# Benjamin Spike — Courses & Reviews | UW–Madison [View on UW Courses](https://uwcourses.com/instructors/BENJAMIN_SPIKE) ## Dataset ### revision e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349 ### repository twangodev/uwcourses ### schema version 6 ### importer version 7 ### projection id 52a78527ff09011d88cb04c7d43867d9fbfec2930bf1dd2ec359ebd2844e0b07 ### observed at 2026-09-07T15:55:43.033547+00:00 ### built at 2026-09-10T19:50:42.743001+00:00 ### courses 8951 ### current instructors 5754 ### limited false ### terms * 1272 * 1264 * 1262 * 1254 * 1252 * 1244 * 1242 * 1234 * 1232 * 1224 * 1222 * 1212 * 1204 * 1202 * 1194 * 1192 * 1184 * 1182 * 1174 * 1172 * 1164 * 1162 * 1154 * 1152 * 1144 * 1142 * 1134 * 1132 * 1124 * 1122 * 1114 * 1112 * 1104 * 1102 * 1094 * 1092 * 1084 * 1082 * 1074 * 1072 ### term 1272 ### departments | subject | count | | --------- | ----- | | AAE | 90 | | ABT | 20 | | ACCTIS | 36 | | ACTSCI | 14 | | AFAERO | 10 | | AFRICAN | 87 | | AFROAMER | 71 | | AGROECOL | 21 | | AMERIND | 53 | | ANAT\&PHY | 7 | | ANATOMY | 2 | | ANESTHES | 8 | | ANSCI | 57 | | ANTHRO | 95 | | ART | 125 | | ARTED | 10 | | ARTHIST | 121 | | ASIALANG | 129 | | ASIAN | 109 | | ASIANAM | 28 | | ASTRON | 38 | | ATMOCN | 69 | | BIOCHEM | 51 | | BIOCORE | 10 | | BIOLOGY | 14 | | BIOMDSCI | 18 | | BME | 66 | | BMI | 41 | | BMOLCHEM | 10 | | BOTANY | 69 | | BSE | 44 | | C\&ESOC | 73 | | CBE | 48 | | CHEM | 101 | | CHICLA | 52 | | CIVENGR | 133 | | CLASSICS | 47 | | CNP | 10 | | CNSRSCI | 50 | | COMARTS | 137 | | COMPBIO | 15 | | COMPLIT | 11 | | COMPSCI | 138 | | COUNPSY | 78 | | CRB | 19 | | CS\&D | 71 | | CSCS | 40 | | CURRIC | 193 | | DANCE | 93 | | DERM | 8 | | DS | 88 | | DYSCI | 35 | | ECE | 155 | | ECON | 145 | | EDPOL | 114 | | EDPSYCH | 97 | | ELPA | 70 | | EMA | 53 | | EMERMED | 17 | | ENGL | 206 | | ENTOM | 40 | | ENVIRST | 148 | | EP | 15 | | EPD | 67 | | ESL | 16 | | F\&WECOL | 60 | | FAMMED | 22 | | FINANCE | 50 | | FOLKLORE | 40 | | FOODSCI | 43 | | FRENCH | 63 | | GEN\&WS | 145 | | GENBUS | 72 | | GENECSLR | 17 | | GENETICS | 60 | | GEOG | 113 | | GEOSCI | 83 | | GERMAN | 82 | | GLE | 48 | | GNS | 38 | | GREEK | 27 | | HDFS | 41 | | HEBR-BIB | 13 | | HEBR-MOD | 10 | | HISTORY | 233 | | HISTSCI | 56 | | HONCOL | 13 | | ILS | 43 | | INFOSYS | 9 | | INTEGART | 7 | | INTEGSCI | 22 | | INTER-AG | 18 | | INTER-HE | 11 | | INTER-LS | 22 | | INTEREGR | 16 | | INTLBUS | 21 | | INTLST | 50 | | ISYE | 83 | | ITALIAN | 53 | | JEWISH | 56 | | JOURN | 88 | | KINES | 128 | | LACIS | 26 | | LANDARC | 61 | | LATIN | 24 | | LAW | 120 | | LEGALST | 48 | | LINGUIS | 35 | | LIS | 89 | | LITTRANS | 78 | | LSC | 52 | | M\&ENVTOX | 7 | | MARKETNG | 62 | | MATH | 153 | | MDGENET | 8 | | ME | 130 | | MEDHIST | 43 | | MEDICINE | 60 | | MEDIEVAL | 32 | | MEDPHYS | 39 | | MEDSC-M | 29 | | MEDSC-V | 41 | | MHR | 68 | | MICROBIO | 45 | | MILSCI | 16 | | MM\&I | 22 | | MOLBIOL | 6 | | MS\&E | 59 | | MUSIC | 165 | | MUSPERF | 126 | | NAVSCI | 20 | | NE | 44 | | NEURODPT | 11 | | NEUROL | 7 | | NEURSURG | 4 | | NTP | 11 | | NURSING | 111 | | NUTRSCI | 65 | | OBS\&GYN | 18 | | OCCTHER | 39 | | ONCOLOGY | 14 | | OPHTHALM | 5 | | OTM | 43 | | PATH | 34 | | PATH-BIO | 29 | | PEDIAT | 26 | | PHARMACY | 31 | | PHILOS | 77 | | PHMCOL-M | 11 | | PHMPRAC | 45 | | PHMSCI | 60 | | PHYASST | 37 | | PHYSICS | 88 | | PHYSIOL | 3 | | PHYTHER | 37 | | PLANTSCI | 52 | | PLPATH | 35 | | POLISCI | 192 | | POPHLTH | 58 | | PORTUG | 33 | | PSYCH | 101 | | PSYCHIAT | 22 | | PUBAFFR | 54 | | PUBLHLTH | 23 | | RADIOL | 11 | | REALEST | 41 | | RELIGST | 90 | | RHABMED | 9 | | RMI | 24 | | RP\&SE | 102 | | S\&APHM | 17 | | SCANDST | 73 | | SLAVIC | 89 | | SOC | 149 | | SOCWORK | 87 | | SOILSCI | 46 | | SPANISH | 83 | | SRMED | 21 | | STAT | 94 | | STDYABRD | 52 | | STS | 8 | | SURGERY | 25 | | SURGSCI | 33 | | THEATRE | 91 | | URBRPL | 60 | | UROLOGY | 5 | | ZOOLOGY | 89 | ## instructor ### instructor uid instructor\_dce88f3418df7f00639d839d ### source enrollment ### source instructor id btspike ### identity basis netid ### identity status source\_identified ### name Benjamin Spike ### email BTSPIKE\@WISC.EDU ### first observed at 2026-09-07 15:55:43.033547+00:00 ### last observed at 2026-09-07 15:55:43.033547+00:00 ### ratings #### review count 29 #### quality 3.59 #### difficulty 3.55 #### quality count 29 #### difficulty count 29 #### profile id rmp:2422922 #### source url #### match basis exact\_name #### observed at 2026-09-07 16:52:02.061554+00:00 #### courses ##### course 0a6dafcdaeb7c047d94f694f ###### review count 3 ###### quality 3 ###### difficulty 3.33 ###### quality count 3 ###### difficulty count 3 ##### course 0102faba3a6a173105857f06 ###### review count 5 ###### quality 3.4 ###### difficulty 3 ###### quality count 5 ###### difficulty count 5 #### bayesian quality 3.6184431769577943 #### prior mean 3.6596857835465957 #### prior weight 20 ### current true ### courses | course\_uid | course\_id | title | credits\_min | credits\_max | gpa | | -------------------------------- | ----------- | -------------------- | ------------ | ------------ | ----- | | course\_0a6dafcdaeb7c047d94f694f | PHYSICS 104 | GENERAL PHYSICS | 4 | 4 | 3.084 | | course\_bf60eeaf8405d6fec7ab9391 | PHYSICS 681 | SENIOR HONORS THESIS | 3 | 3 | | ### revision e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349 ### instructor url /instructors/BENJAMIN\_SPIKE ## history | term | course\_uid | course\_id | title | | ---- | -------------------------------- | ----------- | -------------------- | | 1272 | course\_0a6dafcdaeb7c047d94f694f | PHYSICS 104 | GENERAL PHYSICS | | 1272 | course\_bf60eeaf8405d6fec7ab9391 | PHYSICS 681 | SENIOR HONORS THESIS | ## timeline | term | courses | | ---- | ------- | | 1272 | 2 | ## term 1272 ## courses ```json [ { "course_uid": "course_0a6dafcdaeb7c047d94f694f", "course_id": "PHYSICS 104", "title": "GENERAL PHYSICS", "credits_min": 4, "credits_max": 4, "gpa": 3.084, "badges": [ { "id": "grade-outcomes", "label": "Lower grades", "tone": "negative", "evidence": "Spring 2026 · latest released grades before Fall 2026: 3.10 GPA across 566 letter grades, versus 3.62 for UW–Madison (1283 courses). Requires a difference of at least 0.20 and 30 letter grades. Historical outcomes, not predicted difficulty.", "sources": [ { "label": "Grade history and sources", "href": "/courses/PHYSICS_104#grades" } ] }, { "id": "lecture-size", "label": "Large lectures", "tone": "neutral", "evidence": "Fall 2026: median 193 enrolled students across 2 recorded lecture sections. Small means 30 or fewer; large means 100 or more. Enrollment at scan time, not capacity or typical historical attendance.", "sources": [ { "label": "Sections and enrollment", "href": "/courses/PHYSICS_104#schedule" } ] } ], "description": "PHYSICS 104 is a general physics course covering electricity, magnetism, optics, and modern physics as a continuation of PHYSICS 103.", "discovery": { "term": "1272", "offered": true, "history": { "counts": [ 1066, 911, 931, 830, 497, 51, 16 ], "count": 4302, "gpa": 3.1068107856810787, "topShare": 45.95536959553696, "firstTerm": "1224", "lastTerm": "1264" }, "instructors": [ { "course_uid": "course_0a6dafcdaeb7c047d94f694f", "uid": "instructor_dce88f3418df7f00639d839d", "name": "Benjamin Spike", "quality": 3.6184431769577943, "quality_count": 29, "instructor_url": "/instructors/BENJAMIN_SPIKE" }, { "course_uid": "course_0a6dafcdaeb7c047d94f694f", "uid": "instructor_0faa3c08c80a38c0deb7395a", "name": "Aarav Mande", "quality": null, "quality_count": null, "instructor_url": "/instructors/AARAV_MANDE" }, { "course_uid": "course_0a6dafcdaeb7c047d94f694f", "uid": "instructor_35b89c78ad922414e5e8ea07", "name": "Hassan Elsayed", "quality": null, "quality_count": null, "instructor_url": "/instructors/HASSAN_ELSAYED" }, { "course_uid": "course_0a6dafcdaeb7c047d94f694f", "uid": "instructor_dbc05614e582e2e36e3024fb", "name": "Moritz Muenchmeyer", "quality": null, "quality_count": null, "instructor_url": "/instructors/MORITZ_MUENCHMEYER" }, { "course_uid": "course_0a6dafcdaeb7c047d94f694f", "uid": "instructor_4d95b843a4dae2d04249f7e9", "name": "Nathan Tock", "quality": null, "quality_count": null, "instructor_url": "/instructors/NATHAN_TOCK" }, { "course_uid": "course_0a6dafcdaeb7c047d94f694f", "uid": "instructor_8c20a2554f9f53c11133679b", "name": "Riley Crain", "quality": null, "quality_count": null, "instructor_url": "/instructors/RILEY_CRAIN" }, { "course_uid": "course_0a6dafcdaeb7c047d94f694f", "uid": "instructor_9f31e8fcf51d2cc26115221f", "name": "Shihui Zang", "quality": null, "quality_count": null, "instructor_url": "/instructors/SHIHUI_ZANG" }, { "course_uid": "course_0a6dafcdaeb7c047d94f694f", "uid": "instructor_5d89bc25116d5e43ad5754c6", "name": "Songtai You", "quality": null, "quality_count": null, "instructor_url": "/instructors/SONGTAI_YOU" }, { "course_uid": "course_0a6dafcdaeb7c047d94f694f", "uid": "instructor_98346f4ac9c5734c71e85b87", "name": "Yuzhen Chen", "quality": null, "quality_count": null, "instructor_url": "/instructors/YUZHEN_CHEN" } ], "instructorHistory": { "counts": [ 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 ], "count": 0, "gpa": null, "topShare": null }, "courseComparison": { "counts": [ 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 ], "count": 0, "gpa": null, "topShare": null }, "claim": { "citations": [ { "instructor_name": "Benjamin Spike", "review_date": "2018-12-21 22:21:36 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "f32f1a16fae89d19bf31b6c4", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:2422922", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTMxMTMyOTIz", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2422922", "type": "review" }, { "instructor_name": "Benjamin Spike", "review_date": "2025-12-31 22:53:39 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "93a33798b36b6801438710a1", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:2422922", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQyNDIyNzU4", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2422922", "type": "review" } ], "text": "Benjamin Spike knows the material well and lectures clearly, though he offers limited partial credit and maintains strict exams. His slower pace emphasizes key concepts, but the course setup encourages significant independent learning outside of class." }, "reviewFiles": [ "/data/e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349/reviews/course_0a6dafcdaeb7c047d94f694f-0.json" ] } }, { "course_uid": "course_bf60eeaf8405d6fec7ab9391", "course_id": "PHYSICS 681", "title": "SENIOR HONORS THESIS", "credits_min": 3, "credits_max": 3, "gpa": null, "badges": [], "description": "PHYSICS 681 is a mentored individual research and study course for students completing Physics Honors in the Major.", "discovery": { "term": "1272", "offered": true, "history": { "counts": [ 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 ], "count": 0, "gpa": null, "topShare": null }, "instructors": [ { "course_uid": "course_bf60eeaf8405d6fec7ab9391", "uid": "instructor_882714bf5391ba8a486fae84", "name": "Roman Kuzmin", "quality": 4.0073695058942045, "quality_count": 9, "instructor_url": "/instructors/ROMAN_KUZMIN" }, { "course_uid": "course_bf60eeaf8405d6fec7ab9391", "uid": "instructor_6a6d0673954d49db0afb5cf4", "name": "Ilya Esterlis", "quality": 4.00717465447896, "quality_count": 7, "instructor_url": "/instructors/ILYA_ESTERLIS" }, { "course_uid": "course_bf60eeaf8405d6fec7ab9391", "uid": "instructor_dce88f3418df7f00639d839d", "name": "Benjamin Spike", "quality": 3.6184431769577943, "quality_count": 29, "instructor_url": "/instructors/BENJAMIN_SPIKE" }, { "course_uid": "course_bf60eeaf8405d6fec7ab9391", "uid": "instructor_d578df90e3c96f783c76bf3f", "name": "Ellen Zweibel", "quality": 3.580653127187234, "quality_count": 1, "instructor_url": "/instructors/ELLEN_ZWEIBEL" }, { "course_uid": "course_bf60eeaf8405d6fec7ab9391", "uid": "instructor_3f8537fa491cb22a2100c35e", "name": "Maxim Vavilov", "quality": 3.488656135960441, "quality_count": 7, "instructor_url": "/instructors/MAXIM_VAVILOV" }, { "course_uid": "course_bf60eeaf8405d6fec7ab9391", "uid": "instructor_dda38f48f20f5bd42f17f78d", "name": "Alex Levchenko", "quality": 3.3187819913403134, "quality_count": 18, "instructor_url": "/instructors/ALEX_LEVCHENKO" }, { "course_uid": "course_bf60eeaf8405d6fec7ab9391", "uid": "instructor_501d48df5569e083e202db1b", "name": "Joshua Foster", "quality": null, "quality_count": null, "instructor_url": "/instructors/JOSHUA_FOSTER" }, { "course_uid": "course_bf60eeaf8405d6fec7ab9391", "uid": "instructor_a7536c3e695285bd3d1e2822", "name": "Josiah Sinclair", "quality": null, "quality_count": null, "instructor_url": "/instructors/JOSIAH_SINCLAIR" }, { "course_uid": "course_bf60eeaf8405d6fec7ab9391", "uid": "instructor_cf4a7df41993c3bbb38948ae", "name": "Mariel Pettee", "quality": null, "quality_count": null, "instructor_url": "/instructors/MARIEL_PETTEE" }, { "course_uid": "course_bf60eeaf8405d6fec7ab9391", "uid": "instructor_fc03e5ca78dd62dc2f1b6028", "name": "Matthew Otten", "quality": null, "quality_count": null, "instructor_url": "/instructors/MATTHEW_OTTEN" } ], "instructorHistory": { "counts": [ 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 ], "count": 0, "gpa": null, "topShare": null }, "courseComparison": { "counts": [ 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 ], "count": 0, "gpa": null, "topShare": null }, "claim": null, "reviewFiles": [] } } ] ``` ## reviews ### items ```json [ { "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:52:02.061554+00:00", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQzMjczODU3", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:2422922", "instructor_name": "Benjamin Spike", "course_label": "PHYICS104", "course_id": null, "course_uid": null, "review_date": "2026-06-26 17:12:00 +0000 UTC", "comment": "The professor lacked communication skills. I had questions, so I emailed the professor multiple times just for him not to reply once. My only way to contact was through the TA, and when it was required the professor's assistance but again, there was no response. ", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2422922", "quality_rating": 1, "difficulty_rating": 5 }, { "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:52:02.061554+00:00", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQyOTk2MDc0", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:2422922", "instructor_name": "Benjamin Spike", "course_label": "PHYS103", "course_id": null, "course_uid": null, "review_date": "2026-05-01 16:56:15 +0000 UTC", "comment": "Explains concepts clearly and at a level appropriate for an intro physics class. The class itself can be hard at times, but I found discussions very helpful.", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2422922", "quality_rating": 4, "difficulty_rating": 3 }, { "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:52:02.061554+00:00", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQyOTg0Njc5", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:2422922", "instructor_name": "Benjamin Spike", "course_label": "PHYS103", "course_id": null, "course_uid": null, "review_date": "2026-04-30 18:22:09 +0000 UTC", "comment": "good teacher who could explain things well. good at answering questions", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2422922", "quality_rating": 4, "difficulty_rating": 3 }, { "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:52:02.061554+00:00", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQyODcxMzU2", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:2422922", "instructor_name": "Benjamin Spike", "course_label": "PHYS103", "course_id": null, "course_uid": null, "review_date": "2026-04-19 21:27:22 +0000 UTC", "comment": "Dr. Spike is a great professor. Physics is a hard concept to grasp (at least for me) but he made class engaging and helpful.", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2422922", "quality_rating": 4, "difficulty_rating": 3 }, { "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:52:02.061554+00:00", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQyNDI4MTQ5", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:2422922", "instructor_name": "Benjamin Spike", "course_label": "PHYSICS104", "course_id": "PHYSICS 104", "course_uid": "course_0a6dafcdaeb7c047d94f694f", "review_date": "2026-01-02 20:38:00 +0000 UTC", "comment": "So much busy work. While good at speaking and knowledgeable in content, lectures are extremely large. You will very rarely be able to reach him beyond office hour sand class, including when I had an extreme personal emergency, with very limited accommodations. He is also very monotone and lectures can be dry, especially when demos fail.", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2422922", "quality_rating": 1, "difficulty_rating": 3 }, { "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:52:02.061554+00:00", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQyNDIyNzU4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:2422922", "instructor_name": "Benjamin Spike", "course_label": "PHYSICS104", "course_id": "PHYSICS 104", "course_uid": "course_0a6dafcdaeb7c047d94f694f", "review_date": "2025-12-31 22:53:39 +0000 UTC", "comment": "Professor Spike was a pretty decent professor for 104, and I preferred his lecturing style a lot in units 1 and 4, he usually goes at a slower pace and emphasizes important concepts that you need for the exam. The labs and homeworks can get a little annoying but the course is setup with a lot of learning outside of class as well.", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2422922", "quality_rating": 5, "difficulty_rating": 3 } ] ``` ### total 29 ### page 1 ### courses | course\_uid | course\_id | | -------------------------------- | ----------- | | course\_0102faba3a6a173105857f06 | PHYSICS 103 | | course\_0a6dafcdaeb7c047d94f694f | PHYSICS 104 | ### matched true ## social Image true