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Global Lab publishes 2024-2025 Annual Report

dfarmer — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Global Lab Annual Report 24-25

Rankings Released: Times Higher Education Impact Ranking

edufresne — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 12:00:00 +0000

The 2025 Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Ranking has been released. This unique tool allows higher education institutions to compare themselves alongside other universities working toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals across the globe. The ranking asks questions regarding policies, research, stewardship, and outreach. Visit the THE website for full results and to learn more about the Impact Ranking.

In 2024, the SDG Steering Committee gathered and submitted data to the Impact Ranking for the following SDGs:

SDG 4: Quality Education
SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
SDG 13: Climate Action
SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

Over the past three submissions, WPI鈥檚 standing has continued to improve, even as the number of institutions that submit increases.

Check out Gordon Library's UN SDG Libguide or review our 2024 Progress Report to learn more about WPI鈥檚 efforts on the SDGs.

Annual results reported by the THE between 2023 and 2025. "Score" is out of 100 possible points, "Rank" varies per each SDG, though in total, 2389 institutions submitted data for review.

Looking to get a better idea of your own SDG impact as an author? Check out your author profile on Scopus, and view the new 鈥淚mpact鈥?tab to see how your publications are linked to the UN SDGs!

Mimi Sheller on new podcast "Reclaiming the Road-Mobility Justice beyond Complete Streets"

dfarmer — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Cities across the US are rethinking streets, going beyond sidewalks and bike lanes to welcome nonmotorists to share the roadway. David L. Prytherch, author of Reclaiming the Road: Mobility Justice beyond Complete Streets, traces the historical evolution of America鈥檚 streets and explores contemporary movements to retake them from cars for diverse forms of mobility and community life. Can we design more just streets? Listen HERE as Prytherch is joined in conversation with Mimi Sheller and Peter Norton.

Dean of The Global School, Mimi Sheller, co-authors Strengthening Social Infrastructure for Climate Resilience

dfarmer — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Social infrastructure has always helped communities overcome oppression, and today it is helping to build resilience in communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis. While restoration of federal support is the goal, the strength of existing social infrastructure systems is a reason not to lose hope.

Read more in The Nature of Cities post: Strengthening Social Infrastructure for Climate Resilience written with Franco Montalto, Professor in the Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering at Drexel University.

Associate Dean of The Global School

dfarmer — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 12:00:00 +0000

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Sarah Stanlick as associate dean of The Global School, effective August 1, 2025.

A faculty member in the Department of Integrative and Global Studies, Dr. Stanlick is currently an assistant professor who will gain tenure and promotion to associate professor on July 1. She joined WPI five years ago and in 2022 became director of WPI鈥檚 signature first-year experience program, the Great Problems Seminar. As a member of the Global School leadership team, Dr. Stanlick is already an enthusiastic voice for project-based learning across the curriculum and an important advocate for WPI鈥檚 innovative pedagogy to external audiences. We are thrilled for her to be stepping into this new role that touches the entire WPI community.

Dr. Stanlick was awarded an AB in international studies from Lafayette College, an MA in conflict and coexistence studies from Brandeis University, and a PhD in learning sciences and technology from Lehigh University. She was the founding director of Lehigh University鈥檚 Center for Community Engagement and a faculty member in sociology and anthropology. She previously taught at Centenary College of New Jersey and was a researcher at Harvard Kennedy School, assisting U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power.

Dr. Stanlick has taught the Great Problems Seminar and the ID 2050 social science methods course, has advised numerous student projects in the Global Projects Program, and is co-director of the Reykjavik, Iceland, Project Center. She also has developed new courses for two graduate programs, advised and mentored undergraduate students in the Early Research Experience in E-Term, and advised graduate students. She is a regular participant in faculty learning communities at WPI and has engaged in collaborative work to advance the integration of open educational resources and open pedagogical practices across the WPI curriculum. She encourages and models engaged, active citizenship and helps create conditions for all community members to be able to engage similarly.

Her research and publications also contribute to the emerging area of digital technology within global service learning and community-engaged scholarship. Her work establishes crucial foundations for WPI to carry forward global project-based learning into the next era. Dr. Stanlick has served WPI on numerous university committees, most recently being appointed to the Board of Trustee鈥檚 Student Affairs Committee. She has also made significant service contributions to the profession nationally through her work as co-chair of Imagining America鈥檚 Assessing the Practices of Public Scholarship (APPS) collective and as co-director of the Community-Based Global Learning Collaborative.

Please join me in welcoming Sarah to this new role!

We also want to thank and celebrate Associate Dean Kent Rissmiller, who will begin a phased retirement in July 2025 after 36 years of outstanding service to WPI. Kent began his career in WPI鈥檚 Department of Social Science and Policy Studies in September 1988 and was tenured as associate professor in 1994. In 2005, Kent joined the WPI Institutional Review Board (IRB) as a board member, and in 2006 he became the chair, a role he still holds today. In 2006, Kent also took on a new role as associate dean of what was then the Interdisciplinary and Global Studies Division (IGSD). Kent served in this capacity for 10 years, then was appointed dean ad interim of IGSD in 2016. Leading a period of rapid growth in our signature Global Projects Program, he then served as interim dean of The Global School when it was newly launched.

In 2021, Kent became associate dean of The Global School, where he helped oversee our network of over 50 project centers, which serve more than 1,200 students and engage scores of WPI faculty each year. Under his steady and committed leadership, the Global Projects Program has grown from a program that serves only some students to one that engages over 85% of WPI undergraduates in authentic, project-based learning opportunities in communities close to home and around the world.

Kent has positively impacted generations of WPI faculty, staff, and students through his leadership and contributions as a faculty member and an administrator. It is hard to imagine how the Global Projects Program will continue without Kent at the helm, but we are reassured that he will still be here helping us as we transition the program to the leadership of Dr. Stanlick.

Kent has led the staff of the Global Experience Office, hired scores of advisors, teaching faculty, and adjuncts for WPI鈥檚 Global Projects Program; opened new project centers on five continents; spearheaded multiple IQP assessment initiatives; and oversaw the on-campus IQP. In 2012 he became the director of the Washington, D.C., Project Center, WPI鈥檚 longest-running center. He also advised projects at project centers in Washington, D.C., London, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, and Zurich; raised his sons; and still found time to run regularly with WPI鈥檚 running club, the Footpounders!

Kent has taught courses in the areas of government, law, and public policy. His research has addressed the restructuring of the electric industry, energy conservation in hospitals, and the Green Communities program in Massachusetts. Kent also directs WPI鈥檚 pre-law program and oversees the law and technology minor. He has long been focused on improving learning outcomes for WPI students and he served six years on WPI鈥檚 Undergraduate Outcomes Assessment Committee. In 2010, under Kent鈥檚 leadership, WPI鈥?IRB became registered with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Subjects, and since that time, the board鈥檚 service to WPI has greatly expanded, reviewing thousands of applications.

Kent has been a pillar of the WPI ethos and we will continue to draw on his wisdom for years to come! Please join us in celebrating Kent鈥檚 career and contributions to WPI in the coming year!

MassDEP names Professors Corey Dehner and Paul Mathisen Educators of the Decade

dfarmer — Thu, 15 May 2025 12:00:00 +0000

MassDEP celebrates 50 years of protecting the environment and preserving our future across the Commonwealth at WPI on June 2, 2025. Department of Integrative and Global Studies, Professor Corey Dehner and Associate Professor and Director of Sustainability, Paul Mathisen have been named Educators of the Decade for their guidance and direction at the Water Resource Outreach Project Center.

Global School Celebrates 50 years of the Global Projects Program

dfarmer — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 12:00:00 +0000

On April 15, WPI commemorated an important milestone鈥?0 years of global projects! Over the past five decades, we've built bridges across continents, fostered meaningful connections, and made a lasting impact on communities around the world through our distinctive Global Projects Program. The program provides opportunities for students to travel off-campus to conduct term-length projects that are required for graduation.

As we celebrated this academic year鈥檚 50th anniversary of our first project center in Washington, DC with faculty, students, staff and alumni in the Rubin Campus Center Odeum, we were fortunate to hear from our distinguished leaders who recognize the significance of this transformative educational experience. President Grace Wang and U.S. Representative Jim McGovern reiterated the profound impact global learning experiences have on our students.

鈥淲PI had the foresight to create a program that said education isn't confined to a lecture hall. That true learning happens out in the world side by side with regular people in places that are unfamiliar facing problems are real,鈥?said McGovern. 鈥淲PI students are entering the workforce with practical knowledge, a global perspective, and a proven ability to lead across cultures and disciplines. That gives them an edge.鈥?amp;nbsp;

We heard from Pamela Lynch, 鈥?5 about her Global Projects Program experience in Thailand and how she carried the guiding principles from that student project throughout her career in renewable and sustainable energy. And our leadership in The Global School reiterated the gratitude we feel for our community who plays an important part in a campus program that continues to thrive with your contributions great and small.

鈥淲hat happens in these project centers is so powerful both for the faculty who advise the projects and the students,鈥?said Kent Rissmiller, associate dean of The Global School. 鈥淭his is just a tremendous developmental learning opportunity that does transform lives.鈥?lt;/p>

As we look to the future, we must continue to inspire, innovate, and collaborate, making the world a better place for generations to come. That innovation for the future is already underway. 鈥淭he Global Projects Program helps our students understand how to use their STEM education ethically and responsibly. With the emerging power of artificial intelligence, this kind of learning is more important than ever because all technology only exists in a human context,鈥?said Mimi Sheller, dean of The Global School. 鈥淎s we look towards the future, we are exploring new initiatives that will incorporate responsible AI into student projects, working closely with sponsors around the world, for example, to see how teams can use technology in new ways that help us bridge language differences or respect inherent cultural differences and overcome the biases that might exist in the algorithms and some of the new technologies.鈥?lt;/p>

Thank you for supporting, joining, and celebrating with us and getting excited for what the next 50 years will bring!

WPI Celebrates 50 years!

Caribbean Collaborative Action Network (CCAN) and Global School members to publish with Palgrave

dfarmer — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Global School faculty and WPI Community Climate Adaptation alumni are set to publish an edited volume titled Building Equitable Climate Adaptation Partnerships in the US Caribbean with Palgrave Macmillon鈥檚 Pivot Series Initiative. The book will be edited by Caribbean Collaborative Action Network (CCAN) postdoc and Department of Integrative and Global Studies (DIGS) faculty member, Dr. Sarah Molinari and CCAN Co-PI and Dean of the Global School, Dr. Mimi Sheller.

Additional chapter contributors include DIGS faculty Dr. Sarah Strauss, Dr. Seth Tuler, Dr. John-Michael Davis and Dr. Scott Jiusto, and CCA Master鈥檚 graduates Sol Giesso, and Jonathan Chang. The group explores CCAN鈥檚 work in the US Caribbean via shared action learning with the Puerto Rico Project Center鈥檚 university-community collaborations, through local perceptions and policy analysis around climate adaptation in the US Virgin Islands, and in participatory methodologies for climate adaptation planning.

The book will be available in hardcover and EBook in late 2025.

Associate Dean of the Global School Finalist Campus Visits

dfarmer — Mon, 07 Apr 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

The finalists for the Associate Dean of the Global School have been selected and each will be asked to lead an open presentation to faculty and staff. Candidates will focus their presentations on their vision for the Global Projects Program, addressing challenges and opportunities. All candidate materials will be posted to the Canvas site.

Presentation Schedule:

路 Sarah Stanlick: April 14th, 10-11AM, Innovation Studio Room 203 or Zoom

路 Aaron Sakulich: April 17th, 9:30-10:30AM via Zoom

路 Jeanine Skorinko: April 22nd, 11AM-12PM, Innovation Studio Room 203 or Zoom

All presentations will be recorded and posted to the Canvas site so members of the community who are unable to attend will have the opportunity to hear from and learn about our candidates. Following the presentations, we invite you to submit your feedback via Qualtrics survey, which will also be posted in Canvas.

Please save the dates and we look forward to your participation in the search!

Best,

The GS Assoc Dean Search Committee:

Kris Wobbe (chair, DIGS, CPBL)
Laureen Elgert (DIGS)
Aarti Madan (HUA)
Adam Powell (MME)
Lisa Stoddard (DIGS)

WPI Podcast Explores Mentorship Program for Students Interested in Sustainability

jcain — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 12:00:00 +0000

In a new WPI podcast, we highlight the university鈥檚 Sustainable Career Mentorship Program that gives students who are interested in sustainability an opportunity to connect one-on-one with professionals working in green jobs or sustainable fields.

Podcast guest Elisabeth 鈥淟isa鈥?Stoddard, one of the program organizers, is an associate professor of teaching of environmental and sustainability studies and in The Global School.

Listen to the episode. You may also read the transcript below.

Jon Cain:

It is a journey to choose and find your way into a career, so it can be really helpful to have people with you on that journey. That's one of the ideas at the heart of the Sustainable Career Mentorship Program at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. It launched in the fall of 2024, and it's a resource for students interested in exploring careers in green and sustainable industries. Today we'll explore the program, so if you're a student, you can decide if it's right for you. Hi, I'm Jon Cain from the Marketing Communications Division at WPI. This podcast brings you news and expertise from our classrooms, campus and labs. I'm here at the WPI Global Lab in the Innovation studio, and I'm excited to be joined by an organizer of the mentorship program. Elisabeth "Lisa" Stoddard is an associate professor of teaching in environmental and sustainability studies and in The Global School at WPI. Lisa, thanks for being here.

Lisa Stoddard:

Hi. Thanks so much for having me.

Cain:

Why don't we start right off the top. I'm going to ask, what is the Sustainable Career Mentorship Program at WPI?

Stoddard:

So the Sustainable Career Mentorship Program, pairs, WPI students who are interested in careers and sustainability with WPI alumni and professionals in green jobs or sustainable fields.

Cain:

So you've got mentors and mentees. How often do they meet and what are some of the topics that they discuss?

Stoddard:

We ask them to meet at least twice a year, one in the fall semester and once in the spring semester, but through the pilot program this year, we found that our mentors and mentees often meet more often and that can range from maybe once a term to once a month.

Cain:

Do they meet in person or virtually or some combination thereof that sort of works for them? Is there any sort of format or template to it?

Stoddard:

Yeah, so we have some folks who meet in person, and that's really for people who live either in Worcester or Boston in terms of the employers or the mentors, and they can meet the mentees on campus or somewhere in the Worcester area. For others, they're going to be meeting via Zoom just because it's much more convenient and they can do that more frequently. We also have some who do a little bit of both, so they might meet more frequently via Zoom and then on occasion meet off campus. We also have at the end of the program a lunch where everyone is invited on campus, all of the mentors and mentees to celebrate and recognize the mentors and to talk with them a bit about what鈥檚 going well with the program and where we might improve.

Cain:

That's great. It sounds like there's a lot of different opportunities to check in along the way.

Stoddard:

Yeah. And you also mentioned what topics are they covering? So we have mentees that range from first year students to seniors, and so for some of our first year students, they're thinking about maybe they have an interest or areas that they're really passionate about, but they don鈥檛 know what jobs match with that passion or those areas of interest. We have seniors who already have a job secured after graduation, but those jobs might not be in a sustainable field, so they want to know how can they approach that job, do well in that job and that position, but shift towards a more sustainable career. We have some other students who might be interested in learning about types of internships or research opportunities and getting some really detailed guidance from somebody in that field who might be able to tell them about those opportunities, but also to make some connections for them, maybe some first introductions. We have other students who might want an expert from that field to review their resume and to help them to think about what they might highlight for a particular job, and also to practice some interview questions. We also have some folks who, some mentees who are really hoping for the opportunity to maybe work with their mentor on site, and that doesn't happen for everybody. It may not be a fit, but we have some mentees who might join a mentor at a conference and be able to get exposure to expertise or discussions or conversations, organizations and people who they might not have had a chance to meet before. So the topics range, the opportunities range. We try to find a balance of having a structure that people can work in where the goals are clear. There's some guidelines around when folks should meet and how often they should meet, but then we allow that relationship to develop and for that mentor to kind of bring to the mentee the resources and assets that they each have.

Cain:

Lisa, how many WPI students are part of the program and how many mentors are there?

Stoddard:

So we currently have 17 students who are part of the program as mentees, and we currently have 25 mentors. And of those 25 mentors, 14 of them are WPI alumni.

Cain:

What types of jobs or fields do the mentors come from?

Stoddard:

So the mentors come from quite a diverse range of fields. They range from conservation to renewable energy, battery storage, sustainable metals, green architecture, green entrepreneurship or business, climate resilient design, urban planning, water waste management, sustainability consulting, and some others.

Cain:

So I wanted to talk a little bit about who's able to participate. Are there any requirements that WPI students need to meet to join the mentorship program? Do they have to come from a specific major?

Stoddard:

So we've designed the program so that any student on WPIs campus can participate in the program. So it's open to every major every year, and we've recently had some requests for graduate students to join the program. So we're happy to welcome undergraduates and graduates into the program. The real requirement is that they have some interest in sustainability or interest in a green field. It doesn't have to be a full commitment. It could be an area that they want to explore. They have to be willing to commit at least to meeting with their mentor twice a year and to doing the preparations needed for that meeting. And that's really up to the mentor and mentee. So if they decide that the student is going to develop their resume or a cover letter or look for particular job opportunities or internship opportunities, they would do that in advance.

Cain:

So have you found that you've got a pretty wide breadth of students from different majors since it is open to everyone with that interest?

Stoddard:

Yeah, it's really exciting to see. We have students from robotics, data science, mechanical engineering, civil and environmental engineering, environmental and sustainability studies. We have students in robotics who are interested in designing robots to remove pollution and waste and trash from the ocean. We have a student who is a civil engineering student who's interested in conservation and she's interested in figuring out different ways that we can build corridors for wildlife to go through. We have some students in data science who are interested in using data science to create climate models or to predict where animals and plant species might move in a changing climate to see how those ecosystems might be disrupted, but then also what interventions we can do to support those animals and those ecosystems and the human communities that are reliant upon them.

Cain:

Really an important reminder of the breadth of the sustainability challenge and also the fact that people can come at this from a lot of different ideas and areas of expertise. So it's great that there's that opportunity for folks to sort of explore what interests them and not be restricted.

Stoddard:

And it's been great because we've had some students who might have an interest, let's say in urban sustainability or green architecture, climate resilient design. And when we, at first, if we don't have a mentor that we see as a fit, we then will reach out to our alumni and then even a broader network. So our alumni start to connect us to people in the field. We, at first didn't have somebody to really match with our student who was interested in taking civil engineering and conservation and looking at how to get into a career and creating wildlife corridors. But our alumni network helped us to identify somebody to bring into the mentoring program, and so now we have a match for that student and they've really hit it off and are making a lot of progress.

Cain:

. Lisa, why do you think it's so important that WPI students who have an interest in working in sustainability have this type of program available to them?

Stoddard:

It's really fascinating for me to learn about how these different students from different majors and mentors from different fields, how they all look at sustainability, climate resilience, how they look at it differently. And when you look at the environmental and climate problems that are out there, they're complex. And so to see that we have a cohort of students developing expertise and knowledge and becoming ready for the job market to tackle these global problems that are at a crisis level, it's exciting and inspiring to see that because we need that diverse set of knowledge, majors, minds, insight to address that kind of problem. At the same time, I see that as a real asset to WPI and to the workforce.

Those students, in terms of their majors, they travel really differently around our campus. So if you have a student in mechanical and robotics and social science and humanities, they're taking classes often quite separately from each other. They're not all in the same labs, they're not doing all the same projects. And so, there's been a request from students who are interested in sustainability to be able to develop a cohort, to get to work and collaborate together, to learn what each other are doing, to become part of a network, both at WPI, but then beyond with alumni and with employers and professionals in the field. So, because of our conversations with students around this, we decided to create this mentorship program, but also the annual event for Careers for Sustainable and Just Communities as ways to bring students together to help to enhance and form that community in that cohort.

Cain:

It sounds like there's a lot of benefits to the mentorship program that go beyond just the career preparation.

Stoddard:

Yeah, absolutely. There's one other thing I wanted to mention about the benefits of the program. I think when our students are looking at the job market and at careers that are out there, I think they can really see, and we can all see a growth in green jobs and in the sustainable career industry. When we look at the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, it shows that there's an increase in over 25,000 new jobs between 2020 and 2030 in the area of green jobs or sustainable jobs or jobs that are in sustainability. So, one of the benefits is that we're preparing our students for a job market that's actively looking for qualified people. So, if we can take student passions and interests and we can prepare them through these programs, through the mentorship program and career event to be able to show up for those jobs, qualified, excited, and prepared, we're enhancing their ability to get those jobs that they're passionate about and to be able to help fill positions to address the climate crisis. And when we're looking globally, the World Economic Forum shows that green jobs are growing twice as fast as workers in green fields. So we are globally having twice as many jobs as we have workers to fill them in the kind of green and sustainability sector.

Cain:

It sounds like there's a great opportunity for this program to kind of connect the dots between the student interests and the market demands.

Stoddard:

Absolutely.

Cain:

We talked a little bit about this earlier when we talked about the types of jobs or fields that the mentors come from, but I wanted to sort of dive in a little bit further on that. Can you give me some examples of the types of work that might fall under the umbrella of sustainable careers?

Stoddard:

So, we're really seeing green jobs pop up in the fields of urban planning about how do you design cities to be able to manage flooding, to be able to manage wildfires or extreme heat? How do you design cities so they're much more efficient so we're using less energy sources, so we're sharing resources better? As I mentioned before, there's a lot of interests and a lot of need to pay attention to ocean ecosystems. So that can range from students looking at ocean ecosystems and biology to robotics and cleaning the ocean of trash to finding innovative ways to manage ocean acidification and rebuilding corals. WPI is really strong and data science and in computer science, and so there's a lot of interest in the climate world of figuring out how do we get large data models that can help us to understand and to predict what might happen in a certain city, a certain region in terms of climate change impacts. Also being able to use those large data sets to make some predictions and to understand if we change some things, if we make some things more resilient, if we move away from coastal areas, what are the ways that we would need to do that? I think that data science and computer science have a lot of power in terms of being able to address the climate crisis by using large data model sets. We also have a lot of attention right now to PFAS, a chemical, and a large number of areas that are working on the removal of PFAS from waterways. We鈥檙e seeing a lot with students who are interested in mechanical engineering looking at urban resilient design, renewable energy. We're seeing students in biology where organizations are interested in the intersection between biology and biotechnology, climate change and health, and where those three come together. For students in chemistry and chemical engineering, looking at green chemistry, how can we still meet certain needs that we have, but do those in a way that is less harmful to the environment? I think the largest growth that we're seeing in the job market right now is coming around renewable energy, and that also links to jobs in battery storage and also sustainable mining. And so we're seeing in the Boston and Worcester area, a lot of really innovative startups that are thinking about how can we recycle metals for increased and more sustainable battery storage, and then how can we mine metals more sustainably so that as we shift towards more renewable energy and climate resilience, that we're thinking about the communities where those materials are made, where they're disposed of, so that we're doing that shift in a socially responsible way that addresses issues of environmental justice.

Cain:

What have you heard from the students who are mentees? What type of feedback have you received from them about how the experience has been so far since the launch in the fall?

Stoddard:

So, from our students, we're hearing that they feel like they're really making progress, they're connecting with their mentors. So I think that that's really important that they are finding people that they feel like they can relate to, people that are inspiring them, that are motivating them. I've heard from students that they're working on resumes and cover letters. They've had the opportunities to practice interviews. They're joining their mentors at conferences, that they're learning quite a lot. They've had a certain understanding of what green jobs are out there, but this has really expanded their knowledge and understanding of what the opportunities are. And I've heard from a number of students who say that they love their mentors, that they're really enjoying the relationship that they're building with them, and that it's having a lot of benefits in their ability to connect and network with those outside of WPI as well as inside of WPI.

Cain:

What's the data that you're going to be collecting along the way? What types of information?

Stoddard:

We're collecting both qualitative and quantitative data through surveys, emails, and then interviews. So, a lot of the data that we started collecting at first was asking the mentors and mentees what their goals were for participating in the program. And then research shows us that mentorship programs are most successful when there's some clear goals that are set out. So, we had students use multiple choice survey and scale to note what things that they're interested in particular. So, we had students select those types of things in addition to, are you interested in attending a conference with your mentor or joining them at their job site for a particular day? So we handed that information over to the mentors so that they could understand that better. And then collectively, the mentor and mentee can come up with a plan for their time together. So that time is used most wisely. Midterm, we've collected some data about what's working well and what's not working well, and what kinds of support do you need from the program. And then we'll collect some data at the end, both in terms of what's working well or what's not, get some ideas from the mentors and mentees about how we can modify the program, grow the program, offer additional opportunities.

Cain:

I often think about the mentorship programs, and I immediately think about the benefits that the mentees get out of it. I'm wondering what you have sort of seen so far or heard from the mentors, in many cases our alumni, about what they're taking away from the experience so far. What have you heard?

Stoddard:

Yeah, so it's been really interesting to see that our mentors and our alumni have talked about it being really exciting and inspiring to see who's coming into the field. They've been working on these really difficult issues for a decade or so. And I think seeing students coming in who have new ideas, who have new experiences and insights, who are coming to the field with a fresh sense of what's possible, what's most urgent and important. And so, it's, from what the mentors have told me, it's been really kind of a bright part of their day, week, month to be able to talk to the mentees and to get excited and inspired. Others have told me that supporting young people who are entering into careers in stem and in particular one mentor referenced that there's not a lot of women in her field. And so, supporting mentees who identify as female coming into her career has been really exciting for her and to be able to support that particular person in ways that she wishes she had had that kind of support earlier on. I think like our mentees; our mentors get excited about making a connection and finding someone who has a similar passion. And so, they really enjoy spending the time talking to each other and they feel really rewarded with seeing the progress that their mentee is making. And to be able to help their mentee make connections that their mentee may not have had before was a really rewarding feeling for them.

Cain:

You mentioned earlier that 14 of the mentors are graduates of WPI. I'm wondering what you think it means to the current students to have connections with WPI alumni?

Stoddard:

From what they've told me, I think it's helpful and inspiring for them to see people who are once in their position out on the ground in a field that they're excited about. I think all of our mentors are wonderful and our students find connections, but I think when a student can see an alumni who had some of the same classes, some of the same professors, some of the same experiences, they also went on IQP and MQP and had those really rewarding and life-changing experiences, and then can see them out on the field, can see the ways in which employers really value A WPI degree and what WPI students bring. So, I think it's that there's already that connection. There's already that relationship that exists, and I think it helps students to envision themselves in that particular career. And I think also for the mentors seeing themselves in the students a bit really motivates them to want to help that student to succeed.

Cain:

Lisa, this mentorship program began as a spinoff of sorts from another program at WPI that you help organize. You had mentioned it earlier, the Careers for Sustainable and Just Communities Networking Events that happen here on campus. What happens at these events and how frequently are those held?

Stoddard:

This event again came from student interest and student requests. And so I think one of the really cool things about WPI is that student voices are heard. And so, if students want to see growth in a particular area, want support in a particular area, they can advocate and work with faculty and staff and organizations on campus to get that done. So that's really what happened here. That sparked this whole programming area of programming around sustainable careers where two students coming and talking with an alumni and coming to us saying they want more opportunity around these areas. And so, at this particular event, we have about 30 to 35 employers come. And again, they're coming from a diverse set of areas, from conservation to energy to green architecture, et cetera. We have about maybe five employers in each of those areas sit at a round table. And the intent of this design is for students to be able to come in a casual setting and sit down at a table with folks in the energy industry and the renewable energy industry and ask questions, what's your job like day to day? What is the organization that you work for? What are the goals of your organization? How much money do you make? What do you like about your job? What do you not like about your job? And so, it's a much more casual way to get to know folks from those events. We've had students get internships, we've had them make connections, we've had them identify new mentors. We usually have a hundred to 120ish students come to the event each year, and we host it for about three to four hours. Students and employers come in, they grab a snack, and then they'll sit down at their tables and students rotate throughout the tables with an opportunity to talk to one or more people from each of the different career areas. So it's really intended to be a networking and kind of a one-off mentoring event where students can ask questions, get advice, and meet a diverse group of people from a diverse set of green fields and jobs.

Cain:

I'm wondering what drives you or motivates you to work so hard to keep the networking events and the mentorship program going on top of everything else that you're doing in terms of teaching and advising?

Stoddard:

Two things, really. One is the students. So, I'm very passionate about sustainability, about climate resilience, about climate justice, and seeing students who have that passion as well. I see them in my classes where they'll write to me after a project where they're literally lighting up over their excitement about gaining deeper knowledge in an area and identifying innovative solutions to problems that are really important to them. And so having those students come and want more support and to be able to provide that for them in a way where I can see what they're studying at WPI, what they're passionate about, how that can connect to a career that not only will they be able to have a livelihood and a job, but also one that will make them incredibly happy and passionate, and also one that helps to address the climate crisis. So I think that's first and foremost, is that seeing our students, I love our students. I'm so impressed with their knowledge, and I'm so inspired by their passion that anything that I can do to help move that forward is wonderful to me. It's really gratifying. It's probably the best part of my job. And I think the second part of it is I have twin nine year olds who are growing up in a world where we're dealing with the climate crisis, and I think about their future, and I think about what can I possibly do to try to help address this and to create a livable, environmentally sustainable and just world for my kids and other people's kids to grow up in. And so, when I think about 25, 50, a hundred, more students that are coming from diverse fields from all across our campus who are tackling this issue in a number of different ways, by supporting those students, that's one way that I can help to address the climate crisis.

Cain:

I know that there were a lot of people that have been working really hard to make these programs possible, these two programs at WPI. I'm wondering if you could tell me a little bit more about who some of your campus partners have been in this.

Stoddard:

Yeah, absolutely. So, The Global School, in particular, Laureen Elgert, who's the head of the Department of Integrative and Global Studies; she and I used to run the environmental and sustainability studies program together when we really started thinking about this type of programming. So, she's been a really wonderful partner. And then her leadership in The Global School has helped to kind of amplify that along with the Dean of The Global School, Mimi Sheller and others that have kind of expertise in that area. And then in the Department of Social Science and Policy Studies, Rob Krueger and others, Rob helped to start the Environmental and Sustainability Studies program has been supportive of these ideas and this type of programming. Also, the Office of Sustainability with Paul Mathisen and Nicole Luiz have been really helpful in bringing some of their programming together with the programming that we're developing so that we're not working in silos and isolated spaces that we're all bringing things together to collaborate. The Center for Career Development: Brittany Taylor has really been our point person who's been helping us with, I'm not an expert in career services, so Brittany's been helping us with how do we recruit mentors, how do we bring people to campus, how do we bring employers to campus? And then how do we prepare students to have effective and efficient and productive and meaningful conversations with them? So, she's been really critical with that. And then Hannah Shick from The Global School, she's helped with developing and designing our website, and that's been an incredible resource because our students can go on there, see who's available for mentors. We also have a page that lists current opportunities for internships and employment conferences and other opportunities related to sustainable careers for students.

Cain:

Lisa, if a student is interested in learning more about either of the programs, the networking events or the mentorship program, how can they get more information?

Stoddard:

They can reach out to me by email. My email is eastoddard@wpi.edu. They can also Google WPI Careers and Sustainability, and they'll see different tabs there that they can look through. One of them being the Sustainable Career Mentoring Program, one being events, one being green internships, and then the last being green job boards. So they can navigate that website. And on the Sustainable Career Mentoring Program tab, they'll see an application that they can fill out. I would encourage students who have any interest at all to reach out. I think that sometimes we worry if we have an interest in something and if we pursue it and we're not sure if that's the direction that we want to go to, we don't want to commit to that. And this is a really nice and safe space to students to be able to explore an interest, to have the opportunity to meet and talk with someone, to see if this is a fit, a potential fit for their future.

Cain:

Well said. Lisa, thanks so much for being here and telling us more about the mentorship program and the opportunities available to students who have an interest in sustainability. It's been fantastic.

Stoddard:

Thank you so much for having me. I really appreciate you taking the time to help us to share this with students, and it's been a real pleasure chatting with you.

Cain:

Likewise. Lisa Stoddard is an associate professor of teaching in environmental and sustainability studies, and in The Global School at WPI. You can hear more podcasts like this one at wpi.edu/listen. There you can also find audio versions of stories about our students, faculty and staff, everything from events to research. You can also check out the latest WPI News on Spotify, Apple podcasts and YouTube podcasts. You can also ask Alexa to open WPI. This podcast was produced at the WPI Global Lab in the Innovation Studio. Varun Bhat provided audio engineering help. Thanks for listening.

Dr. Mimi Sheller presents at Harvard Colloquium: Cambridge Talks: Acts of Scaling

dfarmer — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Cambridge Talks is an annual conference organized by students of the PhD Program in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Urban Planning at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, and is generously supported by the GSD鈥檚 Advanced Studies programs. Cambridge Talks 2025: Acts of Scaling is organized by PhD students Matthew Kennedy and Adil Mansure, and advised by Antoine Picon, G. Ware Travelstead Professor of the History of Architecture and Technology, and Director of Doctoral Programs.

Dean Mimi Sheller is the distinguished presenter on a panel for networks and mobilities: 鈥淐osmic Quantum: Topological and Temporal Imaginaries in Acts of Scaling Aluminum鈥?lt;/span>

Where in the World Are Students in D-Term 鈥?5?

jaquinnszcesuil — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 12:00:00 +0000

As the Global Projects Program celebrates 50 years of project work in communities around the world, students continue to gain experiences that they report has a lifelong impact.

In D-Term 2025, more than 400 students are working on IQPs around the world, including in the following project centers.

Asunci贸n, Paraguay, with advisors Kira Kovnat (Global School) and Dorothy Burt (Global School)

Berlin, Germany, with advisors Katherine Foo (Department of Integrative and Global Studies [DIGS]) and Sarah Riddick (Humanities and Arts [HUA])

Bucharest, Romania, with advisors Althea Danielski (HUA) and Beth Eddy (Adjunct)

C谩diz, Spain, with advisors Svetlana Nikitina (HUA) and Alejandro Manga (DIGS)

Copenhagen, Denmark, with advisors Sarah Strauss (DIGS) and Carrick Eggleston (Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering [CEAE])

Farm Stay Project Center (Massachusetts), with advisor Lisa Stoddard (DIGS)

Lausanne, Switzerland, with advisors Melissa Butler (DIGS) and Reza Ebadi (Mechanical and Materials Engineering)

London, England, with advisors Laura Roberts (DIGS) and Farnoush Reshadi (The Business School)

Mandi, India, with advisor Curtis Abel (Adjunct)

Melbourne, Australia, with advisors Lorraine Higgins (DIGS) and Mark Boyer (Adjunct)

Rabat, Morocco, with advisors Bob Hersh (DIGS) and Melissa Belz (DIGS)

San Juan, Puerto Rico, with advisors Scott Jiusto (Adjunct) and Martin Cobian (Global School)

Singapore, with advisor Greg Snoddy (Adjunct)

Taipei, Taiwan, with advisors Grant Burrier (DIGS) and Phil Hultquist (Adjunct)

Thessaloniki, Greece, with advisors Linda Looft (Adjunct) and Fred Looft (Adjunct)

Water Resource Outreach Center (Massachusetts), with advisor Corey Dehner (DIGS)

Wellington, New Zealand, with advisor Bob Kinicki (Adjunct)

Windhoek, Namibia , with advisors Tsitsi Masvawure (DIGS) and Dennis Liberatore (Adjunct)

Worcester Community Project Center (Massachusetts), with advisor Courtney Kurlanska (DIGS)

Worcester, England, with advisors Michele Femc-Bagwell (Adjunct) and Mallory Bagwell (Adjunct)

Yerevan, Armenia, with advisor Aaron Sakulich (CEAE)

Whether students are completing the HUA Requirement, Interactive Qualifying Project (IQP), or Major Qualifying Project (MQP), they have opportunities for unique academic and life experiences while working on an immersive project at a project center.

While the MQP is directly related to a student鈥檚 major, and the HUA project brings a cultural element to the work, the IQP, which represents the majority of student travel, is an interdisciplinary project in which science, technology, and society intersect. Over the course of the project, students consider how each of these factors influences the other, and they use that information to develop the most effective and valuable results.

President鈥檚 IQP Award Finalists for Academic Year 2023鈥?lt;/strong>24 Recognized

Of the hundreds of projects completed every year, some are recognized for distinctive efforts. Every January, the annual President鈥檚 IQP Awards are given to outstanding project teams from the prior academic year. The work of each of the teams gives an excellent glimpse into the variety and the depth of student work at project centers.

Behind the Frontline: Vicarious Trauma Amongst Support Staff in Victoria鈥檚 Emergency Management Sector (Melbourne, Australia)

Harmonizing Holistic Health & Disaster Relief in Puerto Rico (San Juan, Puerto Rico)

The Implementation of the XRP Curriculum in the Cerrito School of Paraguay (Asuncion, Paraguay)

T-School Hands-On Program at Soochow University (Taipei, Taiwan)

How Bazar? Creating Interactive Media to Promote Community Building (Lyon, France)

Developing a Kiwi Safety Plan for Upper Hutt, Aotearoa (Wellington, New Zealand)

Digital Heritage Preservation of the Shilin District: Conserving Taiwan鈥檚 Unique Identity (Taipei, Taiwan)

Dean Mimi Sheller to participate in Opening Plenary Panel at American Ethnological Society 2025 Archipelagos Spring conference

dfarmer — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Dean of the Global School, Mimi Sheller will participate in the opening plenary panel the American Ethnological Society (AES) spring conference, to be held at MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts, from March 20鈥?2, 2025. AES invites scholars to consider whether archipelagos and 鈥渁rchipelagic thinking鈥?can aid us to analyze pressing global challenges across cultures, geographies, climates, disciplines, and methodologies.

Archipelagos are island chains formed in a body of water from coral reefs, seafloor volcanoes, sedimentary or tectonic action, sea level rise, or human agency. Such 鈥渃hains鈥?may compose sovereign island states large and small (i.e. Indonesia; Cape Verde, Bahamas, and Maldives, etc.), territories of 鈥渕ainland鈥?nation-states (i.e. Puerto Rico, Scotland鈥檚 Shetland Islands, etc.), and components of governmental units within the nation-state, such as Boston鈥檚 Harbor Islands in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. There are also continental archipelagos like British Columbia鈥檚 Inside Passage and fabricated archipelagic island cities like Venice or Dubai鈥檚 Palm Jumeirah and World Islands.

Her session is entitled "脡douard Glissant, Archipelagic Thinking, and Contemporary Politics".

Dean Sheller to give keynote "Movement in an Age of Extremes" followed by a panel conversation: University of Oslo

dfarmer — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 12:00:00 +0000

The Department of Sociology and Human Geography at the University of Oslo is hosting the Winter Seminar in Human Geography on 12鈥?3 March 2025. The seminar is open to students, academic staff, and anyone else who engages with human geography in
their work. The Winter Seminar aims to foster open discussions among colleagues and peers from across the country. We hope that many will be inspired by the theme to organize sessions, panel discussions, and other meeting activities. The Winter Seminar is bilingual, with sessions in both English and Norwegian. The event is free of charge and includes a light lunch.

Registration link:
https://nettskjema.no/a/vinterseminarsgeo

Puerto Rico Project Center Wins Community-Based Participatory Research Grant from Sociological Initiatives Foundation

hshick — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 12:00:00 +0000

The Puerto Rico Project Center won a $24,900 Community-Based Participatory Research grant from the Sociological Initiatives Foundation. The project will map and connect "rescued schools" across Puerto Rico, clarify government processes and advocacy strategies for school ownership transfer, and increase the political influence of communities working to repurpose abandoned schools into community centers. The project is a collaboration with three rescued schools in Puerto Rico that serve as IQP sponsors and much of the grant will be facilitated through student IQPs.

The Puerto Rico Project Center is co-directed by Assistant Professor of Teaching John-Michael Davis and Instructor Scott Juisto in the Department of Integrative and Global Studies.

The grant has been published on the Sociological Initiatives Foundation website: https://www.sifoundation.org/past-grants/

Design Framework for Women and Caregiver-Centered Mobility Hubs launches

dfarmer — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 12:00:00 +0000

We鈥檙e thrilled to announce the launch of a new Design Framework for Women and Caregiver-Centered Mobility Hubs by the Shared-Use Mobility Center (SUMC) and Living Cities and Communities (LCC). Dean Mimi Sheller, an expert on Mobility Justice at WPI, served as a leader in the field who gave input to the project. Vinnova, the Swedish Innovation Agency, and the Equitable Transportation Fund (a project of the Global Philanthropy Partnership) provided the funds for this project.

To join the conversation and learn more about this project, register here for our webinar on March 6th.

Project Website

Download the Design Framework Slide Deck

Download the Project Final Report

Pandemic (Im)mobilties, a new edited book by Dean Mimi Sheller

dfarmer — Wed, 19 Feb 2025 12:00:00 +0000

In the book, Pandemic (Im)mobilities, leading social science and humanities contributors in the field of mobilities research address the multiple issues generated by the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermaths. Contributors examine how the pandemic intensified the existing and uneven ways that we move at multiple scales, from the mobilities of viruses to global planetary movements.

As the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, or COVID-19 pandemic swept around the world, outpacing public health efforts to contain it, many everyday human mobilities were brought to an abrupt halt in the emergency, while others were drastically reorganized. Viral mobilities unleashed not just a disruption of human mobilities, but also a vast intensification of the existing and uneven ways that we move or don鈥檛 move: such as in the contexts of tourism and international travel; in how mobilities are governed in cities, or through migration controls at and away from borders; in relation to climate change policies and transitions to net zero; in forms of transportation through which everyday life and work practices are undertaken and reproduced and, ultimately, in the way mobility is (re)valued and felt during and after a global crisis. Chapters in this book address the multiple issues generated by the pandemic and its relation to complex (im)mobilities and the ways they are governed and lived, at many scales, as well as deeper theoretical and methodological issues that arise, such as how to tell stories and visualise (im)mobilities of life under lockdown.

Stigma Damages: A podcast featuring Dean Mimi Sheller

dfarmer — Wed, 19 Feb 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Dean of The Global School, Mimi Sheller, is the featured guest in a new episode of Stigma Damages, a podcast by Irish artist Michele Horrigan, whose work has centered on narratives of place, dwelling, and environment, with a focus on ecological issues.

The episode is a conversation about the impact of the aluminum industry. Sheller talks about the mobilization of modern life in the twentieth century that resulted from the industry鈥檚 advancement; aluminum鈥檚 importance in technology, innovation, architecture, and design; as well as societal impacts such as the struggle for sovereignty and resource control in the Caribbean and elsewhere, and environmental and health concerns near sites associated with the global industry. The episode explores how growth in the aluminum industry created discussions about modernity, economic impacts, resource extraction, and pollution.

Sheller also discusses the genesis and trajectory of her research into bauxite(a raw material for aluminum) mining and the aluminum industry, as well as the outlook for new industrial processes to address societal impacts. She is the author of Aluminum Dreams: The Making of Light Modernity, a book on the cultural impacts of the aluminum industry, which was published in 2014.

Listen to the podcast here by clicking on the link to Episode 2: Mimi Sheller.

2024 President鈥檚 IQP Award Results

ksmangone — Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:00:00 +0000

City of Worcester Vision Zero Safety Action Plan now out for public review

dfarmer — Mon, 03 Feb 2025 12:00:00 +0000

The City of Worcester Vision Zero Safety Action Plan is now out for public review. Dean Mimi Sheller served on the Vision Zero Community Working Group that contributed to the plan. The draft and appendices can be found on the city website at Vision Zero | City of Worcester, MA. You will also find a link to a comment form in the same location. The City is seeking public comment and will host an in person public meeting on February 3rd at the Senior Center at 6 p.m. and a virtual meeting on February 6th.

Vision Zero is the concept that all deaths and serious injuries on our roadways are preventable. We encourage everyone to read and comment on the draft Vision Zero plan for the City of Worcester. It's long but well-organized with excellent graphics and plain language. It's exciting and welcome to see the City take this big step toward making our roadways safer.

Dean Sheller also served on the Worcester Mobility Action Plan Working Group, which recently released its plans for improving mobility, safe streets, and accessibility in Worcester, MA. The City encourages you to also review the Mobility Action Plan, available here at the webpage of the Department of Transportation and Mobility.

The MAP is Worcester's first ever long-range transportation plan. The plan was presented to City Council on January 21 and was referred to both the Traffic and Parking Committee and Public Works Committee for public hearings.

WPI CCAN research team working with partners on Heat Adaptation Strategies in Puerto Rico

dfarmer — Wed, 29 Jan 2025 12:00:00 +0000

The Caribbean Climate Adaptation Network (CCAN), a NOAA Caribbean Climate Adaptation Partnerships (CAP) team, will partner with the National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) Heat Tabletop Exercise Planning Challenge. CCAN supported a Situational Manual submitted by Shirley Esquilin and Liza Millan with the Puerto Rico Department of Health titled, 鈥淪corched and Stressed: A Sizzling Scenario.鈥?This milestone continues the work on heat adaptation in Puerto Rico and developing Heat Adaptation strategies.

Where in the World Are Students in C-Term 鈥?5?

jaquinnszcesuil — Wed, 22 Jan 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Nearly 250 students are working throughout C-Term 2025 at a dozen project centers as part of WPI鈥檚 Global Projects Program. At various times during the year, students travel to one of more than 50 project centers to complete work for an Interactive Qualifying Project (IQP), Major Qualifying Project (MQP), Humanities & Arts requirement, or independent study.

Students gain valuable and lasting impact from a project in any location, and each project center offers a different experience. This C-Term, seven project teams will work at the Bangkok Project Center. While most students typically spend a B-Term course focused on research methods and project preparation, the Bangkok cohort also learns about the language and culture of the host location where they will complete a project.

鈥淪tudents take Thai language and culture lessons in A- and B-Term prior to their travel to Thailand,鈥?says Esther Boucher-Yip, professor of teaching in the Department of Humanities and Arts and an advisor at the Bangkok Project Center. She notes the lessons are tailored to the custom learning needs of the students while they are at the project center which opened more than 30 years ago.

Once in Thailand, project teams include both WPI students and local students from Chulalongkorn University, so knowledge of the language and culture eases communication. This team model is unique to the Bangkok Project Center, says Boucher-Yip. 鈥淲PI and Chulalongkorn undergraduates prepare for the project experience in a very similar way,鈥?she says. 鈥淏oth groups learn about the projects and complete a proposal separately, and when they meet in C-Term, they share their ideas and interpretation of the project problem and proceed as one team. Working with Thai students allows WPI students to gain an insider perspective of the local issues and how consideration of culture and the community needs impact the 'solutions' or recommendations or deliverables the team makes.鈥?amp;nbsp;

No matter where they are, project teams gain valuable skills they bring with them into their personal and professional lives. From the first project center opening 50 years ago, project center work often fosters lasting relationships with other students and community partners and cultivates cross-cultural communication skills that last a lifetime.

C-Term Interactive Qualifying Projects

Bangkok, Thailand Project Center with advisors Esther Boucher-Yip (HUA) and Caitlin Neer (formerly Keller) (ATC)

Cuenca, Ecuador Project Center with advisors Ulrike Brisson (Adjunct) and Guilherme Dourado (Contingent)

Ghana Project Center: Development Design Lab with advisors Kwabena Kyei-Aboagye (Adjunct) and Aubrey Graham (Grad Student Adjunct)

Hawaii Project Center with advisors Lauren Mathews (BBT) and Suzanne LePage (CEE)

Hong Kong, China Project Center with advisors John Lindholm (Adjunct) and Clare Gillis (Adjunct)

London, England Project Center with advisors Rick Vaz (Adjunct) and Chrys Demetry (Adjunct)

Monteverde, Costa Rica Project Center with advisors Holly Ault (Adjunct) and Caitlin Ferrarini (DIGS)

San Jose, Costa Rica Project Center with advisors Kim Hollan (School of Eng) and Jim Chiarelli (DIGS)

San Juan, Puerto Rico Project Center with advisors John-Michael Davis (DIGS) and Jessica Santos (Adjunct)

Wellington, New Zealand Project Center with advisors Ingrid Shockey (DIGS) and Bob Kinicki (Adjunct)

Worcester Community Project Center (Massachusetts) with advisor Laura Roberts (DIGS)

C-Term Major Qualifying Project

Nancy, France Project Center with advisor Steve Kmiotek (ChE)

Dean Mimi Sheller featured on Tourism Geographies Podcast

dfarmer — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 12:00:00 +0000

This commentary reflects on the geopolitical and the kinopolitical intersections of tourist places, performances, and placemaking. All tourism can be said to be geopolitical, as well as kinopolitical. Tourism involves uneven relations of (im)mobilities that are shaped by and shaping of state power, state borders, national identities, and political alliance and conflicts. Geopolitical relations affect who can 鈥榩lay鈥?at being a tourist, where they can play, and how places rise and fall in the geopolitical theatre of desirability, security, and affordability for different types of tourism. Kinopolitical relations affect how these relations play out in actual places and embodied performances. The current inequalities of the global economy foster geopolitically uneven tourism constellations, with crucial societal and ecological impacts that are the core question of the future of tourism within a system of kino-geopolitics.

Listen Here: https://shows.acast.com/tourism-geographiess-podcast/episodes/tourism-at-the-end-of-the-world-places-to-play-as-kinopoliti

Finalists for 2024 President's IQP Awards

ksmangone — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Please join us in congratulating the five finalists for

2024 Presidents IQP Award

(and please share with students!)

Behind the Frontline: Vicarious Trauma Amongst Support

Staff in Victoria's Emergency Management Sector

Students: Hunter Daris (AE), Ella Devault (CE), Gavin George (FT),

Federico Lenson (ME& Physics)

Faculty Advisors: Jonathan Chee and Lorraine Higgins

Harmonizing Holistic Health & Disaster Relief in Puerto Rico

Students: Ian Cody (AE), Mya Darrow (CHE),

Katelyn Lunny (BME), Naomi Treto (CS)

Faculty Advisors: Grant Burrier and Scott Jiusto

The Implementation of the XRP Curriculum

in the Cerrito School of Paraguay

Students: Andrew Cunningham (ME), Hillary Quezada (CE),

Luca Scotto (AE), Avila Thompson (MGE)

Faculty Advisors: Dorothy Burt and Lina Munoz Marquez

T-School Hands-On Program at Soochow University

Students: Spencer Dill (CS), Eleanor Foley (CS),

Sakshi Gauro (RBE), Jakub Jandus (RBE)

Faculty Advisors: Wen-Hua Du and Robert Kinicki

How Bazar? Creating Interactive Media

to Promote Community Building

Students:) Peter Allen (BC), Marley Fortune (ECE), Annabelle Mullins (BC),

Camille Prats (IMGD), Colette Scott (RBE &CS)

Faculty Advisors: Grant Burrier and Tahar El-Korchi

We would also like to acknowledge these two projects for honorable mention

Developing a Kiwi Safety Plan for Upper Hutt, Aotearoa

Students: William Brownell (CHE), Seth Frank (CS ), Domenic Sena ( ECE ),

Paige Sommers (BME), William Brownell (CHE)

Advisors: Leslie Dodson and Ken Stafford

Digital Heritage Preservation of the Shilin District:

Conserving Taiwan鈥檚 Unique Identity

Students: Will Buchta (CS/ECE), Rose Strobel (CS),

Hannah Moran (MIS), Alexis Vilmenay (AEE)

Advisors: Wen-Hua Du and Robert Kinicki

Please Join Us

2024 President鈥檚 IQP Award Finalist Presentations

Friday, 31 January 2025

Campus Center Odeum

1:30pm

RSVP rmckeogh@wpi.edu

The Global School would like to thank the faculty committee for its review of the submitted projects and the selection of the finalists.

Dr. Sarah Stanlick, Dept of Integrative and Global Studies Professor to present at New England Commission of Higher Ed (NECHE)

dfarmer — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Dr. Sarah Stanlick, Professor in the Department of Integrative and Global Studies (DIGS) will present 'Project-based Global & Civic Learning Across STEM: Examples from Worcester Polytechnic Institute' at New England Commission of Higher Ed (NECHE) annual meeting on December 5th. Professor Stanlick directs WPI鈥檚 signature first-year experience program, the Great Problems Seminar. She is also responsible for the delivery and support of global project-based learning through the Global Projects Program and teaches social science research methods for students of all backgrounds and majors in preparation for engaged, project-based global learning as a graduation requirement. She will discuss the institution's unique commitment to global learning for all of its students and the connection to civic learning and global citizenship identity development.