WPI Provost John Orr describes impact of alumni giving on research
Provost Orr says alumni giving funds are like venture capital.
By Tracy Mack
WPI staff
WPI might not be the only leader in the alternative energy field, but the university is a leader, Provost John Orr said recently.
“In particular, fuel cells represent an active research area, and WPI’s work ranks it among the top group in this important area,” Orr said. “We’ve been involved in hydrogen research for a long time, and in the last 10 years, we’ve begun to do a lot more research in fuel cells themselves.”
Burgeoning research spheres of interest such as alternative energy have contributed to the growing need for external funding sources. This need has become particularly acute in recent years as universities across the nation try to stem the rising cost of student tuition while maintaining a competitive edge in research. WPI is no different.
The provost said undergraduate tuition is at the limit of what it can support. This delicate balancing act underscores the huge impact of alumni giving on research.
“To be competitive in this external research environment, you need to have accomplishments that demonstrate your capabilities to compete—to have resources upfront to build on,” Orr said. “Alumni giving funds are sort of like venture capital, an incubator, where the payoff can be fantastic.”
A superior, outcomes-oriented undergraduate education is one area where the payoff is most evident. Research is another.
For example, the FM Global Scholar program supports the research work of graduate students and a WPI fire protection engineering professor, whose work has helped rank WPI as one of the top three schools in the country in this field. The program is supported by a $570,000 donation of funds and equipment in 2003 by insurance giant FM Global of Johnston, R.I.
WPI’s record of accomplishments in alternative energy has led it to be named leader of the state’s Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Institute established by the Green Jobs Bill enacted by the Massachusetts legislature, a designation for which Orr and other members of the WPI community are proud. Orr said this recognition eventually will generate federal and corporate support.Additional alumni support would be money that WPI could direct to the highest payoff project in this fast-moving area.
Life sciences and medical devices are other areas where WPI can make a huge impact, particularly for the elderly.
“We are at the forefront of bioengineering, where we will be able to engineer living systems in the same way that we have been able to engineer computer systems over the recent past. Alumni support in the early stages of this new area can have incredible payoffs—both for humankind and for WPI,” Orr said.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of centenarians will grow by 660 percent between 2010 and 2050. The bulk of the growth will be after 2047, when the first Baby Boomer turns 100.
This growth pattern suggests an aging U.S. population that will need products and services such as remote health monitoring and prostheses, areas where WPI researchers are making great strides, to help them continue to lead independently productive lives.
Ted Clancy, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering who studies natural body tissue, in part to improve powered artificial limbs, is one such researcher. Clancy’s work has been used to help stroke patients relearn the basics of walking and other mechanical tasks. Clancy has said that prosthetic limbs that move like their natural counterparts are about a decade away, and he has teamed with an international group of scientists in his research.
Orr adds that WPI’s research in untethered healthcare will permit continual non-intrusive monitoring of the elderly as well as diagnosis of life-threatening conditions.
For example, Professor Grant McGimpsey, director of the WPI Bioengineering Institute, is leading a team that is developing miniature sensors that can analyze blood chemistry and transmit the results wirelessly. The sensors are being investigated for use by soldiers and firefighters, but could one day be used to remotely monitor the health of senior citizens. More research funds can help accelerate these efforts to bring research breakthroughs to those who can benefit most.
“WPI has made a major commitment and has shown exciting research results,” Orr said. “We will be able to move even faster with additional financial resources. We are past the start-up stages and are hopeful that alumni will see value in their support.”
Maintained by webmaster@wpi.eduLast modified: October 30, 2008 19:20:35