Spring 2027

Special Topics in Mechanical Engineering

Advanced topics of special interest in Mechanical Engineering, including vibrations, balancing, lubrication, wear, manufacturing, automation, and energy systems.

offering recorded1–3 credits
Recorded instructors · Spring 2027 Krishnan Suresh4.6/5Sonny Nimityongskul4.2/5Michael Cheadle3.8/5 +4 more

Summary

1 / 6

Past student reviews · Xiaobin Xiong

The course was described as challenging due to a dense syllabus packed with complex mathematics. While some students found the midterm impossibly hard, others noted that the math was manageable with extra effort outside of class.

What you’ll be able to do

  • Identify and describe key theories, concepts, and methods in Mechanical Engineering

  • Apply key theories, concepts, and methods in Mechanical Engineering, using appropriate tools, processes, and/or software

  • Apply, Analyze or evaluate advanced theories, concepts, or methods in Mechanical Engineering

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

Senior standing or member of Engineering Guest Students

    • Senior standing
    • member of Engineering Guest Students
    take one
ME 601

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

Prerequisite text tree
  • Any of
    • Senior standing
    • member of Engineering Guest Students

Professors

Spring 2027

Krishnan Suresh

Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 4.91/5 from 54 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

Recent recorded grades — Fall 2006: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=10 letter grades); Spring 2017: 3.90 GPA, 95.2% A/AB (n=21 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.77 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=11 letter grades). Includes jointly taught sections.

Sonny Nimityongskul

Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 4.55/5 from 33 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

No course-specific feedback yet.

Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 4.00/5 from 21 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2016: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=14 letter grades); Fall 2018: 3.23 GPA, 45.5% A/AB (n=11 letter grades); Fall 2019: 3.25 GPA, 75.0% A/AB (n=12 letter grades).

Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 3.00/5 from 3 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

Recent recorded grades — Fall 2013: 3.47 GPA, 72.2% A/AB (n=18 letter grades); Spring 2025: 3.83 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=9 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.79 GPA, 85.7% A/AB (n=7 letter grades). Includes jointly taught sections.

Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 3.28/5 from 18 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

No course-specific feedback yet.

Recent recorded grades — Fall 2015: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=9 letter grades); Fall 2016: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=6 letter grades); Spring 2022: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=1 letter grades).

Historical instructors & teaching patterns

ANDREW MIKKELSON is recorded teaching in Spring 2009, Spring 2010, Spring 2011, Spring 2012, Spring 2013, Spring 2014, Spring 2015. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

CHRISTOPHER LUZZIO is recorded teaching in Fall 2015, Spring 2016, Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2018, Fall 2021, Spring 2022, Fall 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024, Spring 2025, Fall 2025, Spring 2026. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

CHRISTOPHER WESTPHAL is recorded teaching in Fall 2013, Spring 2025, Spring 2026. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

JAY SAMUEL is recorded teaching in Spring 2007, Spring 2008, Spring 2009, Spring 2010, Spring 2011, Spring 2012, Fall 2012, Fall 2013, Fall 2014, Fall 2015. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

JOHN MOSKWA is recorded teaching in Spring 2007, Spring 2011, Spring 2013, Spring 2015. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

JOHN PFOTENHAUER is recorded teaching in Spring 2011, Spring 2014. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

KRISHNAN SURESH is recorded teaching in Fall 2006, Spring 2017, Spring 2026. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

MICHAEL CHEADLE is recorded teaching in Spring 2016, Fall 2018, Fall 2019. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

XIAOBIN XIONG is recorded teaching in Fall 2024, Fall 2025. 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 006Classroom Instruction0 / 50
LEC 088Classroom Instruction0 / 150
LEC 083Classroom Instruction0 / 120
LEC 087Classroom Instruction0 / 430
LEC 106Classroom Instruction0 / 300
LEC 107Classroom Instruction0 / 300
LEC 066Classroom Instruction0 / 300

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

Meeting source records
Download part 1

Student experience

the class

Past student reviews · Xiaobin Xiong

This course is a math-dense robotics offering that covers a broad range of topics, including modeling, planning, control, and estimation. Students described the material as challenging but valuable for gaining deep knowledge in the field.

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2025: 3.85 GPA, 97.6% A/AB (n=42 letter grades); Fall 2025: 3.79 GPA, 91.9% A/AB (n=99 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.90 GPA, 96.1% A/AB (n=76 letter grades).

difficulty & workload

Past student reviews · Xiaobin Xiong

The course was described as challenging due to a dense syllabus packed with complex mathematics. While some students found the midterm impossibly hard, others noted that the math was manageable with extra effort outside of class.

Past student reviews · Xiaobin Xiong

Students appreciated the provision of preview and recorded videos, which made the material more accessible. One student found the TA helpful and noted that grading was fair due to extra credit opportunities, despite the course's research-oriented focus.

Topics

  • Vibrations, balancing, lubrication, wear, special manufacturing processes, automation, and energy systems.
  • Special Topics in Mechanical Engineering.

Skills

  • Identifying, describing, and applying Mechanical Engineering theories, concepts, and methods using appropriate tools, processes, and software.

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.

Download part 1
Selected offering source records
ME 601 · Spring 2027

Special Topics in Mechanical Engineering

Recorded 2026-10-14
ME 601 · Spring 2027

Bicycle Frame Design & Manufac

Recorded 2026-10-14
ME 601 · Spring 2027

Intro to Engineering Design

Recorded 2026-10-14
ME 601 · Spring 2027

Marine Renewable Energy

Recorded 2026-10-14
ME 601 · Spring 2027

GenAI Analys&Synth in Eng Syst

Recorded 2026-10-14
ME 601 · Spring 2027

Design for Rehabilitation

Recorded 2026-10-14
ME 601 · Spring 2027

Physics of Gases

Recorded 2026-10-14
ME 601 · Spring 2027

Adv Automation Integration

Recorded 2026-10-14
Raw records 
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    "source_course_id": "012097.106",
    "source_subject_id": "612",
    "title": "Marine Renewable Energy",
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    "title": "GenAI Analys&Synth in Eng Syst",
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    "source_course_id": "012097.42",
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    "title": "Design for Rehabilitation",
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    "title": "Physics of Gases",
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  },
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    "source_subject_id": "612",
    "title": "Adv Automation Integration",
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]
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 1
Model & dataset provenance 
{
  "model": "Qwen/Qwen3.8-27B",
  "model_revision": "1d4bf0f2ff6012fd82039f2fa52739d0dd7c60c0",
  "task_version": "17",
  "output_id": "585ece0e81beebafc25128ed7f261fea975d4f698617948738a0a95ab3bc70a1",
  "requirements_status": "valid",
  "dataset_revision": "fc1811fa52e581ea57a35c0cf3343f8740a8ffbf",
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}