Historical instructor

SEAN PALECEK

Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 4.31/5 from 13 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.

What students say

Original student reviews · all captured dates

CBE 250
Quality 5/5Difficulty 2/5
Thoroughly enjoyed 250, as long as you pay attention in class and occasionally go to discussion or office hours when stuck or confused, then you should do well.
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CBE 250
Quality 4/5Difficulty 4/5
Really well explained concepts. Sometimes midterms can be a curve ball. Pay attention in lectures because Prof. Palecek doesn't post notes!
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CBE 250
Quality 5/5Difficulty 3/5
For the first real class in the major, I'm really glad I had Dr. Palacek. He was always a very clear explainer, was accessible out of class, and was always willing to explain areas which I had trouble with. The grading was also quite generous in the class which certainly helped. He doesn't teach 250 often, but if you have the opportunity, take him.
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CBE 250
Quality 5/5Difficulty 5/5
Very good professor, I'm rather surprised by how inattentive the class is given that it is chemical engineering class. I'm actually doing worse than most people even though I'm trying to pay attention, it's clear that he gets frustrated by how noisy the class is. I think he is a good professor but It's hard to pay attention when everyone is talking
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CBE 250
Quality 5/5Difficulty 4/5
Professor Palecek is easily one of my favorite professors here at UW. Although the course is extremely homework-heavy (sometimes taking up an entire day to do) his lectures were entertaining and enjoyable, his exams were engaging and very well written, and he cares a lot about his students. Additionally, he was very available outside of class.
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CBE 250
Quality 5/5Difficulty 4/5
Palecek is one of my favorite professors at UW. His lectures, homework, and exams were tough but always reasonable and helpful. He was always available & willing to help in and out of class. He was also super flexible with the challenges of a COVID semester & online learning. I highly recommend taking Palecek if you have the chance.
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Personal experiences, not a representative survey. Profile matching and captured coverage are shown in the source details.

Classes with SEAN PALECEK

No teaching recorded in Fall 2026.

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Recorded teaching history

Distinct courses recorded per term

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Browse recorded courses
TermCourseTitle
Spring 2026BME 399Independent Study
Spring 2026BME 890Pre-dissertation Research
Spring 2026BME 990Research and Thesis
Spring 2026CBE 562Special Topics in Chemical Engineering
Spring 2026CBE 890Pre-dissertator's Research
Spring 2026CBE 990Thesis-research
Fall 2025BME 399Independent Study
Fall 2025BME 990Research and Thesis
Fall 2025CBE 250Process Synthesis
Fall 2025CBE 890Pre-dissertator's Research
Fall 2025CBE 990Thesis-research
Spring 2025BME 399Independent Study
Spring 2025BME 990Research and Thesis
Spring 2025CBE 599Special Problems
Spring 2025CBE 890Pre-dissertator's Research
Spring 2025CBE 990Thesis-research
Fall 2024BME 399Independent Study
Fall 2024BME 890Pre-dissertation Research
Fall 2024BME 990Research and Thesis
Fall 2024CBE 599Special Problems
Fall 2024CBE 890Pre-dissertator's Research
Fall 2024CBE 990Thesis-research
Spring 2024BME 890Pre-dissertation Research
Spring 2024BME 990Research and Thesis
Spring 2024CBE 562Special Topics in Chemical Engineering
Spring 2024CBE 599Special Problems
Spring 2024CBE 890Pre-dissertator's Research
Spring 2024CBE 990Thesis-research
Fall 2023BME 890Pre-dissertation Research
Fall 2023BME 990Research and Thesis
Fall 2023CBE 599Special Problems
Fall 2023CBE 781Biological Engineering: Molecules, Cells & Systems
Fall 2023CBE 890Pre-dissertator's Research
Fall 2023CBE 990Thesis-research
Spring 2023BME 890Pre-dissertation Research
Spring 2023BME 990Research and Thesis
Spring 2023BME/CBE 560Biochemical Engineering
Spring 2023CBE 489Honors in Research
Spring 2023CBE 890Pre-dissertator's Research
Spring 2023CBE 990Thesis-research
Fall 2022BME 890Pre-dissertation Research
Fall 2022BME 990Research and Thesis
Fall 2022CBE 599Special Problems
Fall 2022CBE 781Biological Engineering: Molecules, Cells & Systems
Fall 2022CBE 890Pre-dissertator's Research
Fall 2022CBE 990Thesis-research
Spring 2022BME 799Advanced Independent Study
Spring 2022BME 890Pre-dissertation Research
Spring 2022CBE 562Special Topics in Chemical Engineering
Spring 2022CBE 599Special Problems
Spring 2022CBE 890Pre-dissertator's Research
Spring 2022CBE 990Thesis-research
Fall 2021BME 799Advanced Independent Study
Fall 2021BME 890Pre-dissertation Research
Fall 2021CBE 599Special Problems
Fall 2021CBE 781Biological Engineering: Molecules, Cells & Systems
Fall 2021CBE 890Pre-dissertator's Research
Fall 2021CBE 990Thesis-research
Fall 2020CBE 250Process Synthesis
Fall 2020CBE 562Special Topics in Chemical Engineering
Fall 2020CBE 890Pre-dissertator's Research
Fall 2020CBE 990Thesis-research
Spring 2020BME 790Master's Research and Thesis
Spring 2020CBE 250Process Synthesis
Spring 2020CBE 599Special Problems
Spring 2020CBE 890Pre-dissertator's Research
Spring 2020CBE 990Thesis-research
Fall 2019CBE 599Special Problems
Fall 2019CBE 781Biological Engineering: Molecules, Cells & Systems
Fall 2019CBE 890Pre-dissertator's Research
Fall 2019CBE 990Thesis-research
Spring 2019BME 399Independent Study
Spring 2019CBE 250Process Synthesis
Spring 2019CBE 562Special Topics in Chemical Engineering
Spring 2019CBE 599Special Problems
Spring 2019CBE 890Pre-dissertator's Research
Spring 2019CBE 990Thesis-research
Fall 2018BME 399Independent Study
Fall 2018CBE 489Honors in Research
Fall 2018CBE 599Special Problems
Fall 2018CBE 781Biological Engineering: Molecules, Cells & Systems
Fall 2018CBE 890Pre-dissertator's Research
Fall 2018CBE 990Thesis-research
Spring 2018BME 399Independent Study
Spring 2018CBE 489Honors in Research
Spring 2018CBE 599Special Problems
Spring 2018CBE 890Pre-dissertator's Research
Spring 2018CBE 990Thesis-research
Fall 2017BME 399Independent Study
Fall 2017CBE 489Honors in Research
Fall 2017CBE 890Pre-dissertator's Research
Fall 2017CBE 990Thesis-research
Spring 2017BME 399Independent Study
Spring 2017CBE 250Process Synthesis
Spring 2017CBE 489Honors in Research
Spring 2017CBE 599Special Problems
Spring 2017CBE 790Master's Research or Thesis
Spring 2017CBE 890Pre-dissertator's Research
Spring 2017CBE 990Thesis-research
Fall 2016BME 399Independent Study

Teaching history may be incomplete. Course pages contain course-specific feedback and citations.

Instructor identity & provenance 
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