WPI Announcements RSS Feed / RSS feed for notices and information from WPI divisions, departments, and offices. en Rankings Released: Times Higher Education Impact Ranking /news/announcements/rankings-released-times-higher-education-impact-ranking <p>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. <em>Visit the </em><a><em>THE website</em></a><em> for full results and to learn more about the Impact Ranking.</em></p> <p>In 2024, the SDG Steering Committee gathered and submitted data to the Impact Ranking for the following SDGs:</p> <ul> <li>SDG 4: Quality Education</li> <li>SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy</li> <li>SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure</li> <li>SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities</li> <li>SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production</li> <li>SDG 13: Climate Action</li> <li>SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals</li> </ul> <p>Over the past three submissions, WPI鈥檚 standing has continued to improve, even as the number of institutions that submit increases.</p> <p><em>Check out Gordon Library's </em><a><em>UN SDG Libguide</em></a><em> or review our </em><a><em>2024 Progress Report</em></a><em> to learn more about WPI鈥檚 efforts on the SDGs.</em></p> <figure> <article> <div> <div> <img> <p> <img></p> </div> </div> </article> <figcaption><em>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.</em></figcaption> </figure> <hr> <p><em><strong>Looking to get a better idea of your own SDG impact as an author? Check out your </strong></em><a><em><strong>author profile on Scopus</strong></em></a><em><strong>, and view the new 鈥淚mpact鈥?tab to see how your publications are linked to the UN SDGs!</strong></em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> Mon, 23 Jun 2025 12:00:00 +0000 edufresne /news/announcements/rankings-released-times-higher-education-impact-ranking MassDEP names Professors Corey Dehner and Paul Mathisen Educators of the Decade /news/announcements/massdep-names-professors-corey-dehner-and-paul-mathisen-educators-decade <p>MassDEP celebrates 50 years of protecting the environment and preserving our future across the Commonwealth at WPI on June 2, 2025. &nbsp;Department of Integrative and Global Studies, Professor Corey Dehner and Associate Professor and Director of Sustainability, Paul Mathisen have been named <strong>Educators of the Decade</strong> for their guidance and direction at the Water Resource Outreach Project Center. &nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> Thu, 15 May 2025 12:00:00 +0000 dfarmer /news/announcements/massdep-names-professors-corey-dehner-and-paul-mathisen-educators-decade Moving Out? Donate your used items! /news/announcements/moving-out-donate-your-used-items <p>The Green Team, Office of Sustainability and HREC are collaborating to bring several donation drives to the move-out season on campus! Whether you need to get rid of clothing, books, appliances, furniture or even extra pantry food, we have a solution for you! <strong>Don't throw it out - donate it !!</strong></p> <p>The following donation drives are taking place:</p> <ol> <li><strong>Hartsprings Donation Bins</strong> - on campus from April 23rd through graduation @ Townhouses, Ellsworth, East, Faraday and the Wedge (Morgan/Daniels) <ul> <li>Accepting clothing, small household items, and more - <a>full list of acceptable items here</a></li> <li>DO NOT donate mattress toppers, pillows or stained/torn bedding</li> </ul> </li> <li><strong>Food Donation Boxes</strong> - from April 28th until move out in all residence halls <ul> <li>Accepting UNOPENED pantry food - canned food, boxed pasta/grains, etc.</li> <li>DO NOT donate anything that is perishable or has been opened</li> </ul> </li> <li><strong>Furniture Drive w/ Central Mass Housing Alliance</strong> - May 7th and May 9th from 10am - 4pm in Boynton North Lot <ul> <li>Accepting all furniture types (desks, chairs, couches, lamps, etc)</li> <li>DO NOT donate anything that is broken or significantly stained/dirty</li> </ul> </li> </ol> <p>Please reach out to <a>green@wpi.edu</a> with any questions about acceptable items for donation.</p> Fri, 25 Apr 2025 12:00:00 +0000 neluiz /news/announcements/moving-out-donate-your-used-items WPI Podcast Explores Mentorship Program for Students Interested in Sustainability /news/announcements/wpi-podcast-explores-mentorship-program-students-interested-sustainability <p><span>In a new WPI podcast,&nbsp;we highlight the university鈥檚&nbsp;</span><a><span>Sustainable Career Mentorship Program </span></a><span>that gives students who are interested in sustainability an opportunity to connect one-on-one with professionals working in green jobs or sustainable fields.</span></p> <p><span>Podcast guest&nbsp;</span><a><span>Elisabeth 鈥淟isa鈥?Stoddard</span></a><span>, one of the program organizers, is an associate professor of teaching of&nbsp;</span><a><span>environmental and sustainability studies</span></a><span> and in&nbsp;</span><a><span>The Global School</span></a><span>.</span></p> <p><span>Listen to the episode. You may also read the transcript below.</span></p> <article> <div> <div> <iframe></iframe></div> </div> </article> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><span><strong>Jon Cain:</strong></span></p> <p><span>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.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Lisa Stoddard:</strong></span></p> <p><span>Hi. Thanks so much for having me.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Cain:</strong></span></p> <p><span>Why don't we start right off the top. I'm going to ask, what is the Sustainable Career Mentorship Program at WPI?&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Stoddard:</strong></span></p> <p><span>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.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Cain:</strong></span></p> <p><span>So you've got mentors and mentees. How often do they meet and what are some of the topics that they discuss?&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Stoddard:</strong></span></p> <p><span>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.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Cain:</strong></span></p> <p><span>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?&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Stoddard:</strong></span></p> <p><span>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 &nbsp;&nbsp;campus.&nbsp;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.</span></p> <p><span><strong>Cain:</strong></span></p> <p><span>That's great. It sounds like there's a lot of different opportunities to check in along the way.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Stoddard:</strong></span></p> <p><span>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.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Cain:</strong></span></p> <p><span>Lisa, how many WPI students are part of the program and how many mentors are there?&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Stoddard:</strong></span></p> <p><span>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.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Cain:</strong></span></p> <p><span>What types of jobs or fields do the mentors come from?&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Stoddard:</strong></span></p> <p><span>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.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Cain:</strong></span></p> <p><span>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?&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Stoddard:</strong></span></p> <p><span>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.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Cain:</strong></span></p> <p><span>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?&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Stoddard:</strong></span></p> <p><span>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.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Cain:</strong></span></p> <p><span>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.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Stoddard:</strong></span></p> <p><span>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.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Cain:</strong></span></p> <p><span>. 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?&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Stoddard:</strong></span></p> <p><span>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.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span>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.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Cain:</strong></span></p> <p><span>It sounds like there's a lot of benefits to the mentorship program that go beyond just the career preparation.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Stoddard:</strong></span></p> <p><span>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.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Cain:</strong></span></p> <p><span>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.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Stoddard:</strong></span></p> <p><span>Absolutely.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Cain:</strong></span></p> <p><span>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?&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Stoddard:</strong></span></p> <p><span>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? &nbsp;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.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Cain:</strong></span></p> <p><span>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?&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Stoddard:</strong></span></p> <p><span>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.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Cain:</strong></span></p> <p><span>What's the data that you're going to be collecting along the way? What types of information?&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Stoddard:</strong></span></p> <p><span>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.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Cain:</strong></span></p> <p><span>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?&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Stoddard:</strong></span></p> <p><span>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.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Cain:</strong></span></p> <p><span>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?&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Stoddard:</strong></span></p> <p><span>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.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Cain:</strong></span></p> <p><span>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?&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Stoddard:</strong></span></p> <p><span>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.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Cain:</strong></span></p> <p><span>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?&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Stoddard:</strong></span></p> <p><span>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.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Cain:</strong></span></p> <p><span>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.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Stoddard:</strong></span></p> <p><span>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.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Cain:</strong></span></p> <p><span>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?</span></p> <p><span><strong>Stoddard:</strong></span></p> <p><span>They can reach out to me by email. My email is <a>eastoddard@wpi.edu</a>. 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.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Cain:</strong></span></p> <p><span>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.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Stoddard:</strong></span></p> <p><span>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.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Cain:</strong></span></p> <p><span>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.</span></p> Thu, 27 Mar 2025 12:00:00 +0000 jcain /news/announcements/wpi-podcast-explores-mentorship-program-students-interested-sustainability 17th Annual Sustainability Showcase: Key Dates! /news/announcements/17th-annual-sustainability-showcase-key-dates <p><span><strong>WPI students are invited to participate in WPI鈥檚 17th Annual Sustainability Project Showcase, hosted by the Office of Sustainability and Gordon Library!</strong></span></p> <p><a><span><strong>REGISTER HERE!</strong></span></a></p> <p><span>Submissions are open to any student project that tackles a sustainability-related problem, local or global, with consideration to at least one of the </span><a><span>17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)</span></a>.</p> <p><span>A </span><em><span><strong>$500 cash prize</strong></span></em><span>&nbsp;will be provided for winners in each of the graduate and undergraduate categories (including First Year/Mass Academy and IQP/MQP/Other). For consideration, submission by teams or individuals will require 1) a brief project description, 2) a PDF (poster or slide deck), 3) a brief video recording that presents the project and 4) identification of the appropriate SDG categories. We encourage the participation of ALL students who are interested in showcasing their sustainability project accomplishments, including those not interested in competing for an award (in which case students may opt out of the video recording).</span></p> <p><span><strong>Key dates:</strong>&nbsp;</span></p> <ul> <li><span><strong>March 17: </strong>Online Registration Opens</span></li> <li><span><strong>March 27 (extended):</strong> Online Registration Deadline</span></li> <li><span><strong>April 4 (extended):</strong> PDF and Video Submission Deadline</span></li> <li><span><strong>April 7-18:</strong> Virtual Showcase and Winners Announced&nbsp;</span></li> </ul> <p><span>We welcome and encourage participation by all students and invite faculty to share this announcement with your students!&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Questions?&nbsp; Contact </strong></span><a><span><strong>green@wpi.edu</strong></span></a><span><strong>.</strong>&nbsp;</span></p> <article> <div> <div> <img> <p> <img></p> </div> </div> </article> Thu, 20 Mar 2025 12:00:00 +0000 neluiz /news/announcements/17th-annual-sustainability-showcase-key-dates City-Wide Sustainability Event Series Launches March 19 with Dean Mimi Sheller (Authors Unbound) /news/announcements/city-wide-sustainability-event-series-launches-march-19-dean-mimi-sheller-authors-unbound <p>Together with colleagues in Worcester's <em>Academic Research Collaborative</em>, Gordon Library is excited to announce a new Worcester city-wide public event series where faculty, students, staff and the general public can explore the creative and diverse accomplishments and scholarship of our academic community. &nbsp;</p> <p>This year the series,&nbsp;<a> Worcester Reads, Writes and Makes</a>, will focus on <strong>sustainability and climate change </strong>themes.</p> <p><strong>March 19 (Wednesday) at 4 pm, in Salisbury Labs 104 at WPI</strong>. <span>WPI will kick off the event series with an </span><a><span>author event featuring Global School Dean Mimi Sheller</span></a><span>&nbsp;(author of </span><em><span>Consuming the Caribbean</span></em><span>, </span><em><span>Mobility Justice, Island Futures </span></em><span>and more</span><em><span>)</span></em><span>, in conversation with Dr. Adriana de Souza e Silva, Director of the Center for Transformative Media (CTM) at Northeastern University (and editor of many books on mobile media, digital cityscapes, and mobile gaming).</span></p> <p><strong>March 25 (Tuesday) at 5 pm at Clark University's Goddard Library</strong>: &nbsp;<em>Local Experts, Global Issues,</em> featuring&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li><span>Dr. Mauri Pelto, Professor of Environmental Science, Nichols College,&nbsp;will&nbsp;speak on&nbsp;Climate Change and the Sustainability of Glaciers</span></li> <li> <p><span>Dr. Donna Bartlett, Professor of Pharmacy Practice, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, will speak on&nbsp;Deprescribing Medications: Benefits for Health and Climate, and&nbsp;</span></p> </li> <li> <p><span>Dr. Minka Stoyanova, Assistant Teaching Professor, Becker School of Design and Technology, Clark University, will speak on&nbsp;Sustainable Art &amp; Sustainability in Urban Media Installations using Smart Materials</span><strong>&nbsp;</strong></p> </li> </ul> <p><strong>April 26 (Saturday), 2-3 pm at Worcester Art Museum </strong>(registration required): <strong>Museum tour,</strong> <em>Climate and Weather in Artworks at the Worcester Art Museum</em></p> <p><strong>May 3 (Saturday), 1-4 pm at Worcester Art Museum: &nbsp;</strong><em>Found Creations: A Studio Class </em>- (reserve your spot now!)</p> <p>See the <a>series guide for details</a> about each of these events, and download the poster series linked here:</p> <article> <div> <div>Document</div> <div> <span><a>Worcester-Reads,-Writes,-and-Makes-Flyer_Final.pdf</a> <span>(17.04 MB)</span></span> </div> </div> </article> <p>The <a>Academic and Research Collaborative (ARC)</a> is dedicated to sharing our academic resources with each other and across the Worcester community. It includes representatives of the libraries &amp; archives of all our colleges and universities, as well as the Worcester Public Library, and several research libraries including the American Antiquarian Society. &nbsp;ARC cross-institutional borrowing agreements mean that any student, staff, or faculty at WPI can <a>request an ARC borrowing card</a> and borrow print materials from other ARC member institutions.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> Tue, 18 Mar 2025 12:00:00 +0000 akgold /news/announcements/city-wide-sustainability-event-series-launches-march-19-dean-mimi-sheller-authors-unbound WPI hosts the 4th聽Careers for Just and Sustainable Communities Networking and Mentoring Event /news/announcements/wpi-hosts-4th-careers-just-and-sustainable-communities-networking-and-mentoring-event <p><span>WPI hosted the 4th&nbsp;Careers for Just and Sustainable Communities Networking and Mentoring Event last Wednesday, November 13, 2024. The event hosted 30 employers, including 15 WPI alumni from 1993-2023. 105 students participated, doubling last year's attendance. The program provides students with opportunities to learn about different careers in sustainability, to get advice in a low-stakes environment, to connect to networks and internships, and to learn from employers how their jobs create positive impacts on the communities and ecosystems around them. This fall, WPI also launched the </span><a><span>Sustainable Careers Mentorship program</span></a><span>,&nbsp;where over 20 mentors meet one on one with students to provide guidance, advice, and connections to jobs, internships, and networks in sustainable careers.&nbsp;</span></p> Wed, 20 Nov 2024 12:00:00 +0000 hshick /news/announcements/wpi-hosts-4th-careers-just-and-sustainable-communities-networking-and-mentoring-event 2023-2024 Sustainability Report Published /news/announcements/2023-2024-sustainability-report-published <p>The Office of Sustainability publishes a sustainability report every year to review WPI's resource use, sustainability-related activities, achievements in academics and research, and more! <a>Read this year's reflection on sustainability in AY2023-2024.</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> Mon, 11 Nov 2024 12:00:00 +0000 neluiz /news/announcements/2023-2024-sustainability-report-published The E-Waste Drive is BACK! /news/announcements/e-waste-drive-back <p>The Office of Sustainability and Green Team are partnering again this fall to bring the community our annual (<em>sometimes bi-annual</em>) E-Waste Drive! Collect your unwanted or broken electronics this week and bring them to the quad on <strong>Wednesday, November 6th</strong> between <strong>10AM</strong> and <strong>2PM</strong>. You can bring anything with a plug!</p> <p>More details on the event can be found <a>here</a>. Email <a>green@wpi.edu</a> with any questions.</p> Fri, 01 Nov 2024 12:00:00 +0000 neluiz /news/announcements/e-waste-drive-back Hartsprings Donation Bins are back! /news/announcements/hartsprings-donation-bins-are-back <p>The <strong>Hartsprings Donation Bins</strong> are back this year for 2024's move out, starting <strong>April 19</strong> and going through <strong>May13</strong>*. Place your unwanted <strong>clothing, household items, shoes, books, games and more</strong> in the exterior bins or <em>new</em> interior cardboard boxes placed along campus.</p> <p>Click for the <a>full map of all bin and box locations</a>.</p> <p>Visit <a>Hartsprings What To Donate</a> webpage to learn about what items are and are NOT accepted.&nbsp;</p> <p><em>*Bins in/around first-year residence halls will be removed by May 6.</em></p> <article> <div> <div> <img> <p> <img></p> </div> </div> </article> Wed, 24 Apr 2024 12:00:00 +0000 neluiz /news/announcements/hartsprings-donation-bins-are-back Congratulations to ChE MQP team who won the 16th Annual Sustainability Project Showcase! /news/announcements/congratulations-che-mqp-team-who-won-16th-annual-sustainability-project-showcase <p>Congratulations to Chemical Engineering seniors, Faith, Jia, and Alex, who won the <a>16th Annual Sustainability Project Showcase</a> at WPI on April 12th! Their project studies ways to decarbonize industrial wastewater treatment. Great job, team!</p> Thu, 18 Apr 2024 12:00:00 +0000 cmbailey /news/announcements/congratulations-che-mqp-team-who-won-16th-annual-sustainability-project-showcase Sustainability Project Showcase Winners Celebration, April 12 /news/announcements/sustainability-project-showcase-winners-celebration-april-12 <p><span>All faculty, staff, and students are invited to join us to celebrate our </span><a><span>16th Annual Sustainability Showcase</span></a><span>!&nbsp;</span></p> <article> <div> <div> <img> <p> <img></p> </div> </div> </article> <p><span>Our gathering <strong>Friday, April 12 from 12-1</strong> in the <strong>Gordon Library Conference Room (302)</strong> will bring students, faculty, staff, and distinguished judges together to celebrate the student showcase winners, and join our discussion about the </span><a><span>UN's Sustainable Development Goals</span></a><span> and how WPI is working to incorporate them into our academics and activities.&nbsp; Light refreshments will be served.</span></p> <p><span>To view the over 40 projects submitted to the showcase by first year, undergraduate, and graduate students, visit this year's&nbsp;</span><a><span>Annual Sustainability Showcase Website</span></a>.</p> <p>The Showcase is one of the many events featured in WPI's annual April <em>Spring into Action!</em> <a>Climate Action Fair</a>. We hope to see you at many of them!</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> Wed, 10 Apr 2024 12:00:00 +0000 akgold /news/announcements/sustainability-project-showcase-winners-celebration-april-12 H.R.E. Center Donation Drives /news/announcements/hre-center-donation-drives <p>The Housing &amp; Residential Experience Center is excited to partner with the Office of Sustainability and WPI Green Team to support multiple local non-profit organizations in varying donation drives. &nbsp;Any trash should be placed in available dumpsters near residence halls or trash rooms inside buildings.</p> <p>See below for specific dates and more information:</p> <p><strong>April 9-May 11:</strong> Food Drive; Boxes will be located in each residence hall (main lobby or lowest floor common room) for non-perishable items. &nbsp;For cold/frozen items please bring to East Hall (30 Boynton Street) to the H.R.E. Center during business hours (M-F, 8am-5pm). &nbsp;All items must be unopened.</p> <p><strong>April 19-May 4:</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>Ellsworth Parking Lot Only:</strong> Textiles (Clothing, bedsheets, blankets, etc.) and small appliances drive; Heartsprings Purple Bin - all items must go inside bin.</li> <li><strong>Stoddard C &amp; Daniels Hall: </strong>Textiles (Clothing, bedsheets, blankets, etc.) and small appliances drive; Heartsprings Large Boxes - all items must go inside box.</li> </ul> <p><strong>April 19-May 13:</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>Townhouses Only:</strong> Textiles (Clothing, bedsheets, blankets, etc.) and small appliances drive; Heartsprings Purple Bin - all items must go inside bin.</li> <li><strong>East Hall, Faraday Hall, Marston A, &amp; West House: </strong>Textiles (Clothing, bedsheets, blankets, etc.) and small appliances drive; Heartsprings Large Boxes - all items must go inside box.</li> </ul> <p><strong>April 30, 11am-2pm:</strong> Furniture and small household items drive; Hackfeld Lot (cars encouraged to this lot only) and/or Boynton North Lot (Commuter Lot)</p> <p><strong>May 3, 11am-6pm:</strong> Furniture and small household items drive; Hackfeld Lot (cars encouraged to this lot only) and/or Boynton North Lot (Commuter Lot)</p> Mon, 08 Apr 2024 12:00:00 +0000 mfoster /news/announcements/hre-center-donation-drives Spring into Action! Climate Calendar (2024) /news/announcements/spring-action-climate-calendar-2024 <p>WPI students, faculty, and staff are planning&nbsp;to&nbsp;Spring into Action&nbsp;with&nbsp;a month of events, activities, and dialog supporting WPI鈥檚 engagement with climate change and every aspect of global and local sustainability.</p> <p>Events are being organized by multiple student groups as well as <a>The Global School</a>, the <a>Office of Sustainability</a>, faculty, and staff.</p> <p>Visit this page throughout April as links to detailed information and new events are added.</p> <p><strong>Spring into Action! Event Calendar</strong></p> <ul> <li>April 2, 7:30 PM, <strong>CS &amp; LnL Social Movie: </strong><a><strong>Hackers</strong></a>, Fuller Upper. "<em>Teenage hackers discover a criminal conspiracy with plans to use a computer virus that will capsize five oil tankers</em>. "</li> <li>April 9 - May 11, <a><strong>Food Drive</strong></a>, Check link for locations. <em>All items must be unopened.</em></li> <li>April 10, 4:30 - 6:30 PM, <a><strong>Careers for Sustainable &amp; Just Communities Networking Event</strong></a>, Unity Hall 500. <em>Learn about the different paths WPI alum and others took towards their careers, ranging from renewable energy, wildlife conservation. community development, sustainability consulting, and more!</em></li> <li>April 10, 2 - 4 PM, <a><strong>Greek Week Trash Clean Up</strong></a>, Meet at Fountain. <em>Join the Green Team and Panhel to clean up Elm Park and Newton Park.</em></li> <li>April 12, 12 - 1 PM, <a><strong>Sustainability Project Showcase</strong></a>, Gordon Conference Room, 3FL Library. <em>Join the Office of Sustainability and the Gordon Library to celebrate student projects focused on sustainability-themed topics.</em></li> <li>April 16, 11 AM - 5 PM, <a><strong>Free Thrift Store</strong></a>, CC Odeum.</li> <li>April 17, 5 - 8 PM, <a><strong>Climate Action Fair</strong></a>, Quad. <em>The Green Team hosts student and university groups from across campus to showcase sustainability-related activities on campus.</em></li> <li>April 19 - May 13, <a><strong>Textile and Small Appliance Drive</strong></a>, Check link for locations.</li> <li>April 20, 7 &amp; 8:30 PM, <a><strong>Climate Hope Concert</strong></a>, Framingham State University. <em>The Climate Hope Concert<span> interweaves music and science to tell immersive stories of regeneration: projects working to heal not just our atmosphere, but our biosphere and society as a whole. Featuring work from Professors </span></em><a><em><span>Jason Davis</span></em></a><em><span> and </span></em><a><em><span>David Ibbett</span></em></a><em><span>.</span></em></li> <li>April 22, 10 AM - 2 PM, <strong>E-Waste Drive</strong>, Quad.</li> <li>April 23, 7:30 PM, <strong>Earth Day Movie Screening: TBD</strong>, Fuller Upper.</li> <li>April 30, 11 AM - 2 PM, <a><strong>Furniture Drive</strong></a>, Boynton and Hackfeld Lots. <em>Furniture and small household items.</em></li> <li>May 3, 6 &amp; 8 PM, <a><strong>Climate Hope Concert</strong></a>, Ecotarium. <em>Another two chances to see the Climate Hope Concert!</em></li> <li>April 30, 11 AM - 2 PM, <a><strong>Furniture Drive</strong></a>, Boynton and Hackfeld Lots. <em>Furniture and small household items.</em></li> </ul> <hr> <p><em><span>All members of the WPI community are invited to participate in these events unless specifically noted.</span></em></p> <p><em><span>Are you planning a sustainability-related event that we missed? Let us know! </span></em><a><em><span>(edufresne@wpi.edu</span></em></a><em><span>).</span></em></p> Fri, 29 Mar 2024 12:00:00 +0000 edufresne /news/announcements/spring-action-climate-calendar-2024 16th Annual Sustainability Showcase - Registration Open! /news/announcements/16th-annual-sustainability-showcase-registration-open <p><span><strong>WPI students are invited to participate in WPI鈥檚 16th Annual Sustainability Project Showcase, hosted by the Office of Sustainability and Gordon Library!</strong></span></p> <p><a><span><strong>REGISTER HERE</strong></span></a>!</p> <p><span>Submissions are open to any student project that tackles a sustainability-related problem, local or global, with consideration to at least one of the </span><a><span>17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)</span></a><span>, listed below.</span></p> <p><span>A </span><em><span><strong>$500 cash prize</strong></span></em><span>&nbsp;will be provided for winners in each of the graduate and undergraduate categories (including First Year/Mass Academy and IQP/MQP/Other). For consideration, submission by teams or individuals will require 1) a brief project description, 2) a PDF (poster or slide deck), 3) a brief video recording that presents the project and 4) identification of the appropriate SDG categories. We encourage the participation of ALL students who are interested in showcasing their </span><a><span>sustainability</span></a><span> project accomplishments, including those not interested in competing for an award (in which case students may opt out of the video recording).</span></p> <p><span><strong>Key dates:</strong>&nbsp;</span></p> <ul> <li><span><strong>March 13:</strong> </span><a><span>Online Registration Opens&nbsp;</span></a></li> <li><span><strong>March 22:</strong> Online Registration Deadline&nbsp;</span></li> <li><span><strong>March 29:</strong> PDF and Video Submission Deadline&nbsp;</span></li> <li><span><strong>April 3-12:</strong> Virtual Showcase and Winners Announced&nbsp;</span></li> </ul> <p><span>We welcome and encourage participation by all students and invite faculty to share this announcement with your students!&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Questions?&nbsp; Contact </strong></span><a><span><strong>green@wpi.edu</strong></span></a><span><strong>.</strong>&nbsp;</span></p> <p>____</p> <p><em>The 17 SDGs to transform our world are as follows:</em></p> <ul> <li><em>GOAL 1: No Poverty</em></li> <li><em>GOAL 2: Zero Hunger</em></li> <li><em>GOAL 3: Good Health and Well-being</em></li> <li><em>GOAL 4: Quality Education</em></li> <li><em>GOAL 5: Gender Equality</em></li> <li><em>GOAL 6: Clean Water and Sanitation</em></li> <li><em>GOAL 7: Affordable and Clean Energy</em></li> <li><em>GOAL 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth</em></li> <li><em>GOAL 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure</em></li> <li><em>GOAL 10: Reduced Inequality</em></li> <li><em>GOAL 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities</em></li> <li><em>GOAL 12: Responsible Consumption and Production</em></li> <li><em>GOAL 13: Climate Action</em></li> <li><em>GOAL 14: Life Below Water</em></li> <li><em>GOAL 15: Life on Land</em></li> <li><em>GOAL 16: Peace and Justice Strong Institutions</em></li> <li><em>GOAL 17: Partnerships to achieve the Goals</em></li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> Fri, 15 Mar 2024 12:00:00 +0000 neluiz /news/announcements/16th-annual-sustainability-showcase-registration-open Chronicle of Higher Education virtual forum on Innovative Interdisciplinary Programs /news/announcements/chronicle-higher-education-virtual-forum-innovative-interdisciplinary-programs <p><span>Dean of The Global School, Mimi Sheller will participate in the upcoming Chronicle of Higher Education virtual forum on Innovative Interdisciplinary Programs on March 20, 2024 at 2pm EST. &nbsp;</span><br><br><span>Researchers from different fields, including social sciences, engineering, and natural sciences, must work together to explore resilience and response to earthquakes, tsunamis, wildfires, and other earth hazards.</span></p> <p><span>Experts in related fields will discuss how universities have adapted interdisciplinary programs over the past decade to learn how to deal with natural disasters. Panelists will share insights from the response to COVID-19 and what remains to be improved.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span>Mimi will focus her talk on hazards and disaster recovery, including student research at our project centers, and the Community Climate Adaptation program at WPI.</span></p> <p>Registration: <a>https://connect.chronicle.com/che-ci-wbn-2024-03-20-hazards-smu_01-Event-LP---Guided.html</a>?</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> Wed, 28 Feb 2024 12:00:00 +0000 dfarmer /news/announcements/chronicle-higher-education-virtual-forum-innovative-interdisciplinary-programs World Cafe December 5 Invites Conversation on the UN Sustainable Development Goals /news/announcements/world-cafe-december-5-invites-conversation-un-sustainable-development-goals <p><span>How does WPI contribute to achieving the </span><a><span>17 UN Sustainable Development Goals</span></a><span> (SDGs)? How can we promote collaborations, awareness, and new partnerships to achieve even more?</span></p> <p><span>The campus community of faculty and staff is invited to join the </span><a><span>SDG self-study team</span></a><span> on <strong>Tuesday December 5 from 11am-1pm in the Higgins House Great Hall,</strong> for a </span><a><span>World Cafe-style informal conversation</span></a><span> prompted by the team's </span><a><span>internal report on WPI and the SDGs</span></a><span>.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span>To join the Cafe, please </span><a>register </a>now<span> - refreshments will be provided!</span></p> <p><span>For more information, please reach out to the SDG self study team at </span><a><span>gr-sdgteam@wpi.edu</span></a><span>.</span></p> <article> <div> <div> <img> <p> <img></p> </div> </div> </article> Wed, 29 Nov 2023 12:00:00 +0000 akgold /news/announcements/world-cafe-december-5-invites-conversation-un-sustainable-development-goals How Does WPI Contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals? /news/announcements/how-does-wpi-contribute-un-sustainable-development-goals <p><span>How does WPI contribute to achieving the </span><a><span>17 UN Sustainable Development Goals</span></a><span> (SDGs)? This was the question that inspired the </span><a><span>SDG self-study team</span></a><span>, sponsored by Provost Wole Soboyejo and led by Global School Dean Mimi Sheller together with Director of the Office of Sustainability, Professor Paul Mathisen.</span><br><br><span>The team began working together in 2022, using several strategies to begin answering that question.</span></p> <p><span>The <strong>first </strong>was <strong>"flagging and tagging" activities across WPI with the UN SDGs&nbsp;</strong> - by linking faculty research, undergraduate projects, WPI courses, and staff and faculty interest with SDGs, we can now to find and report on these facets of WPI's contributions:&nbsp;</span></p> <ul> <li><a><span>IQP and MQP projects, as well as GPS posters associated with UN SDGs can be found in Digital WPI</span></a></li> <li><span>every faculty and staff member can associate their WPI profile with the UN SDGs to which they contribute and the "</span><a><span>directories</span></a><span>" link on the WPI website now includes a </span><a><span>searchable directory of faculty and staff by UN SDG</span></a></li> <li><span>work has begun in the Office of Sponsored Programs to associate research funding requests with UN SDGs</span></li> <li><span>published research at WPI can be found by UN SDG in the </span><a><span>Scopus and Scival databases</span></a></li> </ul> <p><span>A <strong>second strategy </strong>was to make WPI's <strong>first submission of data to the annual </strong></span><a><span><strong>Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Ranking</strong></span></a><span>. &nbsp;This ranking is a global, voluntary, free process for benchmarking university contributions in research, institutional practice, and in partnerships and information sharing that advance progress on the SDGs. The team's first data submission was completed in fall 2022, reporting on contributions in the previous year (2021). </span><a><span>The submission addressed WPI's contributions to five SDGs</span></a><span>&nbsp;(a minimum of three was required).&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span>A <strong>third strategy</strong>&nbsp;was to create a prototype for an </span><a><span><strong>internal report on WPI and the SDGs</strong></span></a><span><strong>. </strong>This report, dated September 2023, is being shared now with the WPI community, and </span><a><span>feedback is welcomed through an open survey </span></a><span>and through conversations with interested community members at a </span><a><span>World Cafe on December 5, 2023.&nbsp;</span></a></p> <p><span>The team will continue to develop opportunities for outreach, dialog, and collaboration related to the SDGs. All questions, ideas, and suggestions are welcome! Please reach out to the SDG self study team (Mimi Sheller, Paul Mathisen, Carrick Eggleston, Dawn Farmer, Nicole Luiz, Anna Gold, and Elizabeth Dufresne) at </span><a><span>gr-sdgteam@wpi.edu</span></a><span>.</span></p> Mon, 20 Nov 2023 12:00:00 +0000 akgold /news/announcements/how-does-wpi-contribute-un-sustainable-development-goals EV Charging Station 鈥淥verstay Fee鈥?Begins November 1st /news/announcements/ev-charging-station-overstay-fee-begins-november-1st <p>As part of our dedication to sustainability, WPI is pleased to support the use of electric vehicles (EVs) by providing 10 dual EV charging stations for the convenience of employees. EV drivers can charge their vehicles up to 4 hours per day, at no charge, at the university鈥檚 charging stations. &nbsp;</p> <p>We have found, however, that vehicles are often left at the station well beyond the 4-hour allotment, which blocks other drivers from charging their vehicles. &nbsp;</p> <p>In order to give more employees access to the charging stations, we are implementing an Overstay Fee for any vehicle left at the station beyond 4 hours. This fee will go into effect beginning November 1. &nbsp;</p> <p>Of note:</p> <ul> <li>The first 4 hours of charging will remain FREE to all users; users should only occupy a charging spot while their EV is being charged.</li> <li>After 4 hours, the user will be charged $4.00 per hour until the vehicle is moved.</li> <li>The fees will be charged to the user鈥檚 ChargePoint account.</li> <li>Users must link a form of payment to their ChargePoint account before November 1 in order to continue using the campus charging stations.&nbsp;</li> </ul> <p><span>The university鈥檚 policy regarding the EV charging stations can be found here: </span><a><span>Full Policy &amp; FAQs</span></a><span>&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span>To sign up to get notifications related to EV chargers at WPI, please join the Outlook group </span><a><strong>gr-evusers@wpi.edu</strong></a><strong> </strong><span>or contact us at </span><a><strong>green@wpi.edu</strong></a><strong>.</strong> We encourage all EV users to join the outlook group to coordinate with each other and receive notifications.</p> <p><span>We appreciate your understanding and engagement.</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p> Mon, 23 Oct 2023 12:00:00 +0000 neluiz /news/announcements/ev-charging-station-overstay-fee-begins-november-1st Spring into Action! Climate Calendar (2023) /news/announcements/spring-action-climate-calendar-2023 <p><span>WPI students, faculty, and staff are planning to Spring into Action with a month of events, activities, and dialog supporting WPI鈥檚 engagement with climate change and every aspect of global and local sustainability.</span></p> <p><span>Events are being organized by multiple student groups as well as the </span><a><span>Global School</span></a><span>, the </span><a><span>Office of Sustainability</span></a><span>, faculty, and staff.</span></p> <p><span>Visit this page throughout the month of April as links to detailed information and new events are added.</span></p> <p><span><strong>Event Calendar:</strong></span></p> <ul> <li><span>March 15, 3:30 PM, <strong>FLY ME TO THE MOON</strong>, Produced and Directed by Esther Figueroa, 2019, followed by a panel discussion with Director Esther Figueroa and Co-Producer Mimi Sheller (</span><a><span>view trailer</span></a><span>), Olin Hall 107</span></li> <li><span>March 30, 12 鈥?1 PM, <strong>Climate Storytelling Teacher Training</strong>, organized by Jason Davis of the </span><a><span>Climate Stories Project</span></a></li> <li><span>April 1, 2-4 PM, <strong>Green Team x Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers Worcester Trash Cleanup</strong>, Meet at the fountain</span></li> <li><span>April 2-17, Global Lab&nbsp;</span><a><strong>Climate Summit Photography Competition</strong></a>&nbsp;on theme of "Climate Change"</li> <li><span>April 8, 12-2 PM, <strong>Green Team x Society of Women Engineers Institute and Elm Park Trash Cleanup</strong>,<strong> </strong>Meet at the fountain</span></li> <li><span>April 14, 12 鈥?1 PM, <strong>15th Sustainability Project Showcase: Celebration of Student Winners</strong>, Gordon Library Conference Room, third floor</span></li> <li><span>April 18, 10 AM 鈥?5 PM, <strong>Green Team Free Thrift Store</strong>, CC Odeum</span></li> <li><span>April 19, 3 鈥?5 PM, <strong>Climate Action Fair</strong>, Fountain</span></li> <li><span>April 22, 10 AM 鈥?12 PM, <strong>Green Team x REC Worcester Earth Day Trash Cleanup at Crompton Park</strong>, Meet at the Bus circle at 9 AM</span></li> <li><span>April 26, 3 鈥?5 PM, <strong>Careers for Sustainable and Just Communities</strong>, IS 205</span></li> </ul> <p><span><strong>Other Recurring Events:</strong></span></p> <ul> <li><span>Tuesdays, 5 鈥?6 PM, <strong>Green Team General Body Meetings,</strong> SL 402</span></li> <li><span>Wednesdays, 11 AM 鈥?2 PM, <strong>Green Team Project Zero Waste,</strong> Morgan Dining Hall</span></li> <li><span>Thursdays, 12 鈥?1 PM, <strong>Green Team Auditing and Action Meetings, </strong>FL Beckett Conference Room</span></li> <li><span>Thursdays, 5 鈥?6 PM, <strong>Green Team Community Garden Meetings,</strong> UH 400</span></li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><span>All WPI is invited to participate in these events. Are you planning a sustainability-related event that we missed? Let us know! (</span><a><span>edufresne@wpi.edu</span></a><span>)</span></p> Tue, 04 Apr 2023 12:00:00 +0000 edufresne /news/announcements/spring-action-climate-calendar-2023 15th Annual Sustainability Showcase /news/announcements/15th-annual-sustainability-showcase <h4>WPI students are invited to participate in WPI鈥檚 15th Annual Sustainability Project Showcase, hosted by the Office of Sustainability and Gordon Library!</h4> <p>Submissions are open to any student project that tackles a <a>sustainability</a>-related problem, local or global, with consideration to at least one of the&nbsp;<a>17 UN Sustainable Development Goals</a>&nbsp;(SDGs), listed below.</p> <p>A <strong>$500 cash prize</strong> will be provided for winners in each of the graduate and undergraduate categories (including First-Year/Mass Academy, IQP/Humanities/MQP). For consideration, submission by teams or individuals will require 1) a brief project description, 2) a PDF (poster or slide deck), 3) a brief video recording that presents the project and 4) tagging the appropriate SDG categories.&nbsp;We encourage the participation of ALL students who are interested in showcasing their <a>sustainability</a> project accomplishments, including those not interested in competing for an award (in which case students may opt out of the video recording).</p> <p><strong>SHOWCASE LINK:</strong>&nbsp;<a>15th ANNUAL SUSTAINABILITY PROJECT SHOWCASE (wpi.edu)</a></p> <p>&nbsp;Key dates:</p> <ul> <li>March 27: Online Registration Deadline</li> <li>March 31: PDF and Video Submission Deadline</li> <li>April 5-12: Virtual Showcase</li> <li>&nbsp;April 14: Celebration Event &amp; Winners Announced</li> </ul> <p>We welcome and encourage participation by all students and invite faculty to share this announcement with your students!</p> <p>Questions?&nbsp; Contact&nbsp;<a>green@wpi.edu</a>.&nbsp;</p> <p><a><em>See Project Showcase Flyer here.</em></a></p> <p>____</p> <p><em>The 17 SDGs to transform our world are as follows:</em></p> <ul> <li><em>GOAL 1: No Poverty</em></li> <li><em>GOAL 2: Zero Hunger</em></li> <li><em>GOAL 3: Good Health and Well-being</em></li> <li><em>GOAL 4: Quality Education</em></li> <li><em>GOAL 5: Gender Equality</em></li> <li><em>GOAL 6: Clean Water and Sanitation</em></li> <li><em>GOAL 7: Affordable and Clean Energy</em></li> <li><em>GOAL 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth</em></li> <li><em>GOAL 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure</em></li> <li><em>GOAL 10: Reduced Inequality</em></li> <li><em>GOAL 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities</em></li> <li><em>GOAL 12: Responsible Consumption and Production</em></li> <li><em>GOAL 13: Climate Action</em></li> <li><em>GOAL 14: Life Below Water</em></li> <li><em>GOAL 15: Life on Land</em></li> <li><em>GOAL 16: Peace and Justice Strong Institutions</em></li> <li><em>GOAL 17: Partnerships to achieve the Goals</em></li> </ul> Fri, 24 Mar 2023 12:00:00 +0000 neluiz /news/announcements/15th-annual-sustainability-showcase 2023 Climate Calendar Submissions Open /news/announcements/2023-climate-calendar-submissions-open <p><span><span><span>WPI students, faculty, and staff are planning to Spring into Action again this year with a month of events, activities, and dialog supporting WPI鈥檚 engagement with climate change and every aspect of global and local sustainability. </span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><a>Submit your events for inclusion in the 2023 Climate Calendar!</a></span></span></span></p> <hr> <p><em><span><span><span>Check out the events included in <a>last years calendar!</a></span></span></span></em></p> Fri, 03 Mar 2023 12:00:00 +0000 edufresne /news/announcements/2023-climate-calendar-submissions-open Sustainability Lab for Living and Learning (SL3) Welcomed to Gordon Library /news/announcements/sustainability-lab-living-and-learning-sl3-welcomed-gordon-library <p>WPI鈥檚 <a>Sustainability Laboratory for Living and Learning (SL3)</a> is a virtual laboratory that supports and promotes an engaged campus community in all three aspects of sustainability 鈥?environmental stewardship, economic security, and social justice. The laboratory is coordinated through the <a>Office of Sustainability</a>.</p> <p>In a pilot program with Gordon Library, SL3 student interns, staff, and project teams will have access beginning this B Term to a dedicated library meeting space (Room 316).&nbsp;The Gordon Library is a long-time partner of the Office of Sustainability, co-hosting WPI鈥檚 annual <a>Sustainability Project Competition</a> and helping to gather and report data on how WPI鈥檚 projects and research contribute to achieving sustainability goals.</p> <p>Director of Sustainability Prof. Paul Mathisen notes that SL3 helps increase engagement in sustainability at WPI, and that their new physical location gives students a place 鈥渢o work together and collaborate on projects and activities that can have an impact and advance sustainability both here and beyond the WPI Campus.&nbsp;We truly appreciate the library鈥檚 support and partnership in advancing WPI鈥檚 sustainability initiatives."</p> <p>Energy &amp; Sustainability Manager Nicole Luiz adds, 鈥渨e are very excited to have a physical space on campus to collaborate with our many student groups.鈥?lt;/p> <p>For more information about SL3 or to inquire about access to SL3鈥檚 meeting space, please <a>contact Nicole Luiz, Energy &amp; Sustainability Manager, or Paul Mathisen, Director of Sustainability</a></p> <article> <div> <div> <img> <p> <img></p> </div> </div> </article> Tue, 08 Nov 2022 12:00:00 +0000 akgold /news/announcements/sustainability-lab-living-and-learning-sl3-welcomed-gordon-library Sustainability-friendly book donation & recycling bins come to WPI! /news/announcements/sustainability-friendly-book-donation-recycling-bins-come-wpi <p><em>Got books?</em></p> <p>Through a new partnership with a Massachusetts-based book donation and recycling company, <a>Bay State Book Company</a>, WPI now offers you an easy way to give your books new life.&nbsp; Two new outdoor book donation bins provide an easy way to recycle your unwanted books.</p> <article> <div> <div> <img> <p> <img></p> </div> </div> </article> <p>Gordon Library is often approached by community members with offers of books, and these are still welcome and appreciated! 鈥?but our ability to accept donations is limited. Many public libraries also gladly accept book donations for their book sales. (Read more <a>here</a>&nbsp;about Gordon Library collection policies and other donation options.)</p> <p>If you鈥檙e a student clearing out your shelves, a professor moving to a new office, or anyone looking to give your books away, options for donating books not wanted by libraries or book donation services like <a>Better World Books</a> can be out of the way&nbsp;or&nbsp;costly.</p> <article> <div> <div> <p> <img></p> </div> </div> </article> <p>Bay State Book Company bins make it easy to intelligently recycle your unwanted books: they carefully sort all donations and identify which books can be resold, which books they can donate to non-profits, and they responsibly recycle any books that can鈥檛 find a new home.&nbsp; You may already have seen their bins near Worcester Public Library or at Holy Cross.</p> <p>You鈥檒l find WPI鈥檚 new Bay State Book Company donation bins in two locations with easy drive-up or pedestrian access: (1) near Park Street Garage entrance, and (2) just inside the entrance to the Boynton Street student commuter parking lot.&nbsp; Thanks to campus <a>Facilities</a> and the <a>Office of Sustainability</a> for their partnership on this initiative, support for choosing these two sites and for their support for sustainability!</p> <p>Please contact <a>Diane Dubois</a> at Gordon Library with any questions.</p> Thu, 18 Aug 2022 12:00:00 +0000 akgold /news/announcements/sustainability-friendly-book-donation-recycling-bins-come-wpi Spring into Action! WPI Climate Calendar /news/announcements/spring-action-wpi-climate-calendar <p>WPI students, faculty, and staff are planning&nbsp;to&nbsp;<strong>Spring into Action</strong>&nbsp;with&nbsp;a month of events, activities, and dialog supporting WPI鈥檚 engagement with climate change and every aspect of global and local sustainability.</p> <p>Events are being organized by multiple student groups as well as the <a>Global School</a>, the <a>Office of Sustainability</a>, faculty, and staff..</p> <p>Visit this page throughout the month of April as links to detailed information and new events are added.</p> <p><strong>Spring into Action! Event Calendar</strong></p> <ul> <li>March 30, 3-5pm, networking event, <strong><a>Careers for Sustainable and Just Communities</a></strong>, organized by the <a>CDC</a> and PIT-Fest: Unity Hall 500</li> <li>April 6, 5-7 pm, <strong>Toward Carbon Positive Architecture</strong>, Blake Jackson, Stantec Boston, <a>registration required</a>; sponsored by&nbsp;AIA (Central MA Chapter), CEIA, and Office of Sustainability: Innovation Studio Room 108</li> <li>April 13, 12-2pm, <strong>Innovation and Environmental Ethics</strong> event organized by <a>SGA</a> and <a>I&amp;E</a> (virtual)</li> <li>April 13, 2-4pm, <strong>Climate Action Fair</strong> featuring multiple student organizations, art, live interviews, and information: tables between the Innovation Studio &amp; Gordon Library (rain location 鈥?Innovation Studio)</li> <li>April 13, 5-6pm, <a><strong>Divest WPI</strong></a> event - tables between Innovation Studio &amp; Library (rain location 鈥?Innovation Studio)</li> <li>April 13, 6-7 pm, <strong>Assessment of Storm Surge Barrier Systems and Other Alternatives to Mitigate Climate Change Impacts in Boston</strong>, Paul Kirshen<span>, Director, Stone Living Lab, University of Massachusetts Boston,&nbsp;</span>Kaven 105 and via zoom (<a>https://wpi.zoom.us/j/99713930947</a>)</li> <li>April 18 (week of), <strong><a>Waste Works</a> art installation</strong>, Studio@Gordon (ground floor, Gordon Library):&nbsp;a creative art practicum to&nbsp;design and deploy interactive art installations on campus by reusing waste and recycled material</li> <li>April 19, 3:30-5 pm,&nbsp;<a>DIGS</a> Collaboration for a Better World Speaker Series:<strong> <a>Radical (Bike)spaces and social innovation,&nbsp;Alejandro Manga</a></strong><em>;&nbsp;</em>Gordon Library Conference Room (3rd floor) and on zoom (<a>https://wpi.zoom.us/1/94101526662</a>).</li> <li>April 21, <a><strong>Adaptation</strong></a>: four&nbsp;short films by director Alize Carrere (National Geographic Explorer; films produced by PBS), Part 1, 12-1 pm in Unity 500; Part 2, 4:15-6:15&nbsp;pm in Unity 400, with food and discussion, hosted by the&nbsp;<a>Community Climate Adaptation graduate program</a><span>&nbsp;and&nbsp;</span><a>Global Lab</a><span>. Please join either or both sessions (first two films presented at noon, second two films at 4:15 pm).&nbsp;</span></li> <li>April 22, 12-12:30&nbsp;pm, <strong>14th Sustainability Project Competition Award:&nbsp;<a>Celebration of Student Winners</a></strong>, Gordon Library Conference Room and Exhibit Tables, third floor (join us for a break on Project Presentation Day!)</li> <li>April 25, 7pm (virtual, pre-registration required on Zoom; also on&nbsp;<a>WPI鈥檚 YouTube channel</a>)&nbsp;<strong>Climate changing business - Tales of innocence and innovation from Aotearoa-New Zealand,&nbsp;</strong>Nicholas A. Cradock-Henry<span>.&nbsp;</span>Manaaki<span> </span>Whenua<span> 鈥?</span>Landcare<span> Research, Lincoln, New Zealand and&nbsp;</span>Bob Frame,&nbsp; Gateway Antarctica, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand.</li> <li>April 26, 1-2:15pm,&nbsp;<strong>Climate Stories Music with Jason Davis,</strong> Higgins House Great Hall (free &amp; open to the public),&nbsp;for more information see&nbsp;<a>https://www.climatestoriesproject.org/</a></li> </ul> <p>Also coming in April: Photography Exhibit: <strong><a>Orphan Wells</a></strong>. Opening of environmental photography exhibit by artist and professor Meghan Kirkwood. Gordon Library 3rd floor</p> <p>All WPI is invited to participate in these events. Are you planning a sustainability-related event that we missed? Let us know! (<a>climate-action@wpi.edu</a>).</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> Fri, 01 Apr 2022 12:00:00 +0000 akgold /news/announcements/spring-action-wpi-climate-calendar