WPI Announcements RSS Feed

WPI Breakthrough in Sustainable Magnesium Manufacturing Recognized with $50,000 Award

cbwamback — Thu, 25 Sep 2025 12:00:00 +0000

A company spun off from WPI-developed technology captured the top prize at the second annual Massachusetts Climatetech Studio Showcase, held during Startup Boston Week, Sept. 8鈥?2, 2025. Thalon Materials is built on a clean, cost-competitive magnesium metal production process developed by Adam Powell, associate professor in the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering.

The showcase, hosted by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) and FedTech, paired entrepreneurial teams with patented climate-related technologies to explore commercialization opportunities. Thalon Materials, founded by entrepreneurs Nuha Abousam and Travis Hampton and based on Powell鈥檚 breakthrough magnesium metal production process, distinguished itself for its strong market potential and its ability to advance the Massachusetts clean energy economy.

Magnesium metal is about one-third less dense than aluminum, with better stiffness-to-weight and strength-to-weight ratios than aluminum or steel, making it ideal for lightweight vehicles, aerospace components, and other critical applications. However, high costs and China鈥檚 dominance of the industry have limited its widespread use in the United States. Using Powell鈥檚 patented electrolysis process, Thalon Materials could produce magnesium at lower cost while also reducing by more than fivefold the toxic by-products that result from the process used by the industry in China.

鈥淚t was a privilege to be selected for the Climatetech Studio program and matched with Nuha and Travis, who are sprinting ahead with this project,鈥?said Powell. 鈥淭hey did a terrific job advancing this work, and this generous award from MassCEC and FedTech will help the company to start on the journey toward realizing the potential of this work.鈥?lt;/span>

As the first-place team, Thalon Materials received a $50,000 award and is now eligible for MassCEC and FedTech鈥檚 alumni services, which will provide ongoing mentorship, resources, and industry connections.

From Classroom to the Commonwealth: WPI Graduate Students Land Roles at Mass. Tech Agency After Project Success

leckelbecker — Tue, 05 Aug 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Three Worcester Polytechnic Institute graduate students from the Data Science and Artificial Intelligence programs have turned their classroom experience into full-time success after serving as standout contributors on the university鈥檚 synthetic data generation team for their Graduate Qualifying Project (GQP).

Steffi Dorothy

Ahmad Seayar Sroosh

Yash Malviya

Innovative work by Yash Malviya, MS 鈥?5; Steffi Dorothy, MS 鈥?5; and Ahmad Seayar Sroosh, MS 鈥?5, caught the attention of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Technology Services and Security (EOTSS), which recently hired all three as full-time data and AI product analysts. EOTSS is the state鈥檚 lead enterprise technology organization, overseeing digital infrastructure and services, security operations, and information security and risk management for more than 125 state agencies.

Chun-Kit (Ben) Ngan, associate teaching professor in the Department of Data Science, explains, 鈥淭he students tackled complex challenges around generating synthetic data to support safer privacy-preserving innovation in state technology systems. The work was part of their GQP, the capstone experience we offer to all data science and AI master鈥檚 students at WPI through industry-university partnerships.鈥?lt;/span>

Working closely with EOTSS stakeholders and faculty mentors Ngan and Fatemeh Emdad, a teaching professor in the Department of Data Science, the students applied cutting-edge AI techniques to create scalable, ethical data solutions for government use.

鈥淭heir success wasn鈥檛 just academic鈥攊t was transformative,鈥?says Emdad. 鈥淓ach student demonstrated a rare blend of technical expertise, collaborative spirit, and real-world problem-solving that impressed EOTSS leaders. As a result, what began as a capstone project became a career launchpad.鈥?lt;/span>

At EOTSS, the trio is helping to drive data modernization efforts and build smarter, more secure digital services for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

WPI Welcomes Laura Martinez as Director of Government & Community Relations

cbwamback — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 12:00:00 +0000

WPI is pleased to announce that Laura Martinez has joined WPI鈥檚 External Relations team as Director of Government & Community Relations. In this role, Laura will help strengthen and manage WPI鈥檚 relationships with local and state officials and community stakeholders. She will serve as a key liaison between WPI, elected officials, community leaders, and advocacy groups, fostering partnerships that support WPI鈥檚 mission and strategic goals.

Laura brings a wealth of experience in government and community engagement. She is the founder of Mart Consulting LLC, a Worcester-based firm specializing in collaborating with community groups and government offices to develop and implement health equity strategies. Her background in advocacy and public affairs makes her a valuable addition to WPI as the university continues to expand its community impact and engagement efforts.

A native of Worcester, Laura received her undergraduate degree in business administration from Worcester State University and her master鈥檚 in project management from Georgetown University.

Please join us in welcoming Laura to WPI. We are excited to have her on board and look forward to the positive contributions she will make to our university and the greater Worcester community.

2024 Year in Review: External Relations Newsletter

dmulcare — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Beyond These Towers Presidential Event Series 2024 - 2025

avalley — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Beyond These Towers: A Presidential Event Series

Over the course of the 2024 - 2025 academic year, President Grace Wang will make stops across the country to meet alumni, donors, and friends and engage them in conversation about WPI's bright future. We invite you to be part of these special opportunities to connect with President Wang and other members of our WPI community.

At each event, President Wang will share her vision for how WPI will become an even more empowering, leading-edge, and inclusive STEM institution. With focus on providing a transformative STEM education, bolstering impact-driven research, innovation, and entrepreneurship, and fostering an immersive campus experience, WPI will reach even greater heights.

2024 - 2025 Series Locations:

Boston, Massachusetts 鈬?Event Photos
November 19, 2024

Naples, Florida 鈬?Event Photos
Thursday, January 23, 2025
Hosted by Corinna and Greg Tucker '92, WPI Trustee

San Diego, California
Monday, February 3, 2025 鈬?THIS EVENT IS POSTPONED
The San Diego Air and Space Museum

Seattle, Washington 鈬?Event Photos
Thursday, February 6, 2025
Amazon Headquarters - South Lake Union

San Carlos, California 鈬?Event Photos
March 26, 2025
Hiller Aviation Museum

Worcester, Massachusetts
Thursday, May 22, 2025

Check out photos from the 2023 - 2024 series:

New York, New York
Norwood, Massachusetts
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
Longboard Key, Florida
Naples, Florida
Beverly Hills, California
Pasadena, California
Mountain View, California
San Franscico, California
Houston, Texas

Health Care Innovation Updates: External Relations Newsletter

dmulcare — Tue, 22 Oct 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Climatech Updates: External Relations Newsletter

dmulcare — Wed, 17 Jul 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Clean Tech Companies with WPI Ties Recognized in TIME Magazine and at the State House

cbwamback — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Worcester Polytechnic Institute鈥檚 prowess on advancing sustainability and innovation in the Clean Tech/Climate Tech sector was on display at a recent event at the Massachusetts State House. Five companies with ties to WPI were honored by Governor Maura Healey, Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll, and other state leaders for being named to TIME magazine鈥檚 list of America鈥檚 Top Green Tech Companies of 2024.

WPI Professor Yan Wang, second from right, is honored at the Massachusetts State House.House.

The 250 sustainability-focused companies were ranked based on their positive environmental impact, financial strength, and innovation. Ascend Elements, co-founded by Yan Wang, the William B. Smith Professor of Mechanical Engineering, came in at No. 10 on the list. AM Batteries, also co-founded by Wang, was listed at No. 179.

Three other companies founded by people with WPI connections were named to TIME's list:

Heirloom Carbon, No. 43 - Noah McQueen, a former doctoral student, is co-founder and head of innovation.
Verdox, No. 60 - Sahag Voskian '11 is co-founder and chief science officer.
Aclarity, No. 96 - Julie Mullen '12 is founder and chief executive officer.

Leading the Way in Robotics: External Relations Newsletter

dmulcare — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 12:00:00 +0000

National Engineers Week at WPI: Teradyne Supports STEM Outreach

creidy — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 12:00:00 +0000

National Engineers Week is one of the largest annual STEM events in the United States. Millions of students are engaged in engineering every year by individual volunteers and educators, technology companies, universities, museums, libraries, and community organizations at events throughout the US and around the world.

The 2024 theme, 鈥淲elcome to the Future鈥? celebrated and embraced the achievements of our current leaders in engineering while paving the way for the future by sparking curiosity and inspiring the next generation of innovators.

At WPI, two events were held during National Engineers week and February K-12 school break: Engineers on the Go & Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day. Both events were sponsored by our partners at Teradyne who are deeply engaged in STEM outreach at WPI throughout the year with the Engineering Ambassadors Program, Girls Who Code, Women鈥檚 Research and Mentorship Program (WRAMP) and the Summer Scholars Program.

During these events, students from local Worcester elementary schools were invited by WPI鈥檚 Pre-Collegiate Outreach Programs (POP) team to learn about the engineering design process from WPI Engineering Ambassadors and to take part in hands-on-activities led by Biomedical Engineering Graduate students and WPI鈥檚 High Power Rocketry Club.

Over 180 elementary school students attended the National Engineers Week events held in WPI鈥檚 Rubin Campus Center Odeum on Monday, February 19th, and Tuesday, February 20th. The events on both days were kicked off with a presentation led by WPI Engineering Ambassadors who welcomed students with warm and lighthearted introductions. One ambassador in particular, Fatimah Daffaie (junior in Biomedical Engineering), made herself relatable by sharing her passion for LEGO as well as a picture of herself as a young girl dressed as a Disney princess. This allowed the students to see her not only as a Biomedical Engineer but also as a person like themselves.

The ambassadors gave the presentation in pairs and worked together to seamlessly weave personal elements into a talk that covered the fundamentals of engineering: what an engineer does, the different types of engineers, and finally how to become an engineer. At the end of the talk and on the count of three Fatimah invited the students to join her in shouting, 鈥淲e are engineers!鈥?

Over the microphone, announcements were made instructing students to move to activity stations cleverly color coded to match their name badges and dividing them into four large groups. The stations, four in total, were laid out in u-shape configurations covered in yellow, blue, green, and red tablecloths.

The red 鈥渟cribble bots鈥?station taught the students the concepts behind direct current (DC) motors and how engineers use them in a variety of devices, from refrigerators to life saving robots. The activity also taught the students how to use the DC motors for fun by making a scribble bot.

Engineering Ambassadors worked with the students to construct the scribble bots using pool noodles, markers, tape, and an electric toothbrush - which would serve as their DC motor. For the finishing touches they were given googly eyes and pipe cleaners to customize their bots.

To 鈥渢est鈥?the scribble bots, students walked to an area where a large sheet of paper was taped to the floor. They set their bots down, powered them on and a kaleidoscope of scribble bots danced across the paper in circles. A few tipped over or moved diagonally which had those students asking the question, 鈥淢ine doesn鈥檛 move in circles, what did I do wrong?鈥?amp;nbsp;

This is the 鈥渁h-ha鈥?moment where the ambassadors and POP team get to explain the impact of design and, in this case, weight distribution on the movement of the bot. At the end of the activity students were given zip lock bags to bring their bots home to share with their loved ones.

The yellow 鈥淢akey Makey鈥?station taught students the concepts of electricity and circuits, how engineers use electricity to power circuits, and how those power the many different devices in our world.

At this station students used everyday objects to connect to a piano keyboard displayed on a laptop. Using a circuit board, alligator clips, a rubber glove, copper tape, and a USB cable, they used closed-loop electrical signals to send the computer a keyboard stroke that played a musical note on the piano keys displayed on a laptop,

Throughout the course of two days, students and ambassadors uncovered an unexpected outcome, students with braces did not need the copper tape, they were natural conductors!

The green 鈥渆gg drop鈥?station taught the students the concepts of gravity, force, acceleration, and momentum used in Aerospace Engineering. In this activity students designed a Lander for their teams鈥?鈥渆gg-stronaut鈥?with WPI鈥檚 High Power Rocketry Club.

Working in teams and using materials such as straws, popsicle sticks, paper cups, tape, an egg, and a bag, students designed a Lander that would be dropped from an 8-foot ladder by an HPRC team member. At the end of the design phase, each team鈥檚 Lander was tested by a WPI student climbing atop the ladder and shouting 鈥?-2-1鈥?before dropping them.

Some egg-stronauts survived and some did not. Regardless of the outcome, all the students were encouraged to complete a final worksheet to explore what materials worked best, what materials were not as helpful and what they might change in the design if they did this activity again.

The blue 鈥渉eart valve鈥?station, was led by WPI Biomedical Engineering students and taught the concepts of designing, constructing, and implanting an artificial heart valve.

In this activity, students worked in teams using a cardboard box containing two chambers and materials such as popsicle sticks, tape, and construction paper to build a valve that would allow red beads to only flow in one direction - mimicking the function of a heart valve in the human body.

The end of each day was marked by a Pre-Collegiate Outreach Programs (POP) team member jumping on the microphone to ask the students four very important questions: 1) Who learned something new? 2) Who faced new challenges? 3) How did they overcome those challenges? And 4) what was their favorite station?

One by one the students raised their hands and volunteered their answers. The resounding theme was that the design process, although sometimes difficult, was made easier by working together, learning from failure, and asking questions. Also, the scribble bots and egg drop activities reigned supreme this year.

Our favorite part however was seeing the new friendships formed from a day of working in teams and hearing students across both days and from varied backgrounds saying the same things, 鈥淚 want to go to WPI," or 鈥淚 want to be an Engineer and I can see myself doing this one day鈥?

Thank you to our partners at Teradyne for sponsoring the National Engineers Week events at WPI!

Sponsor Pre-Collegiate Outreach Programs at WPI: /academics/pre-collegiate

Partner with External Relations & Partnerships at WPI: /offices/external-relations

WPI Engineering Ambassadors Promote STEM and Systems Engineering to Middle School Students

creidy — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 12:00:00 +0000

The Engineering Ambassadors Network (EAN) is a collaboration of engineering and STEM organizations from universities and colleges across the United States.鈥疻PI was one of the four founding schools of the Engineering Ambassadors program, developed in鈥?011鈥痶o address the challenges today's organizations face to recruit diverse, top-notch STEM engineering talent. The network has grown to 39 programs nationwide.

Through WPI鈥檚 participation in the program, more than 22,000 students (about the seating capacity of Madison Square Garden) have been impacted by the STEM outreach activities offered by WPI Engineering Ambassadors. The presentations and hands-on activities serve as an eye-opener to young students on how engineering is intertwined with all facets of modern life. As a recent example, the Engineering Ambassadors offered a special program on Systems Engineering sponsored by the New England Chapter of INCOSE (International Council on Systems Engineering) in February 2024.

Systems engineering is an interdisciplinary field of engineering and engineering management that focuses on how to design, integrate, and manage complex systems over their life cycles. At its core, systems engineering utilizes systems thinking principles to organize this body of knowledge.

The New England Chapter of INCOSE exists to bring like-minded people together to celebrate and further Systems Engineering and Systems Engineers. They currently support Engineering Ambassador programs at both WPI and UConn.

From Left to Right: Peter Huie (External Relations), Tia Lee, Mikaela Milch, Fatimah Daffaie, Taya Yakovenko

Engineering Ambassadors Systems Engineering Special Program at WPI

100 students from Quinsigamond Elementary School visited the WPI campus in two groups during the week of February 5th, 2024, to learn about STEM and Systems Engineering. In typical fashion, the students arrived at the Rubin Campus Center Haglund Room bursting with questions about the autonomous robots they saw moving across campus. WPI Engineering Ambassadors, Taya Yakovenko (senior in Mathematical Sciences), and Fatimah Daffaie (junior in Biomedical Engineering), skillfully directed their excitement over the robots to the Systems Engineering presentation.

Using the assertion-evidence approach, Fatimah and Taya were able to actively engage students in a technical conversation and invited them to become Systems Engineers through an exercise that captivated their imaginations by creating an assembly line where they worked with their families and friends to build a large meal.

A hands-on activity, led by Tia Lee (senior in Mechanical Engineering) and Mikaela Milch a (senior in Computer Science and Data Science) connected the prevalence of Systems Engineering to Taya and Fatimah鈥檚 presentation. In this activity, students worked in teams to figure out a Systems Engineering approach for assembling food packages for delivery. Through the activity, the Ambassadors worked hand in hand with Quinsigamond educators to help the students understand how the concepts used in the activity applied to Systems Engineering.

Following the hands-on activity, WPI Engineering Ambassador Emma St. Clair (sophomore in Mechanical Engineering) provided a college readiness talk that allowed the students to imagine a typical day in the life of a college student at a STEM university. The program, as always, culminated in an ambassador led campus tour where students were able to experience campus life firsthand and say farewell to the beloved Gompei statue overlooking the WPI Quadrangle.

Engineering Ambassadors is a professional organization with an outreach mission. The hope is that someday these same Quinsigamond students will return to campus to cross the bridge as first year students and become Systems Engineers after crossing the bridge at graduation.

Partner with WPI today to sponsor the Engineering Ambassador program: /offices/external-relations/corporate-relations/employers-partners/engineering-ambassadors

Learn more about partnering with External Relations at WPI: /offices/external-relations鈥?lt;/span>

Learn more about Systems Engineering at WPI: /academics/departments/systems-engineering

Learn more about the New England Chapter of INCOSE (International Council on Systems Engineering): https://www.neincose.org/

Can Data Collected at the NFL Combine Predict In-Game Performance?

creidy — Wed, 07 Feb 2024 12:00:00 +0000

The University Advancement External Relations Team would like to highlight the first-ever collaboration between WPI and the National Football League where a group of students recently completed a Master Qualifying Project that analyzed whether data collected during the league鈥檚 main scouting event could accurately predict how wide receivers performed during real games.

Matthew Dzwil '23, Mia Hopman '23, and Katie Houskeeper '23, with mentorship from Associate Professor of Data Science and Computer Science Yanhua Li, and Assistant Professor Kenny Ching of The Business School, worked with the NFL central office in New York City to determine whether player-movement metrics from the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine could accurately predict in-game performance.

They examined positional data gathered at tenth-of-a-second intervals by a radio frequency identification tracking device located on the players' shoulder pads. Working with NFL Data Scientist Tom Bliss and Senior Director of Football Data and Analytics Michael Lopez, the MQP team successfully developed a systematic approach to preprocessing data that uses specific thresholds to identify and segment drills.

鈥淲e manipulated data that provided valuable insights on NFL player combine movements and how those movements compared to in-game movements, plus we provided recommendations to the NFL on how data collection could be improved in future years,鈥?says Housekeeper 鈥?3.

鈥淭he students did exceptionally well present the project to their NFL sponsors,鈥?says Executive Director of Corporate Partnerships Dave Ortendahl. 鈥淭hey expertly answered questions from the field of professionals, which included Clark Ewen 鈥?0, who is currently a football data and innovation analyst with the New York Giants.鈥?amp;nbsp;

The project provided the students with invaluable insight into the challenges of working with highly variable, real-world data. And the knowledge and skills they acquired through this project have positively impacted their lives already: Houskeeper earned her MS in business analytics and is currently a business analyst with DraftKings; Dzwill earned his MS in data science and is currently a software engineer with Juniper Networks; and Hopman is working on her MS in data science while working as a data scientist at Hologic.

Learn more about this project in the WPI Journal: Predicting NFL Player Performance 鈥?WPI Journal

Learn more about Sponsoring Student Projects at WPI: /offices/external-relations/corporate-relations/employers-partners/sponsor-student-project

Learn more about partnering with External Relations at WPI: /offices/external-relations

2023 Year in Review: External Relations Newsletter

dmulcare — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Student Project Helps Worcester Residents Find Affordable Housing

ajdealy — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 12:00:00 +0000

The University Advancement External Relations Team would like to highlight Jack Hoover, a recent WPI Civil Engineering graduate and student worker for the team. During his final term at WPI, Jack, along with his group members Philip Bui (Computer Science), Hasan Gandor (Computer Science), and Tyler Jordan (Industrial Engineering), delivered an outstanding Major Qualifying Project (MQP). Jack鈥檚 project, Worcester PermitPro, serves as a software solution to the City of Worcester and other city stakeholders to alleviate the stress of finding affordable housing in the area, while utilizing technological elements such as blockchain, artificial intelligence, visualization mapping, and meta-analysis for convenience and efficiency.

The project was sponsored by the City of Worcester Executive Office of Economic Development and the Worcester FAB (Fintech, AI, and Blockchain) Lab for Social Good. The project's purpose was to display a commitment to social impact, along with innovative ways for the community to navigate the uprising concerns of finding affordable housing. The project鈥檚 purpose stems from the value of community 鈥?something that is not only impactful to the City of Worcester, but also something that sparks a lot of the work done by the WPI External Relations Team. This innovative new software developed by Jack and his team will certainly make a lasting impact within the community WPI resides in and will allow for future collaboration between Worcester and future WPI students.

Jack also shared some insights as to how his experience as a student worker for the External Relations Team translated into the work needed for the MQP. Specifically, Jack mentioned that he learned the importance of building mutually beneficial connections, as his primary role was to identify and evaluate potential WPI alumni holding executive positions in companies of interest. This work allowed WPI to provide value to other parties and share goals and collaborative initiatives. Using this expertise, Jack realized that while managing the creation of blockchain and artificial intelligence, the thought of stakeholder interests 鈥?especially those needing affordable housing 鈥?was always at the forefront of the project strategy. The WPI External Relations Team is grateful to have worked with and learned from Jack. The team extends sincerest gratitude and endless success to Jack as he begins this new post-graduate journey.

Learn more about partnering with External Relations at WPI: /offices/external-relations

Beyond These Towers: Data Science & AI in Our Lives

avalley — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Beyond These Towers: Data Science & AI in Our Lives

Our Beyond These Towers presidential event series kicked off on November 30 in New York City.

President Wang, our faculty, administrators, and speakers enjoyed connecting with alumni and friends and sharing how WPI鈥檚 important and impactful contributions using data science and artificial intelligence are having a dramatic positive effect on our lives.

The event featured panelists Andreea Bodnari '10, Vice President of AI Products in Strategy & Innovation for @UnitedHealth Group; John Manning '80, Chief Operating Officer and Corporate Chief of Staff for Vanderbilt University Medical Center; Elke Rundensteiner, Professor, Computer Science & Program Head, Data Science, and Fatemeh Ganji, Assistant Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering. The panel was moderated by Jean King, Peterson Family Dean of Arts & Sciences.

See photos from the event here!

WPI is uniquely positioned to address complex, intractable problems, and together, we can work towards an even brighter future. To learn more about the ways WPI is making an impact, check out the stories linked below.

Some Highlights of WPI's Impact Using Data Science and Artificial Intelligence

Expanding access to quality care and improving healthcare outcomes
Disrupting human and wildlife trafficking
Helping nonprofits find resources and talent and creating community connections
Guiding policymakers through contributing factors that led to a decline in middle school math achievement during the pandemic
Screening voice recordings for signs that a speaker is depressed

Beyond These Towers: Advanced Materials & Manufacturing Changing Our Lives

avalley — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Beyond These Towers: Advanced Materials & Manufacturing Changing Our Lives

The second event in our Beyond These Towers presidential event series took place on December 6 in Norwood, MA.

President Wang, our faculty, administrators, and speakers enjoyed connecting with alumni and friends and sharing how WPI鈥檚 important and impactful contributions using advanced materials and manufacturing are having a dramatic positive effect on our lives.

The event featured panelists Julie Bliss Mullen BA鈥?2, BS鈥?3, Chief Executive Officer of Aclarity; John Biagioni MS'03, President of Lampin Corporation; Danielle Cote MS'10 PhD'14, Harold L. Jurist '61 and Heather E. Jurist Dean's Professor and Assistant Professor of Mechanical and Materials Engineering; and Nima Rahbar, Ralph H. White Family Professor of Engineering and Professor of Civil, Environmental & Architectural Engineering. The panel was moderated by John McNeill, Bernard M. Gordon Dean of Engineering.

See photos from the event here!

Some Highlights of WPI's Impact in Advanced Manufacturing and Materials

A low-cost alternative to concrete鈥攐ne of the largest contributors to climate change鈥攖hat absorbs CO2 during its formation
3D printing technology for the repair of military vehicles and equipment in the field that could increase the readiness of military vehicles and other units
A solvent-free process to manufacture lithium-ion battery electrodes that are greener, cheaper, and charge faster, an advance that could improve the manufacturing of batteries for electric vehicles
Discoveries that could lead to next-generation targeted treatments for cancer

Beyond These Towers: A Presidential Event Series

avalley — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Beyond These Towers: A Presidential Event Series

Over the course of this academic year, President Grace Wang will be making stops across the country for a series of special WPI events that, while also providing alumni and friends with an opportunity to meet her and learn about her vision for WPI's future, will shine a light on WPI鈥檚 expertise in various research areas and industries.

In her first several months at the helm, President Wang has homed in on the tremendous opportunities that lay before us. At the intersections of life sciences and biotechnology, advanced sustainable materials and manufacturing, and AI, data science, and robotics, WPI is poised to offer solutions to the significant challenges facing our society and our planet.

The 2023-2024 series has concluded. Stay tuned for information on cities President Wang will visit during the 2024-2025 academic year.

Past events were held in:

New York, New York 鈬? Event Photos
Norwood, Massachusetts 鈬? Event Photos
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 鈬? Event Photos
Longboat Key, Florida 鈬? Event Photos
Naples, Florida 鈬? Event Photos
Beverly Hills, California 鈬? Event Photos
Pasadena, California at The Jet Propulsion Laboratory 鈬? Event Photos
Mountain View, California at The Computer History Museum 鈬? Event Photos
San Francisco, California at the California Academy of Sciences 鈬? Event Photos
Houston, Texas 鈬? Event Photos

Spring 2023: External Relations Newsletter

dmulcare — Wed, 12 Apr 2023 12:00:00 +0000

March Madness at WPI Seaport

creidy — Fri, 03 Mar 2023 12:00:00 +0000

WPI Seaport

March madness isn't just for basketball! The next few weeks at WPI Seaport are filling up with community activities ranging from fintech to games to startups.

Check-out the lineup for March 2023!

March 17th: Mass FinTech Hub Quarterly Meeting

Professors Rob Sarnie and Marcel Blais from the WPI Business School are keeping up to speed on the future of Fintech in MA by participating in the Mass FinTech Hub working group along with executives from Putnam, Fidelity, John Hancock, Fintech Sandbox, Mass Mutual, Universities, Mass Challenge, Mass Tech and many more! *please note, this is invitation only*

March 23rd: MassDigi Made in MA at PAX East 2023 Party!

MassDigi and WPI IMGD are kicking off PAX East with the annual Made in MA party where WPI, UConn and Clark students will showcase their games along with several games' studios.

Join a fun night of games with friends from across MA by registering here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/made-in-ma-at-pax-east-2023-party-tickets-523046234367

March 29th: WPI Chemical Engineering Graduate Organization Alumni Panel & Networking Event

The WPI Chemical Engineering Graduate Organization (CEGO) is hosting an event in collaboration with WPI Chemical Engineering Alumni and The Office of Life-Time Engagement to support current chemical engineering students in their future career paths. *please note, this is an invitation only event*

March 30th: WPI Startup and Fast Growth Showcase

The WPI 鈥?th Annual Startup and Fast Growth Showcase鈥?is back!

At this exciting event, 6-10 startups and fast growth companies will have the opportunity to provide a pitch presentation on their organization and will be given an hour to conduct speed interviews with WPI students followed by an open networking session with all attendees.

Event details and registration through Handshake https://app.joinhandshake.com/login

Join march madness at WPI Seaport by registering for any of the open events or join the line-up by booking a space and planning your own event!

To learn more about WPI Seaport, please visit our website or contact us at wpiseaport@wpi.edu

2022 Year in Review: External Relations Newsletter

dmulcare — Fri, 06 Jan 2023 12:00:00 +0000

WPI Leading the Way in Data Science: External Relations Newsletter

dmulcare — Wed, 02 Nov 2022 12:00:00 +0000

Developing Sustainable Solutions: External Relations Newsletter

dmulcare — Wed, 28 Sep 2022 12:00:00 +0000

How WPI is helping to solve world problems: External Relations Newsletter

dmulcare — Wed, 22 Jun 2022 12:00:00 +0000

WPI鈥檚 Latest Stories: External Relations Newsletter

dmulcare — Tue, 15 Feb 2022 12:00:00 +0000

George I. Alden Trust Goes Above and Beyond in Time of COVID-19

ajdealy — Wed, 21 Apr 2021 12:00:00 +0000

As a twice interim president, a trustee, and the university鈥檚 first mechanical engineering professor, George Alden is firmly rooted in WPI鈥檚 proud history. He was a true man of the Industrial Revolution, and in-line with university founder John Boynton鈥檚 directive to create, discover, and convey knowledge for the betterment of society, Alden established the George I. Alden Trust with a specific interest in promoting education. The Trust, which has provided generous philanthropic support to the university for well over a century, helps ensure Alden鈥檚 life鈥檚 work will forever carry forward his legacy.

The George I. Alden Trust鈥檚 most recent gift to WPI came in the form of a $100,000 grant for COVID-19 related challenges, as part of a grant campaign to address pandemic-related financial issues in Worcester and local communities. A remarkable total of $5.6 million in grants was awarded to local early, secondary, and higher education institutions as well as community and cultural organizations.

Warner S. Fletcher, chair of the George I. Alden Trust, recently shared the following, 鈥淭he Alden Trust was pleased to be able to make this most recent grant to WPI. It has always been a priority of the Trustees to support local Worcester organizations that we feel are making a positive difference in our home community, and certainly never more than during our COVID experiences! WPI has long demonstrated its commitment to educating students to think about their place in making the world better and in solving some of our greatest global challenges. We were happy to support that important mission, and are impressed at how many WPI community members have stepped up to help others in our community during this pandemic.鈥?lt;/p>

The George I. Alden Trust is one of the university鈥檚 most generous benefactors. Among its numerous gifts to WPI over many decades, the Trust has supported Alden Memorial and the Alden Life Sciences and Bioengineering Educational Center in Goddard Hall.

In 2016, the Trust realized a $3 million challenge grant toward the Foisie Innovation Studio, a state-of-the-art home for WPI鈥檚 distinctive project-based approach to STEM education. And in 2019, it committed to a $5 million challenge grant to support campus facilities and WPI鈥檚 newest academic building, which is expected to open in January 2022. In its three-part challenge, the Alden Trust has given WPI until March 31, 2023 to raise $20 million for campus facilities and the new building from alumni and trustees. With a focus on the 鈥渟mart world鈥?the new building will include classrooms, labs, faculty offices, and student support services. In alignment with WPI鈥檚 commitment to sustainability, WPI will seek LEED certification for this building.

As a fierce advocate for education, Alden specifically championed education in engineering to ensure young people could become effective contributors to society. WPI is especially proud to be a recipient of George Alden鈥檚 great philanthropic legacy.