Newsletter

Let me start by hoping all reading this are doing well and have weathered what we hopeis the worst of the pandemic impacts. The last 15 months have been difficult, but thefaculty, staff, and students at Biological Systems Engineering proved they were up to thechallenge. The department has done well this last year graduating high-quality students,conducting cutting-edge research, and educating the public through Extension programs.I am especially proud of our student body – they showed up for classes, remainedengaged, and worked safely following university protocols.
Looking forward, our summer looks like it will be a transition back to normal withincreased in-person research. By the fall, we fully expect things to look back to normalwith our classes and events back to in-person. Our graduating students have noticed anuptick in hiring in recent months and there is a palpable sense of joy on campus again –though it is hard to see smiles under the masks. Our faculty and staff have kept theirresearch programs going and are excited to be able to have students be back full-time inthe labs and fields.
We are grateful for the ongoing support that our alumni and friends of the departmenthave shown this last year. We have added scholarships and have so far been able toweather the financial hit from the pandemic. We could not have done it without ourextended BSE family and I could not be more grateful.
On Wisconsin!

Troy Runge
Patrick Walsh & Noreen Warren Professor of Biological Systems Engineering
Chair – Biological Systems Engineering