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Where in the News Was WPI in 2024?

cbwamback — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 12:00:00 +0000

In 2024, WPI鈥檚 faculty, staff, students, and initiatives captured headlines for research and projects, expertise and innovation, community impact, and more. Stories in local, regional, national鈥攁nd international鈥攎edia outlets amplified the university鈥檚 visibility, solidifying its reputation as a global leader in innovation and excellence.

RESEARCH
Transformative contributions to science, technology, and sustainability including innovations in battery recycling were highlighted by The Boston Globe while Ascend Elements, born out of a WPI lab, was one of TIME鈥檚 top green-technology companies. Efficient methods to recycle polystyrene were covered by Phys.org, Yahoo!, and other outlets. In a literal leap toward the future, an experiment conducted aboard the ISS, featured by GBH, is exploring how microgravity impacts fire behavior. Additionally, the Energy News Network reported on laser technology to help Maine鈥檚 paper and pulp mills reduce their carbon footprint.
The Boston Globe TIME Yahoo! GBH Energy News Network

EXPERT INSIGHT
Faculty featured in the expert database provided insight on top tech trends (Techopedia), cybersecurity threats (USA Today), data breaches (The New York Times, CBS News) and the CrowdStrike outage, (AP News, NPR, The Boston Globe). Professors analyzed the Northeast's record wildfire season (WHDH, The Boston Globe, MassLive), hurricane-related telecom disruptions (The Boston Globe), consumer pricing experiments (Le Parisien),vehicles in society (BBC Radio 4, Bloomberg), the science behind metal squeaks (Yahoo News), and societal issues like body image during pregnancy (Self).Techopedia USA Today CBS/The New York Times AP News NPR WHDH/The Boston Globe/MassLive The Boston Globe LeParisien BBC Radio 4 Bloomberg Yahoo Self Magazine

STUDENTS

From developing affordable technology to modify manual wheelchairs with electric power (WHDH) and accessibility apps for museums (WBJ) to exploring the potential for life on Venus (BBC), WPI student work displayed the breadth of their skills and dedication. Students also earned national recognition for entrepreneurial achievements, designed inclusive escape room experiences (Eurogamer), and contributed to meaningful community projects like the musical tribute to Worcester鈥檚 Major Taylor (WBUR).
WHDH Worcester Business Journal BBC Sky at Night Eurogamer WBUR

COMMUNITY IMPACT
WPI continues to foster innovation driving economic growth and opportunity in the region, as was noted in Techbullion, and helps power higher education in the city (The Globe Magazine/Livability). Regionally, a collaboration with the Boston Museum of Science showed how WPI blends science and art to inspire broader audiences (The Boston Globe). Nationally, unique programs, like supporting introverted students in developing skills for college and career success, set a benchmark for inclusivity and student development (Inside Higher Ed). WPI was also recognized for groundbreaking IMGD programs which this year paid tribute to video game history (WCVB).
Techbullion The Globe Magazine Livability The Boston Globe Inside Higher Ed WCVB

WHAT鈥橲 NEW
This year the university launched a master鈥檚 program in AI (BestColleges), introduced the nation鈥檚 first master鈥檚 in Explosion Protection Engineering (ScienceBlog), and debuted a first-of-its-kind PhD in Financial Technology (WBJ). WPI also started a new master鈥檚 program in global public health (GBH) and received a State Department grant to improve accessibility at its global project centers (UPI). Closer to home, WPI created transfer programs with several community colleges and new partnerships for accelerated master鈥檚 programs (The Gardner News).
Best Colleges ScienceBlog.com Worcester Business Journal GBH UPI The Gardner News

THE "TAIL END"
After seven years of loyal service, Bella, the beloved WPI Police K9, officially retired in 2024鈥攂ringing an end to her "pawsome" career on the force. Her graduation walk and final "last call" were captured on video, which quickly went viral, with over a million views. Bella鈥檚 work will always be remembered as "fur-tastic" as she pawses for a well-deserved break, leaving behind a legacy of dedication and "tail wagging" success. Graduation walk Last call

Worcester Polytechnic Institute Names Bryce Hoffman as Vice President, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer

cbwamback — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Following a comprehensive and competitive nationwide search, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) President Grace J. Wang, Ph.D. has appointed Bryce Hoffman as the university's new Vice President, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer (VP, CMCO). A seasoned professional, Hoffman brings over 19 years of experience in higher education marketing and communications and proven strengths in institutional branding, enrollment marketing, advancement communications, data-informed strategy, and creative development to his new role at WPI.

"Bryce Hoffman is a strategic thinker and effective leader who has the talent, experience, and ambition to increase WPI鈥檚 national and global visibility as a truly distinctive STEM-focused university and a leader in transformative education and research,鈥?said President Wang. 鈥淚 am confident that Bryce will greatly amplify awareness of WPI鈥檚 unique curriculum, our impactful research and innovation, and our highly immersive and inclusive campus environment. I am excited to welcome him to the WPI community.鈥?lt;/span>

As Vice President, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Hoffman will be responsible for all strategic marketing and communications efforts at WPI. He will provide leadership and strategic direction to a division that offers expert counsel and agency-level services and plays a critical role in the pursuit of university goals鈥攊ncluding increasing visibility and elevating WPI鈥檚 reputation in the world, driving revenue, and building community.

鈥淭rue distinction in higher education is rare,鈥?said Hoffman. 鈥淲PI has it. This university can make a bold claim to leadership in global, project-based learning and as a hub for STEM-focused education, research, and innovation. I am beyond excited to work with the Marketing Communications team and the WPI community to tell our story in new and creative ways, here at home and in places where we aren鈥檛 as well known. I look forward to helping share WPI with the world.鈥?lt;/span>

Hoffman began his career as a newspaper reporter and eventually transitioned into the higher education sector at Cornell University in October 2005; there he spent five years as a content creator and message strategist for the Division of Alumni Affairs & Development. Today, he serves as the Assistant Vice President of Integrated Marketing at the University of New Hampshire (UNH), a position he has held since March 2023. As UNH鈥檚 chief brand strategist, Hoffman has conducted the largest market study in the university鈥檚 history, completed a brand positioning overhaul, and launched two omni-channel brand lift campaigns. UNH鈥檚 use of TikTok influencer collaborations was recently selected for presentation at the AMA Higher Education national conference.

Prior to joining UNH, Hoffman was at UMass Lowell for nearly nine years. He began his tenure there as the Executive Director of Marketing and was promoted to the role of Associate Vice Chancellor of Marketing. While at UMass Lowell, Hoffman focused on building a national brand through successive national advertising campaigns informed by large-scale market research. He and his team also responded to demographic challenges with an intensified focus on enrollment marketing that successfully leveraged digital channels and created a more personalized approach for prospective students. Hoffman also secured UMass Lowell鈥檚 recognition as a United Nations Academic Impact institution, led teams and projects that won more than 60 prestigious awards, and coordinated the university鈥檚 successful bids for the 2022 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award from INSIGHT into Diversity Magazine and 2021 鈥淭op Colleges & Universities鈥?recognition from Black EOE Journal, Hispanic Network Magazine, and Professional Woman鈥檚 Magazine.

Before joining UMass Lowell, Hoffman served as the Executive Director of Marketing and Communications for three and a half years at the State University of New York College at Plattsburgh (SUNY Plattsburgh) where he led marketing, public relations, and crisis communications. Within a two-year span, Hoffman and his team won the SUNY Council for University Advancement鈥檚 Best of Category awards for total advertising and for internal communications.

Hoffman earned a B.S. in Journalism from Eastern Michigan University in 2000, and a M.S. in Communication from Cornell University in 2011 with a thesis that examined the effects of digitally mediated communication on subconscious bias and intergroup prejudice.

A bicycling enthusiast, Hoffman was appointed to the Massachusetts Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board by Gov. Charles Baker where he served from 2018-2023 in advising the Commonwealth on active transportation, infrastructure, policy, engineering, and messaging for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. He is also a League of American Bicyclists certified safe cycling instructor and has served as a volunteer at The Bike Connector, a nonprofit that provides free bicycles, safe cycling instruction, and training in repairing bicycles to city youth.

President Wang鈥檚 selection of Hoffman was informed by a search advisory committee composed of faculty, students, and staff, representing diverse backgrounds and perspectives within the WPI community.

Hoffman will officially join WPI on December 1, 2024, and will succeed Eileen Brangan Mell, who has been serving as Interim Vice President of Marketing and Communications.

WPI Receives State Department Grant to Increase Access to Global Projects Program鈥?

jcain — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Worcester, MA鈥擩une 13, 2024鈥擶orcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) has been awarded funding from the United States Department of State鈥檚 Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs that will allow for greater access to one of the university鈥檚 signature project-based learning programs, the Global Projects Program.

The Department of State鈥檚 IDEAS (Increase and Diversify Education Abroad for U.S. Students) grant of up to $34,970 will support a new initiative that seeks to increase the number of WPI students with disabilities who participate in global off-campus research projects.鈥€€?amp;nbsp;

Since 1970, WPI has been a leader in project-based learning. A cornerstone of the university鈥檚 distinctive hands-on educational model, the Global Projects Program enables students to complete required academic projects off-campus at more than 50 WPI project centers worldwide. Nearly 85 percent of WPI students participate in an off-campus project during their undergraduate experience.鈥?amp;nbsp;

鈥淥ur mission is to ensure every student has the opportunity to access the Global Projects Program and to take into account the varying needs of students with disabilities,鈥?says Kathleen Head, director of The Global School鈥檚 Global Experience Office, which administers the Global Projects Program. 鈥淭hese off-campus experiential learning opportunities are transformative and engaging and we are committed to removing all the barriers to participation. To have this support from the IDEAS Program is very meaningful and helpful to our efforts.鈥濃€?amp;nbsp;

Nationally, 20.5% of all U.S. undergraduate students report having a disability, according to the latest available data from the National Center for Education Studies. Yet the Open Doors 2023 Report on International Educational Exchange indicates that only 10.5% of U.S. students who studied abroad in 2021-2022 identified as having a disability.鈥疻hile WPI鈥檚 participation gap is smaller than those national figures, the IDEAS grant-funded initiative seeks to increase the participation of students with disabilities in the Global Projects Program and improve the experience at off-campus project sites for these students.鈥?amp;nbsp;

The IDEAS grant funding will support three different aspects of the initiative:

Researching and developing a tool, potentially a survey or assessment form, to measure accessibility at project sites.鈥€?amp;nbsp;
Visiting three WPI project centers to use the assessment tool and generate a report to inform future site improvements.鈥€?amp;nbsp;
Creating and delivering training, workshops, and resources for faculty and staff to improve support for students with disabilities throughout all aspects of their participation in the Global Projects Program, including advising, program selection, travel preparation, and onsite project work.鈥€?amp;nbsp;

Kathleen Head (L) and Krista Miller (R) will co-manage the initiative funded by the IDEAS grant

The initiative will be co-managed by Head and Krista Miller, assistant director of the Global Experience Office, in collaboration with Amy Curran, WPI鈥檚 director of the Office of Accessibility Services.

鈥淪ome students with disabilities may decide not to pursue an off-campus project experience because they assume it鈥檚 not possible,鈥?says Miller. 鈥淎 goal of this grant-funded work is to take a more proactive approach to provide students with information about accessibility at off-campus project sites. We strive to meet the needs of our students so they can apply their acquired knowledge and skills to real-world challenges in communities around the globe.鈥濃€?amp;nbsp;

These new efforts build upon WPI鈥檚 existing practices. For example, the Global Experience Office and the Office of Accessibility Services work closely together to support students with disabilities who travel off-campus for project work. The Office of Accessibility Services also provides faculty with training and support on accessibility in off-campus and project settings.鈥?amp;nbsp;

WPI鈥檚 efforts to expand access to global experiential learning were recognized earlier this year when the university received a 2024 Senator Paul Simon Spotlight Award for Campus Internationalization. The award from NAFSA: Association of International Educators recognizes WPI鈥檚 supports for the Global Projects Program, which include the Global Scholarship. Every full-time undergraduate student at WPI receives a one-time institutional scholarship of up to $5,000 to defray some of the costs of an off-campus project experience through the Global Projects Program.

Student Work on Robotic Surgical Instrument Honored at International Conference

jcain — Thu, 02 May 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Amazing things can happen when you answer a phone call and say 鈥測es鈥?to joining a team. Just ask four seniors who developed a prototype of a robotic surgical instrument for their Major Qualifying Project (MQP) and won a Best Paper Award in January at the International Symposium on Artificial Life and Robotics (AROB) in Beppu, Japan.

Their journey began last year when Joshua Kleiman 鈥?4, a mechanical engineering and industrial engineering double major, called to ask three students to join him and do their MQP together in Japan. 鈥淚鈥檇 worked with them on projects before, so I knew they were good teammates. And our double majors fit well together,鈥?says Kleiman. Nicholas Johannessen 鈥?4 (robotics engineering and mechanical engineering), Cameron Crane 鈥?4 (robotics engineering and biomedical engineering), and Calvin Page 鈥?4 (robotics engineering and mechanical engineering) accepted the invitation.

Kleiman was inspired to do the work in Japan by his friend Charles Manger 鈥?3, who started the project in 2022 by doing an initial design and analysis of the instrument at Kyoto University of Advanced Science (KUAS) with Professor Sajid Nisar in the university鈥檚 Novel Intelligent Systems & Advanced Robotics (NISAR) Laboratory. Kleiman says Manger was amazed by the experience working on the project in the lab in Japan.

Charles Manger

In the fall of 2023, Kleiman, Johannessen, Crane, and Page continued Manger鈥檚 work with Nisar. The team also began working with three WPI project advisors: Adam Powell, associate professor of mechanical & materials engineering and director of WPI鈥檚 Kyoto, KUAS MQP Project Center; Sharon Johnson, industrial engineering program director and professor of operations and industrial engineering; and Yihao Zheng, assistant professor of mechanical & materials engineering. The four students updated the design to address functional challenges and sourced or created individual parts and joints. They then modeled, tested, and ultimately built a prototype of the cable-driven robotic surgical instrument.

The novel design is comparable to a human arm, which allows a surgeon to operate the robotic system remotely and move it in five independent ways. A baseplate houses motors, gears, and cables that drive joints in the instrument. These parts allow the shoulder to roll, the elbow to pivot, and the wrist to roll. Axles and gears in the wrist joint allow two forceps to be manipulated to open, close, and grip. The high degree of independent movement allows for precision, dexterity, and versatility, all of which are critical components of minimally invasive surgery.

A grape is gripped by the forceps of the surgical instrument.

The team鈥檚 goal for the project is to improve minimally invasive surgery, which features smaller incisions, faster recovery times, and reduced costs. Page says the design allows the tool to reach around obstructions 鈥渨hich can really open the window to new opportunities. This tool could create an avenue for minimally invasive robotic surgery in parts of the body where maybe before a procedure would鈥檝e had to be done by a traditional surgery method.鈥?The team says other design benefits include the separate baseplate and arm, which allows for a smaller incision and easier sterilization.

The team created prototypes of multiple tools and parts for the surgical instrument.

Given the seven-week time frame for the project, the students relied heavily on rapid prototyping to construct models and identify areas where changes needed to be made. To source parts, they used 3D printed objects, visited local hardware stores, tapped into the NISAR lab鈥檚 inventory of screws and bolts, and collaborated with others in the lab who were there doing different research. 鈥淲e worked in a foreign environment, in a lab full of international students from Asia, Europe, and the Americas,鈥?says Johannessen. 鈥淚 was proud of how our team adapted to the environment of being in a completely different culture on the other side of the world without any connection or having been there before.鈥?KUAS has more than 300 students from over 40 countries, with half from outside of Japan.

It was KUAS Professor Nisar who encouraged the team to submit a research paper for AROB 2024. Crane presented the research paper, 鈥?lt;/span>Design and Kinematic Evaluation of a 5-DoF Robotic Surgical Instrument,鈥?on behalf of the group. That meant joining the conference virtually from Worcester at 3 a.m. A few weeks later, an email informed the team they鈥檇 been chosen by conference organizers for a Best Paper award. 鈥淚t was really nice to get this award,鈥?says Crane, who feels the recognition validated the team鈥檚 creativity. 鈥淚t shows you can think outside the box and do things in a way that鈥檚 a little unconventional, including how we bought fishing lines to serve as test cables and found unique parts and tools, and still be remarkably successful. We鈥檙e trying to, even if not directly, start a butterfly effect that one day could help save somebody鈥檚 life.鈥?lt;/span>

2023 Year in Review: Media Coverage

cbwamback — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 12:00:00 +0000

RESEARCH 鈿?amp;nbsp;

From breakthroughs in cleaning up the ocean, to a uniquely inspired wound dressing, to creating a buzz with a miniature flying robot, news about WPI research was watched, read, and heard throughout the world over the past 12 months.

WGBH and NBC10 spoke with chemical engineering professor Michael Timko about his research with professor Nikolaos Kazantzis to turn plastic into fuel to improve ocean cleanup. (11/1/2023, 10/6/2023)

AI Business asked computer science professor Erin Solovey for insight as to how artificial intelligence is being used in neuroscience and its potential future applications. (10/12/2023)

Yahoo! News highlighted Yan Wang, William B. Smith Professor of Mechanical Engineering, for his research into robust performance potential for recycled lithium-ion batteries. This year Wang was also honored with an American Innovator Award by the Bayh-Dole Coalition for his lab鈥檚 work developing a groundbreaking technique to recycle lithium-ion batteries. (10/26/2023)

Dronelife reported on robotics engineering professor Nitin Sanket鈥檚 effort to develop miniature autonomous drones that could offset declining pollinator populations. (11/3/2023)

Spectrum News 1 interviewed Jeanine Coburn, assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, about her $600,000 National Science Foundation CAREER Award to develop a transparent wound dressing that traces its origins to her homemade kombucha. (2/22/2023)

CBS Boston talked with Shichao Liu, professor of civil, environmental, and architectural engineering, about his research on heat and learning after debate surfaced as to whether to cancel school during a heat wave. The Washington Post also talked with him about his expertise on thermostat settings. The interview was cited in an MSN article. (9/8/2023, 7/10/2023, 7/18/2023)

CBS Boston spoke with Erin Ottmar, professor of social science and policy studies, about her $668,000 National Science Foundation grant to study how the use of color and spacing could help students learn algebra more easily. (9/1/2023)

EXPERT ANALYSIS馃帳
WPI鈥檚 focus on real-world problems helped reporters from around the globe put news into focus this year. Faculty members offered their expertise on major events that occurred in 2023 including the growth of ChatGPT, the United Auto Workers Strike, and devastating wildfires in both Maui and Canada.

Wildfires:
Reuters spoke with fire protection engineering professors Albert Simeoni and James Urban for a fact-checking article dispelling conspiracy theories about why some trees survived the massive Maui wildfire. (8/22/2023)

AFP talked with Simeoni about speculation surrounding the cause of the deadly Maui fire. (8/15/2023)

The Los Angeles Times interviewed James Urban about the dangerous combination of drought and high winds that factored into the fire, and Urban talked about how flying embers can spread. (8/11/23)

The Associated Press spoke with Mike Ahern about the power lines in the Maui Fire. (8/27/2023)

WPI experts were also sources in the Boston Herald about wildfire smoke that
descended from Canada. (6/28/2023)

Artificial Intelligence:
WBUR hosted Yunus Telliel, assistant professor of anthropology and rhetoric, on a roundtable about ethics in artificial intelligence. (9/6/2023)

The Boston Globe quoted Gillian Smith, associate professor and director of Interactive Media & Game Development, in a story about how educators are coming to grips with artificial intelligence in the classroom. (4/3/2023)

Consumer Affairs

NECN and WCVB-TV spoke with Joseph Sarkis, professor of management in The Business School, about how consumers may be affected by the expanding United Auto Workers strike. (9/27/2023, 9/22/2023)

USA Today talked with Farnoush Reshadi, professor of marketing, about her expertise on personal finance for an article on how to keep a budget during the holiday season and how to be a better gift giver. (11/25/2023)

AFP talked with associate professor Purvi Shah in The Business School about how major brands cash in on nostalgia with reboots of everything from Furby dolls to McDonald鈥檚 Grimace. (8/19/2023)

The Huffington Post interviewed David Spanagel, associate professor of humanities and arts, for a story that lent important historical context to the new movie about H. Robert Oppenheimer. (7/20/2023)

Public Safety:
WBZ-TV interviewed civil, environmental, & architectural engineering professor Mingjiang Tao for a story on why so many roads were swallowed by sinkholes in recent devastating flooding. (9/12/2023)

The Boston Globe quoted fire protection engineering professor Milosh Puchovsky in two stories about the importance of standpipes, a type of fire suppression equipment.

Boston25 News interviewed him about the dangers of electric-vehicle fires. (9/17/2023,7/13/2023, 10/26/2023)

HIGHER EDUCATION馃帗

WPI鈥檚 efforts in critical areas such as student support and wellness, diversifying STEM, and continued excellence in research and learning opportunities were highlighted by top-tier higher education, industry, and national news outlets.

Inside Higher Ed interviewed Rachael Heard, director of academic programming and student transitions, about her experience making higher education more accessible for students. (11/13/2023)

Higher Ed Dive published an op-ed by Paul Reilly, assistant dean of student success, about how revamping incoming students鈥?experience can help them academically and socially. (10/23/2023)

NPR spoke with Jennifer Cluett, Dean of Admissions, about the experiences of students who participate in high school robotics competitions. (10/7/2023)

Banking Dive interviewed Kwamie Dunbar, associate professor at The Business School, about the new bachelor's and master's fintech degrees. (9/6/2023)

Nature talked with former Provost Wole Soboyejo about the evolution of tenure and WPI鈥檚 innovative teaching to tenure track program. (8/7/2023)

Inside Higher Ed talked with Philip Clay, senior vice president for student affairs and enrollment management, about WPI鈥檚 trustee mentorship program. (6/7/2023)

The Chronicle of Higher Education featured quotes from Mimi Sheller, Dean of the Global School, and associate dean Kent Rismiller about how WPI has expanded student access to study-abroad programs. (5/17/2023)

WBUR interviewed Jean King, Peterson Family Dean of Arts and Sciences, about diversifying STEM. (5/3/2023)

WBUR featured Debora Jackson, dean of The Business School, on a panel about the experience and perspective of Black women in higher ed. (3/17/2023)

NBC10 covered the opening of the new Center for Well-Being. (3/28/2023)

WHAT鈥橲 NEXT?
WPI鈥檚 forward-thinking researchers and students shared their thoughts about climate change, novel recycling and biomanufacturing ideas, and the future of medicine; two Nobel Prize winners spoke with the media while at WPI for the 2023 Nature conference.

The Boston Globe included mention of the WPI contingent heading to COP28, the annual climate summit, in Dubai. Spectrum News 1 interviewed the students. (11/29/2023).

In related news, The Boston Globe interviewed Mimi Sheller, Dean of The Global School, about the concerns of some island states and developing nations about the final agreement reached at the COP 28 climate summit. (12/13/2023)

The Hill featured an op-ed by Yan Wang, William B. Smith Professor of Mechanical Engineering, about the future of battery recycling. (3/16/2023)

The Worcester Business Journal featured WPI in an article about positioning the Worcester region as a biomanufacturing hub. (10/30/2023)

Nautilus talked with Dmitry Korkin, Harold L. Jurist 鈥?1 and Heather E. Jurist Dean鈥檚 Professor of Computer Science, about his role in developing a 鈥減eriodic table鈥?of structural elements that make up the COVID-19 virus, and how it led a Scottish artist to create a sculpture of the virus, first displayed at the Oxford Museum of Natural History. (3/10/2023)

Spectrum News 1 interviewed Nobel laureate Katalin Kariko, whose research paved the way for the development of the COVID vaccine. Kariko was at WPI as part of a Nature conference. (10/18/2023)

A Week to Remember for the Graduating Class of 2023

darlabosse — Wed, 17 May 2023 12:00:00 +0000

WPI鈥檚 undergraduate and graduate Commencement ceremonies are filled with joy, pride, and reflection. As students anticipate all that is coming in the future, they look to the past and honor everything that has brought them to this moment. In the days leading up to Commencement, the campus is buzzing with celebrations, ceremonies, and other events before the soon-to-be alumni cross the stage. Their future is just beginning, and as we see them off to their next adventure, we thought it fitting to share a recap of their last few days on campus as members of the Class of 2023.

Countdown to Commencement for the Class of 2023

adill — Mon, 08 May 2023 12:00:00 +0000

As Commencement 2023 kicks into high gear, WPI students reflected on how their projects, friendships, accomplishments, and even failures brought them to this exciting transition. Those featured below represent only a tiny slice of our dynamic campus community. A hearty congratulations to all of our graduates!

sfoskett — Wed, 11 Jan 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Colorful, straightforward, and compact, the Phase Maze鈥攁 stackable, interchangeable series of hand-held games about the size of a box of Pop Tarts鈥攎ay find its place on toy store shelves and in online shopping carts some future holiday season.

Dreamed up in a Chicago high school by Maanav Iyengar 鈥?3 and eight close friends, Phase Maze is an addictive game that requires users to guide a ball bearing through intricate mazes of varying difficulty. Its origin story follows the familiar narrative of scrappy start-ups: a brilliant idea, a blur of all-night work (in this case, 3D printing in a basement), jockeying to get the product on retailers鈥?radar, a satisfying burst of sales, and a gleeful struggle to keep up with orders.

The twist in Phase Maze鈥檚 narrative comes courtesy of the partner Iyengar didn鈥檛 go to high school with: WPI鈥檚 Office of Technology Commercialization.

The office typically helps faculty and grad students bring inventions to market in return for some level of royalties and ownership in the company, but OTC support is also available to undergraduate student inventors, and a growing number are taking advantage, said OTC Director Todd Keiller.

鈥淚f we are licensing to an existing company, we get royalties and other fees based on success,鈥?Keiller said. 鈥淚f we license to a startup, we get royalties and equity. There is a steady flow of students through our office, which not only tests their idea for real life commercial potential, but provides a great educational experience.鈥?lt;/p>

Iyengar approached the OTC soon after coming to campus as a freshman.

鈥淚 could have started my company myself, but WPI offers me all the protection I need, so when I go to the 鈥榖ig dogs鈥?I know I鈥檓 not going to get completely rolled over,鈥?the robotics engineering major said.

鈥淚 was inventing throughout high school, and wanted to get patent and IP protection,鈥?he said. 鈥淚 think WPI鈥檚 IP policy is the best in the country, and probably the world. If any school is going to support avid inventors and entrepreneurs, it鈥檚 WPI.鈥?amp;nbsp; Iyengar said he applied to WPI partly because of the OTC鈥檚 generous approach to intellectual property.

Keiller said Iyengar has proposed six ideas to the OTC, two of which鈥攖he Phase Maze and an innovative solution to sewer issues in developing countries鈥擶PI decided to support.

WPI Global School Joins Partnership to Co-Create a Caribbean Climate Adaptation Network with Funding from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

jlevy2 — Tue, 20 Dec 2022 12:00:00 +0000

After suffering drastic impacts from recent hurricanes such as Irma, Maria, and Fiona, US Caribbean archipelagoes urgently need to make their communities more resilient to extreme weather events, rebuild their infrastructure, and create actionable plans and policies to better adapt to climate change and its effects, including extreme rainfall, extreme heat, drought, landslides, and coastal and river flooding.

A team of researchers from The Global School at Worcester Polytechnic Institute has been awarded funding to co-create a Caribbean Climate Adaptation Network (CCAN). The five-year, $6 million project is sponsored by the recently renamed Climate Adaptation Partnerships (CAP) program at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), with WPI receiving $675,000 in funding. The Graduate School of Public Health at the University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus is the lead institution for CCAN, with other researchers from nine academic institutions across the continental United States, Puerto Rico, and the US Territories of the Virgin Islands (USVI).

CAP鈥檚 national objectives are closely aligned with those of WPI鈥攕pecifically to create networks of people working together to support 鈥渃ollaborative research relationships that help communities build lasting and equitable climate resilience鈥?within social contexts. "The CAP program advances NOAA鈥檚 goal of creating an equitable climate ready nation by working closely with decision makers and frontline communities,鈥?according to Wayne Higgins, director of NOAA鈥檚 Climate Program Office.

Building on the WPI Global Projects Program鈥檚 long experience in community-based learning, with over 30 years at the Puerto Rico Project Center in San Juan, the goal of CCAN is to foster knowledge sharing for more sustainable and equitable strategies for climate-action and community empowerment throughout Puerto Rico and the USVI.

There are five WPI researchers involved in the project: Dean of The Global School Mimi Sheller, Professor Sarah Strauss, Associate Professor Seth Tuler, Assistant Professor of Teaching John-Michael Davis, and Professor Emeritus Scott Jiusto.

WPI students, both graduate and undergraduate, will be integral to advancing CCAN鈥檚 research. As co-director of the Master鈥檚 in Community Climate Adaptation (CCA) at WPI, Strauss will connect graduate student projects with the Puerto Rico Project Center and CCAN鈥檚 overall program objectives. Solange Uwera, a Fulbright Scholar from Rwanda and a new graduate student in CCA, is starting a project in Puerto Rico in January, and a postdoctoral researcher will also be hired in 2023. Tuler and Sheller, with the postdoctoral researcher, will work with the CCAN leadership team, regional agencies, and community organizations to implement a process to support how decisions are made about climate risk management and adaptation.

At the undergraduate level, some of the students doing their Interactive Qualifying Project (IQP) at the WPI Puerto Rico Project Center will be able to support the research. Davis and Jiusto, who are co-directors of the Puerto Rico Project Center, will recruit and advise the undergraduate IQP teams working in Puerto Rico, as well as organize projects where WPI students, faculty, and members of the local community can collaborate. These students will work with local non-profit and community-based organizations in a variety of ways, including contributing to the planning for climate change scenarios, creating community-based monitoring systems, and participating in and developing citizen science programs. For example, a potential project focuses on developing a community-based flood detection system that would help with understanding and predicting the risk of flooding.

Strong Scientific Theory + AI-centered Collaborations = Real Progress for People鈥檚 Lives

mlumsden — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 12:00:00 +0000

In October, top researchers from around the world gathered at a prestigious program hosted by the Nobel Foundation鈥攊ts first-ever symposium in Africa鈥攖o discuss the role that artificial intelligence (AI) can play in rigorous scientific methods in the twenty-first century. Among those in attendance were WPI Interim President Winston 鈥淲ole鈥?Soboyejo and Emmanuel Agu, professor in the Department of Computer Science.

鈥淪cientists everywhere wonder if AI will change the way they work or if the old system鈥攚here controlled experiments prove or refute a hypothesis鈥攚ill be the way forward,鈥?says Agu.

During the presentations Soboyejo and Agu offered a radical alternative: Instead of choosing either the traditional scientific path or a new tech-centered path, progress that touches people鈥檚 lives in meaningful ways will only happen when scientists merge their lanes.

鈥淢ost scientists are only versed in one approach. They are used to being soloists. The big opportunity we have at WPI is to play the symphony,鈥?says Soboyejo, noting that innovation and change happen when people step outside the confines of their expertise.

In his talk 鈥淯sing Machine Learning to Address Real-World Problems,鈥?Soboyejo highlighted WPI faculty and students who are combining intellectual curiosity, interdisciplinary collaboration, and cutting-edge technology to improve the quality of life for people around the globe.

One of the featured research teams, which includes Soboyejo and Agu as well as John D. Obayemi, assistant teaching professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, and David Clement, doctoral candidate in computer science, is drawing on AI to develop a program that can accurately detect breast cancer from smartphone images.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 not trivial, and it shows the value of what we can do through collaboration,鈥?says Soboyejo, underscoring the point that cutting-edge technology doesn鈥檛 have to be expensive. By making this kind of technology as accessible as a smartphone, doctors throughout the developing world will be able to diagnose breast cancer more readily.

The other research project Soboyejo showcased is using AI to design highly efficient and low-cost solar cells that could make electricity affordable for the first time to people in many parts of the world. Working with Soboyejo on the solar cell project are Rodica Neamtu, professor of teaching in the Department of Computer Science; Reisya Ichwani, postdoctoral fellow in materials science and engineering; and Stephen Price 鈥?3 (BS/MS) in computer science.

When describing the solar project at the Nobel symposium, Soboyejo shared what he calls the 鈥渕ap of opportunity,鈥?which shows that many of the places lacking reliable access to electricity are also among the globe鈥檚 sunniest. Agu says that visual aid seemed to resonate deeply with participants at the gathering. 鈥淧eople could actually see how important it is to convert sunshine into electricity,鈥?he says. 鈥淎fterward a researcher from France told me that Wole鈥檚 talk was the most impactful she had heard at the symposium.鈥?lt;/p>

Agu and Soboyejo believe that鈥檚 because WPI鈥檚 hallmark approach鈥攃ombining cutting-edge technology with strong scientific theory to create and deliver tangible benefits for people in need鈥攊s novel for many classically trained scientists in the developed world. That this was the first time an institution outside of Scandinavia has hosted a Nobel Symposium on behalf of the Nobel Foundation suggests that those in one of Europe鈥檚 most prestigious traditional institutions have begun to understand the importance of including diverse voices in scientific conversations. What鈥檚 more, Soboyejo adds, is that diversity relates not only to skin color but also to where, how, and why scientists are trained.

鈥淭his symposium invited the best thinkers across the world to interface with one another and elevate the level of scientific discourse,鈥?says Soboyejo. 鈥淚n that conversation I suggested we use AI to deepen our understanding of the world and broaden our opportunity for impact.鈥?lt;/p>

His presentation not only focused a spotlight on WPI鈥檚 position on the global STEM map but also, Soboyejo and Agu hope, began building a foundation for collaborations that will make life better for millions of people living all over the globe.