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Project-Based Learning Fellowship Benefits Faculty at WPI鈥攁nd Beyond

mlumsden — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Four WPI faculty members have been selected for this year鈥檚 cohort of faculty fellows at the Center for Project-Based Learning (CPBL). Now in its third year, the fellowship program is proving a successful鈥攁nd increasingly popular鈥攎ultidimensional growth opportunity for WPI faculty.

鈥淥ur faculty fellows program is a wonderfully symbiotic way for WPI faculty to engage in their own professional development while also producing a practical tool, like a resource guide or sample lesson plans, that enriches the field of project-based learning scholarship and teaching,鈥?says Kris Wobbe, director of the Center for Project-Based Learning.

This year鈥檚 cohort includes Zo毛 Eddy, assistant professor of teaching in the Department of Integrative and Global Studies; Ryan Madan, associate professor of teaching in the Department of Humanities and Arts; Stephen McCauley, associate professor of teaching in the Department of Integrative and Global Studies; and Daniel Treku, assistant teaching professor in The Business School.

Over the summer each fellow will research an area of their choosing, then produce a related resource that will be accessible to faculty at WPI and beyond. (See In the Works, below, to learn more about the 2025 cohort鈥檚 projects and for a link to previous fellows鈥?deliverables.)

Faculty fellows also meet regularly as a group to discuss their topics and either teach a workshop or coach a team at the Institute for Project-Based Learning. For engaging in the program and submitting their final resource, each fellow receives $10,000.

Professional development, in community

The program is an especially beneficial opportunity for younger faculty who are working toward tenure and promotion, in part because each fellow creates a resource that becomes publicly available. Wobbe notes that the community that develops among each cohort is likewise valuable, regardless of where the fellows are on their professional journey.

鈥淥ver the summer the fellows have regular meetings, engaging in rich conversations about each other鈥檚 projects, providing not just guidance but also new ways of looking at things,鈥?she says. 鈥淔aculty don鈥檛 often spend much time talking to each other about how they鈥檙e teaching or why they鈥檙e teaching something in a certain way. The fellows are given the opportunity to have those conversations鈥攁nd they really enjoy it.鈥?lt;/p>

They鈥檝e also told their colleagues: Interest in the fellowship program has grown substantially since it began in 2023, with 23 faculty members applying for this year鈥檚 four spots. Last year the CPBL received 13 applications.

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 Explore Careers in Sustainability Through Mentorship Program

jcain — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 12:00:00 +0000

A new mentorship program at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) is guiding students with an interest in sustainability to cultivate careers that not only support their passion but also sustainably support their futures.

In the fall of 2024, a group of faculty and staff came together to start the Sustainable Career Mentorship Program. It connects WPI students with professionals working in green jobs and positions involving sustainability for one-on-one meetings at least twice per year. Organizers of the program say it addresses a request from students to learn more about the types of jobs that exist in these fields and how to find them, and a growing demand from employers.

According to the World Economic Forum鈥檚 Future of Jobs Report 2025, climate change adaptation is projected to be the third-largest contributor to global job growth by 2030, while climate change mitigation is expected to be the sixth largest contributor. Together, those fields are expected to generate an additional 8 million jobs during that time. A U.S. Department of Energy report finds that the number of jobs in clean energy grew by 4.2% in 2023. That rate was more than double the rate of job growth across the overall U.S. economy.

Elisabeth Stoddard, associate professor of teaching

鈥淲e鈥檙e preparing our students for a job market that鈥檚 actively looking for qualified people,鈥?says Elisabeth "Lisa" Stoddard, associate professor of teaching in environmental and sustainability studies and in The Global School, who is an organizer of the mentorship program. 鈥淚f we can take students鈥?passions and interests and we can prepare students through the mentorship program to be able to show up for these jobs qualified and excited, we鈥檙e enhancing their ability to get jobs that they鈥檙e passionate about and fill positions to address the climate crisis.鈥?lt;/span>

Any student with an interest in sustainability can join the program. They need only to provide information about their goals for having a mentor in this space to help organizers identify a professional who is a good match for their interests. Stoddard said discussions with mentors can include everything from learning about what types of jobs fit a student鈥檚 interests and helping them identify internships or research opportunities to reviewing their resume and offering advice on how to shift into a sustainability career from an existing job.

A virtual meeting allows a mentor and mentee to connect. Photographed: JoLeisa Cramer, manager, field science operations 鈥?northeast, National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON); Jacob Friend 鈥?5 Environmental & Sustainability Studies, Data Science

The wide range of students and professionals in the program represents the variety of opportunities available in green and sustainable careers. Seventeen WPI students, majoring in fields from robotics engineering and data science to civil, environmental, and architectural engineering and environmental and sustainability studies, are currently mentees. There are 25 mentors, including 14 who are WPI alumni. Mentors hold positions in areas that include corporate sustainability, energy, civil engineering, water quality and management, ecology, and climate adaptation. They hold jobs in private industry, nonprofits, and government; others own their own businesses.

Tara Checko 鈥?5, a double major in environmental and sustainability studies and mechanical engineering, meets regularly with her mentor, Erin Spadavecchia 鈥?5, who is manager of sustainable building solutions for ASSA ABLOY, a manufacturer of door opening solutions. When they meet, they catch up on life, discuss ways to advance sustainability initiatives in the workplace, and develop new connections with people who specialize in sustainability. They鈥檙e also making plans to attend the Design for Freedom Summit, a yearly gathering focused on responsible supply chain practices and the removal of forced labor in the building materials supply chain.

鈥淚鈥檝e enjoyed talking with Erin about how sustainability can manifest itself in large corporate settings,鈥?says Checko. 鈥淚 wanted to know more about how I can help to push these initiatives. Inherently, it can be harder to change minds and institute new policies in larger companies. I鈥檝e met with Erin about ways to overcome this mentality for corporations.鈥?lt;/p>

Tara Checko 鈥?5 meets with her mentor Erin Spadavecchia 鈥?5

For Spadavecchia, serving as a mentor represents an opportunity to actively give back to her alma mater and to share her experience to help others in their career journeys. 鈥淢entorship accelerates knowledge share, instills confidence, creates a sense of belonging, and fosters upward mobility,鈥?says Spadavecchia. 鈥淢y hope is that Tara and all the mentees feel that a meaningful connection has been established鈥攕omeone always in their corner, a safe place to reach out to for advice, a support system. All of these are essential for the ups and downs that eventually play out throughout a career and life.鈥?lt;/p>

While the mentorship program is a new offering, it was created as a natural offshoot of WPI鈥檚 ongoing Careers for Sustainable and Just Communities Networking and Mentoring Events. The annual events, held since 2022, typically bring together more than 100 students and dozens of employers in sustainability fields for several hours of informal discussion, questions and answers, and networking.

Stoddard has been a driving force in the development of both the mentorship program and the annual event series. She has partnered with staff and faculty across the university, including Laureen Elgert, head of the Department of Integrative and Global Studies; Mimi Sheller, dean of The Global School; Robert Krueger, head of the Department of Social Science and Policy Studies; Paul Mathisen, director of sustainability and associate professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering; Nicole Luiz, manager of energy and sustainability; Brittany Taylor, assistant director of career services in the Career Development Center; and Hannah Shick, operations coordinator in The Global School; as well as with members of the WPI Green Team, a student-led organization that promotes sustainability.

Pamela (Giasson) Lynch 鈥?5, president of the alumni association, participates with students and other professionals at a Careers for Sustainable and Just Communities Networking Event

Alumni connections, through the Office of Lifetime Engagement and the WPI Alumni Association, have also been critical to supporting the growth of the ranks of mentors and networking event participants. Pamela (Giasson) Lynch 鈥?5, president of the alumni association, participates in both programs. She says society needs to do more work around sustainable development and she believes future generations will benefit from opportunities like these provided at WPI. 鈥淭he work to establish and grow the Sustainable Career Mentorship Program and the Careers for Sustainable and Just Communities Networking and Mentoring Events is critical,鈥?she says. 鈥淪ome of this work is planting seeds for trees under which our generation may never sit, but the shade they provide will shape a better future.鈥?lt;/p>

Organizers of the mentorship program are collecting feedback from participants that can be used to improve the program moving forward. Stoddard says initial responses suggest the one-on-one meetings have expanded the mentees鈥?knowledge about available opportunities in sustainability and provided mentors with meaningful opportunities to help students make progress and connections.

Stoddard says her work to expand the program is a way she can support students and address the climate challenge. 鈥淲e have a cohort of students developing expertise and knowledge and becoming ready for the job market to tackle these global problems that are at a crisis level,鈥?she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 exciting and inspiring to see because we need that diverse set of knowledge, majors, minds, and insight to address that kind of problem.鈥?lt;/p>

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.

First-Year Students Explore Artificial Intelligence

jcain — Thu, 30 Jan 2025 12:00:00 +0000

The steady drumbeat of news about advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) technology and its potential to unlock solutions and reshape the nature of work has made it clear that society is facing rapid transformation.

To help students prepare for the possibilities and challenges of this moment and the future, WPI has begun examining AI through its Great Problems Seminar, exposing first-year students to AI tools to explore how they work, to think critically about those tools鈥?potential benefits and risks to individuals and communities, and to consider ethical questions involving the emerging technology.

WPI鈥檚 Great Problems Seminar offers 11 courses, two-terms in length, to immerse first-year students in university-level research, introduce them to WPI鈥檚 project-based learning, and explore issues of global importance. This fall, the seminar launched two new AI courses.

鈥淭hrough this new curriculum, we鈥檙e calling on students to ask, 鈥楥an we?鈥?amp;nbsp; and 鈥楽hould we?鈥?when it comes to AI,鈥?said Sarah Stanlick, director of the Great Problems Seminar and an assistant professor in the Department of Integrative and Global Studies. 鈥淲e hear a lot about the potential of AI for good and sustainability. However, there are concerns about the hidden costs of running AI, such as data usage and resource depletion. I鈥檓 excited our students are exploring these complexities.鈥?amp;nbsp;

Global School Professor Appointed to U.S. Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board

jcain — Mon, 30 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Seth Tuler, associate professor in the Department of Integrative and Global Studies in The Global School at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, has been appointed by President Biden to serve as a member of the U.S. Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board.

The board is an independent federal agency that performs technical and scientific peer reviews of nuclear waste management and disposal activities in the United States. It also issues reports and recommendations to the U.S. Secretary of Energy and Congress regarding the U.S. Department of Energy鈥檚 activities concerning high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel.

Tuler joins a board of eleven members who serve part-time, each for four years. The president appoints candidates from a list of nominees submitted by the National Academy of Sciences.

By law, nominees to the board must have established records of eminence in a field of science or engineering. Current board members have expertise in fields including nuclear science, hydrology, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, materials science, and environmental health sciences.

鈥淚 am very excited and honored to be appointed by President Biden to the Board,鈥?said Tuler. 鈥?lt;span>What to do with high-level waste and spent nuclear fuel has been a serious conundrum for decades. The Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board can play an important role in the design of a program to safely manage spent nuclear fuel and high-level waste over centuries. As a social scientist I intend to help the Board contribute input and advice about how the federal government can craft programs that ensure opportunities for meaningful public and stakeholder involvement, address concerns about equity, and build public and stakeholder confidence in the program.鈥?amp;nbsp;

Tuler has conducted research focused on the clean-up of sites in the U.S. nuclear weapons complex, nuclear waste management, and community climate change adaptation planning.

He previously served as a member of the federal Advisory Committee for Energy-Related Epidemiologic Research, which advised the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on health studies associated with U.S. nuclear weapons facilities.

He also served on several National Academies鈥?lt;/a> committees, including the Committee on Transportation of Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste, the Standing Committee on Chemical Demilitarization, and the Committee on Alternatives for the Demilitarization of Conventional Munitions.

He is a co-director of WPI鈥檚 Boston Project Center in the Global Projects Program, and co-director of the Global Lab.

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.

New WPI Master鈥檚 Degree Program Seeks To Improve Global Health Through Socially Responsible Technology

jcain — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Recognizing that the future of global health lies at the intersection of technology, science, and humanity, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) is introducing a master of science (MS) in Global Health. The degree program will prepare students for leadership roles in this growing field by equipping them to turn technical knowledge into innovative solutions that will improve people鈥檚 health and increase equitable access to health care globally.

鈥淭echnology is transforming global health in multiple ways, from drug discovery to disease detection,鈥?said Mimi Sheller, dean of The Global School, which is administering the program. 鈥淲PI鈥檚 master鈥檚 in Global Health will provide students with skills to create new technologies and bring these innovations to the places they are needed most with a central focus on the social, human, and ethical ramifications of technology in health care."

Starting in fall 2024, this new program will help students learn how to develop socially responsible technology that can help improve health 鈥?with greater equity 鈥?for people around the world. Such complex goals require an interdisciplinary approach, and this program is designed to allow students to learn from faculty with expertise in areas such as biology, biomedical engineering, computer science, data analysis, global studies, interactive media, and social science. Such focused, yet varied, expertise will guide students to use data-driven research to help create advancements in areas such as digital healthcare technologies, artificial intelligence, virtual reality/augmented reality, 3D-printing, robotics, wearable sensors, electronic health records, and telemedicine.

Karen Kashmanian Oates, professor of biology & biotechnology, will direct the program that expands on an existing minor in global public health at WPI. "The MS in Global Health takes a different approach from other global health programs,鈥?Oates said. 鈥淭he core courses ground students in the fundamentals, but it goes beyond the biology and policy of infectious and chronic diseases. Our program will focus on how technology is being leveraged for better health, so our students can design global solutions. These solutions could include affordable biomedical devices, mobile apps, and new AI-assisted machine learning.鈥?lt;/p>

Students experience UN climate talks in Dubai

jcain — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Three WPI students were firsthand participants in history this month at the United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP 28 (the 28th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change), in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Jonathan Chang, Kenza Bezzat, and Wilson Gramer attended as student delegates for two days of the annual global summit. The gathering of over 70,000 people gave world leaders a chance to make multilateral decisions on steps to address the climate crisis.

Students at COP 28. Photo: Wilson Gramer

The students鈥?attendance at COP 28 was the result of an educational partnership focused on sustainability between WPI and American University of Sharjah (AUS) in the United Arab Emirates. Sarah Stanlick, assistant professor in the Department of Integrative & Global Studies in The Global School, led the effort to establish the yearlong virtual exchange.

The three students brought diverse interests and academic backgrounds to the conference. Chang is a master鈥檚 student in the Community Climate Adaptation program. Bezzat is a biomedical engineering senior and Gramer is a computer science sophomore in the Teacher Preparation Program.

鈥淚t鈥檚 exciting that we had a biomedical engineer, an environmental scientist, and a computer scientist at the conference exploring how they can nudge the world in a more sustainable and just manner,鈥?Stanlick said. 鈥?lt;/span>Climate change is a complex global challenge. The opportunity to influence policy and practices to address climate change isn't just for political scientists and historians. It's something people from every discipline have the capacity to advance.鈥?lt;/span>

At the conference, Chang, Bezzat, and Gramer attended presentations and panel talks on technology, innovation, green energy transitions, artificial intelligence, youth engagement, and art and climate change. They also toured historic sites and participated in discussions about sustainability with students from AUS and other institutions in the partnership, including Dickinson College and Haverford College.