The Bridge - October 2005

Question of the Month

College courses come and go for a variety of reasons. Over the past century, WPI has required students to take courses ranging from Argumentation (debate) to Political Science. If it could be required again, which one course do you think would most benefit the students of today? To register your vote, visit the alumni home page.

Results of the September Question

Homecoming is a time to take part in traditional celebrations and events that have been enjoyed by generations of alumni. What is your favorite Homecoming tradition?

198 readers responded. Here is what they said:

We welcome your feedback on the Question of the Month. If you have a comment on this month's question, the feature itself, or anything about The Bridge, why not post it in The Bridge forum in the Alumni Cafe. You might just get a good conversation started. (Go to the Cafe and select General Forums.)

To All Alumni

Homecoming 2005, attended by alumni and their families, was a great success. Dr. Berkey addressed the Class Boards of Directors meeting and participated in a good discussion about the future direction of WPI (see next story).

The classes of 1990, 1995, 2000, and 2005 celebrated reunions, while alumni of all ages enjoyed football, tailgating, and friendships. Following the freshmen win at the rope pull, the Goat's Head trophy was found after students and alumni completed a scavenger hunt leading them to it.

We are now looking forward to the annual meeting of the Alumni Leadership Council on Nov. 5. We expect to have substantive discussions on the activities of the Alumni Association and establish objectives for the coming year.

We hope all ALC members can attend. This is your chance to influence the direction of the association and provide input to WPI's plans for its future. For those not serving on the ALC, we welcome your input on association activities through your class representative or directly to the Alumni Office.

Find out who your class representatives are...

Morgan Rees '61
President

Class Boards Meet During Homecoming

The Class Boards of Directors held their annual meeting during Homecoming. Over 100 alumni, representing classes from 1946 to 2005, attended. President Berkey opened the meeting by providing an overview of campus activities and sharing his views on priorities for the next few years.

The focus of the morning was gathering ideas and suggestions on four key areas important to the Alumni Association: lifelong learning, regional clubs, career mentoring, and alumni admissions. Alumni volunteers and staff facilitated discussions at each table (where seating was pre-assigned to allow members to meet alumni not from their class). A number of suggestions were gathered, which will be posted on the association Web site and assist in planning and prioritizing activities for this year. The meeting concluded with Reunion planning activities, class meetings, and a GOLD (Graduates of the Last Decade) meeting.

WPI News Alerts

Nominations Sought for Distinguished Alumni Awards

The Alumni Association Citations Committee seeks nominations for the 2006 distinguished alumni awards. Established in 1961, the awards recognize professional achievement and service to the association and the university. Visit the Alumni Awards page for descriptions of the awards, citations for past recipients, and a nomination form.

University Lecture

The first annual WPI University Lecture will take place in Alden Memorial on Thursday, Nov. 3, at 5 p.m. The lecture series was created to bring to campus speakers of national and international importance to enhance scholarly and scientific learning and to stimulate intellectual exchange within the greater WPI community.

The first lecture will be delivered by inventor, physicist, and entrepreneur Dean Kamen. With more than 200 U.S. and foreign patents, Kamen has dedicated his life to developing technologies that help people lead better lives. While still an undergraduate at WPI, he invented the first wearable drug infusion pump. His latest creation, the Segway Human Transporter, is seen frequently on the WPI campus. He is also the founder of FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), an organization dedicated to motivating the next generation to understand, use, and enjoy science and technology.

Kamen has received numerous awards and accolades for his innovations, including the National Medal of Technology, the Lemelson-MIT Prize, and induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. This lecture is free and open to the public.

WPI Talks Economic Development with UK Institutions

WPI is leading a transatlantic collaboration involving Worcester and the city of Ipswich in the UK to increase economic competitiveness in a knowledge-based economy. President Dennis Berkey recently led the second leg of a leadership exchange sponsored by the Cambridge-MIT Institute. The U.S. delegation included Worcester City Manager Michael O'Brien, University of Massachusetts President Jack Wilson, and a number of entrepreneurs and business and civic leaders. The exchange aims to establish ways that regional civic leaders can help foster corridors of innovation. Read the news release...

WPI Helps Bring Internet2 to Massachusetts Schools

Thousands of children across the state of Massachusetts will have access to a world-class, super-high-speed network, thanks in part to WPI. In conjunction with the University of Massachusetts Amherst, WPI will sponsor a connection to Internet2's high-performance Abilene network for these schools. Led by more than 200 U.S. universities and working with industry and government, Internet2 develops and deploys advanced network applications and technologies for research and higher education, accelerating the creation of tomorrow's Internet. Learn more about Internet2...

SFPE Names New Award for Retired FPE Director

The Society of Fire Protection Engineers has created the David A. Lucht Lamp of Knowledge Award to honor the original director of WPI's Center for Firesafety Studies. The award is given annually to individuals or organizations to recognize their support of fire protection engineering higher education. Lucht presented the first award to FM Global at the SFPE annual honors and awards banquet in San Diego on Oct. 17.

Lucht joined WPI in 1978 to head the newly created graduate program in fire protection engineering. He had previously served as the first director of the U.S. Fire Administration; he was appointed to that post by President Gerald Ford in 1975 and reappointed by Jimmy Carter. He retired from WPI in 2005 and was succeeded by Kathy Notarianni '86, who presided over the elevation of the FPE program to an academic department.

Fire Safety Tips for National Fire Safety Month

For National Fire Safety Month, observed throughout October, Kathy Notarianni, head of WPI's Fire Protection Engineering Department and mother of three young children, put together some tips for safeguarding your home from fire.

Entrepreneurship Program Among Top 10

WPI's Collaborative for Entrepreneurship and Innovation achieved a top-10 ranking from "Entrepreneur" magazine in the category: Program Emphasis in 2005. Joining WPI in the top 10 were Purdue and Drexel. Last year WPI was ranked No. 27 and appeared in the second tier. WPI's extensive and successful extracurricular program for students, outreach efforts for faculty and the business community, and positive interviews with students, faculty, and alumni who have launched start-ups were significant factors taken into account in this year's ranking. Learn more...

New Vice President for Finance and Operations

Jeffrey S. Solomon has joined WPI as chief financial officer and vice president for finance and operations. Previously, he spent 11 years at Brandeis University, where he served in several capacities, including vice president, chief investment officer, chief risk officer, and university treasurer. Before joining Brandeis, he was an audit manager at Coopers and Lybrand. Solomon earned his degrees from Bentley College and Brandeis University.

WPI Receives Alcohol Prevention Program Grant

With a $5,000 grant from the Massachusetts Governor's Highway Safety Bureau, WPI will develop and implement education and awareness initiatives geared towards alcohol prevention programming. The bureau, a program of the state Executive Office of Public Safety, awarded 10 such grants totaling $50,000 to Massachusetts institutions as part of its effort to address underage drinking and driving among the students and to promote increased awareness of high-risk drinking and its ramifications.

RPI Extends Its lead in the Annual Transit Trophy Match-up

RPI managed a 31-15 victory over WPI in the annual Transit Trophy football game on Saturday, Oct. 29, on Alumni Field. WPI's football rivalry with RPI dates to 1894. In 1979, the teams decided to created a trophy to award each year to the winner of the annual match-up. The trophy includes a transit, a surveying instrument, because of its connection to engineering. RPI won the first Transit Trophy game on Oct. 25, 1980, and, with Saturday's win, has brought the trophy home 17 times in all. WPI has recorded eight wins (the last was in 1996); one game ended in a tie. With two away games remaining, WPI's overall record this year is four wins and three loses.

View the schedules and results for WPI's varsity sports...

Alumni Events

View the complete listing of alumni events...

Nov. 2: Gold Committee Meeting. All graduates of the last decade (1996 to 2005) are welcome and encouraged to attend this quarterly planning meeting. Bring your ideas and feedback. Campus Center, Mid-Century Room, 6:30 p.m. For more information: gold@wpi.edu, 508-831-5600, or alumni.wpi.edu/+GOLD.

Nov. 9: New York City Alumni Reception at the home of Mati Weiderpass '81. For more information, e-mail alumni-office@wpi.edu or call 508-831-5600.

Nov. 9: Tech Old Timers. "Building WPI's Future on the Strengths of a Solid Foundation," presented by Carol Simpson, WPI Provost and Senior Vice President. Coffee hour at 9:45 a.m.; talk at 10:30 a.m., Campus Center, Odeum. For more: alumni-office@wpi.edu or 508-831-5600.

University Events

View the complete listing of campus events...

Through Dec. 15: "Save the Princess: The History of Storytelling in Video Games,"an exhibit featuring artifacts (hardware, software, and memorabilia) from Stanford University's History of Video Game Collection, and including an interactive media section where visitors can experience elements of video games pertaining to the scope of the exhibition. Gordon Library, 3rd Floor Gallery. For more: archives@wpi.edu.

Nov. 2: Forensic Science Colloquium: "A Smorgasbord of Forensic Cases," Marc H. Richman, president, Marc H. Richman Inc., Salisbury Labs 115, 4 p.m.

Nov. 2: Student/Alumni Networking Event, sponsored by the Career Development Center, Campus Center, Odeum, 5 p.m.

Nov. 5: Annual Pops Concert featuring the WPI Concert Band and Jazz Band, $3 public, $2 students and seniors, Alden Memorial, 4 p.m. For more: 508-831-5246.

Nov. 5: Sports Charity Auction with more than 20 items to bid upon; all money above minimum bids goes to the TKE ZM Fire Recovery and Rebuilding Fund. Two door prizes. Campus Center, Odeum, 5-8 p.m. For more information: jeff@paid.com or call 508-335-2988.

Careers

The Alumni Association's Career/Employment Program helps alumni in the search for new employment or with making a career change and provides counseling and mentoring on a private, one-to-one basis. For more information, e-mail alumni-office@wpi.edu or call 508-831-5600.

The following position has been posted at WPI:

Windows Systems Administrator: Working in the WPI Computing and Communications Center, this position provides Windows server systems administration to the WPI community; creates, implements, and maintains software distribution processes across the Windows environment to CCC-managed computer labs, department offices, and student computers; installs, troubleshoots, and provides support for network-served software packages in a large heterogeneous network of servers and desktop clients; and assists in administering the Microsoft Exchange and SQL Server environments. Submit a cover letter and resume to WPI, Human Resources, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609-2280; fax your information to 508-831-5715; or e-mail it to human-resources@wpi.edu. See a full job description...

Bookmarks

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Last modified: May 25, 2006, 14:11 EDT