The Bridge - April 2008

Campus News

Orr Named Provost, Senior Vice President

President Dennis Berkey announced on April 7 the appointment of John Orr as the university's provost and senior vice president. The appointment follows an intense, yearlong, nationwide search. Provost Orr built his distinguished career at WPI over the past 31 years.

As WPI provost, Orr is responsible for all of the university's academic and research programs, and as senior vice president he will serve as the senior member of the president's staff. Read more...

WPI Develops Software for New FIRST Robotics

A software library developed at WPI is an integral element of a new control system that will be used by all teams participating in the FIRST Robotics Competition. The new system, developed jointly with FIRST and National Instruments (NI), will be delivered to nearly 1,700 high school teams, encompassing more than 42,000 students in eight countries, in time for next year's competition. Read more...

WPI Launches Environmental Studies B.A. Program

WPI has launched an interdisciplinary environmental studies bachelor of arts degree program that provides students with both intensive technological and social policy training. The new major will focus students on working toward solving the complex environmental problems of our time. The program is designed to educate future environmental professionals with the knowledge and skills that will cross boundaries and foster thought leadership in this important area. Read more...

Goddard Day Celebrated

Kicking off WPI’s year-long observance of the centennial of Dr. Robert H. Goddard’s graduation from WPI in 1908, the Student Government Association sponsored on April 9 a “Goddard Day Celebration” to honor the “Father of Modern Rocketry” with a campus-wide barbecue. The event was open to the public, and complimentary T-shirts reading “He Built It... We Rock-it” were given away.

WPI is planning a year-long schedule of events to commemorate Goddard and his contributions to science, including the first annual Commemorative Water Rocket Competition, sponsored by the Physics Department, which will be held on Saturday, June 7 (rain date June 8), on Alumni Field.

Alumni Association News

Reunion Weekend 2008

Reunion Weekend 2008, celebrating the Reunions of the Classes of 1933, 1938, 1943, 1948, 1953, 1958, 1963, 1968, 1973, and1978, will be Thursday–Sunday, June 5–8.If you are a member of one of these classes, make your plans today to join us. Reunion Registration materials have been mailed and registration can be completed online or by using the Reunion Registration form enclosed in the mailing.

Reservations for accommodations can be made at the Worcester Hilton Garden Inn, located at35 Major Taylor Boulevard, Worcester, by calling 508-753-5700.Request the WPI Reunion Special Rate - of $89/night for a room with a king- or two queen-size beds.

Planning to join us for our Golf Tournament on Thursday morning? The Golf Tournament is open to ALL alumni and their guests, so as you consider your foursome you may choose to include alumni who would enjoy teeing it up with you, regardless of whether they are in a Reunion class this year.The shotgun start is at 9:30 a.m.—plan to arrive at Kettle Brook Golf course at 8:30 for check in, breakfast, gathering with your foursome (we can create a foursome for you if you do not have three others with whom to play that day), and getting to your assigned first hole.

Reunion Weekend has a wide variety of interesting, entertaining, and highly informative activities throughout the four days. Please join us for as much of the weekend as your circumstances allow! Read more...

WPI Online Social Networking: Enhancements!

Recently we made some exciting changes to WPI’s Alumni Connect online community. You’ll find new social networking features to make our online community more interesting and appealing for you and for everyone who visits your profile. For an example of what’s possible, sign on to AlumniConnect and look at the profile for “Fred Alumni.”

Haven’t signed into AlumniConnect yet?

Send an email to alumni@wpi.edu to request your Constituent ID code, and you can get started today! It’s simple, free, and a great way to stay in touch with the entire WPI community.

If you have not yet created your account, do it today and take advantage of online registration as well as other networking opportunities. To do so:

Request your Constituent ID by sending an email to alumni-office@wpi.edu.
Once the ID is emailed back to you, log onto to alumniconnect.wpi.edu and click on “First Time Login.”
Enter your last name and select “Find.”
Select your name from the list shown.
Enter your 8-digit Constituent ID, provided to you from the Alumni Office.

WPI Alumni Association Annual Meeting

The WPI Alumni Association invites all alumni to attend the Association’s Annual Meeting on Saturday, May 3, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lunch is included. Highlights are presentations by WPI President Dennis Berkey and a faculty presentation on the new First Year “Great Problems Seminar.”

Register for this free event by Friday, April 25. Register by phone at +1-508-831-5600, or online through WPI’s Social Networking site, alumniconnect, described above.

Calling All Red Sox Fans

WPI has purchased blocks of tickets for three Red Sox games this year: May 18 vs. Milwaukee Brewers, July 13 vs. Baltimore Orioles, and August 17 vs. Toronto Blue Jays. Join us for an alumni reception and trip to Fenway. Detailed ticket information will sent to you by email soon.

Senior Breakfast:Volunteers Needed!

The Graduates of the Last Decade (GOLD) are hosting Senior Breakfast on Sunday, April 27, from 9 to 11 p.m.(yes, p.m.!). Volunteers are invited to join the funof welcoming WPI’s graduating seniors to the ranks of the alumni body.

Volunteer activities:

Prior to the event: secure gift cards or items to use for raffle
At the event: Registration/Welcome table, Food service, Greeting, Mixing &Mingling!

If you are available, please call or email Kris Anne Hormann in the Office of Alumni Relations, +1-508-831-6074 or KHormann@wpi.edu.

WPI Area Alumni: An invitation to build a robot!

In the first year of WPI’s Robotic Engineering Program, students and faculty from several departments are collaborating in the design and building of a robot to compete in the NASA-sponsored Regolith (Moon soil) Excavation Challenge 2008.

As part of the WPI family, you are invited to join this volunteer effort at WPI, Team Dig-IT, make the robot “Ruff-grr” a winner in this international competition. Twenty teams are registered to see which autonomous robot can dig and carry to a collector the most moon dust in 30 minutes, using an average of less than 150 watts. Moon dust, however, has strange properties—at times tough to break free, at times floating like smoke in the air!

During the remainder of D-Term, and into the summer, your help could make the difference. Students, faculty, and fellow alumni will be your partners. Two lab spaces and conference rooms on the third floor of Higgins Labs have been set up to support the effort during the day and evening.

Sensor testing and application, including camera, IR distance detectors, and inertial guidance, are open areas. Algorithm development will give the robot personality and good behavior. Clever fabrication will keep weight down and performance up. We are working with a Small Board Computer, the TS7300, and programming help is always a plus.

Try it. You'll like it!

Contact Dig-It Team Leader Philip Blackman at +1-808-282-7948 or phil@aloha.net

Alumni Relations Executive Director: Active Search in Process

The position of executive director of the Office of Alumni Relations is currently openand a search for outstanding candidates is underway. If you have a recommendation, contact Kris Anne Hormann at +1-508-831-6074 or khormann@wpi.edu.

SAS Receives District Honors

Congratulations to the Student Alumni Society on receiving the award for Outstanding Organization for District 1 of the Association of Student Advancement Programs.SAS has also been nominated for a national award in this category. Awards will be given out at the national conference in August; we wish them the best of luck!

Tanglewood: Sunday, August 3

Join us for a wonderful afternoon at Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, set in the beautiful hills of the Berkshires. The concert begins at 2:30 p.m. Featured artists are conductor Carlos Miguel Prieto, and cellist Yo-Yo Ma. The program includesSuite from Iberia by Albeniz, Cello Concerto by Lalo, and Symphonic Dances by Rachmaninoff. Plan to bring a picnic lunch and enjoy a lovely and relaxed lunchtime on the lawn before the concert (reserved seating in the Koussevitzky Music Shed).

Project Perspective: Copenhagen, Denmark

Jeremy Chapman ’09 is working with the Danish National Museum IT department at a Copenhagen museum called Frilandsmuseet or "The Open Air Museum." The museum features a virtual role playing game that allows visitorsto experience Danish life in the 19^th century. Participants roam the museum grounds with special GPS-equipped cell phones that transmit location-specific information. Their characters’ adventures are determined by where they chose to go.

Read Jeremy’s Project Blog

Career Services and Lifelong Learning

The WPI Career Development Center provides a comprehensive full-service environment for students and alumni seeking jobs, and employers seeking to hire candidates from the WPI community. To register for our free Career Planner web-based system, complete the Alumni Registration Form (PDF) and return it to the CDC by mail, by fax (+1-508-831-5827), or by email to cdc@wpi.edu. You can also post positions as an Alumni Employer.

More information about specific Alumni Services...

CareerPlanner@WPI: Your Backyard Gem

Over the course of many years, the CDC has gained a strong foothold among hundreds of employers as the primary resource for posting positions at WPI, connecting with students seeking permanent and internship/co-op positions, and identifying experienced alumni seeking a new opportunity. At this time, there are in excess of 100 professional positions for alumni posted on CareerPlanner@WPI, throughout the country. To view positions in all fields, register for CareerPlanner. Once you do, you just may find that gem -here in your old backyard.

Alumni Webinar: “Sprucing Up Your Resume”

Wednesday, April 30, 7 p.m.-8:30 EST

If you would like to update your resume and consider ways of targeting it effectively to your hiring audience, this webinar in for you. To register, contact cdcalumni@wpi.edu.

WPI Corporate and Professional Education

Lifelong learning has always been an integral part of WPI's mission. In order to succeed in today's competitive climate, individuals and corporations actively seek and embrace continuous learning. Trends indicate that earning certification in a specific discipline provides professionals with the knowledge needed to advance careers. A WPI certificate is highly recognized throughout the business community.

Choose from over 50 non-credit, one- or two-day workshops covering a wide array of topics-from project management and process improvement to learn enterprise, geometric dimensioning and tolerancing, and leadership and management development.

In May and June, over 25 workshops will be offered on a public, open-enrollment basis. Click on the links below to learn more about our most popular workshops:

For more information about any of our professional development workshops, please contact us at +1-508-831-5517 or cpe@wpi.edu, or visit our website.

Upcoming Events

April 22: Kalenian Award Deadline

The family of the late Aram Kalenian '33 has established a $25,000 annual award to support the development of a promising new product or technology that exemplifies the WPI spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship. The 2008 award also includes $5,000 in legal services from Wolf Greenfield to assist in moving the invention toward commercialization. Deadline for applications is April 22. Criteria, eligibility, and entry information.