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Zurich A24 IQP Team invited to the 2025 American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) conference in Montreal, Canada

dfarmer — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 12:00:00 +0000

After a successful IQP collaboration between WPI students John DePalma, Tanisha Gupta, Brett Mann, Sophia Reynolds, and Heidelberg Instruments Nano, a nanolithography company based in Z眉rich, the project group was invited to present their findings at the ASEE conference this past summer in Montreal, Canada.

Tanisha states: "This was a huge learning opportunity and an incredible experience getting to share our research at an academic conference. We also had the opportunity to learn about other poster presenters and their work, attend keynote sessions and talks and network with industry and university representatives."

The students extend their thanks to Nicholas Hendricks and Emine Cagin for help with conference material, Heidelberg Instruments Nano and Deans Arne Gericke and John McNeill for providing the team with funding. And, to IQP advisors Carolina Ruiz, Jeffrey Solomon and Nancy Burnham whose invaluable guidance throughout this project also yielded two publications: "Fabricating the Invisible: A Case Study of Observing Nano with the NanoFrazor" and "Seeing is Believing - How the NanoFrazor Generates and Sees Nano in Real Time."鈥?lt;/span>

Be sure to stop by Olin 219 to see a cloth replica of the students' poster presentation on display.

WPI Biomedical Engineering鈥檚 Dr. Kristen Billiar Named Fellow of the American Heart Association

lrafferty — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 12:00:00 +0000

September 2025, by Victoria Yakes '27

The Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) Department of Biomedical Engineering celebrates Professor Kristen Billiar, Ph.D., on his election as a Fellow of the American Heart Association (FAHA) by the Council on Basic Cardiovascular Sciences (BCVS).

The FAHA designation honors premium professional members of the AHA who have demonstrated excellence, innovation, and sustained contribution in the areas of scholarship, education, and volunteer service.

Billiar joined the WPI faculty in 2002 after receiving his PhD in Bioengineering at the University of Pennsylvania and working as a staff engineer. Previously named John Woodman Higgens Professor of Biomedical Engineering and the former Head of the WPI Department of Biomedical Engineering, Billiar now focuses on education and student engagement. He currently teaches biomechanics courses at all levels, sharing his passion for biology and engineering with students. Beyond the classroom, Prof. Billiar leads the Tissue Mechanics and Mechanobiology laboratory at WPI, which strives to understand how mechanical forces affect the body鈥檚 soft tissue cells. During exercise, the soft tissues of the body are subjected to forces from adjacent muscles, blood vessels, and digestive organs. Understanding how cells interpret these forces will aid in the development of treatments for a multitude of diseases, including cardiovascular disease.

The Billiar laboratory embodies a strong commitment to hands-on learning and research excellence. The laboratory hosts dedicated doctoral, master鈥檚, and undergraduate students, offering meaningful research and development opportunities at every academic level. Together, the lab pushes the boundaries of scientific innovation, uncovering new insights into the mechanics of the body and paving the way for biomedical breakthroughs such as developing functional microtissue models, studying heart valve cell mechanics, and modifying microfluidic devices.

Professor Billiar鈥檚 election as a fellow not only reflects his individual achievements but also highlights his dedication to the quality work conducted at WPI in the fields of cardiovascular science, biomechanics, and biomedical engineering education.

Engineering the Future: Massachusetts Life Sciences Center Celebrates Young Innovators at WPI

lrafferty — Sun, 14 Sep 2025 12:00:00 +0000

July 2025, by Victoria Yakes '27

The Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) joined Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) this July to celebrate the accomplishment of students graduating from MeDHigh, a four-week biomedical engineering training program offered through the MLSC鈥檚 High School Apprenticeship Challenge.

Established in 2007, the MLSC launches funding programs, builds partnerships, and secures investments aimed at supporting opportunities across the Commonwealth. The MLSC has delegated over $1 billion dollars in support of local devotions to research and development, innovation, and scientific advancements, creating thousands of jobs and opportunities benefiting Massachusetts and beyond.

MLSC President and CEO Kirk Taylor, MD, and members of the MLSC team, toured WPI鈥檚 state-of-the-art, MLSC-funded labs and had the opportunity to engage with students participating in MedHigh. The MedHigh program is designed to expose high school students to biomedical engineering, a multidisciplinary field at the intersection of engineering, medicine, and biology.

Over the course of four weeks, students gained hands-on learning experience, benefiting from careful mentorship while developing their technical skill sets and gaining exposure to public speaking, scientific writing, and professional development. This year鈥檚 focus was on medical devices, with students encouraged to explore device improvements and their impacts on global health, particularly in under-resourced communities. During graduation, students shared their real-world prototypes with faculty and directors, showcasing the products of their hard work and innovative thinking.

鈥淲e鈥檙e cultivating the next generation of problem-solvers who will drive breakthroughs in medicine, engineering, and global health,鈥?said Solomon Mensah, MedHigh Director and Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering at WPI.

MedHigh offers an opportunity for students to break into a competitive and innovative field which values early experience and technical skills. Since 2024, MedHigh has celebrated 27 graduates from the program, and will continue to use over $140,000 in investments to promote STEM education for underrepresented communities in Massachusetts. The program hopes to bridge the gap between the technical field of engineering and its accessibility to local communities, bringing a new class of budding scientists and engineers to the forefront of innovation.

Join Us August 8 as RET Teachers Present UN SDG Research at Poster Symposium

ablessington — Fri, 25 Jul 2025 12:00:00 +0000

A select group of eight middle and high school teachers have been spending their summer working in WPI faculty labs as part of the NSF Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) program, and will be presenting their research projects at the RET Poster Symposium on Friday, August 8, from 10:30 am鈥?1:30 am in Higgins House. Their research connects to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) and has inspired integrated STEM lessons to be implemented in their math and science classrooms.

All are invited to attend this event, which will include coffee and light refreshments.

We look forward to seeing you there as we celebrate our teachers鈥?research and their plans to bring these experiences back to their classrooms.

(L-R) Demetrios Kennedy, Jesse Drozd, Abigail Prisby, Em Beeler, Tiffini Cornock, Deborah Baird, Michael Nixdorf Jared Quinn

2025 RET RESEARCH PROJECTS

Research Project (UN SDG #)	Research Project	WPI Faculty Mentor, Department	Teacher, Licensure, School	Teacher, Licensure, School/Major
#7 鈥?Affordable & Clean Energy	Magnesium Production and Recycling for Clean Energy	Adam Powell (Mechanical & Materials Eng./ Chemical Eng.)	Jared Quinn (Life Sciences, Overlook MS, Ashburnham)	Demetrios Kennedy (HS Chemistry, WPI Chemistry)
#3 鈥?Good Heath and Well-Being	Antibiotic Resistance in Mycobacteria	Scarlet Shell (Biology & Biotechnology)	Abigail Prisby (HS Biology, Groton-Dunstable HS)	Em Beeler (HS Math, Burncoat HS, Worcester)
#13 鈥?Climate Action	Removing PFAS from Contaminated Soils	Andrew Teixeira & Mike Timko (Chemical Eng.)	Tiffini Cornock (HS Chemistry, Carver MS/HS)	Jesse Drozd (HS Chemistry, WPI Chemistry)
#3 鈥?Good Heath and Well-Being	Engineering Bench-Top Testing of Interventional Devices for Cardiovascular Diseases	Yihao Zheng (Mechanical & Materials Eng., Robotics Eng., Biomedical Eng.)	Deborah Baird (MS Science, Broad Meadows Middle School)	Michael Nixdorf (MS Math, WPI Applied Physics)

Professor Shijie Zhou Awarded American Heart Association Grant for AI-Driven VT Localization Project

lrafferty — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 12:00:00 +0000

A new project led by Prof. Shijie Zhou has been awarded an Innovative Project Award from the American Heart Association (AHA) to develop a non-invasive approach to localizing ventricular tachycardia (VT) exit sites, without the need for traditional QRS onset detection.

Titled 鈥淚nnovative Personalized AI for Automated, Non-invasive VT Exit Site Localization Without QRS Onset Selection,鈥?lt;strong> this research aims to eliminate the subjectivity inherent in current methods of localizing VT exit sites using the QRS complex of 12-lead ECGs. By leveraging artificial intelligence and advanced signal processing, the study seeks to develop an automated framework that bypasses the need for manual QRS onset selection. This work aims to significantly improve the diagnostic precision and treatment safety for patients suffering from VT, a life-threatening heart rhythm disorder.

The project is a collaborative effort that brings together leading experts in cardiac electrophysiology and biomedical research from across North America. The research team includes Dr. John Sapp and Dr. Amir AbdelWahab from QEII Health Sciences Centre in Canada, and Dr. Usha Tedrow and Dr. Paul Zei from Brigham and Women鈥檚 Hospital in Massachusetts.

The AHA Innovative Project Award supports early-stage, highly innovative research that has the potential to transform cardiovascular science and care. This recognition highlights the potential of this AI-driven approach to reshape how VT is diagnosed and treated in the clinic.

Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) in Engineering Program Kicks Off with Fourth Cohort

ablessington — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 12:00:00 +0000

On Monday, June 30, the Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) in Engineering program launched its fourth cohort, welcoming eight middle and high school educators. Funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), RET is a six-week immersive program that provides K鈥?2 teachers with research experiences in engineering, and led by Erin Solovey (PI), Kathy Chen (co-PI) and Donna Taylor. Participants are enhancing their disciplinary knowledge and developing classroom activities and curricula to broaden students鈥?awareness of and engagement with computing and engineering pathways.

(L-R) Demetrios Kennedy, Jesse Drozd, Abigail Prisby, Em Beeler, Tiffini Cornock, Deborah Baird, Michael Nixdorf Jared Quinn

This year鈥檚 cohort includes two recent WPI graduates, Demetrios Kennedy and Michael Nixdorf, who completed the Teacher Preparation Program (TPP), as well as TPP alum 鈥?2, Em Beeler. The educators are mentored by WPI faculty members Scarlet Shell, Adam Powell, Andrew Teixeira, Michael T. Timko, Geoffref Tompsett, and Yihao Zheng .

In addition to their research projects, RET teachers are participating in weekly professional development sessions led by the STEM Education Center. These sessions support the integration of their research experiences into real-world, standards-aligned STEM instruction, all while connecting to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) and strengthening partnerships among WPI, K鈥?2 schools, and industry.

2025 RET RESEARCH PROJECTS

Research Project (UN SDG #)	Research Project	WPI Faculty Mentor, Department	Teacher, Licensure, School	Teacher, Licensure, School/Major
#7 鈥?Affordable & Clean Energy	Magnesium Production and Recycling for Clean Energy	Adam Powell (Mechanical & Materials Engineering / Chemical Engineering)	Jared Quinn (Life Sciences, Overlook MS, Ashburnham)	Demetrios Kennedy (HS Chemistry, WPI Chemistry)
#3 鈥?Good Heath and Well-Being	Antibiotic Resistance in Mycobacteria	Scarlet Shell (Biology & Biotechnology)	Abigail Prisby (HS Biology, Groton-Dunstable HS)	Em Beeler (HS Math, Burncoat HS, Worcester)
#13 鈥?Climate Action	Removing PFAS from Contaminated Soils	Andrew Teixeira & Mike Timko (Chemical Engineering)	Tiffini Cornock (HS Chemistry, Carver MS/HS)	Jesse Drozd (HS Chemistry, WPI Chemistry)
#3 鈥?Good Heath and Well-Being	Engineering Bench-Top Testing of Interventional Devices for Cardiovascular Diseases	Yihao Zheng (Mechanical & Materials Engineering, Robotics Engineering, Biomedical Engineering / MME, RBE & BME)	Deborah Baird (MS Broad Meadows Middle School)	Michael Nixdorf (MS Math, WPI Applied Physics)

Alumna Spotlight: Camryn Berry 鈥?1 鈥?Turning Personal Adversity into Scientific Advocacy

lrafferty — Fri, 16 May 2025 12:00:00 +0000

WPI Biomedical Engineering alumna Camryn Berry is blazing a trail in rare disease research, and she鈥檚 doing it with remarkable purpose. Now a Ph.D. candidate at Boston Children鈥檚 Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Camryn is investigating the pain mechanisms of fibrous dysplasia (FD), a rare skeletal disorder she knows intimately: she was diagnosed with FD at just six years old.

FD is caused by a non-hereditary genetic mutation that leads to fragile bones and affects multiple body systems, including bones, hormones, and skin. In Camryn鈥檚 case, it meant undergoing 21 surgeries between the ages of six and thirteen to preserve basic functions like breathing and speaking. Her life changed dramatically after starting treatment with a repurposed osteoporosis medication recommended by the NIH, ending her need for further surgeries.

Her passion for science was sparked at 15 during a visit to the NIH, where a medical researcher explained her condition using her own biopsy slides. 鈥淚t was the first time I saw how research could help people like me,鈥?Camryn recalls. That moment ignited a passion that has shaped her career ever since.

At WPI, Camryn embraced the challenges of a rigorous BME program during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. She attributes her success to WPI鈥檚 supportive environment, which taught her the importance of collaboration and self-advocacy. Professors like George Pins encouraged her to pursue research specifically focused on FD, profoundly influencing her academic direction.

One of the notable projects of Camryn at WPI involved developing a bioreactor to study cancer metastasis for her Major Qualifying Project (MQP) and traveling to Israel for her Interactive Qualifying Project (IQP). This project coincided with her participation in an NIH clinical trial, significantly enhancing her understanding of international healthcare systems and patient advocacy.

Today, Camryn proudly identifies as a "patient scientist," bridging her personal and professional lives in meaningful ways. At Boston Children鈥檚 Hospital, she leads a study in which FD patients often meet her as the first fellow patient they鈥檝e encountered. It鈥檚 a surreal experience鈥攚orking alongside the very clinicians who once treated her, now as peers.

Beyond the lab, Camryn is an active advocate. She serves on the Patient Advisory Council for the Fibrous dysplasia/McCune-Albright Syndrome (FD/MAS) Alliance and has spoken on Capitol Hill, championing increased funding for rare diseases, improved insurance coverage, and faster FDA approvals. She believes scientists must also be communicators, especially in an era of growing public mistrust in science. 鈥淚t鈥檚 both a responsibility and a privilege,鈥?she says.

Camryn recently shared her story in a Patient Perspectives Podcast episode, offering a powerful firsthand account of navigating life with a rare disease and shaping a research career in its wake.

馃帶Listen to Spotify 馃摵Watch on YouTube

She also recorded an episode of the 1 of 20 Podcast, which will be released in May 2025.

Camryn鈥檚 connection to WPI extends beyond academics, it's also where she found her future partner. She and fellow BME alumnus Bishoy Abdelmalek met during their junior year and quickly discovered they had more in common than just shared courses. The couple got engaged last August during a picturesque trip to Greece; a moment Camryn describes as 鈥渂eautiful and perfect.鈥?Their shared love for WPI brought them back to campus last summer, where they led a tour for Camryn鈥檚 high school robotics team, hoping to spark the same passion for engineering and discovery in the next generation.

For Camryn Berry, science isn鈥檛 just a career. It鈥檚 a calling shaped by lived experience, compassion, and a deep desire to make a difference. And she鈥檚 just getting started.

New Members Inducted to National Engineering Honor Society Tau Beta Pi

amduffy — Thu, 01 May 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Congratulations to the newly inducted members of Tau Beta Pi, the national engineering honor society.

Tau Beta Pi was founded in 1885 to honor academic achievement and outstanding character. WPI鈥檚 Massachusetts Alpha Chapter, the first chapter in New England, was founded in 1910. In addition to the students who were inducted last night, we had the honor of inducting two Eminent Engineers, Professors Andrew Teixeira of Chemical Engineering and Fiona Zoutendyk of Mechanical and Materials Engineering.

Please join us in congratulating their achievement!

Tau Beta Pi. Integrity and Excellence in Engineering.

Justina Amoako, MS, Manufacturing Engineering

Gemma Baldwim 鈥?7, Environmental Engineering

Octavio Bittar 鈥?7, Electrical and Computer Engineering

Courtney Brady 鈥?7, Biomedical Engineering

Allison Califano MS, Civil and Environmental Engineering

Kevin Collins 鈥?7, Mechanical and Materials Engineering

Abigail Coolidge 鈥?7, Architectural Engineering

Ethan Curley 鈥?6, Mechanical and Materials Engineering

Khang Diep 鈥?7, Robotics Engineering

Ryann Dionne 鈥?5, Civil and Environmental Engineering

Halim Faker 鈥?5, Industrial Engineering

Christopher Ferrarotti 鈥?7, Electrical and Computer Engineering

Samantha Germano, MS, Systems Engineering

Noah Gibbs 鈥?7, Mechanical and Materials Engineering

Joshua Gifford 鈥?7, Robotics Engineering

Veronika Gorski, MS, Biomedical Engineering

Jeremy Hudon 鈥?6, Mechanical and Materials Engineering

Marshall Ismail, MS, Mechanical Engineering

Amelia Kokernak PhD, Aerospace Engineering

Nicholas Lentino 鈥?7, Mechanical and Materials Engineering

Kathryn McDonagh 鈥?7, Mechanical and Materials Engineering

Brynn McElligott 鈥?7 Mechanical and Materials Engineering

Collin Mello, MS, Fire Protection Engineering

Everett Mosher 鈥?6, Civil and Environmental Engineering

Sofia Murphy 鈥?7 Robotics Engineering

Sofia Pantano 鈥?7 Chemical Engineering

Fiona Prendergast 鈥?6 Robotics Engineering

Frederick Smith '26, Engineering

Anthony Virone, MS, Robotics Engineering

Maxwell Wiesenfeld 鈥?7 Architectural Engineering

Fan Yang, MS, Mechanical Engineering

Alexandr Zilberleyb 鈥?7, Robotics Engineering

Karen Troy Named Department Head of Biomedical Engineering

amduffy — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 12:00:00 +0000

The following message was sent from John McNeill, Bernard M. Gordon Dean of Engineering.

It鈥檚 my pleasure to announce that the new head of WPI鈥檚 Department of Biomedical Engineering (BME) is Karen Troy, an accomplished scholar and teacher in the area of musculoskeletal biomechanics, particularly clinical applications of quantitative imaging and computational modeling. Professor Troy鈥檚 term as department head, which begins July 1, 2025, follows that of Kris Billiar, who has led the BME department since 2015.

Karen earned her bachelor鈥檚 degree in biomedical engineering from Washington University in St. Louis in 1999, and her PhD from the University of Iowa in 2003. She joined WPI in August 2013 as an assistant professor after starting her career at the University of Illinois Chicago. Her research investigates how mechanical signals that are experienced within the skeleton during different types of physical activity lead to injury or adaptation. She is also an expert in noninvasive methods for assessing bone strength and structure. Details can be found on the website for her research group, the Musculoskeletal Biomechanics Laboratory.

Karen has won several awards, including the 2024 WPI Board of Trustees Chair鈥檚 Exemplary Faculty Prize, the 2023 Adele Boskey Award from the Orthopaedic Research Society, and has twice been awarded the Clinical Biomechanics Award from the American Society of Biomechanics. In 2024, she was inducted into the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering College of Fellows, one of the highest honors in medical and biological engineering, for her leadership, mentorship of diverse new scientists, and contributions to advancing clinical applications of quantitative imaging and computational modeling.

Assistant Professor Solomon Mensah Elected as a Fellow of the American Heart Association

jcain — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Solomon Mensah, an assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, has been elected as a fellow of the American Heart Association (AHA). Election as a fellow is an honorific designation that recognizes scientific and professional accomplishments, as well as volunteer leadership and service in support of the AHA鈥檚 mission: 鈥淭o be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives.鈥?amp;nbsp;

Mensah鈥檚 research at WPI investigates strategies to protect and strengthen the vasculature and explores how diseases such as atherosclerosis, hypertension, and cancer impact the structure and function of blood vessels. His lab also develops medical technologies for global health, with a focus on addressing critical healthcare needs in resource-limited settings.

Mensah鈥檚 election as a fellow was conferred by one of the AHA鈥檚 scientific councils, the Council on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology.

Research on improved cardiac imaging published in Scientific Reports

galingog — Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Robotics Engineering Ph.D. Candidate, Shang Gao, Robotics Engineering undergraduate student, Haotian Liu, and Associate Professor Haichong (Kai) Zhang, faculty member in the Departments of Robotics Engineering and Biomedical Engineering, and affiliated faculty member with the Department of Computer Science, have led pioneering research in image-guided interventions, resulting in the publication of a research paper, 鈥淓nhancing Boundary Detection of Radiofrequency Ablation Lesions through Photoacoustic Mapping,鈥?lt;/a> in the journal Scientific Reports.

The paper presents a new approach for improving the detection of ablation lesion boundaries using photoacoustic imaging. This technique helps clinicians more accurately assess lesions in real time during cardiac ablation procedures. Ablation procedures are often used to treat atrial fibrillation, a common type of heart arrhythmia.

By using a regression model, the method outlined in the paper provides accurate measurement of the lesion size, allowing for clearer visualization of treatment. This improvement supports better decision-making during surgery and reduces the chances of incomplete or excessive ablation. Collaborators included experts from The Texas Heart Institute and The University of Texas at Austin, contributing to the project鈥檚 success. The advanced facilities at WPI鈥檚 PracticePoint provided a state-of-the-art environment for testing and refining the imaging techniques in simulated clinical settings, which enabled the team to optimize the system for more realistic intraoperative conditions in cardiac ablation.

This study builds on Gao and Zhang鈥檚 prior work, 鈥淐ardiac-Gated Spectroscopic Photoacoustic Imaging for Ablation-Induced Necrotic Lesion Visualization,鈥?lt;/a> published in the Journal of Biophotonics. In collaboration with Johns Hopkins University and Siemens Healthineers, the team introduced a novel cardiac-gated spectroscopic photoacoustic imaging technique, marking the first time ablated tissue visualization has been achieved on a beating heart using this technology.

These publications mark a significant step forward in the field of image-guided surgical interventions and highlight WPI鈥檚 commitment to advancing medical technology.

Gao, a member of WPI鈥檚 Medical FUSION (Frontier Ultrasound Imaging and Robotic Instrumentation) Laboratory, has an academic background in Robotics Engineering from WPI and dual Bachelor of Engineering degrees from the University of Detroit Mercy and Beijing University of Chemical Technology. He is also the recipient of the 2023 Robert F. Wagner All-Conference Best Student Paper Award from SPIE Medical Imaging, a conference of the international society for optics and photonics. His research focuses on medical robotics, photoacoustic imaging, and image-guided interventions.

AIMCardio Lab at WPI Secures $516,556 NIH Trailblazer R21 Grant to Advance Fetal Heart Disease Diagnosis

kharrison — Mon, 17 Feb 2025 12:00:00 +0000

AIMCardio Lab at WPI Secures $516,556 NIH Trailblazer R21 Grant to Advance Fetal Heart Disease Diagnosis

The Artificial Intelligence and Modeling Laboratory for Cardiovascular Diseases (AIMCardio Lab) at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), directed by Dr. Zhenglun Alan Wei, has received a $516,556 Trailblazer R21 grant from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB). This award will support pioneering research aimed at improving the prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease (CHD).

CHD is the most common birth defect globally and a major contributor to infant mortality. Current prenatal imaging methods often fall short of providing a definitive early diagnosis. A particularly challenging form of CHD鈥攃oarctation of the aorta (CoA), characterized by a narrowing of the aorta鈥攃an lead to life-threatening complications if not accurately identified before birth.

To address this urgent clinical gap, Dr. Wei and his team will develop the first personalized computational model of fetal circulation. This non-invasive model uses blood-flow analysis and simulation to differentiate between healthy and potentially CoA-affected fetal aortas. Validated through advanced fetal MRI data, the approach will focus on wall shear stress, an important indicator of vascular remodeling, in hopes of enabling earlier and more accurate diagnoses.

鈥淏y developing a novel, non-invasive computational paradigm, we hope to give clinicians a powerful tool for prenatal CHD screening and ultimately improve outcomes for newborns,鈥?said Dr. Wei.

This project promises new insights into fetal aortic hemodynamics and more effective diagnostic methods in prenatal care. In the long term, these innovations could form the basis for broader translational studies, paving the way for improved diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment strategies for children with CHD.

Introducing the 2025/26 AEMB Executive Board

lrafferty — Fri, 31 Jan 2025 12:00:00 +0000

We are pleased to share the exciting news of our newly appointed Executive Board for Alpha Eta Mu Beta (AEMB), the Biomedical Engineering Honors Society at WPI. These talented student leaders are eager to make a meaningful impact and collaborate with faculty and staff on various initiatives throughout the upcoming year.

2025/26 AEMB Executive Board:

President: Bailey Allmon
Vice President: Bethany Brown
Secretary: Jack Libow
Treasurer: Megan Quinn
Community Service Chair: Ben Petrich

With a passion for biomedical engineering and a commitment to academic excellence, this team is ready to lead AEMB in fostering professional development, service opportunities, and academic engagement. Their enthusiasm and dedication will help strengthen our community and advance the mission of AEMB.

Please join us in congratulating our new Executive Board members. We look forward to an exciting year ahead!

7th Annual Sotak Lecture in Biomedical Engineering: Lawrence Latour, PhD '94

lrafferty — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 12:00:00 +0000

NIH: NINDS: 鈥淩apid MRI in the Study of Acute Stroke and Traumatic Brain Injury鈥?lt;/p>

On November 11th, 2024, the WPI Biomedical Engineering (BME) department hosted its seventh annual Sotak Lecture. Named after Dr. Christopher Sotak, a key figure in WPI鈥檚 BME history, the event honors his dedication to teaching and mentorship in biomedical research. As a professor and department head (1999-2006), Dr. Sotak transformed the WPI BME Department into a leader in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and MRI spectroscopy. He also played a crucial role in developing the Gateway Park facilities at 60 and 85 Prescott Street, which house Biotechnology and BME research labs.

Teaching was central to Dr. Sotak鈥檚 research approach. This year鈥檚 speaker, Dr. Lawrence Latour (PhD 鈥?4), one of Dr. Sotak鈥檚 early students, helped develop MRI as a healthcare tool. Dr. Sotak guided Dr. Latour in pursuing his passion for research. Dr. Latour noted, 鈥淐hris didn鈥檛 bring me motivation; that鈥檚 something individuals must have. But a good teacher, like Chris, helps you reach your goals and removes barriers.鈥?With Dr. Sotak鈥檚 mentorship, Dr. Latour learned to ask meaningful questions and pursue answers diligently, enabling him to conduct national-level research.

Dr. Latour鈥檚 rigorous training in the Sotak Lab laid the foundation for his career. Since earning his BME doctorate, he has advanced MRI applications for evaluating traumatic brain injuries. His work has earned him the role of Senior Scientist at the National Institute鈥檚 Acute Cerebrovascular Diagnostics Unit. He is also the Principal Investigator of two studies at the Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine in Bethesda, MD, and has received multiple awards from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) since 2007.

Dr. Zhenglun Alan Wei's AIMCardio Lab Receives $1 Million NIH R01 Grant for Groundbreaking Cavopulmonary Assist Device Research

lrafferty — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Dr. Zhenglun Alan Wei

The Artificial Intelligence and Modeling Laboratory for Cardiovascular Diseases (AIMCardio Lab @ AIMCardio.wpi.edu), directed by Dr. Zhenglun Alan Wei, has received a $1,035,369 National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute R01 award to support the development of the first assist device for cavopulmonary failure in patients with single-ventricle defects. Single-ventricle defects are among the most severe congenital heart conditions. Dr. Wei has been an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering since 2023 and is affiliated with both Mechanical Engineering and the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Dr. Wei has previously received grants from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the American Heart Association, and various private foundations. He is also a recipient of the American Heart Association鈥檚 2nd Century Faculty Independence Award. His lab integrates medical imaging with computational and experimental modeling to uncover underlying mechanisms, improve diagnosis and prognosis, and optimize medical devices and therapies for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.

WPI鈥檚 Massachusetts Alpha Chapter of Tau Beta Pi Initiates Nearly 50 New Members

amduffy — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 12:00:00 +0000

New Members of Tau Beta Pi

WPI鈥檚 Massachusetts Alpha Chapter of Tau Beta Pi recently initiated 47 new students鈥攁nd two Eminent Engineers鈥攊nto the honor society.

Tau Beta Pi is the only engineering honor society representing the entire engineering profession. It is the nation's second-oldest honor society, founded at Lehigh University in 1885 to mark, in a fitting manner, those who have conferred honor upon their alma mater by distinguished scholarship and exemplary character as students in engineering or by their attainments as alumni in the field of engineering, and to foster a spirit of liberal culture in engineering colleges. There are now collegiate chapters at 255 US colleges and universities and 50 active alumni chapters.

WPI鈥檚 Massachusetts Alpha Chapter was established in 1910 and is the oldest honor society on campus. It recognizes junior engineering students who are in the top 12.5% of their class, senior engineering students who are in the 20% of their class, and distinguished engineering graduate students, alumni, and engineers who are eminent in their field.

New members include Rick Brown, Professor and Department Head of Electrical & Computer Engineering, and Sarah Wodin-Schwarz, Associate Professor of Teaching and Associate Department Head of Mechanical & Materials Engineering, along with the following students, listed by class and major:

Class of 2024

Priyankha Sunil, BME
Adrianna Louise Tagayun, CHE
Natalie Gonthier, ME
Rowan Mattox, ME (Masters)
Nikita Igoshin, ME
Keelan Smith, ME
Stephanie Steriti, ME
Oleg Russu, RBE (Masters)
Rene Verduzco, RBE (Masters)

Class of 2025

Priyal Anand, BME
Ketterra Johnson, BME
Geethika Chandragiri, CE
Stephanie Dean, CE
Lucas Anthony, CHE
Adelyn Fisher, CHE
Rachel Gealow, CHE
Roberto Sabater, ECE
Adam Spencer, ECE
Melissa Hasbrouck, ME
Nicholas Healy, ME
Kathryn Juliuson, ME
Olivia Dunn, MGE
Amy Conley, RBE
Nikesh Walling, RBE
Cole Welcher, RBE

Class of 2026

Emily Herrera, AE
Catalina Mudgett, AE
Colby O鈥機onnell, AE
Ryan Smith, AE
Bailey Allmon, BME
Delina Chavez, BME
Benjamin Petrich, BME
Aidan Flanagan, CE
Alexander Sheehey, CE
Andrea Wu, CE
Victoria Escuer, IE
Grace Henderson, ME
Cullen Jacene, ME
Griffin Melia, ME
Galen Miller, ME
Alana Moretti, ME
Jack Shanks, ME
Nikhil Gangaram, RBE
Pranav Jain, RBE
Christian Piper, RBE

Class of 2029

Daniel McArthur Sehar, MME, PhD
Celso do Cabo, ME, PhD

Tau Beta Pi. Integrity and Excellence in Engineering.

Karen Troy Is Inducted to AIMBE College of Fellows

leckelbecker — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Karen Troy

Karen Troy, professor and associate department head in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, has been inducted into the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) 2024 College of Fellows.

Troy was elected to the AIMBE College of Fellows, one of the highest honors in medical and biological engineering, for her leadership, mentorship of diverse new scientists, and contributions to advancing clinical applications of quantitative imaging and computational modeling.

鈥淚鈥檓 truly honored to be recognized as an AIMBE Fellow by such an accomplished group of engineers and scientists,鈥?Troy said.

A member of the WPI faculty since 2013, Troy focuses her research on the interactions between physical activity and musculoskeletal health, disease, and injury.

AIMBE honored the new class of 162 fellows March 25 at its annual meeting. Read more about Troy鈥檚 induction to the AIMBE College of Fellows here.

Professor Ambady Writes 鈥淐ellular Engineering: A Laboratory Manual鈥?

amduffy — Thu, 04 Jan 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Cellular Engineering: A Laboratory Manual by Sakthikumar Ambady

Sakthikumar Ambady, associate teaching professor of biomedical engineering, recently published a comprehensive textbook, Cellular Engineering: A Laboratory Manual, with Cognella Academic Publishing.

Cognella, an organization that partners with experts, including faculty, to create student-focused books and other materials for higher education, approached Professor Ambady in summer 2022 and asked him to write the book. The goal was to provide a foundational resource to help students grasp cellular engineering concepts, theory, practice, and application in the lab.

The 183-page manual covers the history and basic concepts in mammalian cell culture and includes selected protocols to help guide students in their lab procedures. The book is primarily intended for undergraduates in biomedical engineering as well other disciplines such as biology, biotechnology, chemistry, biochemistry, or any course engaged in mammalian cell culture. The protocols included in the manual are streamlined so that the procedures can be performed during a two-hour lab period, said Ambady. He hopes that other instructors will find the book useful, especially in lab sections where eight or more students are enrolled.

Prior to writing the book, Ambady had been unable to find an appropriate textbook or manual that would specifically cater to the demands of the Cellular Engineering course that he currently teaches. The course was taught using individual protocols and refined over the years, and Ambady felt it was time to put all the information together in one place. 鈥淭herefore, I was thrilled to write the book when the publisher approached me,鈥?he said. He is eagerly looking forward to the prospect of teaching a higher-level Cellular Engineering course this year. Future editions of the manual will incorporate more advanced protocols, he says.

Students and other experts in the field are currently reviewing the preliminary edition, published in August 2023; their feedback will help refine the contents as Ambady finalizes what will become the first edition to be released in August 2024. 鈥淎lthough the feedback to the publisher is anonymous, students have told me that the book helped explain laboratory processes and work more clearly, and they found the book very helpful鈥攚hich is why I agreed to write it in the first place. I am happy to hear it is helpful.鈥?lt;/p>

WPI supports Mass STEM Week in Central MA

tadams — Tue, 14 Nov 2023 12:00:00 +0000

For the 6th year, STEM Week has been celebrated across the state of Massachusetts, and the STEM Education Center has coordinated several activities through the Central MA STEM Network Ecosystem. WPI continues to support the Central region by partnering with several different PreK-12 schools and community-based organizations to showcase STEM.

Chemical Engineering students talk about biofilms and infection models with the public at the Family STEM Night at the Boys & Girls Club.

Some of the WPI STEM Week 2023 highlights are:

Mass Academy of Math & Science鈥?MAMS) students鈥痸isited Abby Kelley Foster Charter School in Worcester to deliver STEM lessons (i.e., bird beak adaptations and spool racers)鈥痶o all their grade 4, 5, 6, and 7 classrooms.
Biomedical Engineering graduate students and Prof. Jeannine Coburn visited with 5th鈥痝raders at the Worcester Belmont Community School to do hands-on STEM activities (as part of an on-going partnership throughout the year for several years now).
Pre-Collegiate Outreach partnered with the Girls Scouts for the annual鈥?lt;/span>Geek is Glam event at WPI.
The STEM Education Center Professional Development Team supported PreK-7 educators in preparing for STEM Week and throughout the year using their I am STEM鈥?lt;/strong>curriculum.

Family STEM Night at Boys & Girls Club, Worcester included WPI exhibitors: Mass Academy making take home lava lamps, the Robotics Resource Center and MAMS demonstrating their large robot catching balls, the STEM Education Center displaying ferrofluid and live images with a hand-held microscope, and Chemical Engineering students of Prof. Elizabeth Stewart explaining biofilms by having kids model bacterial infections with stickers.

Guests make lava lamps with Mass Academy students at the Family STEM Night at the Boys & Girls Club.

Call for Nominations of Outstanding WPI Alumni

jldaigle — Fri, 27 Oct 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Nomination Deadline Extended!

Each year, the WPI Alumni Association presents awards to deserving alumni in recognition of their professional achievements, service to the university, service to the Alumni Association, and service to their local communities. The 2024 award form is now open and the Citations Committee, chaired by Mark Macaulay '89, MS'94, is looking for nominations of alumni from classes ending in 4 or 9!

Learn more about the alumni awards at: wpi.edu/alumni/awards/about

Nominate a deserving alumna/us HERE

For additional information or questions, please contact alumni-office@wpi.edu

WPI Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (Academic Year 2022 鈥?2023 Narrative Report)

alanejr — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 12:00:00 +0000

2022 Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Scientists (ABRCMS)

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) continued to ramp up its LSAMP Scholar Program in academic year 2022-2023 as it emerged from the transitions of academic year 2021-2022. Two (2) new co-PIs, Dr. Jeannine Coburn, Associate Professor in Biomedical Engineering and Dr. Catherine Whittington, Assistant Professor in Biomedical Engineering, were brought on to begin to establish a knowledge base and a sense of continuity.

Drs. Coburn and Whittington filled a critical role in the program, as PI Dr. Funmi Ayobami went on parental leave in the middle of the academic year. As in previous years, the coordination of events and programming was led by Arnold Lane, Director of Multicultural Education and Community Engagement in the Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Multicultural Education (ODIME). We also added a new staff member from ODIME to the team 鈥?Alesia LeSane, Assistant Director for Multicultural Education and Student Success who will be the primary liaison between ODIME and LSAMP moving forward. Working as a team, we continued the programming established in previous years, while adding additional events related to professional and academic development.

To start, we inducted sixteen (16) new LSAMP Scholars at the beginning of the academic year. Specifically, we inducted six (6) first-year students, five (5) sophomore students, two (2) juniors, and three (3) seniors. They all self-identified as being part of an underrepresented minoritized population, all majoring in STEM fields, and interested in research and graduate school.

Throughout the academic year, students participated in an initial pinning ceremony and quarterly LSAMP Scholar Meetings. During these meetings, we discussed topics including the structure and purpose of WPI鈥檚 LSAMP Scholar Program, career opportunities through the WPI Teacher Prep Program, mental health and well-being, Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs), graduate school application and selection process, and how to make effective use of the WPI Career Development Center. These meetings also included time for students to form small groups and share advice on navigating classes, projects, social situations, etc. Questions were often posed to direct these discussions, and student engagement during this portion of the meetings was high. These peer interactions helped build connections between LSAMP scholars, particular those of different academic classifications and majors. All LSAMP Scholar Meetings were conducted in person with a virtual option via Zoom.

This year, we also developed a Lunch 鈥榥 Learn series which included workshops and interactive sessions on 鈥?lt;em>Why Graduate School鈥? 鈥淢arketing Yourself鈥? 鈥淎ll About REU Programs鈥? 鈥淗ow are Your REU Applications?鈥? 鈥淭eaching as a STEM Professional and Change Agent鈥? and 鈥淐ommunity Service at WPI鈥?lt;/em>. These sessions aimed to not only educate scholars about graduate school, REU programs and professional development, but also served as opportunities for students to engage with each other and begin actively preparing their application materials.

The academic year ended with the graduation of sixteen (16) senior LSAMP Scholars, with three (3) LSAMP Scholars indicating that they will be attending graduate school in the Fall. Two (2) scholars will be continuing with Master's programs in Biomedical Engineering and Systems Engineering at WPI, while the third scholar will begin a PhD program in Mechanical Engineering and Material Science at Harvard University. Two (2) senior LSAMP Scholars also reported they will begin industry jobs at MITRE and Citizens Bank upon graduation.

Throughout the academic year, several LSAMP Scholars participated in internships, research experiences and presented their work at conferences. Four (4) LSAMP Scholars reported participating in internships at MITRE (as a Systems Engineer), Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense (Production Planning Intern), Confluent Medical Engineering (Manufacturing Engineering), and WPI (Office of Sustainability Intern). Three (3) LSAMP Scholars reported participating in REU programs at UConn, WPI, and Harvard. Twelve (12) LSAMP Scholars reported receiving awards and scholarships, including the WPI Crimson and Gray Award, the Wells Fargo Hispanic Scholarship Fund, and induction into Omega Chi Epsilon (Chemical Engineering Honor Society).

National Science Foundation (NSF) Logo

To support many of their accomplishments, several scholars received funding through the WPI LSAMP Scholars Program grant, the Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Multicultural Education (ODIME), and our partners and corporate sponsors. Specifically, we awarded funding for book stipends, professional development funds, educational support, and research scholarships through the LSAMP grant, which were used for professional development opportunities such as attending conferences, completing research projects, and paying for trainings. For example, two (2) LSAMP Scholars used LSAMP Professional Development funds to pay for attendance and participation at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) RoboSoft 2023 conference in Singapore, Asia and one (1) LSAMP Scholar attended the 2022 Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Scholars (ABRCMS) in Anaheim, California. Other students used LSAMP SPOT Scholarship funds to support their research projects, which included research on 鈥淎 Woodfire Clay Oven for the WPI Community鈥? 鈥淣on-invasive characterization of bio-engineered tissues by laser doppler vibrometry鈥? and 鈥淚dentifying Growth Factors Produced by Pancreatic Cancer Cells鈥? Other impactful use of the funds was supporting twenty-two (22) WPI students鈥?attendance to the 2023 National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) Annual Convention in Kansas City, Missouri and twenty-two (22) WPI students鈥?attendance to the 2022 Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina.

In addition to the LSAMP grant, ODIME once again secured funding support for LSAMP scholars through a generous donation from Teradyne, Inc. This gift allowed for funding different awards, research funding, professional development, educational support, and school supplies to support LSAMP scholars this past year.

As the summer approached, we collaborated with the WPI Early Research Experience in E-term (EREE) Program which engages students in summer research opportunities at WPI. Two (2) current LSAMP scholars were selected for the program, and four (4) additional students were recruited as summer LSAMP Scholars, and their summer research projects were funded by the program. Students are currently engaging in independent research ranging from Robotics Engineering to Data Science, and actively participating in weekly professional development workshops through the EREE program. These scholars will complete the program and present their research in a poster presentation to the WPI community in August 2023.

The WPI LSAMP team was able to successfully continue the program in AY 22-23. We are especially grateful to Drs. Coburn and Whittington who willingly served as co-PIs for the program, filling an urgent need as PI Dr. Ayobami went on parental leave. As we move forward, we plan to continue to build upon our work this past year and include additional programming geared towards research, professional development, graduate school options, and increasing engagement for the scholars. Once again, special thanks goes to the ODIME team led by Arnold Lane, Alesia LeSane, Mike Petro at UConn, and our friends at Teradyne, Inc. for all their support during this year.

For more information and resources about WPI's LSAMP Scholar Program, please visit:

LSAMP Scholar Program

Teradyne, Inc. Logo

The Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Multicultural Education (ODIME) promotes and oversees all student facing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) learning experiences, programs, services, trainings, and initiatives for WPI.鈥?lt;/em>

Announcing 2023 Graduate Research Innovation Exchange (GRIE) Winners

kasmith2 — Tue, 25 Apr 2023 12:00:00 +0000

On April 4, more than 50 Master鈥檚 and PhD candidates shared their innovative and purposeful research with the WPI community at the 2023 Graduate Research Innovation Exchange (GRIE) Finale. It was an exciting event that had the Rubin Campus Center Odeum buzzing with activity and engaged conversation. The following students were awarded prizes (the number of prizes was determined based on the number of students presenting in each category):

Mathematical, Chemical, and Physical Sciences

1st Place: Derek Drumm, Applied Mathematics,

1st Place: Joshua Dickie, Physics

Data Science, Cybersecurity, and Computer Science

1st Place: Marcela Vasconcellos, Data Science

2nd Place: Ricardo Flores, Data Science

3rd Place: Yao Su, Data Science

3rd Place: Eric Vertina, Data Science

3rd Place: Peter VanNostrand, Data Science

3rd Place: Joshua DeOliveira, Data Science

Chemical Engineering and Material Sciences

1st Place: Muntasir Shahabuddin, Chemical Engineering

1st Place: Lily Gaudreau, Chemical Engineering

2nd Place: Elizabeth Belden, Chemical Engineering

3rd Place: Sydney Packard, Chemical Engineering

Business and Social Science

1st Place: Gaayathri Sankar, Business Administration

1st Place: Varun Bhat, Other

Life Sciences and Bioengineering

1st Place: Bryanna Samolyk, Biomedical Engineering

1st Place: Hamilton White, Biomedical Engineering

2nd Place: Elizabeth DiLoreto, Biology and Biotechnology

Robotics, Cyberphysical Systems, Electrical and Computer Engineering

1st Place: Ryo Murakami, Robotics Engineering

2nd Place: Shang Gao, Robotics Engineering

2nd Place: Khai Yi Chin, Robotics Engineering

Aerospace Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Fire-Protection Engineering

1st Place: Zahra Noori O鈥機onnor, Mechanical Engineering

2nd Place: Alexander Castaneda, Mechanical Engineering

2nd Place: Tyler Lizotte, Aerospace Engineering

3rd Place: Kaoutar Diouri, Civil Engineering

Congratulations to the winners and thank you to all who helped organize and support the event including Terri Camesano, Rory Flinn, Deborah Baron, Stacey Burton, Ellen Lincourt, Nick Couture, Alex DeMello, the Events Office Staff and Facilities & Custodial Staff.

Special thanks to all the judges that gave generously of their time and expertise, including this year鈥檚 Lead Judges 鈥?lt;/span>

Emmanuel Agu                                  Rodica Neamtu                                 Burt Tilley

Sandyha Balasubramanian           Ali Rangwala                                      Jacob Whitehill

Danielle Cote                                     Elke Rundensteiner                        Catherine Whittington

Siavash Farzan                                   Suzanne Scarlata                              Alex Wyglinski

Christopher Larsen                          Purvi Shah                                           Yihao Zheng

Zhi (Jane) Li                                         Jagan Srinivasan                               Susan Zhou

Zhu Mao                                              Andrew Teixeira

Research @ WPI | April 2023 Newsletter

jferguson — Tue, 25 Apr 2023 12:00:00 +0000

The Research @ WPI April Newsletter has arrived in inboxes. You can view the entire issue online here. If you missed it and you would like to sign up for the next newsletter, you can fill out this form.

ODIME Forms New LGBTQIAP+ Advocacy Board

alanejr — Thu, 09 Mar 2023 12:00:00 +0000

LGBTQIAP+ Advocacy Board

For the past several years, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) has been working to better support the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, Pansexual (LGBTQIAP+) community through various initiatives, programs, and policy updates. These causes have been taken up by various members of our campus, including faculty, staff, and students, in their respective roles and have allowed for the LGBTQIAP+ community at WPI to increase, become more visible, and thrive during their time here.

Before efforts were made to include a Gender-Inclusive Housing process to Housing Selection for first-year and upper-level students, students used to have to individually out themselves to a staff member in order to receive the housing they needed to live comfortably at WPI. Prior to the inclusion of Gender Inclusive Restrooms in all academic buildings on campus, community members used to have to leave the building they were in for work, class, etc. in order to use a restroom that fit them best. WPI鈥檚 Lived Name Process has not always been as simple as being able to go on to Workday to update your profile; community members used to have to individually out themselves to staff and faculty in order to not be deadnamed on campus.

Deadnaming (verb): using a person鈥檚 name received at birth instead of the one they have chosen.

Then, in early December of 2021, a group of LGBTQIAP+ students sent WPI administration the WPI Students鈥?Demands for Campus Support and Safety for LGBTQIAP+ Students letter. This caused a shift in the campus culture that allowed the Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Multicultural Education (ODIME) to put forth initiatives that would drastically improve the landscape of WPI for LGBTQIAP+ students through collaboration with other campus departments and students, including the development and creation of the inaugural Assistant Director for Gender Equity and Sexuality role in Fall of 2022. This shift also opened up pathways for other students who were not apart of the initial letter writing to speak up about their experiences at WPI and provide feedback about what needs to change in order for them to feel they are part of this community.

All of this was possible because of those members of our community who stood up and spoke out to advocate for the success of all of our LGBTQIAP+ community members at WPI. However, these efforts were diluted throughout campus and did not have the cross collaboration needed to take on the larger challenges facing this community head on.

ODIME put a call out to faculty and staff across campus in January 2023 to join the new LGBTQIAP+ Advocacy Board, including several individuals who started and have continued this work during their time at WPI. The purpose of the LGBTQIAP+ Advocacy Board is to provide a space for LGBTQIAP+ advocates in the WPI community to join together to strategize and inform WPI and ODIME programs and services to better serve our LGBTQIAP+ students. Through bi-weekly meetings, the LGBTQIAP+ Advocacy Board outlines current challenges, leads various initiatives (including the December 2021 Letter), and provides current knowledge, critical thinking, and analysis to institutional decision-makers.

Current members of the LGBTQIAP+ Advocacy Board include:

Oscar Chavez (Office Academic Advising)

Lindsay Davis (Department Humanities & Arts)

Stan Horton (Title IX Office)

Greg Lane (Pre-Collegiate Outreach Programs)

Paige Neuman (Gordon C. Library)

Kat Keyes (Division of Talent & Inclusion)

Taylor Rohena (Office of Accessibility Services)

Angela Romano (Office of Academic Advising)

Hilary Clark (Division of Talent & Inclusion)

Rebecca Moody (Department of Humanities & Arts)

Arnold Lane, Jr. (ODIME)

Ben Pollard (Physics Department)

Mia-Kay Fuller (ODIME)

Emily Perlow (Division of Student Affairs)

Jill Westover (Gordon C. Library)

Vi Leroux (Career Development Center)

Riky Hanlan (Career Development Center)

The Alliance Executive Board

I am excited to work with all of these people through the LGBTQIAP+ Advocacy Board because I know that I am surrounded by individuals who truly care about advocacy work and want to push our campus to change and grow. This is not only special, it is also unique in that we are able to utilize our identities to better serve our students and our entire community. I cannot be more grateful for this opportunity to create a campus culture where all queer and trans students feel seen, validated, and respected.

-Mia-Kay Fuller (They/Them), Assistant Director for Gender Equity and Sexuality

Learn More About LGBTQIAP+ Support

If you have any questions regarding the LGBTQIAP+ Advocacy Board, or would like to know more, please contact Mia-Kay Fuller (They/Them) at diversity@wpi.edu.

The Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Multicultural Education (ODIME) promotes and oversees all student facing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) learning experiences, programs, services, trainings, and initiatives for WPI.

Life Sciences Center Awards $38,500 to Solomon Mensah to Develop Medical Device Summer Program for Teens

leckelbecker — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 12:00:00 +0000

The Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) has awarded $38,500 to Solomon Mensah, assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, to develop a seven-week summer program for high school students who are interested in developing medical devices for global health.

鈥淲e are incredibly proud to support Professor Mensah鈥檚 work to further expand experiential learning opportunities in the life sciences,鈥?said MLSC President and CEO Kenn Turner. 鈥淥ur ecosystem is at a critical point that requires collaboration and bold leadership to change the complexion of our workforce. Our efforts are strengthened mightily with institutions such as WPI and our partners across the Central Massachusetts life sciences cluster.鈥?lt;/p>
The program will be aimed at under-represented students in the Worcester Public Schools and focus on the ideation, design, and implementation of medical devices for developing countries. Mensah is principal investigator (PI) on the MLSC grant, and Dirk Albrecht, associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, is co-PI.

鈥淚nterest in medical product development careers usually begins in college,鈥?Mensah said. "The goal of this summer program will be to expose high school students to the field so that under-represented young people pursue engineering degrees in college and then seek jobs or start companies in the medical device industry.鈥?lt;/p>
Mensah expects to seek additional funding to launch the summer program in 2023 at WPI.

A member of the faculty since 2021, Mensah is a co-founder of Therapeutic Innovations, an organization that develops medical devices that can expand health care in developing countries.