# JOSEPH TOWLES — Courses & Reviews | UW–Madison [View on UW Courses](https://uwcourses.com/instructors/JOSEPH_TOWLES) ## Dataset ### revision e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349 ### repository twangodev/uwcourses ### schema version 6 ### importer version 7 ### projection id 85abe9ff8837c2c5a134368dcc4cfc85eb723524b21ddeb3d2e953887d2f0c8f ### observed at 2026-09-07T15:55:43.033547+00:00 ### built at 2026-09-11T07:45:51.576183+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\_2b1aac05e50ae85be7d60716 ### source madgrades ### source instructor id 5321886 ### identity basis source\_id ### identity status source\_identified ### name JOSEPH TOWLES ### first observed at 2026-09-06 23:14:58.172943+00:00 ### last observed at 2026-09-07 15:55:43.033547+00:00 ### ratings #### review count 9 #### quality 3.11 #### difficulty 3 #### quality count 9 #### difficulty count 9 #### profile id rmp:1963358 #### source url #### match basis exact\_name #### observed at 2026-09-07 16:30:13.298422+00:00 #### courses ##### course 5f39a96edc9ca90d8f1ec190 ###### review count 5 ###### quality 4.2 ###### difficulty 3.2 ###### quality count 5 ###### difficulty count 5 #### bayesian quality 3.489093643825238 #### prior mean 3.6596857835465957 #### prior weight 20 ### grade statistics #### gpa 3.489 #### graded 794 #### counts * 300 * 279 * 144 * 47 * 20 * 4 * 0 #### sections 20 ### current false ### courses None recorded. ### revision e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349 ### instructor url /instructors/JOSEPH\_TOWLES ## history | term | course\_uid | course\_id | title | | ---- | -------------------------------- | ------------ | -------------------------------------------------------- | | 1184 | course\_5f39a96edc9ca90d8f1ec190 | BME 315 | BIOMECHANICS | | 1182 | course\_5f39a96edc9ca90d8f1ec190 | BME 315 | BIOMECHANICS | | 1182 | course\_7e1bddca6f259a41cb30c313 | BME 400 | CAPSTONE DESIGN COURSE IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING | | 1182 | course\_0be6347b819b327bc6ab7cb4 | BME/ME 415 | BIOMECHANICS OF HUMAN MOVEMENT | | 1174 | course\_5f39a96edc9ca90d8f1ec190 | BME 315 | BIOMECHANICS | | 1174 | course\_efd5dc3710ff8fe1567ffa30 | BME 402 | BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING CAPSTONE DESIGN II | | 1174 | course\_ccd8530122b794ce90ec0b5d | INTEREGR 170 | DESIGN PRACTICUM | | 1172 | course\_5f39a96edc9ca90d8f1ec190 | BME 315 | BIOMECHANICS | | 1172 | course\_7e1bddca6f259a41cb30c313 | BME 400 | CAPSTONE DESIGN COURSE IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING | | 1172 | course\_0be6347b819b327bc6ab7cb4 | BME/ME 415 | BIOMECHANICS OF HUMAN MOVEMENT | | 1164 | course\_5f39a96edc9ca90d8f1ec190 | BME 315 | BIOMECHANICS | | 1164 | course\_49f4cc81838176c2180ea21f | ME 601 | SPECIAL TOPICS IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING | | 1162 | course\_5f39a96edc9ca90d8f1ec190 | BME 315 | BIOMECHANICS | | 1162 | course\_f1d43194969e514dbc330d4f | BME 399 | INDEPENDENT STUDY | | 1162 | course\_5154658a951b644b22f51765 | BME 603 | SPECIAL TOPICS IN BIOINSTRUMENTATION AND MEDICAL DEVICES | | 1154 | course\_5f39a96edc9ca90d8f1ec190 | BME 315 | BIOMECHANICS | | 1154 | course\_f1d43194969e514dbc330d4f | BME 399 | INDEPENDENT STUDY | | 1152 | course\_5f39a96edc9ca90d8f1ec190 | BME 315 | BIOMECHANICS | | 1152 | course\_f1d43194969e514dbc330d4f | BME 399 | INDEPENDENT STUDY | | 1144 | course\_5154658a951b644b22f51765 | BME 603 | SPECIAL TOPICS IN BIOINSTRUMENTATION AND MEDICAL DEVICES | ## timeline | term | courses | | ---- | ------- | | 1144 | 1 | | 1152 | 2 | | 1154 | 2 | | 1162 | 3 | | 1164 | 2 | | 1172 | 3 | | 1174 | 3 | | 1182 | 3 | | 1184 | 1 | ## term 1272 ## courses None recorded. ## reviews ### items ```json [ { "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:30:13.298422+00:00", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTM5NjAwMjA1", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:1963358", "instructor_name": "Joseph Towles", "course_label": "ENGR012", "course_id": null, "course_uid": null, "review_date": "2024-06-29 05:01:23 +0000 UTC", "comment": "Not interested in teaching. His time is more valuable than anyone else. ", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/1963358", "quality_rating": 1, "difficulty_rating": 3 }, { "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:30:13.298422+00:00", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTM5NTc3ODYw", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:1963358", "instructor_name": "Joseph Towles", "course_label": "E6Lab", "course_id": null, "course_uid": null, "review_date": "2024-06-18 01:16:03 +0000 UTC", "comment": "Highly disorganized. Did not grade or give any feedback on labs until the week before finals & no response to repeated emails. Changed day and time of lab on 5 times with notice as short as 3 days, which created conflicts w/ other classes. Good lecturer but a gamble with grades and not learning from your mistakes b/c no feedback & lacks empathy.", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/1963358", "quality_rating": 1, "difficulty_rating": 3 }, { "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:30:13.298422+00:00", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTM3ODA3OTkw", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:1963358", "instructor_name": "Joseph Towles", "course_label": "E6Lab", "course_id": null, "course_uid": null, "review_date": "2023-05-03 18:38:00 +0000 UTC", "comment": "The lab Towles conducts is thought-provoking and provides valuable learning experiences, although they necessitate a considerable amount of independent work. This level of autonomy can be advantageous as it encourages self-reliance and problem-solving skills, yet it may also be challenging for some students who require more guidance and support.", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/1963358", "quality_rating": 4, "difficulty_rating": 2 }, { "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:30:13.298422+00:00", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTM3NjYzNDY1", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:1963358", "instructor_name": "Joseph Towles", "course_label": "ENGR012", "course_id": null, "course_uid": null, "review_date": "2023-04-19 15:45:29 +0000 UTC", "comment": "Towles' was disorganized. The pacing was slow and then rushed right before finals. His lecture slides were uniformative. During class, he focused on specific examples and work with classmates instead of actually lecturing. Sometime he would simply give us his written derivations and tell us to read through them ourselves.", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/1963358", "quality_rating": 1, "difficulty_rating": 3 }, { "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:30:13.298422+00:00", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTI5NTg3NTE2", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:1963358", "instructor_name": "Joseph Towles", "course_label": "BME315", "course_id": "BME 315", "course_uid": "course_5f39a96edc9ca90d8f1ec190", "review_date": "2018-02-22 12:50:05 +0000 UTC", "comment": "Towels office hours were the most helpful resource in this class. He will readily explain/demo/draw to present the information in different ways until you understand the concept. He's willing to help guide your thought process on tricky homework problems or lab questions, as long as you're willing to put in the time and ask.", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/1963358", "quality_rating": 4, "difficulty_rating": 4 }, { "observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:30:13.298422+00:00", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTI3MDc2ODgy", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:1963358", "instructor_name": "Joseph Towles", "course_label": "BME315", "course_id": "BME 315", "course_uid": "course_5f39a96edc9ca90d8f1ec190", "review_date": "2016-10-25 16:00:57 +0000 UTC", "comment": "Towles is hands down my favorite professor. Not because of how I did in his class or because he makes the content tractable, but because he is simply a talented lecturer. He knows exactly how to structure such a wide range of knowledge into a digestable and interesting manner. He truly cares how well his students do, he's there to help you succeed.", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/1963358", "quality_rating": 5, "difficulty_rating": 4 } ] ``` ### total 9 ### page 1 ### courses | course\_uid | course\_id | | -------------------------------- | ---------- | | course\_5f39a96edc9ca90d8f1ec190 | BME 315 | ### matched true ## social Image false