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State Agency Awards $2M to WPI for Projects to Support Life Sciences Industry

leckelbecker — Thu, 23 Oct 2025 12:00:00 +0000

The Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MSLC) has awarded nearly $2 million to WPI for three projects that will expand research, manufacturing, and workforce training opportunities in the state鈥檚 life sciences industry.

The funding will go to new equipment for WPI鈥檚 Bioprocess Center, modernization of the Biomanufacturing Education and Training Center (BETC), and a new hands-on training program called the CellTech Institute.

Together the grants represent a significant investment in WPI facilities and programs that are focused on increasing the pipeline of workers for jobs in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and advanced biomanufacturing.

2025 Arts & Sciences Summer Undergraduate Research Fellows Announced

abriggs — Tue, 13 May 2025 12:00:00 +0000

The School of Arts & Sciences is pleased to announce the undergraduate students who were selected to receive summer research funding through the Summer Training in the Arts and Sciences (STAR), LaPre, Manning/Lesser, Spencer, or Neuroscience Fellowship programs. These fellowships were awarded to A&S undergraduate student to conduct summer research projects with a faculty advisor. We congratulate all award recipients.

Summer Training in the Arts and Sciences (STAR) Award Recipients

	Sophia Aikins-Hill Class of 2027 Major: Biochemistry Advisor: Christopher Lambert - Teaching Professor, Chemistry & Biochemistry
	Aaron Belikoff Class of 2028 Major: Computer Science Advisor: Raha Moraffah - Assistant Professor, Computer Science
	Grace Cao Class of 2026 Majors: Mathematical Sciences, Data Science Advisor: Zhongqiang Zhang - Associate Professor, Mathematical Sciences
	Phong Cao Class of 2027 Major: Computer Science Advisor: Fabricio Murai - Assistant Professor, Data Science
	Abigail Cieniawa Class of 2026 Major: Chemistry Advisor: Ronald Grimm - Associate Professor, Chemistry & Biochemistry
	Haley Day Class of 2027 Majors: Physics, Mechanical Engineering Advisor: David Medich - Professor, Physics
	Charles Dugaw Class of 2027 Majors: Interactive Media & Game Development, Computer Science Advisor: Karen Stewart - Assistant Teaching Professor, Interactive Media & Game Development
	Artem Frenk Class of 2026 Majors: Data Science, Computer Science Minor: Statistics Advisor: Roee Shraga - Assistant Professor, Computer Science
	Sunny Kang Class of 2026 Majors: Physics, Robotics Engineering Advisor: Rasia Trubko - Assistant Professor, Physics
	Mattan Mohel Class of 2027 Majors: Physics, Mathematical Sciences Advisor: Lyubov Titova - Professor, Physics
	Samin Nihad Class of 2027 Major: Data Science Advisor: Scott Barton - Associate Professor, Humanities & Arts
	Chloe Polit Class of 2027 Majors: Computer Science, Interactive Media & Game Development Advisor: Lane Harrison - Associate Professor, Computer Science
	Daniel Reynolds Class of 2027 Major: Computer Science Minor: Cybersecurity Advisor: Robert Walls - Associate Professor, Computer Science, Program Director, Cybersecurity

Neuroscience Fellowship Recipients

Elene Kajaia

Class of 2026
Majors: Computer Science, Robotics Engineering
Advisor: Jacob Whitehill - Associate Professor, Computer Science

Lucas Ramondo

Class of 2026
Major: Bioinformatics & Computational Biology
Advisors: Luis Vidali - Professor, Biology & Biotechnology, Min Wu - Associate Professor, Mathematical Sciences

Manning/Leser Fellowship Recipients

Luca Dang

Class of 2026
Majors: Computer Science, Mathematical Sciences
Advisor: Jacob Whitehill - Associate Professor, Computer Science

Madeline Gagnon

Class of 2026
Majors: Mathematical Sciences, Bioinformatics & Computational Biology
Minor: Computer Science
Advisor: Andrea Arnold - Associate Professor, Mathematical Sciences

Spencer Fellowship Recipients

Lillian Hanly

Class of 2026
Major: Biology & Biotechnology
Advisor: Lauren Mathews - Associate Professor, Biology & Biotechnology

Kavya Rajavel

Class of 2027
Major: Biology & Biotechnology
Minor: Psychological Science
Advisor: Karl-Frederic Vieux - Assistant Professor, Biology & Biotechnology

LaPre Fellowship Recipients

	Alexandra Cupit Class of 2028 Majors: Chemistry, Psychology Advisor: Shawn Burdette - Professor, Chemistry & Biochemistry
	Andrew Raymond Class of 2026 Major: Chemistry Advisor: Ronald Grimm - Associate Professor, Chemistry & Biochemistry
	Stasha Roganovic Class of 2026 Majors: Biology & Biotechnology Advisor: Luis Vidali - Professor, Biology & Biotechnology
	Victoria Turner Class of 2026 Majors: Biology & Biotechnology and Bioinformatics & Computational Biology Advisor: Scarlett Shell - Associate Professor, Biology & Biotechnology

The Chemistry of Belonging: A Graphic Novel Approach to Organic Chemistry Education (Authors Unbound)

akgold — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 12:00:00 +0000

All are invited to join WPI Chemistry & Biochemistry Professors Anita Mattson and Raul Orduna Picon as they share their exciting experiment in using graphic novels to transform how students see Organic Chemistry, empowering them to learn, connect, and belong.

Please join us at 1pm Tuesday, Jan. 28, in the Gordon Library Conference Room (303) for pizza and a fun, interactive program featuring several students: The Chemistry of Belonging: A Graphic Novel Approach to Organic Chemistry Education.

Rong Wang Named John C. Metzger Jr. Professor and Department Head in Chemistry and Biochemistry

sfoskett — Fri, 10 Jan 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Rong Wang, a distinguished researcher focused on the intersection of materials science, biochemistry, bioengineering, and nanotechnology, has joined WPI as the John C. Metzger Jr. Professor and Department Head in Chemistry and Biochemistry.

鈥淚t is my honor to welcome Dr. Wang to campus,鈥?said Jean King, Peterson Family Dean of Arts & Sciences. 鈥淗er commitment to advancing biomedical solutions and building cross-disciplinary collaborations aligns perfectly with WPI鈥檚 mission to address pressing global challenges through project-based learning, research, and innovation.鈥?amp;nbsp;

Wang comes to WPI from the Illinois Institute of Technology, where she established and oversaw the expansion of the International Center for Sensor Science and Engineering, a hub for faculty, industry professionals, and startups.

Her research focuses on biomedical applications, including a National Institutes of Health-funded exploration of therapies for pelvic organ prolapse, a painful condition experienced by women that affects connective tissue strength. Working with clinicians, Wang developed ways to use a patient鈥檚 own cells to develop personalized, cost-effective treatments.

Funded by a separate, ongoing NIH grant, Wang partnered with local dentists in Illinois to develop a saliva-based sensor combining biomarkers with artificial intelligence to detect and monitor periodontal disease. She also established collaborations to reskill veterans with technical and 鈥渟oft鈥?skills that readied them for life sciences careers, via a workforce development grant from the National Science Foundation.

Wang is a standing member of the NIH Cellular and Molecular Technologies Study Section and an associate editor of Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, and is on the Editorial Boards of Bioengineering and Journal of Functional Biomaterials. She received a bachelor鈥檚 degree from Jilin University in 1990 and a PhD from the University of Tokyo in 1996. She was a Director鈥檚 Postdoctoral Fellow at Los Alamos National Laboratory from 1998 to 2000.

AI in the Molecular Life Sciences: A-Term Speaker Series

rtatarek — Thu, 05 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Professor Robert Dempski, from the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Interactive Media and Game Development program, is teaching an experimental AI course in A-Term. As part of this course, he has invited a series of speakers to give talks on AI-related topics, particularly ones related to life science research and regulatory aspects.

WPI community members interested in AI and molecular life sciences are welcome to attend any of the talks below. Each presentation will take place at 1 p.m. in Stratton Hall, Room 202, unless noted otherwise. The first will be this Friday, September 6.

Date	Presenter	Company/Organization	Topic
September 6	Max Chen	WPI	Integrating AI Tools Into Life Science Workforce Development Programs
September 10* via Zoom (more details*)	Abhishek Pandey, PhD	AbbVie	AI-Based Property and Toxicology Prediction for Molecule Design
September 17	Andrew Fiordalis, PhD	Takeda	Using AI to Fit Reaction Kinetics
September 24	Joseph Loureiro, PhD	Novartis	Industrial Applications of Novel Technologies in Systems Biology
October 1	Ermal Toto, PhD	WPI	Analyzing Imaging Data With AI
October 4	Ryan Richards, PhD '16	AstraZeneca (and WPI grad)	TBD
October 8	Jim DeCarlo '80	Greenberg Traurig (and WPI grad)	Ethics and Regulatory Aspects of AI

To add a presentation to your calendar, go to the event page and click on any sub-event.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Professor Dempski directly at rdempski@wpi.edu.

Save the Date: Aug. 9 Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) Poster Symposium on UN SDGs

tadams — Thu, 25 Jul 2024 12:00:00 +0000

A cohort of 11 middle and high school teachers in the local area will be presenting their summer research work in WPI faculty labs at the RET poster session on Friday, August 9, 10:30-11:30am in Higgins House. The research projects address the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) and serve as the inspiration for integrated STEM lesson plans to be used in K-12 classrooms.

All are welcome to attend this event, which will include coffee break beverages and treats!

Four WPI undergraduates in the Teacher Preparation Program are part of the RET teacher cohort and have received extra mentoring from the in-service teachers. Faculty mentors include Erin Solovey, Ulkuhan Guler, Pratap M. Rao, Jagan Srinivasan, Yihao Zheng, Ron Grimm, Scarlet Shell, and Andrew Teixeira. In addition to the research experience, the RET teachers participated in weekly professional development sessions led by the STEM Education Center.

2024 RET RESEARCH PROJECTS WPI faculty/staff leading RET

UN Sustainable Development Goal

Research Project

Faculty Mentor

Pre-Service Teacher Participant

In-Service Teacher Participant

#3 鈥?Good Health & Well-Being

Engineering Bench-Top Testing of Interventional Devices for Cardiovascular Diseases

Yihao Zheng
(Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Robotics Engineering, Biomedical Engineering / MME, RBE & BME)

Sam Simmons
(WPI Management Information Systems / MS Math)

Jayne Kerner
(F.A. Day MS / Newton MS Science)

#11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities

Bioinspired Harvesting Calcium from Water for Cement and Concrete

Ron Grimm
(Chemistry & Biochemistry / CBC)

Allison Morin
(WPI Chemistry / HS Chemistry)

Stephanie Korunow
(South HS / Worcester HS Chemistry)

#3 鈥?Good Health & Well-Being

Genetically Engineering a Plasmid to Develop a Live-Dead Reporter System in Mycolicibacterium smegmatis

Scarlet Shell
(Biology & Biotechnology / BBT)

Abigail Prisby
(Groton-Dunstable HS / HS Biology )

#3 鈥?Good Health & Well-Being

Using Microscopic Worms to Understand Health-Associated Issues

Jagan Srinivasan
(Biology & Biotechnology / BBT)

Rebecca Cooke
(Douglas HS / HS Biology)

#12 - Responsible Consumption and Production

Waste-to-Energy: Engineering Feedstocks for a Circular Economy

Andrew Teixeira
(Chemical Engineering / CHE)

Demetrios Kennedy
(WPI Chemistry / HS Chemistry)

Jay Turner
(South HS / Worcester HS Chemistry)

#3 鈥?Good Health & Well-Being

Development of Miniaturized Noninvasive Blood Gas Monitors

Ulkuhan Guler
(Electrical & Computer Engineering / ECE)

Genesis Bernabel
(WPI Electrical Engineering / HS Physics)

James Sheehan
(Leominster HS / HS Physics)

#7 鈥?Affordable & Clean Energy

Photocatalysts for Clean Energy and Environment

Pratap M. Rao
(Mechanical & Materials Engineering / MME)

Meredith Leighton
(Raynham MS / MS Science)

Is Modern Chemistry Rubbish? A virtual talk about the challenges of Chemistry in The Circular Economy

revanoff — Tue, 21 May 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Inspired by the Nature article, "Modern Chemistry is Rubbish" written by PhD, Hannah Flerlage and associate professor Chris Slootweg, of Amsterdam's Van't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences, this panel examines the need to address society's greatest pain points with chemistry. Hosted by De Gruyter, this talk focuses on modern chemistry's link to environmental disasters, human health problems, and the possible solutions. Join us for a 50-minute discussion followed by a 10-minute Q&A session.

For more information and to register for the event go to:

https://www.degruyter.com/publishing/about-us/about-dg/digital-events

WPI Researchers Publish Study on Mixed Reality in Industrial Workforce Training

jcain — Tue, 21 May 2024 12:00:00 +0000

May 21, 2024

In a cross-disciplinary study recently published in the Journal of Chemical Education and featured on the May issue鈥檚 front cover, a team of WPI researchers from the Departments of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Chemical Engineering, Computer Science, and the Interactive Media and Game Development program developed a mixed-reality program to introduce flow chemistry tools to undergraduate students. The study is titled 鈥淔lowAR: A Mixed Reality Program to Introduce Continuous Flow Concepts.鈥?amp;nbsp;

Flow chemistry is an approach whereby chemical reactions occur in smaller volumes while flowing through a reactor when compared to the traditional approach of batch chemical reactions. Flow chemistry has a multitude of benefits including safety, investment savings, and green processing.

This study, led by Professor Robert Dempski, focused on comparing whether users could more readily assemble a continuous flow reactor using written instructions versus an Augmented Reality (AR)-based program, named FlowAR. The results showed that students who used FlowAR reported having a better training experience and enjoyed assembling the reactor more than students who used a traditional approach. This work shows that complex manual assembly of instrumentation can be more readily accomplished with a well-designed AR-based program. This is an exciting development to help train the workforce of the future.

Authors of the study include Lane Harrison, Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science; Andrew Teixeira, Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering; No毛lle Rakotondravony, a PhD student in the Department of Computer Science; Max Chen, a PhD student in the Interactive Media and Game Development Program; Yichen (Claire) Li, a PhD student in the Interactive Media and Game Development Program; and Hilson Shrestha, a PhD student in the Department of Computer Science.

2024 Arts & Sciences Summer Undergraduate Research Fellows Announced

abriggs — Wed, 08 May 2024 12:00:00 +0000

The School of Arts & Sciences is pleased to announce the undergraduate students who were selected to receive summer research funding through the Summer Training in the Arts and Sciences (STAR), Manning/Lesser, or Neuroscience Fellowship programs. These fellowships were awarded to A&S undergraduate student to conduct summer research projects with a faculty advisor. We congratulate all award recipients.

Summer Training in the Arts and Sciences (STAR) Award Recipients

	Zachary Adams Class of 2025 Majors: Mathematical Sciences, Physics Advisor: Burt Tilley - Professor, Mathematical Sciences
	Peter Cancilla Class of 2026 Major: Computer Science Advisor: Harmony Zhan - Assistant Professor, Computer Science
	Olivia Dube Class of 2025 Major: Chemistry Advisor: Ronald Grimm - Associate Professor, Chemistry & Biochemistry
	Pegah Emdad Class of 2026 Majors: Data Science, Bioinformatics & Computational Biology Advisor: Fabricio Murai - Assistant Professor, Data Science
	Esther Mao Class of 2026 Majors: Science, Technology & Policy, Data Science Advisor: Robert Krueger - Professor, Social Science & Policy Studies
	Corbin Narita Class of 2025 Majors: Physics, Mechanical Engineering Advisor: William McCarthy - Assistant Professor, Physics
	Ryan Nguyen Class of 2025 Major: Computer Science Advisor: Neil Heffernan - Professor, Computer Science
	Alec Norton Class of 2026 Majors: Computer Science, Robotics Engineering Advisor: Erin Solovey - Associate Professor, Computer Science
	Conner Olsen Class of 2026 Majors: Computer Science, Mathematical Sciences Advisor: Daniel Reichman - Assistant Professor, Computer Science
	Brenna Parker Class of 2025 Major: Psychological Science Advisor: Erin Ottmar - Associate Professor, Social Science & Policy Studies
	Srisaranya Pujari Class of 2026 Majors: Physics, Data Science Advisor: Raisa Trubko - Assistant Professor, Physics
	Ronak Wani Class of 2026 Major: Computer Science Advisor: Matthew Ahrens - Assistant Teaching Professor, Computer Science
	Tianxing Weng Class of 2026 Major: Physics Advisor: Kun-Ta Wu - Associate Professor, Physics

Manning/Leser Fellowship Recipients

Leah Maciel

Class of 2025
Major: Bioinformatics & Computational Biology
Advisor: Luis Vidali - Professor, Biology & Biotechnology

Anastasia Pashukov

Class of 2026
Major: Bioinformatics & Computational Biology
Advisor: Dmitry Korkin - Professor, Computer Science

Neuroscience Fellowship Recipients

Vishali Baker

Class of 2025
Majors: Biomedical Engineering, Professional Writing
Advisor: Benjamin Nephew - Assistant Research Professor, Biology & Biotechnology

Amanda Shea

Class of 2025
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Advisor: Benjamin Nephew - Assistant Research Professor, Biology & Biotechnology

Suzanne Scarlata Presents at International Forum on Research Excellence November 10

amduffy — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Suzanne Scarlata, professor of chemistry and biochemistry, will present a Keynote Thought Session at iFoRE, the International Forum on Research Excellence, titled 鈥淭he Effects of Hormones, Allergens, Neurotransmitters and Drugs: How Cells Communicate with the Outside World.鈥?lt;/span>

Scarlata, a biophysical chemist who combines fluorescence imaging with cell biology methods to uncover mechanisms through which cells communicate with their environment, notes that 鈥淓very living cell needs to communicate with its outside environment to find water, nutrients and other cells. Cells regularly receive molecular external cues that let them know whether the time is right to growth, divide or move. Our lab studies one of the key communication networks in mammalian cells that are responsive for movement, allergies and feelings of happiness. These surprisingly diverse functions are mediated by a single family of molecules called G伪q, and because of their importance, these molecules are important pharmacological targets. This lecture will discuss established old and newly discovered functions of G伪q to try to understand how it can impact so many diverse functions.鈥?lt;/span>

Scarlata will present Friday, November 10, 2023. The theme of this year鈥檚 conference is Visions of Ethical Research. Learn more here.

Pathways: School of Arts & Sciences Annual Report Now Available

raouellette — Tue, 19 Sep 2023 12:00:00 +0000

The School of Arts and Sciences is pleased to announce the release of its 2022-2023 Annual Report, Pathways. We invite you to explore this publication to learn more about the scholarship and dedication of the students, faculty, and staff of the School of Arts & Sciences. An electronic version of the publication is available on WPI's website.

A&S Graduate Student Conference Attendance Funding (Fall 2023)

raouellette — Thu, 10 Aug 2023 12:00:00 +0000

The School of Arts and Sciences (A&S) offers awards to support conference attendance for students enrolled in A&S graduate programs. These awards are generously funded by the A&S Advisory Board. Funding is competitive and limited.

Deadline for Fall 2023 applications: September 26, 2023

(note: awards for conferences before September 26 will be considered)

APPLY HERE

Guidelines

All graduate students enrolled in a program within the School of Arts and Sciences are eligible to apply.
Students must be enrolled as a WPI graduate student at the time of the conference or other activity.
Students can apply for any upcoming virtual or in-person conference including regional, national, or international professional meetings.
To be eligible for an award, students must be giving an oral or poster presentation at the conference.
Students may apply for assistance through other WPI programs however receipt of other support may affect decisions for an A&S award.
There is no limit on the number of graduate students from a professor's research group that may apply but this may affect the award decisions.
Students receiving an award will be given up to $1,000 towards costs including conference registration and, if applicable, transportation, lodging, and poster printing. (Meals are not covered.) The faculty research advisor or Department/Program should fund any costs not covered by the award. The student should not be responsible for these expenses.
Students who receive awards will be given instructions on how to submit expense reports to the Office of the Dean of Arts and Sciences. Expense reports should be submitted within one month of completing the activity.

For questions, please contact Rebecca Ouellette at raouellette@wpi.edu or extension x4964.

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.

2023 Summer Training in Arts & Sciences Research (STAR) Program

abriggs — Thu, 02 Feb 2023 12:00:00 +0000

The School of Arts & Sciences is pleased to announce that student applications are being accepted for the 2023 Summer Training in Arts & Sciences Research (STAR) Award program. These fellowship stipends will support current WPI sophomores and juniors who seek to conduct A&S research projects full-time for two months during the summer of 2023, with a faculty advisor. These awards are generously funded by the A&S Advisory Board. Funding is competitive and limited.

To be funded, students must propose research projects in one of the arts & sciences disciplines (this includes all majors and programs under the A&S departments, including robotics engineering).

STAR Fellows will participate in summer professional development workshops with other WPI summer undergraduate researchers, present a poster at a summer research showcase, and conduct a presentation as part of WPI鈥檚 Fall A&S Week.

Eligibility:

All current WPI sophomores and juniors who are pursuing a major in a department or program in the Arts & Sciences are eligible for these fellowships.

Deadline: APPLICATION SITE IS NOW CLOSED. We expect to inform students about the status of their application by the week of April 3.

Application Process:

Students should start by discussing their interests with potential faculty research mentors. Once the student has identified a research mentor and project, the student submits the following materials (PDF only please!) using the online application:

Brief description of the research project and how this work fits into your academic plan or career goals
Brief personal statement on your relevant experience (including course work, independent study, or projects that show your ability to work through open-ended questions)
Resume
Letter of support from faculty mentor for the proposed research project
Other supporting materials (optional, PDF only).
The brief descriptions of the proposed research project and the applicant鈥檚 relevant experience should each be limited to 500 words or fewer.

Award Details and Stipend:
This is a full-time appointment for two months (students will negotiate start and end dates with their mentor).
The stipend is $5000 total: $2500 paid at the end of June; $2500 paid at the end of July.

Questions? Please contact Rebecca Ouellette in the Office of the Dean of Arts and Sciences at raouellette@wpi.edu.

Call for Alumni Nominations!

jldaigle — Wed, 12 Oct 2022 12:00:00 +0000

Hurry! Nominations Close October 28.

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 2023 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 3 or 8!

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

Nominate a deserving alumna/us at: https://fs28.formsite.com/webteamwpiedu/alumni-award-nomination/index.html_gl=1*s0mlhx*_ga*MTg5NzQ3NjE2LjE2ODE5OTUwNDk.*_ga_RE35PKQB7J*MTY4MzcyNzkxNi45LjEuMTY4MzczMzg5NS41MS4wLjA.

The Citations Committee is chaired by Mark Macaulay '89, MS'94.

A&S Graduate Student Conference Attendance Funding (Fall 2022)

raouellette — Fri, 29 Jul 2022 12:00:00 +0000

Deadline for Fall 2022 applications: September 6, 2022 (APPLICATION SITE IS NOW CLOSED)

The Dean鈥檚 office expects to offer another application date in Spring 2023; specific dates to be announced later.

Guidelines

All graduate students enrolled in a program within the School of Arts and Sciences are eligible to apply.
Students must be enrolled as a WPI graduate student at the time of the conference or other activity.
Students can apply for any upcoming virtual or in-person conference including regional, national, or international professional meetings. Priority will be given, however, to students who are giving oral or poster presentations.
Students should review carefully all guidance from the conference organization on the policies for canceling an in-person conference due to the pandemic.
Students may apply for assistance through other WPI programs however receipt of other support may affect decisions for an A&S award.
There is no limit on the number of graduate students from a professor's research group that may apply but this may affect the award decisions.
Students receiving an award will be given up to $1,000 towards costs including conference registration and, if applicable, transportation, lodging, and poster printing. (Meals are not covered.) The faculty research advisor or Department/Program should fund any costs not covered by the award. The student should not be responsible for these expenses.
Students who receive awards will be given instructions on how to submit expense reports to the Office of the Dean of Arts and Sciences. Expense reports should be submitted within one month of completing the activity.

For questions, please contact Rebecca Ouellette at raouellette@wpi.edu or extension x4964.

2022 STARs and DraftKings Scholars Announced

abriggs — Tue, 14 Jun 2022 12:00:00 +0000

The School of Arts & Sciences is pleased to announce the undergraduate students who were selected to receive a 2022 Summer Training in the Arts and Sciences (STAR) and 2022 DraftKings fellowship awards. STAR fellowships are made possible through the generosity of WPI鈥檚 Arts & Sciences Advisory Board and were awarded to A&S undergraduate student to conduct summer research projects with a faculty advisor. The DraftKings Fellowships are made possible by a generous gift from the DraftKings corporation to support work that elevates the impact of advanced research in information science and technology; each student also works with a faculty advisor. We congratulate all award recipients.

Summer Training in the Arts and Sciences (STAR) Award Recipients

	Lauren Abraham Class of 2024 Major: Biology & Biotechnology Advisor: Natalie Farny - Assistant Professor of Biology
	Abigail Boafo Class of 2024 Major: Science, Technology, & Policy Major: Computer Science Advisor: Crystal Brown - Assistant Professor of Social Science & Policy Studies
	Thomas Kneeland Class of 2024 Major: Computer Science Major: Humanities with focus in Music Advisor: Ben Young - Jazz History Database Director
	Daniel Larrabee Class of 2023 Major: Bioinfomatics & Computational Biology Minor: Chinese Studies Advisor: Scarlet Shell - Associate Professor of Biology & Biotechnology
	Cole Parks Class of 2024 Major: Robotics Engineering Major: Computer Science Advisor: Carlo Pinciroli - Assistant Professor of Robotics Engineering
	Rachel Swanson Class of 2023 Major: Chemistry Major: Chemical Engineering Advisor: Patricia Musacchio - Assistant Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry
	Camille Williams Class of 2025 Major: Mathematics Major: Physics Advisor: Vadim Yakovlev - Associate Research Professor of Mathematical Sciences
2022 DraftKings Award Recipients
	Sydney Gardner Class of 2023 Major: Interactive Media & Game Development Minor: Computer Science Advisor: Farley Chery - Associate Professor of Teaching of Interactive Media Game Development
	Allison Rozear Class of 2024 Major: Human & Machine Communications Advisor: Yunus Telliel - Assistant Professor of Anthropology & Rhetoric

Applications are Open: Strage Innovation Award - Deadline March 17th

jjones3 — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 12:00:00 +0000

Strage Innovation Award

Application Deadlines Friday March 17^th, 2022

Strage Award established in 2005 through the generosity of Henry and Alberta Strage to help encourage WPI undergraduate students who are interested in innovation and turning new ideas into viable new projects or ventures. Students鈥?ideas are evaluated by a panel of judges. The award will be given annually. The prize amount is up to $5,000.

The objective of the competition is to develop student knowledge and practical experience in the translation of creative ideas into viable new products, ventures, or licensing opportunities. It may be given to an individual or team involved in submitting their commercial, philanthropic, or social venture ideas.

Application Requirements:

Submit the Intent to Participate Form
Submit written proposal
Selected finalist will prepare an presentation slide deck
Selected finalist will present on Competition Day

Judging Criteria:

Customer Need / Pain Point / Problem Definition
Solution / Approach to Solving Problem
Value (Benefits/Costs)
Competition / Alternatives
Technical Merit, Viability, Commercialization Strategy
Implementation Feasibility
Quality of Presentation and Clarity of Idea

For more information and to apply for the Strage Innovation Award, please visit our web page at Strage Innovation Award

2022 Summer Training in Arts & Sciences Research (STAR) Program

raouellette — Fri, 04 Feb 2022 12:00:00 +0000

The School of Arts & Sciences is pleased to announce that student applications are being accepted for the 2022 Summer Training in Arts & Sciences Research (STAR) Award program. These fellowship stipends will support WPI undergraduate students to conduct A&S research projects full-time for two months during the summer of 2022. These awards are generously funded by the A&S Advisory Board. Funding is competitive and limited.

To be funded, proposed research projects must be in one of the arts & sciences disciplines (this includes all majors and programs under the A&S departments, including robotics engineering). The selection committee will consider materials submitted by the student and the proposed faculty research mentor.

Important Note:

All summer research will need to be conducted in compliance with campus operation guidelines in place at the time the research will be conducted.

Eligibility:

All first-year, sophomore, and junior WPI students pursuing a major in a department or program in the Arts & Sciences are eligible for these fellowships.

Deadline:

Applications are due by March 21, 2022. (APPLICATION SITE NOW CLOSED)

Application Process

Applicants should start by discussing their interests with potential faculty research mentors. Once the student has identified a research mentor and project, the student submits the following materials (PDF only please!) using the online application:

Brief description of the research project and how this work fits into your academic plan or career goals;
Brief personal statement on your relevant experience (including course work, independent study, or projects that show your ability to work through open-ended questions);
Resume;
Letter of support from faculty mentor for the proposed research project;
Other supporting materials (optional, PDF only).

The brief descriptions of the proposed research project and the applicant鈥檚 relevant experience should each be limited to 500 words or fewer.

Award Details and Stipend

This is a full-time appointment for two months (students will negotiate start and end dates with their mentor).
The stipend is $5000 total: $2500 paid at the end of June; $2500 paid at the end of July.

Questions? Please contact Rebecca Ouellette in the Office of the Dean of Arts and Sciences at raouellette@wpi.edu.

Call for Alumni Nominations!

jldaigle — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 12:00:00 +0000

Each year, the WPI Alumni Association presents awards to a select group of alumni in recognition of their professional achievements and their service to the university and the Alumni Association. The nomination form is now open! We are looking for outstanding alumni from classes ending in 2 or 7. You can learn about the categories HERE. Please submit nominations by Dec. 7 to be considered for this year's award cycle. For any questions, email alumni-office@wpi.edu

12 WPI Students Inducted into the LSAMP Scholar Program

alanejr — Thu, 04 Nov 2021 12:00:00 +0000

On Wednesday, October 27, 2021 the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) inducted twelve (12) WPI undergraduate students into the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Scholar Program for the 2021-2022 academic year.

The Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Scholar Program, named in honor of former congressman Louis Stokes, is a NSF funded program intended to support historically underrepresented students in the STEM fields. Enrollment in the program is reserved to a select and highly committed group of students with a declared major in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and pre-health professions.

As new inductees to the program, these 12 scholars join their peers at WPI along with new colleagues at our sister schools in Northeast Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (NELSAMP). They will gain access to funding to enhance their education through professional development and research; professional and peer mentorship; training in developing a research agenda; participation in supervised research projects and initiatives; and preparation and guidance toward graduate school.

Led by Dr. Funmi Ayobami, Assistant Teaching Professor in Biomedical Engineering and the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) team we hope to enhance the lives of these scholars as they pursue their respective professional endeavors in STEM. Please help us in congratulating our students and wish them well in their professional successes this year and beyond.

The 2021-2022 LSAMP Scholar Program experience is sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF), Teradyne, and the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA).

WPI's LSAMP Scholar Support Team can be reached at gr-lsamp@wpi.edu.

2021-2022 LSAMP Scholar Program Inductees

Maya Angeles 鈥?4 - Robotics Engineering

Samuel Appiah Kubi 鈥?4 - Robotics Engineering

Marissa Desir 鈥?3 - Biochemistry

Nicole Dressler 鈥?3 - Biomedical Engineering

Maya Ellis 鈥?3 - Electrical and Computer Engineering

Florkenthia Jolibois 鈥?3 - Data Science

Jackie Lopez 鈥?3 - Robotics Engineering

Gabe Rivera 鈥?3 - Biomedical Engineering

Kwesi Sakyi '22 - Mechanical Engineering

Adrianna Tagayun 鈥?4 - Chemical Engineering

Naomi Treto 鈥?5 - Computer Science

Regina Valencia 鈥?4 -Aerospace Engineering

Researcher Suzanne Scarlata Identifies a 鈥淕ood鈥?Stress Response in Cells

leckelbecker — Fri, 22 Oct 2021 12:00:00 +0000

Newly published research led by Suzanne Scarlata, Richard Whitcomb Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, describes a mechanism in mammalian cells that enables the assembly of stress granule proteins capable of protecting messenger RNA (mRNA) during normal non-stress physiological conditions.

The research was published Oct. 19 by the journal Science Signaling.

Stress granules are small compartments where cells that are under stress鈥攆rom toxins, starvation, heat or cold shock, osmotic stress that causes shrinking or swelling鈥攕equester important proteins and mRNA. Stress granules help protect mRNAs, which are energetically costly to synthesize, from degradation.

The Scarlata lab studies proteins called G proteins that relay information from molecules outside the cell to inside the cell. The lab specifically focuses on the G伪q family of proteins, which transmit signals from acetylcholine, dopamine, serotonin, histamine, and other chemicals.

鈥淥ur study found that activation of G伪q produces a form of 鈥榥ormal鈥?stress granules that have the potential to protect specific mRNAs,鈥?Scarlata said. 鈥淭his helps to show how hormones and neurotransmitters can direct the synthesis of specific proteins and may help to design more effective pharmaceuticals.鈥?lt;/p>

G proteins control responses that range from light perception to heart rhythm, and they help make sure that signals are directed properly through the brain and spinal cord, and that muscles contract and relax appropriately. Approximately 30 percent of pharmacological agents in the United States target G proteins.

In addition to Scarlata, authors of the paper are fourth-year graduate students Androniqi Qifti and Lela Jackson; Ashima Singla 鈥?7 (MS); and former postdoctoral fellow Osama Garwain, now at Agilent Technologies Inc.

2021 STARs and DraftKings Scholars Announced

raouellette — Tue, 05 Oct 2021 12:00:00 +0000

The School of Arts & Sciences is pleased to announce the undergraduate students who were selected to receive a 2021 Summer Training in the Arts and Sciences (STAR) and 2021 DraftKings fellowship awards. STAR fellowships are made possible through the generosity of WPI鈥檚 Arts & Sciences Advisory Board and were awarded to A&S undergraduate student to conduct summer research projects with a faculty advisor. The DraftKings Fellowships are made possible by a generous gift from the DraftKings corporation to support work that elevates the impact of advanced research in information science and technology; each student also works with a faculty advisor. We congratulate all award recipients.

Summer Training in the Arts and Sciences (STAR) Awards

	Olivia Atkins 鈥?3, biology & biotechnology Advisor: Scarlet Shell, assistant professor of biology & biotechnology
	Eugena Choi 鈥?4, environmental & sustainability studies and environmental engineering Advisor: William San Martin, assistant teaching professor of humanities & arts
	Elizabeth Koptsev 鈥?2, psychological science Advisor: Angela Rodriguez, assistant professor of social science & policy studies
	Brock Jolicoeur 鈥?2, physics Advisor: David Medich, associate professor of physics
	Michelle Pan 鈥?2, biology & biotechnology Advisor: Inna Nechipurenko, assistant professor of biology & biotechnology
	Mohammed Mohammed, 鈥?2, chemistry & international studies Advisor: Crystal Brown, assistant professor of social science & policy studies

DraftKings Fellowship Awards

Victoria Mirecki 鈥?2

Advisor: Gillian Smith, associate professor of computer science

Katie Houskeeper 鈥?3

Advisor: Elke Rundensteiner, professor of computer science

28 Years of Connections: Welcoming the Class of 2025

rdheard — Wed, 01 Sep 2021 12:00:00 +0000

In 1993, WPI welcomed members of the incoming class to campus during the EMSEP (Excellence in Math, Science, and Engineering) Pre-Orientation Program, which was designed to help students of color adjust to WPI鈥檚 campus and persist through college. As WPI evolved, the EMSEP Pre-Orientation Program became known as Connections. Although the name of the program changed, the purpose and core values remained the same.

In mid-August, the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) welcomed members of the Class of 2025 to campus during the Connections Pre-Orientation Program. Connections at WPI provides a foundation for incoming students, who identify as students of color, first generation students, and/or students who identify as members of the LGBTQIAP+ community, to take their first steps into college knowing that they have folks across campus who are there to support them.

鈥淐onnections is something I didn鈥檛 know I needed heading into college. Having the ability to work as a group, establish friends, learn how the culture of WPI operates 鈥?all of that is essential to my experience at WPI.鈥? Humberto Torres 鈥?5

Throughout this week-long program, the OMA and many campus partners assisted new students with getting acclimated to college life and academics at WPI through networking opportunities, social activities, and academic course work. In addition to the staff and faculty across campus, incoming students were guided and mentored by a group of Program Assistants, or PA鈥檚, who are upper-class students who also participated in Connections as incoming students.

鈥淚 moved into college not really knowing what was going on or what I was doing and connections helped put everything in front of me. Resources, where to find them, what to do, and of course, I was taught to make connections, with staff and students alike.鈥? Lucca Chantre 鈥?5

One important aspect of this program occurred when students were introduced to the WPI academic experience. Faculty members from several disciplines and departments taught mock lectures in order to model the pace of college courses, discuss academic expectations, and form connections with each student prior to their first college class or their first time walking into office hours.

鈥淐onnections has been one the best experiences of my life. I feel significantly better about starting classes at WPI!鈥?- Ligia Machado e Portugal 鈥?5

Connections students also participated in interactive sessions about how to navigate WPI resources, how our Community of Care is manifested in everyday campus life, and the importance of tapping into their own salient identities both inside of and outside of the classroom. While the Pre-Orientation program occurred over one week, the opportunities for growth will continue over the course of their WPI careers, and the network that was built within the program lasts for a lifetime.

鈥淐onnections is a great way for people who are nervous about finding others like them to gather together for a week of bonding they鈥檒l never forget. You鈥檒l learn so much about campus, classes, student life, and WPI as a whole. After attending connections, there will be a friendly face everywhere you go and your confidence going into your first year will be so much higher.鈥?鈥?Caitlin Bagdasarian 鈥?5

Dr. Funmi Ayobami, Assistant Teaching Professor in Biomedical Engineering and WPI Alumna class of 2011, plays a role in the success of the Connections Program, and was a participant during her time as an undergraduate student. Dr. Funmi Ayobami serves as the Principal Investigator (PI) for the Great Minds/CoMPASS Scholars Program, a program for low income, academically talented, first-generation students from Worcester Public Schools (WPS) that provides orientation through participation in the Connections program, and navigation in attending and graduating from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI).

Additionally, Rachael Heard, Assistant Director of Multicultural Affairs and WPI Alumna class of 2017, participated in Connections as an incoming WPI student and now serves as the coordinator for the current iteration of the program. In addition to a multitude of roles on campus, Rachael oversees the First Generation Success Program and also plays key roles with the Great Minds/CoMPASS Scholars Program and the LSAMP Scholar Program.

鈥淐onnections was a wonderful experience that made me come out of my comfort zone and have fun with friends I made along the way. The group leaders were amazing and I gained mentors I didn't expect.鈥? Kashish Kashish 鈥?5

We are grateful for the cross-campus collaborators who make this program possible every year. On behalf of the Office of Multicultural Affairs and the entire Connections Pre-Orientation Program, thank you so much to:

Academic Advising

Academic Resource Center

Dining Services

Events Office

the Housing & Residential Experience Center

Campus Police

Gordon Library

Diversity Outreach Initiatives Team in Undergraduate Admissions

Career Development Center (CDC)

Student Development and Counseling Center (SDCC)

IT Services

Financial Aid

Academic Technology Center

Office of Accessibility Services

Student Activities Office

Student Affairs Division

Dean Jean King, WPI Peterson family Dean in the School of Arts and Sciences

Kristin Wobbe, Center for Project Based Learning

Ronald Grimm, Chemistry and Biochemistry

Rudra Kafle, Physics

Michael Johnson, Mathematics

Jon Abraham, Mathematics

Louis Roberts, Biology and Biotechnology

Adrienne Hall-Phillips, The Business School

Elizabeth Lingo, The Business School

Kenny Ching, The Business School

Sara Saberi, The Business School

Kristin Boudreau, Humanities and Arts

Yunus Telliel, Humanities and Arts

Rebeca Moody, Humanities and Arts

Althea Danielski, Humanities and Arts

Call for Applications: Kalenian Award 2021

jjones3 — Thu, 06 May 2021 12:00:00 +0000

Kalenian Award Application Deadline on August 13^th, 2021

The Kalenian Award, established in 2006 through the generosity of Alba Kalenian in memory of her late husband Aram (Class of 1933), provides seed funds to support and advance the ideas and inventiveness of WPI students, faculty, and alumni.

Aram Kalenian was an inventor who had numerous useful ideas and reduced many of them to practice. The purpose of the Kalenian Award is to encourage similar innovation and entrepreneurship at any stage of development from the WPI academic community. The award's focus is to fuel the entrepreneurial spirit through annual funding of a single viable invention.

This award will be given annually. The duration of the award shall not exceed 18 months and will be a grant of up to $25,000. It may be given to an individual or group involved in the invention of a product in order to assist in the process of moving the invention toward commercialization. The award may be given to support innovative ideas or the development of commercial products. Ideally, the recipients should be either a part of an existing small business enterprise or in the process of trying to establish a small business. This is not a business plan contest. Many diverse and high quality proposals are received making it difficult to select one winner. Applicants may resubmit proposals if they do not win an award in the previous year.

Read the Application Guidelines (pdf) and keep the following deadlines in mind.

Intent to Compete Form is due no later than August 13^th, 2021
Three-page narrative is due no later than September 10^th, 2021鈥?lt;/strong>

Winners will be announced on October 6^th, 2021 at 4pm. Location to be determined.

For more information please visit the Kalenian Award Webpage

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State Agency Awards $2M to WPI for Projects to Support Life Sciences Industry

2025 Arts & Sciences Summer Undergraduate Research Fellows Announced

Summer Training in the Arts and Sciences (STAR) Award Recipients

Sophia Aikins-Hill

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The Chemistry of Belonging: A Graphic Novel Approach to Organic Chemistry Education (Authors Unbound)

Rong Wang Named John C. Metzger Jr. Professor and Department Head in Chemistry and Biochemistry

AI in the Molecular Life Sciences: A-Term Speaker Series

Save the Date: Aug. 9 Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) Poster Symposium on UN SDGs

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2024 Arts & Sciences Summer Undergraduate Research Fellows Announced

Summer Training in the Arts and Sciences (STAR) Award Recipients

Zachary Adams

Peter Cancilla

Olivia Dube

Pegah Emdad

Esther Mao

Corbin Narita

Ryan Nguyen

Alec Norton

Conner Olsen

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Srisaranya Pujari

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Tianxing Weng

Manning/Leser Fellowship Recipients

Leah Maciel

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Neuroscience Fellowship Recipients

Vishali Baker

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Suzanne Scarlata Presents at International Forum on Research Excellence November 10

Pathways: School of Arts & Sciences Annual Report Now Available

A&S Graduate Student Conference Attendance Funding (Fall 2023)

Deadline for Fall 2023 applications: September 26, 2023

Research @ WPI | April 2023 Newsletter

2023 Summer Training in Arts & Sciences Research (STAR) Program

Call for Alumni Nominations!

A&S Graduate Student Conference Attendance Funding (Fall 2022)

Deadline for Fall 2022 applications: September 6, 2022 (APPLICATION SITE IS NOW CLOSED)

2022 STARs and DraftKings Scholars Announced

Summer Training in the Arts and Sciences (STAR) Award Recipients

Lauren Abraham

Abigail Boafo

Thomas Kneeland

Daniel Larrabee

Cole Parks

Rachel Swanson

Camille Williams

2022 DraftKings Award Recipients

Sydney Gardner

Allison Rozear

Applications are Open: Strage Innovation Award - Deadline March 17th

Application Deadlines Friday March 17^th, 2022

Kalenian Award Application Deadline on August 13^th, 2021