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Two WPI Professors Recognized with State Educator Award

jcain — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 12:00:00 +0000

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) has recognized two WPI faculty members as recipients of the department's Educator Award to celebrate their decade of work in upholding the department鈥檚 mission to ensure a clean environment and enhance natural resources in the state. During an event at WPI in June, the MassDEP announced the recipients of the award: Corey Denenberg Dehner, associate professor of teaching in The Global School, and Paul Mathisen, associate professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering and WPI鈥檚 director of sustainability.

Dehner and Mathisen co-direct WPI鈥檚 Massachusetts Water Resource Outreach Center (WROC), a project center that allows student teams to partner with municipalities, local government agencies, and watershed organizations to work on water resource challenges. Dehner and Mathisen co-founded the center in 2015 with a goal of exposing students to the inner workings of state and local government and tackling water resource issues in Central and Eastern Massachusetts.

Leaders with the MassDEP cited the pair鈥檚 work at the center as a main reason they were selected to receive the award. The department gives the honor to recognize educators who inspire and empower students to protect the planet; who incorporate environmental themes into curriculum; and who are committed to fostering environmental awareness in the community. MassDEP leaders said the project center has exposed students to environmental challenges through work on water issues such as nitrogen reduction and emerging contaminants and has provided students with the chance to learn about careers in the environmental field.

鈥淔or 50 years, MassDEP has been protecting our natural resources and working with local communities to ensure the water we drink is safe and healthy,鈥?said MassDEP Commissioner Bonnie Heiple. 鈥淎nd since its founding, WPI鈥檚 Massachusetts Water Resource Outreach Center has shared this commitment to safeguarding our vital water resources. Students are gaining hands-on experience to address the many challenges facing our drinking water today, including lead, PFAS, and a changing climate. We are grateful to have partners like WROC to ensure the next generation of water specialists are well equipped to take on these challenges and maintain Massachusetts鈥?lt;/span> drinking water as some of the cleanest in the nation.鈥?lt;/p>

Dehner accepts award and governor's citation from John Beling, deputy commissioner of policy and planning for MassDEP

Dehner expressed gratitude for everyone at the MassDEP and for their efforts and collaboration with the WROC. 鈥淚 think the award is a recognition of this effective partnership,鈥?she said. 鈥淭hrough collaboration with the MassDEP, our project center is able to help WPI students understand the value of being civically engaged and the interplay between federal and state environmental agencies, local communities, industry, and organizations.鈥?lt;/p>

Dehner credited Andrea Briggs, deputy director of MassDEP鈥檚 central region, with helping her and Mathisen bring the evolving goals of the WROC to fruition. For example, in the spring Dehner, Mathisen, and Briggs worked with students to develop a comprehensive immersion program to intentionally and thoughtfully expose students to the breadth of water resource career opportunities and to help students understand the complex relationship between state, federal, and local governance. During a single project term, for example, students may tour a water treatment plant and a town鈥檚 stormwater infrastructure facilities, conduct hands-on activities such as water quality testing and participate in a MassDEP roundtable with employees from different water-related divisions.

Also starting this spring, WROC began publishing student projects on QUBES Hub, an open educational resource site. This gives residents, organizations, and municipal officials an additional way to access the resources students develop. These materials can also be found on the WROC website.

Through the center and WPI鈥檚 commitment to delivering project-based learning, students have had the opportunity to complete more than 40 projects directly with MassDEP or other sponsors, including local municipalities and the Central Massachusetts Regional Stormwater Coalition.

WROC student team learning about the requirements for completing culvert assessment in Sutton

Those projects have included creating educational campaigns to alert the public to the dangers of PFAS chemical contamination in drinking water; conducting outreach to inform private well owners about groundwater contamination; producing a manual to help cities and towns consider establishing funding mechanisms to manage the impacts of stormwater runoff; and helping the City of Worcester develop guidelines for monitoring bacteria levels in ponds and lakes. In many cases, towns and cities have chosen to partner with WPI students to help tackle important water issues that demand resources and staff beyond what they can dedicate.

Mathisen said the projects give students the chance to make an impact in communities by doing hands-on work in partnership with others. The projects also help the students learn how water resource policy is created and implemented and provide opportunities to receive mentorship from professionals working in water management and environmental protection.

鈥淥ne of the goals of the WROC is to help our students gain leadership experience and the perspective to make a difference and have a positive impact on sustainability in their future careers,鈥?said Mathisen. 鈥淭he projects not only help to educate students and the public, they also show students the importance of bringing together people with different experiences, perspectives, and talents to address an issue, whether it鈥檚 a water resources challenge or a problem in a different area.鈥?lt;/p>

Students learn about the water protection work of MassDEP employees in the department's Central Regional Office

The WROC is one of more than 50 WPI project centers on six continents where students conduct term-long projects required for graduation. At this specific center, students can complete their Interactive Qualifying Project, a signature WPI project that places students in interdisciplinary teams to work in partnership with a community-based sponsor on a challenge at the intersection of science, technology, and the needs of society.

Dehner accepted the award on behalf of herself and Mathisen during a MassDEP 50th anniversary celebration at Rubin Campus Center. John Beling, the department鈥檚 deputy commissioner of policy and planning, read a citation from Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll in recognition of the WPI educators and WROC鈥檚 10th anniversary, stating, 鈥淢assachusetts commends your ongoing efforts addressing municipal water resource challenges through this hands-on community engagement and partnership.鈥?amp;nbsp;

Beling added that the state鈥檚 partnership with the project center provides benefits both to students and the MassDEP. 鈥淚t鈥檚 so important that we expose students to the work we do and to help them understand what we do,鈥?he said. 鈥淲e get a lot out of it. Hopefully they get a lot out of it. I hope this relationship continues and is as beneficial as it has been for the last 10 years.鈥?amp;nbsp;

Real-World Learning, From Hawaii to Morocco

mlumsden — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Arriving in Honolulu in January 2024, they were: an extremely organized gourmand; a fly-fishing enthusiast with a knack for technical details; a fashion afficionado who is also a strong writer; and a numbers guy looking for good work-life balance. When they returned to WPI seven weeks later, they were a team.

Along the way, Kang Zhang 鈥?6, Nick Sloan 鈥?5, Morgan Polinski 鈥?5, and Sander Coscia 鈥?5 learned a lot鈥攁bout themselves, each other, community outreach, marketing, economics, manufacturing regulations and processes, oceanography, environmental conservation, Pacific Island cultures, and so much more.

Their Interactive Qualifying Project (IQP) assessed the feasibility of producing value-added products at scale to reduce seafood waste in Hawaii. With guidance from community sponsor Conservation International Hawaii and two faculty advisors, the team focused its research on two value-added products: fish broth and fish leather.

None of the students had even heard of fish leather before working on this project. And Zhang was the only one of them who鈥檇 ever had fish broth. Polinski doesn鈥檛 even like fish.

Still, they figured out how to maximize their interests and strengths. Together.

Students Share Global Projects at President鈥檚 IQP Award Final Presentations

jcain — Thu, 13 Feb 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Students (L-R) Naomi Treto and Katelyn Lunny participated in a presentation of their team's project.

On January 31, a campus tradition recognized some of the excellent work done by WPI students during one of the university鈥檚 signature academic experiences, the Interactive Qualifying Project (IQP). The President鈥檚 IQP Award, given annually, honors outstanding achievement in the seven-week, full-time projects completed during the previous academic year. The IQP requires students to work in interdisciplinary teams in partnership with a community-based sponsor to address a real-world problem that involves science, technology, and societal needs. Most students complete their IQP off-campus at one of more than 50 WPI project centers located on six continents.

Student teams are invited to enter their projects to compete for the President鈥檚 IQP Award. Out of the submissions from the more than 300 IQPs completed in the 2023鈥?024 academic year, a faculty screening committee selected five projects as finalists. The teams whose projects were chosen presented their work in the Rubin Campus Center Odeum to President Grace Wang, their project advisors, faculty, staff, students, family members, and a panel of judges.

The finalist projects represent the breadth of the societal challenges addressed by WPI students, the variety of locations where students can travel through the Global Projects Program, and the exemplary research, writing, teamwork, and appreciation of the social and humanistic contexts that are critical components of the IQP.

After deliberation, the judges decided two teams鈥攊nstead of just one鈥攕hould win the 2024 President鈥檚 IQP Award. The winning projects were announced at a reception for the finalists at Higgins House following the project presentations.

The winning teams

Hunter Daris, Ella Devault, Gavin George, and Federico Lenson, all seniors, completed their award-winning project 鈥淏ehind the Frontline: Vicarious Trauma Amongst Support Staff in Victoria鈥檚 Emergency Management Sector鈥?lt;/span> at the Melbourne, Australia project center. They worked with the nonprofit Emergency Services Foundation, interviewing support workers (such as dispatchers, journalists, and counselors) from 12 agencies to better understand their lived experiences with vicarious trauma. Their stories revealed often-unacknowledged struggles and barriers to accessing trauma support resources. After interviews with mental health experts, the team recommended new practices to help workers in these roles.

In addition to preparing a final written report, the students presented their findings in a webinar with managers from the emergency services sector and they produced a podcast episode in which emergency management support staff shared their stories to raise awareness of vicarious trauma and encourage others to seek help. 鈥淲e鈥檙e very proud of the reach that our research has had,鈥?Devault, a civil engineering major, said in the team鈥檚 award event presentation. 鈥淲e know that the real work is being done every day by the managers and the support staff to really develop and refine these programs to make sure that no support staff individual is left behind.鈥?The team was advised by Lorraine Higgins, a teaching professor in The Global School, and Jonathan Chee, a local coordinator at the Melbourne project center.

A President鈥檚 IQP Award was also given to seniors Peter Allen, Marley Fortune, and Camille Prats and juniors Annabelle Mullins and Colette Scott for their project 鈥淗ow Bazar? Creating Interactive Media to Promote Community Building,鈥?lt;/span> which they did at the Lyon, France project center. The team partnered with SINGA Lyon, an organization that seeks to accelerate the inclusion of migrants and asylum seekers in communities.

The students conducted research on immigration politics in France and developed strategies, including a digital icebreaker game and a migration quiz, for SINGA鈥檚 annual Bazar Festival to promote greater understanding of migrants and create new connections between people. Prats, an interactive media and game development major, said the project sponsor was excited by the team鈥檚 ability to build games. 鈥淭hey thought that games would be a good way to reach out to people without having to have a serious conversation about immigration,鈥?she said. 鈥淎 game can be a friendlier way to start a conversation.鈥?The team was advised by Grant Burrier, associate professor of teaching in The Global School, and Tahar El-Korchi, professor of civil, environmental, and architectural engineering.

The finalists

鈥?lt;/span>Harmonizing Holistic Health & Disaster Relief in Puerto Rico.鈥?Students: seniors Ian Cody, Mya Darrow, Katelyn Lunny, and Naomi Treto. Advisors: Grant Burrier and Scott Jiusto. San Juan, Puerto Rico project center. The team worked with Apoyo Mutuo Agr铆cola to create a community-based emergency plan for rural and urban areas, develop a website, and gather information on resources available to help the nonprofit strengthen its network.

Students (L-R) Avila Thompson, Hillary Quezada, Andrew Cunningham, and Luca Scotto presented their project.

鈥?lt;/span>The Implementation of the XRP Curriculum in the Cerrito School of Paraguay.鈥?Students: seniors Andrew Cunningham, Hillary Quezada, Luca Scotto, and Avila Thompson. Advisors: Dorothy Burt, adjunct instructor, and Lina Mu帽oz-M谩rquez. Asunci贸n, Paraguay project center. The team worked with the nonprofit Fundaci贸n Paraguaya to develop presentations, lesson plans, workshops, and multimedia tools to launch a robotics course in a high school. The course utilizes the Experiential Robotics Platform (XRP), which WPI helped develop with DEKA Research & Development Corp.

鈥?lt;/span>T-School Hands-On Program at Soochow University.鈥?Students: seniors Spencer Dill, Eleanor Foley, Sakshi Gauro, and Jakub Jandus. Advisors: Robert Kinicki and Wen-Hua Du. Taipei, Taiwan project center. The students worked with faculty at Soochow University and conducted interviews, surveys, observations, and analysis to provide recommendations for the university鈥檚 experiential Talent School (T-School) to improve educational outcomes, student satisfaction, and teamwork.

Honorable mentions

The following projects received honorable mentions by the faculty review committee that selected the finalists for the President鈥檚 IQP Award:

鈥?lt;/span>Developing a Kiwi Safety Plan for Upper Hutt, Aotearoa.鈥?Students: seniors William Brownell, Seth Frank, Domenic Sena, Paige Sommers. Advisors: Leslie Dodson, Kenneth Stafford, and Ingrid Shockey. Wellington, New Zealand project center. The team collaborated with Pest Free Upper Hutt, a community-based organization, to develop a plan and create publicly available informational material on ways to protect kiwi, birds that are a national symbol in New Zealand.

鈥?lt;/span>Digital Heritage Preservation of the Shilin District: Conserving Taiwan鈥檚 Unique Identity.鈥?Students: seniors Will Buchta, Hannah Moran, Rose Strobel, Alexis Vilmenay. Advisors: Wen-Hua Du and Robert Kinicki. Taipei, Taiwan project center. The students partnered with Fu-sheng Shih, an associate professor at Soochow University, to develop an interactive website to help preserve the cultural heritage and identity of one of Taipei鈥檚 12 districts.

The judges

In advance of the final presentations, four judges reviewed the written reports and materials submitted by the five finalist teams. At the event, the panel observed each team鈥檚 presentation, asked team members questions about their projects, and then met to select the award winners. Judges included Lisa Mullins, news anchor at WBUR, a National Public Radio affiliate in Boston; Mimi Sheller, dean of The Global School; Kris Wobbe, director of the Center for Project-Based Learning at WPI; and Mark Boyer, professor emeritus at the University of Connecticut and former executive director of the International Studies Association.

Lots to Celebrate as Institute on Project-Based Learning Turns 10

mlumsden — Thu, 25 Apr 2024 12:00:00 +0000

The Institute on Project-Based Learning turns 10 this summer, offering the WPI community an opportunity to celebrate the university鈥檚 expertise in this area.

To fully appreciate this milestone, though, we need some context. How did WPI become an internationally recognized expert in project-based learning (PBL)? And why is our approach鈥攆irst introduced more than 50 years ago鈥攏ot only still relevant but also necessary today?

A Bold New Vision

Although WPI was founded on the principles of theory and practice, more than a century passed before the practice part fully took root. In 1970, with enrollment slowing, costs rising, and new competition from engineering programs at public universities, WPI leadership took a huge leap of faith: Acknowledging that rote learning was boring and ineffective, it threw out the traditional engineering-centric curriculum and created an approach that was altogether new for both WPI and the world.

More than 1,000 participants from 142 schools in 9 countries have
attended the Institute since 2015.

鈥淭he vision was that we needed to educate scientists and engineers who would think deeply about the human and social implications of their work,鈥?says Rick Vaz, former dean of WPI鈥檚 Interdisciplinary & Global Studies Division [now The Global School] and founder of the Center for Project-Based Learning.

Two hallmarks of today鈥檚 distinctive WPI education鈥攖he Interactive Qualifying Project (IQP) and Major Qualifying Project (MQP)鈥攕tood at the heart of that vision, which came to be known as the WPI Plan.

鈥淭he folks who created the WPI Plan understood that if you are going to do an engineering job out in the world, you need to think about the people who are going to be affected by and using what you鈥檙e designing,鈥?Vaz says.

As the Plan was phased into the curriculum throughout the 1970s, more and more students experienced the infusion of projects into their education. When these students then landed jobs in a range of STEM fields, employers noticed that WPI graduates were uniquely prepared to think outside the box and take on leadership roles.

The higher ed world noticed, too. By the early 2000s, faculty and administrators at other colleges and universities were requesting workshops from WPI to learn about our approach to project-based learning.

WPI Receives Prestigious Recognition for Advancing Inclusive Access to Global Learning Opportunities

jcain — Tue, 13 Feb 2024 12:00:00 +0000

In recognition of Worcester Polytechnic Institute鈥檚 (WPI) commitment to immersive global experiential learning, NAFSA: Association of International Educators has selected WPI as winner of a NAFSA 2024 Senator Paul Simon Spotlight Award for Campus Internationalization. Since 2002, NAFSA, the world鈥檚 largest nonprofit association dedicated to international education and exchange, has presented the awards annually to American colleges and universities that demonstrate outstanding commitment to and accomplishment in campus internationalization.

NAFSA defines internationalization as the conscious effort to integrate and infuse international, intercultural, and global dimensions into the philosophy of postsecondary education. The organization has chosen to recognize WPI for its Global Projects for All Initiative. The initiative seeks to maximize the number of students who participate in WPI鈥檚 Global Projects Program, in part by removing financial barriers.

Student teams working out of WPI's Monteverde, Costa Rica Project Center

As a signature element of WPI鈥檚 project-based learning, the Global Projects Program gives students the opportunity to complete required research projects off-campus at more than 50 WPI project centers worldwide. The goal of the program is to help students become well-rounded and globally aware by working as part of a team to apply classroom knowledge and analytical thinking skills to advance solutions to real-world challenges.

The Global Projects for All Initiative was first introduced as a key element of WPI鈥檚 2015-2018 strategic plan. It has marshalled financial and human resources to significantly expand student and faculty participation in the Global Projects Program. As part of the ongoing initiative, 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.

鈥淲e are proud to receive this recognition of our innovation and the progress WPI has made in addressing the cost barrier global programming can present for students,鈥?says Mimi Sheller, dean of The Global School. 鈥淭he Global Projects for All Initiative has strengthened our high-impact undergraduate educational experience by ensuring more students can participate in the Global Projects Program. Our alumni report that this is an especially meaningful and valuable aspect of their WPI experience, and it prepares them well for their future careers.鈥?lt;/span>

"We are proud to receive this recognition of our innovation and the progress WPI has made in addressing the cost barrier global programming can present for students."

- Mimi Sheller, dean of The Global School

More than 1,100 WPI students participated in the Global Projects Program in the 2022-2023 academic year, including approximately 88% of third-year students. 鈥淭he program鈥檚 immersive team-based approach promotes STEM-centered education through global learning at the intersection of science, technology, and society,鈥?says Kathleen Head, director of The Global School鈥檚 Global Experience Office, which administers the Global Projects Program. 鈥淚t鈥檚 centered around tangible problem solving in local communities and cultures where students may have no prior experience. By enabling students to apply their knowledge in the world and outside of their comfort zones, WPI is empowering graduates to become global leaders.鈥?lt;/span>

The prestigious award from NAFSA is named for the late U.S. Senator Paul Simon of Illinois. Simon was an advocate for international education, global dialogue, and increased participation in study abroad programs by American college students.

WPI is one of three schools to win a NAFSA 2024 Senator Paul Simon Spotlight Award. WPI received the award in 2003 in recognition of the Global Projects Program. This year鈥檚 winners will be honored during a reception on May 29 at the NAFSA 2024 Annual Conference & Expo in New Orleans, Louisiana.

WPI President鈥檚 IQP Awards Recognize Outstanding Student Projects

jcain — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 12:00:00 +0000

When three WPI students began a project in the fall of 2022 to understand how fracking to extract oil in a village in Albania is affecting the women who live there, the students didn鈥檛 know their work would earn them a prestigious honor on campus. Alexandria Sheehan said she and her teammates were focused on their research and the women who entrusted them to share their stories. 鈥淲e felt it was our duty to put ourselves as close to 鈥榠n their shoes鈥?as possible,鈥?Sheehan said. 鈥淲e were greeted with grace, warmth, and welcoming. Our part was to amplify their voices.鈥?amp;nbsp;

A little more than a year later, Sheehan and her teammates Samuel Darer and Sara Frunzi, all seniors, found themselves presenting their project work along with four other student groups at the Rubin Campus Center. A few hours after their presentation to President Grace Wang, university leaders, faculty, staff, project advisors, parents, and a panel of judges, the trio learned they had won the 2023 President鈥檚 IQP Awards.

(L-R) Frunzi, Sheehan, and Darer present their project at President's IQP Awards

The annual awards recognize outstanding student work conducted in the Interactive Qualifying Project (IQP). A signature element of WPI鈥檚 project-based education, the IQP allows interdisciplinary student teams to work full time for seven weeks in an immersive experience at a global, local, or on-campus project center through The Global School鈥檚 Global Projects Program. IQPs seek to address a problem at the intersection of science, technology, and the needs of society.

The 2023 awards, recognizing IQPs from the 2022-23 academic year, were held January 26, 2024. Five student team finalists, selected by a panel of faculty and staff who reviewed dozens of student-submitted nominations, gave 30-minute presentations on their work and fielded questions from judges who later selected the winning team. All five teams were honored, and the winning team was announced at an award presentation and reception for finalists, advisors, and families at Higgins House that evening.

President Grace Wang addresses finalists at President's IQP Awards reception

鈥淭his was my very first experience listening to the IQP presentations, and our students are so inspirational in how they address real-world problems,鈥?said President Grace Wang, who congratulated the finalists. 鈥淚 have always known that project-based learning is profound and powerful, and the students鈥?descriptions of their experiences 鈥?鈥榓mazing experience鈥? 鈥榣ife changing鈥? 鈥榣ife transforming鈥?and coming out of their comfort zone and gaining confidence 鈥?were particularly meaningful.鈥?Wang also thanked the faculty advisors, The Global School leadership, project center directors, and staff for making the Global Projects Program possible.

For the winning project, 鈥?lt;/span>Living with Fracking: Women鈥檚 Narratives from Zharr毛z, Albania,鈥?economic science major Sheehan, chemistry major Darer, and mechanical engineering major Frunzi interviewed women who live near the largest onshore oil field in Europe. The students, who worked out of the Tirana, Albania project center, focused on the women鈥檚 own experiences to help describe the impact of oil fracking on the quality of life in the region. The women painted a bleak picture of a region where water is unusable, air pollution makes residents feel sick, the land is visibly contaminated from oil deposit wells, agriculture has been hindered, and compensation for damage to homes caused by fracking-induced seismic activity has been inadequate.

Given this powerful experience and the compelling narratives of the women, the students wanted others to have the same research tools to apply to future disaster risk management planning. They created a narrative elicitation guidebook detailing the activities they developed and produced a synopsis of the frameworks they utilized. The IQP team also produced a multimedia exhibition of the women鈥檚 stories including photos, quotes, and narratives.

Instructor Robert Hersh and Assistant Professor Leslie Dodson, both in The Global School, advised the IQP project, which was sponsored by the United Nations Development Programme in Albania. 鈥淭he sponsor was very impressed with the participatory methods the students used to obtain life stories from the women of Zharr毛z,鈥?Hersh said. 鈥淭he sponsor will use some of these methods going forward. Also, the students established a wonderful rapport with the women they interviewed, and this was clear during the final presentation in Albania, which the women attended.鈥?Sheehan, Darer, and Frunzi identified three United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as being most relevant to this project: gender equality, clean water and sanitation, and reducing inequality. The IQP program is one example of the many ways WPI students and faculty are working to advance the SDGs.

"We felt it was our duty to put ourselves as close to 鈥榠n their shoes鈥?as possible...Our part was to amplify their voices.鈥?- Alexandria Sheehan

The other finalists for the 2023 President鈥檚 IQP Awards, all students from the Class of 鈥?4:

Story Bikes in Somers Town For The People鈥檚 Museum. Students: Luke Barckholtz, Connor Dowgielewicz, Claire Higginson, and Sydney Smith. Advisors: Laureen Elgert, Dominic Golding, and Sarah Riddick. 鈥?amp;nbsp;London, England Project Center. The team conducted a feasibility study for and advanced a community museum鈥檚 goal of providing an environmentally friendly bicycle transportation service for commuters and guided historical bike tours.

Melbourne Project Center: Telling Our Story through Engaging Media. Students: Tara Desrochers, Erin Murphey, Bailey Norris, and Justin Weintraub. Advisors: Lorriane Higgins and Stephen McCauley. 鈥?amp;nbsp;Melbourne, Australia Project Center. The team organized information on 25 years of partnerships and project work at the Melbourne Project Center, managed, and created visual displays for a 25th anniversary event for the project center.

The Taiwanese Backpacker: In Search of Purpose. Students: Abigail Boafo, Randy Huang, and Alexander Sun. Advisors: Grant Burrier and Jefferson Alex Sphar. 鈥?amp;nbsp;Taipei, Taiwan Project Center. The team conducted a study for a local nonprofit on the potential inclusion of solo backpacking into its youth programming to promote finding purpose and personal development.

The Damage Behind the Bruises: Mitigating Interpersonal Violence Through a Demonstrative Simulation of Blunt Trauma on Soft Tissue. Students: Isabelle Benson-Clarke, Benjamin Breslov, Amitai Erfanian, Zoe Goodman, and Theodore Winter. Advisors: Ivan Mardilovich and Svetlana Nikitina. 鈥?Haifa, Israel (originally planned for Moscow, Russia Project Center). The team, on an accelerated four-week schedule, developed for a trauma surgeon a model thigh with a sensor and software system to demonstrate the physical injury caused when someone strikes another person. The goal of the model is to provide a new tool for batterer intervention programs.

The following projects received honorable mention:

Investigating Localized Air Pollution Exposure in Thessaloniki, Greece. Students: Mikaela Enax, Mark Gagliardi, Alexander Lucero, and Alexander Wadsworth. Advisors: Robert Hersh and Darko Volkov. 鈥?amp;nbsp;Thessaloniki, Greece Project Center. The team conducted interviews and community air pollution monitoring for a local college to bolster existing data and provide analysis suggesting a need for greater understanding and awareness of air pollution in the city.

Improving Cross-Program Collaboration with the Australian Red Cross Victorian Emergency Services. Students: Dante Amicarella, Bryce Curtin, Owen Krause, and Antone Mello. Advisors: Lorraine Higgins and Stephen McCauley. 鈥?Melbourne, Australia Project Center. The team developed a framework to analyze coordination efforts between Victorian Red Cross programs and made recommendations to the organization for improvements with a goal of better serving people in emergency scenarios.

The judges who observed the finalist presentations and decided the winners were Mimi Sheller, dean of The Global School; Scott Harris 鈥?2, a mentor in residence at WPI and distinguished partner in engineering and entrepreneurship at Olin College of Engineering; Giselle Rivera-Flores, director of communications for State Senator Robyn Kennedy and co-host of 鈥淏usiness Beat鈥?on WICN Public Radio; Jennifer Wyse 鈥?4, a trustee and former senior executive at Philips and GE; and Carrie Jung, senior education reporter at WBUR radio.

Click here for a list of President鈥檚 IQP Awards finalists and winners from previous years.

Students Go Above and Beyond at New Project Center

mlumsden — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 12:00:00 +0000

One of WPI鈥檚 newest project centers is only two hours from Worcester, but students who go there get their horizons broadened nonetheless. Quite literally, in fact.

The White Mountains, New Hampshire, Project Center, located in Lincoln, hosted its first full cohort of 16 students during A-Term this year after a pilot program in 2022. The four student teams worked on projects that will help visitors to the White Mountains enjoy safe and responsible recreation.

Associate Professor Seth Tuler leads a hike with students in New Hampshire.

Project center director Corey Dehner, associate professor of teaching in the Department of Integrative & Global Studies, found inspiration for the new project center during the 2021鈥?2 academic year.

鈥淭he mental health crisis at WPI made me acutely aware of the need to help our students reconnect with nature and slow down,鈥?Dehner says. She wanted to help establish a project center where students would be able to build their confidence, leadership abilities, and sense of community while also doing something good for the environment.

That environmental focus was one of the main reasons junior Katelyn Beirne was interested in doing her Interactive Qualifying Project (IQP) in New Hampshire this fall.

鈥淭here are a lot of really cool IQPs that focus on something cultural, but they weren鈥檛 as outdoorsy as I wanted,鈥?says Beirne, a data science major who grew up on a small farm in Massachusetts. 鈥淚 knew I wanted to get outside and do something to help the environment.鈥?amp;nbsp;

Her IQP team developed lesson plans to teach a variety of audiences the 10 essentials to bring when hiking in the backcountry, as well as basic outdoor etiquette centered around the principles of Leave No Trace. Not only did the project let her spend lots of time outside, it also gave her the opportunity to pay forward her love of nature by helping others learn to be better environmental stewards.

The other IQP teams at the project center this fall developed conservation information specific to New Hampshire鈥檚 alpine zone that hikers can access in four languages through a QR code on trail signs; designed and set up a physical site where forestry staff will lead hands-on ecology lessons with middle school students; and created a series of short educational videos about 鈥渞ecreating responsibly鈥?that the White Mountain National Forest can share with visitors.

All students at the project center also participate in a wilderness ethics certificate program that鈥檚 made possible through a collaboration between WPI, the World Trails Network, and the Waterman Fund. While environmental ethics is an emerging academic field, the certificate WPI students earn isn鈥檛 part of their official transcript, though it can go on their resume or curriculum vitae.

The view of the Pemigewasset River during a student hike on the Lincoln Woods Trail.

鈥淚t鈥檚 less based on professional skills and training someone for a specific career and more focused on helping students understand the externalities of whatever they do. I hope they will use this education to make informed decisions in their professions,鈥?notes Dehner. 鈥淭he goal is also to help students develop a deeper connection to nature and realize the mental health benefits of spending time in nature.鈥?lt;/p>

To earn the certificate, students complete assigned readings and written reflections; participate in weekly fireside chats about various environmental topics with members of the local community; gain some perspective from the local Indigenous community; participate in a volunteer project within the national forest; complete a Leave No Trace training; and do a solo hike with reading and reflection. (Faculty are always nearby during the hike in case of an emergency.)

The work for the wilderness ethics certificate is in addition to what students do for their IQPs but it strengthens the cohort bonds, and members in the first cohort say the requirements are both manageable and enjoyable. Plus, notes junior Danielle Cook, the credential is a nice bonus that shows she did something extra, beyond her regular coursework.

From Pixel Art to 3D animation, IMGD Student-led Event Celebrates Region鈥檚 Talent

cbwamback — Wed, 22 Mar 2023 12:00:00 +0000

For five students in WPI鈥檚 Interactive Media and Game Design (IMGD) department, last month鈥檚 JoyArt event, an intercollegiate game art competition, was not only an experience of a lifetime鈥攊t was one they created themselves. The event, an evening in Boston that brought together student artists from a dozen colleges and universities across New England as well as professional game artists from studios in the area, was a just an idea before Tate Donnelly, Yulin Chen, Skye Pritchard, Jack McEvoy, and Nick Frangie鈥攁ll Class of 鈥?4鈥攎ade it a reality as part of their Interactive Qualifying Project.

鈥淟aunching a new event specifically for game artists was something we felt strongly about,鈥?said Donnelly. 鈥淭here is so much artistic talent in the gaming world right here in the Northeast, it just made sense to celebrate, collaborate, and have some friendly competition.鈥?lt;/span>

Working with their IQP advisor IMGD Assistant Teaching Professor Melissa Kagen, as well as with MassDigi Managing Director Monty Sharma, the team managed every aspect of the event, including securing sponsorship, building a website, figuring out logistics, inviting attendees, and running the event itself.

In total, the event attracted over 200 submissions from students at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), Montserrat College of Art, Lesley University, University of Connecticut, University of Hartford, New England Institute of Technology, Clark University, Northeastern University, Fitchburg State University, Massachusetts College of Art, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, and, of course, WPI.

The competition portion featured eight categories and were judged by representatives from Demiurge Studios, Designori, Snoozy Kazoo, Zapdot, PopCannibal, Mightier, and Dejobaan Games. (Winners are listed below.) The professionals also offered portfolio reviews.

鈥淟ike everyone else, I was so impressed by the event and by the quality and creativity of the artists involved in the competition,鈥?said Richard Fox, art manager at Demiurge Studios. 鈥淲e can鈥檛 wait to see what 2024 brings.鈥?lt;/span>

鈥淭hey pulled it off,鈥?said Kagen. 鈥淭he team did a great job with this first year of JoyArt, especially the way they reached out to artists and schools from across the area. I'm looking forward to seeing where they go from here!鈥?lt;/span>

The team plans to make JoyArt an annual event and is excited to incorporate what they learned this year into next year鈥檚 event.

Meanwhile, if you think the IQP team is resting on its laurels after its inaugural JoyArt, that鈥檚 not the case. 鈥淲e're not done yet,鈥?said Frangie. 鈥淥ur team will be managing WPI IMGD's booth at PAX East later this month, exhibiting student games at the massive expo hosted in the Boston convention center. And after that, we'll be hosting IMGD Showfest in the Innovation Studio on April 28, showing off what IMGD students have been up to this year. We hope to see everyone on campus there.鈥?amp;nbsp;

JoyArt Winners:

Overall Winner: MacKenzie Reid, RISD
People鈥檚 Choice: Mackenzie Reynolds, Lesley University
Pixel Art: Kateri Bajer, WPI
In-game Implementation: Kateri Bajer, WPI
3D Animation: Kerri Thornton, WPI
Character Concept Art: Tony Tran, Fitchburg State
Environmental Concept Art: Brooke Glasier, Northeastern University
3D Character Art: Maya Horta from Montserrat
3D Environment & Prop Art: Jericho Dibb from MassArt
2D Animation: Adam Ying, RISD

The Month in Photos: November 2022

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

A new president, prestigious fellowship wins, musical holiday cheer, impromptu dance parties鈥攊n a community as special as WPI鈥檚, we鈥檝e got a lot to be thankful for. Check out a glimpse of a few more examples through the lenses of our talented staff photographers.

The Month in Photos: October 2022

amracicot — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 12:00:00 +0000

WPI鈥檚 colors may be crimson and gray for most of the year, but in October a brief switch was made to orange and black.

From athletics events and bridge crossings to haunted houses and a quick trip to Geneva for the 2022 FIRST Global Challenge and XPrize ESG Leadership Summit, check out what WPI was up to in October through the lenses of our staff photographers.