The Bridge - April 2007
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Alumni News
Coming Soon: A New Way to Connect
At the end of April, WPI will launch its new online community for alumni. The site will offer WPI alumni a host of new resources including an improved searchable alumni directory; enhanced networking opportunities based on your profession, personal interests, geographic area, or WPI affiliation; job and resume postings; and up-to-the-minute news about your classmates. Watch your mailbox for a postcard with further details and login information. The first 100 alumni to register with the community by May 1 will receive a WPI T-shirt.
Alumni Leadership Council
The Alumni Leadership Council met on March 24 to discuss proposals on restructuring the governance of the Association. The structures of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors were reviewed, as well as some of the charters for the working committees. The Council will continue to refine the draft documents, with the goal of presenting the new model to a broader audience at the annual meeting of the Alumni Association, which takes place during Reunion Weekend, June 9. Read meeting summary: Read meeting summary.
For Alumni Only: Food, Fun, and Phoning!
Join us May 30 for an Alumni Phonathon in Higgins House from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. You will be calling your fellow alumni on behalf of WPI‘s Annual Fund, which supports the areas of greatest need on campus, including financial aid, teaching and research, and library services. Dinner and refreshments will be provided. If you plan to attend, please contact the Office of Annual Giving at 877-974-3863 or e-mail giving@wpi.edu.
Alumni Events in Asia
The WPI Alumni Association will hold receptions for WPI alumni and friends in several Asian cities. President Berkey will provide a status report on WPI today and lead a conversation about the important role of WPI's international alumni, parents, and friends. The favor of a reply is requested.
- Seoul, Korea, April 21, 4-6 p.m., Amber Room, Millennium Seoul Hilton, 395, 5-ga, Namdaemun-ro, Chung-gu. Reply to alumni-office@wpi.edu or 508-831-5600.
- Hong Kong, China, April 27, 7 p.m., Hong Kong Bankers Club, 43rd Floor, Gloucester Tower, The Landmark, 11 Pedder Street, Central. Reply to Christina Chan, Pacific Can Co. Ltd., christinachan@pacificcan.com or 2590-8381.
- Taipei, Taiwan, April 29, 5:30 p.m. reception, 6 p.m. dinner, Sheraton Taipei Hotel, 12 Chung Hsiao East Road, Section 1. Reply to Professor Anthony S. T. Chiang, Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, National Central University, at stchiang@cc.ncu.edu.tw
- Bangkok, Thailand, May 1, 7 p.m., Shangri-La Hotel, 89 Soi Wat Suan Plu, New Road, Bangrak. Reply to Professor Supawan Tantayanon, PhD, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, at Supawan.T@Chula.ac.th
WPI News
WPI Announces that John Orr Will Serve as Provost ad interim
John Orr, dean of undergraduate studies and professor of electrical and computer engineering, will serve as provost ad interim until a new provost is appointed to replace Carol Simpson. After more than a decade in administrative positions in higher education, Simpson, a distinguished geologist, is returning to her academic and research interests. Read more: Read more...
Worcester Project Center Wins George I. Alden Award
WPI received the inaugural George I. Alden Award for campus-based educational excellence from the Colleges of Worcester Consortium. The award, presented during the consortium's first "Celebration of Higher Education in Central Massachusetts" on March 29, recognized the university's Worcester Community Project Center and its director, Rob Krueger, for their contributions to improving the quality of life for citizens of Worcester over the course of nearly a decade. Read the press release: Read the press release...
Research Thrives at WPI
"Since WPI first opened its doors in 1865, research has served as the essential bridge between the two ends of our motto, Lehr und Kunst, or theory and practice," writes President Dennis Berkey in WPI's newest publication, Research at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. The inaugural issue was recently mailed to WPI alumni and friends, as well as presidents, provosts, and deans of universities around the country.
WPI/Mass Academy FIRST Robotics Team is World Champion
A come-from-behind, nail-biting victory at the 2007 FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Championship in Atlanta on April 14 made the WPI-sponsored team into champions. The trophy was the climax to months of competition involving more than 1,300 teams from the United States and six other nations. Area alumni and friends gathered at a Friday night reception at the Atlanta Ritz-Carlton to learn about their efforts and to cheer them on. Read more: Read more...
Women of Strength Award
Six outstanding women at WPI received the 2007 Women of Strength Award on March 31. The award, co-sponsored by Pratt & Whitney, recognizes female students, staff, and faculty who demonstrate strength of character, community spirit, and leadership; serve as role models; and are committed to improving the quality of life for women at WPI. This year's recipients are Jen Cluett, senior associate director of admissions; Chrys Demetry, associate professor of mechanical engineering; Olga Karabelchtchikova, graduate student; Akanksha Sharma, Class of 2008; Liz Tomaszewski, plant services information systems supervisor; and Suzanne Weekes, associate professor of mathematical sciences.
New Voices Turns 25
The 25th New Voices festival of original plays was staged in WPI's Little Theatre April 12-14. Masque is among WPI's oldest student organizations, and New Voices is thought to be the country's longest continuously running university new plays festival. This year's festival featured seven plays by four playwrights. See titles and cast photos: See titles and cast photos...
Announcements & Reminders
Project Presentation Day--April 17
Alumni are invited to take part in this annual exhibition of the remarkable outcomes of WPI project work. Information: Information...
WPI Relay for Life -- April 21-22
Help raise funds for the American Cancer Society. Teams camp out on the WPI track and take turns walking, with fun activities through the night. Register now: Register now...
Kalenian Award--May 1 Deadline
The Kalenian Award, a competition established through a bequest from Aram Kalenian, is open to alumni, faculty, and students. The intent is to fuel the entrepreneurial spirit through annual funding of a single viable invention. The award carries a $25,000 prize, plus $5,000 in legal services from Wolf Greenfield. Proposal requirements: Proposal requirements...
Summer Opportunities at WPI
After the graduates have received their diplomas and the residence halls have emptied, things get pretty quiet around the WPI campus, right? Hardly! Summer is a busy time at WPI, with more than 70 undergraduate and graduate classes, a host of programs for teachers, middle- and high school students, and working professionals Explore Summer Session...
WPI in the News
From the WPI News Desk...
- WPI's groundbreaking undergraduate major in robotics engineering was featured on DOW JONES/MARKETWATCH. Prof. Dave Cyganski is interviewed. The segment aired on 240 radio stations across the country.More...
- SMITHSONIAN Magazine highlights WPI's student projects in Venice and the work of Prof. Fabio Carrera in an article on the future of Venice. More...
- THE BOSTON GLOBE features WPI Dean of Corporate & Professional Education Stephen Flavin in an article about people who have "dream jobs." More...
- The groundbreaking work of WPI in developing the Precision Indoor Personnel Locator System is described in The Institute of Navigation Newsletter. More...
- WPI's role in entrepreneurship and new ventures in Worcester is cited in WORCESTER BUSINESS JOURNAL. More...
- Prof. Stephen Bullock spoke on "Freemasonry and the Founding of America" at the National Heritage Museum. More...
- Two WPI graduates received special recognition in the engineering community recently. Karen Tegan Padir '90, a VP at Sun Microsystems, was named one of the 2007 "Women to Watch" by Mass High Tech:Karen Tegan Padir '90, a Sarah Arsenault '90, a senior research engineer at United Technologies, was selected as one of this year's "15 New Faces in Engineering" by the National Engineers Week Foundation: Sarah Arsenault '90, a senior research engineer at
- WPI's Center for Untethered Healthcare is featured in a sidebar about the next generation of portable ultrasound in Medical Imaging Magazine.More...
- A jazz website features WPI's efforts to establish the New England Jazz History Database. More...
- WPI Professor Kent Ljungquist is quoted in an article about Edgar Allen Poe in the BOSTON GLOBE. More...
- TThe Old Colony Memorial newspaper in Plymouth, Mass. includes a story about the Goat's Head tradition at WPI. More...
Careers & Lifelong Learning
April 19: Massachusetts Educational Recruiting Consortium (MERC) Education Job Fair at Bayside Expo and Executive Conference Center, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Open to undergraduates, graduates and alumni of member colleges (WPI is a MERC member). Obtain candidate registration materials through the Career Development Center. You must obtain these materials before the actual fair. Contact Jeanette jmdoyle@wpi.edu with questions. View participating school systems.
May 2: BIO Career Fair, Seaport World Trade Center, Boston, 11:00 a.m-6:00 p.m. Career networking opportunity held in conjunction with the BIO International Convention. Free registration: More...
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.
Job listings are posted on an "as received" basis for the convenience of WPI alumni. Job-seekers are responsible for contacting employers and/or recruitment firms to verify particulars and request further information.
Alumni Events
Contact alumni-office@wpi.edu or 508-831-5600 for details.
Full Alumni Calendar
April 21: New Hampshire Chapter: SEE Science Center, 1-4:30 p.m. 200 Bedford Street, Manchester. SEE was founded by Dean Kamen '73 of US FIRST and Segway fame as a place for students to experience the excitement of science. $15 covers admission and reception. Respond by April 7. SEE website: SEE website.
April 27: Northern California Alumni Chapter Pub Night, 6-8 p.m., Pyramid Alehouse Brewery and Restaurant, 901 Gilman Street, Berkeley.
May 2: GOLD Committee Meeting, 6:30-8 p.m., Campus Center, Mid-Century Room. Sponsored by: WPI Graduates of the Last Decade.
May 9: Tech Old Timers Ladies Day: "The Serengeti and Corporate America: Some Parallels," with management professor Helen Vassallo, 9:45 a.m.-1 p.m., Campus Center, Odeum.
June 7-10: Reunion 2007! Schedule and registration: Schedule and registration.
University Events
April 16-May 25:April 16-May 25: Student Art Competition, George C. Gordon Library Gladwin Art Gallery, 2nd Floor. Winners will be announced at an April 18 reception, 3-4:30 p.m. Sponsored by George C. Gordon Library and the Humanities & Arts Dept.
April 19: WPI Faculty/Staff Book Signing, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Campus Center. Books available for purchase at the WPI Bookstore. Scheduled authors: Scheduled authors.
April 21: Alban Berg's "Wozzeck" in concert version, Tsai Center, Boston University, 8 p.m., featuring the WPI Men's Glee Club. Contact John Delorey, jfd@wpi.edu, 508-831-5051 for ticket information, or visit the website.
April 27: Comedy: "Caution: This Kilroy is Extremely Hot," 8 p.m., Fuller Laboratories, Perreault Lecture Hall.
May 8: WPI Venture Forum: "Sell the Solution, Not the Technology," 6 p.m., Campus Center, Odeum.
May 9: Authors Evening, featuring readings by Anita Shreve, Kris Halloway, and others, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Campus Center Odeum. Cost: $25. Fundraiser for YWCA Daybreak. Contact shell@wpi.edu.
May 19: WWPI's 139th Commencement Exercises
Bookmarks
- Class Notes - Share news with classmates
- Alumni Job Opportunities
- Career Development Center
- Alumni Web Site - Your source for alumni information and events!
- Alumni Events
- Transformations: WPI's Alumni Magazine
- Athletics: Weekly Roundup
- Athletics: Schedule
- Campus Events
Your questions and comments are always welcome at thebridge@wpi.edu.
Maintained by webmaster@wpi.eduLast modified: Apr 24, 2007, 13:13 EDT