2027 Industry Tour Information

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Industry Tour Information

2026 Industry Tours - Wednesday, October 7, 2026

Join us for curated tours showcasing Wisconsin engineering, manufacturing, and innovation. Tours take place Wednesday (pre‑conference) and include round‑trip transportation from the conference hotel.

📅 Planning Your Travel

Tours take place Wednesday (pre conference)
Morning tours depart from Madison Marriott South ~8:30 AM
Trek departs shortly after noon

👉 Recommended: Arrive Tuesday evening to participate fully

(Image: Exterior of campus heating and cooling plant)

Tour 1

8:30 AM – 11:50 AM

Central Heating & Cooling Plant

(UW–Madison)

(Image: Babcock ice cream inside UW–Madison dairy store)

Tour 2

8:30 AM – 11:50 AM

Dairy Innovation Tour: Babcock Dairy & Dairy Cattle Center

(Image: Trek headquarters building in Waterloo Wisconsin)

Tour 3

12:00 PM – 2:30 PM

Trek Bicycle Corporate & Manufacturing Tour (Waterloo, WI)

⚠️ Important: Morning tours run concurrently, so on your conference registration only select one morning tour. You may also join the afternoon Trek tour.

TOUR 1: Central Heating & Cooling Plant (UW–Madison)

Time: 8:30 AM – 11:50 AM (includes transportation)
Capacity: 25 participants

Explore the infrastructure that powers a major research university. This behind-‑the-‑scenes tour highlights large‑scale energy systems, sustainability efforts, and real-time campus operations.

✅Includes: transportation + optional Babcock ice cream stop (time permitting)

Best for: Energy systems, sustainability, infrastructure, systems engineering

Learn more: https://sustainability.wisc.edu/charter-street-heating-cooling-plant/

TOUR 2: Dairy Innovation Tour: Babcock Dairy & Dairy Cattle Center

Time: 8:30 AM – 11:50 AM (includes transportation)
Capacity: 25 participants

Experience Wisconsin’s dairy industry from farm to production. This tour includes a behind-‑the-‑scenes view of dairy processing and a visit to a working research herd, ending with ice cream at the iconic Babcock Dairy Store.

✅Includes: transportation + ice cream

Best for: Food systems, applied research, experiential learning

Dairy Cattle Center: https://andysci.wisc.edu/dairy-cattle-center/

Babcock Dairy: https://babcockdairystore.wisc.edu/

TOUR 3: Trek Bicycle Corporate & Manufacturing Tour (Waterloo, WI)

Time: 12:00 PM – 2:30 PM (includes transportation)
Capacity: 30 participants

Visit the global headquarters of Trek Bicycle for a custom tour showcasing how design, engineering, and manufacturing come together to create world‑class products.

✅Includes: transportation

️ Lunch: Plan to bring or obtain lunch prior to departure and enjoy it during the bus ride.

Best for: Product development, manufacturing, innovation, global operations

Learn more: https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/tour-of-waterloo/

The Wisconsin Idea

The Wisconsin Idea reflects a commitment that education and research should extend beyond the classroom to benefit society as a whole. These tours highlight that philosophy in action: connecting university research, industry innovation, and real-world impact across the state.

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