurement system principles
  • Experimental data analysis
  • Biological parameter measurement (temperature, force, flow)
  • Electronic components

Skills

  • Calibration and measurement processes
  • Designing data acquisition and analysis systems
  • Selecting and using various engineering sensors
  • Minimizing electromagnetic interference and noise

Grades

Latest available · Spring 2026— not enough history to project Spring 2027.

average GPA
A / AB grades
letter grades
Instructor

Grade distribution · % of letter grades

A
AB
B
BC
C
D
F

Grades over time

Through Spring 2026

More grade details Grade mix, volume & source data

Where this course fits relative to

Latest available grades · Spring 2026 · all course levels

GPA

Higher than % of other courses in this group.

Course GPAs · red marks this course’s range

letter grades

More recorded grades than % of other courses in this group.

Typical course in this group: letter grades.

About this comparison

1280 courses over the same term, each with at least 30 recorded letter grades. Cross-listed courses count once. GPA is not a measure of difficulty or teaching quality. The typical course is the median by recorded grade count; tied values are not counted as lower. Grade counts describe course scale, not unique students or typical section size.

Descriptions compare GPA with this group’s average: at least 0.20 higher or lower; otherwise close to average. Section size uses median recorded enrollment: small up to 30, mid-sized 31–99, large 100+. Lectures and discussion/lab sections are described separately.

Sources & history

UW–Madison

Catalog & offerings

Descriptions, prerequisites, and recorded course offerings.

Catalog observation history

Observations at scan time; dates do not imply when a catalog change took effect.

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Selected offering source records
BSE 365 · Spring 2027

Measurements and Instrumentation for Biological Systems

Recorded 2026-10-14
Raw records 
[
  {
    "run_id": "20261014T203208-0851c9a1",
    "semester": "1274",
    "observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00",
    "offering_id": "1274:112:000506",
    "course_id": "BSE 365",
    "course_uid": "course_74b7ecb14d437e6f80d69bf2",
    "term_id": "1274",
    "source_course_id": "000506",
    "source_subject_id": "112",
    "title": "Measurements and Instrumentation for Biological Systems",
    "credits_min": 3,
    "credits_max": 3,
    "typically_offered": "Spring"
  }
]
Rate My Professors

Student reviews

Original comments behind the course and instructor summaries.

Read original reviews
Download part 1
Madgrades

Grade history

Recorded grade distributions by term, section, and instructor.

Explore recorded grades
Dataset & model

Recorded 2026-10-14

View the dataset on Hugging Face
Model outputs & technical records
Qwen/Qwen3.8-27B
LLM outputs across runs
Download part 1
Full model traces

Recorded model configuration, reasoning, and tool conversations.

Download part 1Download part 2
Model & dataset provenance 
{
  "model": "Qwen/Qwen3.8-27B",
  "model_revision": "1d4bf0f2ff6012fd82039f2fa52739d0dd7c60c0",
  "task_version": "17",
  "output_id": "8edfefe1e2050f59d2161d9f438a9a9f21c7b47b66894072423fc5724c26785a",
  "requirements_status": "needs_review",
  "dataset_revision": "fc1811fa52e581ea57a35c0cf3343f8740a8ffbf",
  "observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00"
}