UW Civil & Environmental Engineering Capstone
Since 2016 Clean Lakes Alliance has worked in partnership with the UW-Madison Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) Department to support student capstone projects focused on designing more accessible and lake-friendly parks and beaches. Senior Capstone Design is a required course for all civil and environmental engineers at UW-Madison.
With the guidance of professional mentors, students use the knowledge and interpersonal skills they have gained in their classwork and work experiences to create effective solutions to real problems. The capstone team includes students from Civil, Environmental, and Geological Engineering, supplemented by students from other disciplines as needed for multi-disciplinary project requirements.
Clean Lakes Alliance is proud to be a sponsoring partner of student capstone projects. Serving as a “client” to the students provides us a captive audience and valuable resource as we continue our work in inspiring the community to advocate for healthy lakes and beaches. With 48% of the shoreline owned by the public and 25 beaches in the Greater Madison area, we have numerous project opportunities for the students.
This partnership provides us the opportunity to work with a new team of students each semester. The innovative design concepts students develop address environmental challenges at our lakeshore parks and beaches. We provide students a goals framework and ask them to incorporate features in their designs that lead to improved water quality, and sustainability, greater access and equity, and better placemaking.
All past projects
- Spring 2021: John Nolen bike/pedestrian bridge (Olin Park – Alliant Energy Center)
- Spring 2021: Plaenert Drive Alternative Road Connection
- Fall 2021: Monona Causeway
- Fall 2021: Plaenert Drive Alternative Road Connection
- Spring 2020: Vilas Park (Wingra shoreline)
- Fall 2020: Vilas Park (lagoons)
- Spring 2019: Brittingham Park
- Fall 2019: Monona Causeway
- Spring 2018: James Madison Park
- Fall 2018: Olbrich Park
- Spring 2017 (Two teams): Revitalization of Law Park
- Fall 2017: Warner Park
Read more about the University of Wisconsin College of Engineering Capstone Partnership.
Read about our Yahara lakes:
Program support provided by CG Schmidt. Thank you!
