WPI's Vision

Technologists Who Appreciate the Human Side of Science and Engineering

"If the technologist and the humanist cannot be brought together, our society may well be inundated by its own technology or may reject technology altogether. There is, then, a need for an individual thoroughly familiar with the analytical approach to problem solving of the technologist who is also sensitive to and understanding of human nature."

–From "A Planning Program for Worcester Polytechnic Institute," 1970

In the early 1970s, WPI pioneered a new approach to higher education in mathematics, science and engineering. It was rooted in the university's founding conviction that students learn best when they can put their knowledge to work by solving important, real-world problems.

The new program was also built on the belief that the most effective engineers, scientists and mathematicians are those who understand how their work affects society, and how they can use their skills and talents to serve the greater public good and make the world a better place. WPI calls these well-rounded individuals Technological Humanists^SM.

Today, our students prepare for careers and lives as Technological Humanists by engaging in our innovative curriculum, through which all students complete three required projects – three intensive exercises in applied problem solving – that

teach them to learn how to learn.
give them an in-depth exposure to the humanities and arts.
prepare them to consider the impact on society of their professional work.
let them gain professional-level problem-solving experience – before they graduate.

Through the WPI curriculum, students, working in teams at locations around the globe, in close collaboration with faculty mentors, tackle important problems whose solutions can have an immediate positive impact on the world around them. They emerge from this experience with the confidence, skills and commitment to innovation they need to make a real difference in their professional and personal lives.

More About WPI

The WPI Difference - WPI's unique curriculum, which we believe prepares students exquisitely well for life and work in our technological world, is an important part of what makes WPI different from other universities. It's also what makes us the University of Science and Technology. And Life. Read more.
Twelve Famous Alumni - Since its founding in 1865, WPI has graduated generations of men and women who have changed the world for the better. Read about 12 of their groundbreaking achievements.
The WPI Presidential Medal, one of the university's highest honors, is presented to individuals who exemplify the ideal of the Technological Humanist. Read about recipients, including Dean Kamen and Arthur C. Clarke. Read about the recipients.

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Last modified: Apr 22, 2004, 09:51 EDT