Stantec Project Center
The CEE Department at WPI is working with North American engineering and design firm Stantec to conduct undergraduate student projects at Stantec office locations throughout the US and Canada. Our collaboration combines WPI's fundamental educational philosophy of a project-based learning experience with Stantec's vision to continually expand their professional service capabilities and foster valuable research and learning experiences for the next generation of engineers. Stantec provides professional consulting services in planning, engineering, architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, surveying, environmental sciences, project management, and project economics for infrastructure and facilities projects. The company has more than 10,000 employees operating out of over 130 locations in North America.
Topics and Teams
Project topics conducted by the WPI students are in the civil and environmental engineering areas with a particular focus on sustainable solutions. Each year two or three teams of three –to- four students work on projects identified by CEE faculty and Stantec. Each team is advised remotely by the center director (Fred Hart) and a faculty co-advisor. An on-site Stantec advisor also works directly with the students.
Typical Time Schedule
Project topics and a general understanding of their scope are developed a year in advance. This is to allow for student registration and to finalize student accommodations during their off-campus work. Students are required to pay for their travel, lodging and other expenses, but appropriate housing facilities, local transportation, emergency facility locations and emergency contacts are finalized ahead of time by the CEE Department with help from the Stantec office personnel. Projects are typically conducted at off-campus locations during B and C Terms. An example time-schedule is as follows:
- Identify office location, project topic(s) and general scope: October (year in advance)
- Secure suitable housing: May (about 5 months in advance)
- Finalize project topics and Stantec Liaison who will work with the WPI students and advisors. (Before September)
- Conduct Projects (B Term – late October to early December & C Term – Mid January to early March)
- Final Deliverables (Report and oral presentation) – at the end of Terms B and C.
Below is a summary of past, current and future student projects:
2008-09 Academic Year
Project Title "College Sustainability Designs"
- Project Advisors: Frederick Hart (flhart@wpi.edu), CEE Department; Guillermo Salazar (salazar@wpi.edu), CEE Department; Klaas Rodenburg (klaas.rodenburg@stantec.com), Stantec
- Scope of Work
- Project Proposal
- Final Report
- Final Oral Presentation
- Poster Presentation
Project Title "Green Guide for Roads Rating System"
- Project Advisors: Frederick Hart (flhart@wpi.edu), CEE Department; Rajib Mallick (rajib@wpi.edu), CEE Department; Klaas Rodenburg (klaas.rodenburg@stantec.com), Stantec
- Scope of Work
- Final Report
- Final Oral Presentation
2009-10 Academic Year
Project Title "Sustainable Community Design"
- Project Advisors: Frederick Hart (flhart@wpi.edu), CEE Department; Suzanne LePage (slepage@WPI.EDU), CEE Department; Klaas Rodenburg (klaas.rodenburg@stantec.com), Stantec
- Proposal and Scope
- Final Report ... not finalized at this time ...
- Final Oral Presentation ... not finalized at this time ...
Project Title "Renewable Energy and its Various Applications"
- Project Advisors: Frederick Hart (flhart@wpi.edu), CEE Department; Suzanne LePage (slepage@wpi.edu), CEE Department; Klaas Rodenburg (klaas.rodenburg@stantec.com), Stantec
- Proposal and Scope
- Final Report ... not finalized at this time ...
- Final Oral Presentation ... not finalized at this time ...
Project Title ... not finalized at this time ...
- Project Advisors: Frederick Hart (flhart@wpi.edu), CEE Department; Suzanne LePage (slepage@wpi.edu), CEE Department; Klaas Rodenburg (klaas.rodenburg@stantec.com), Stantec
- Proposal and Scope
- Final Report
- Final Oral Presentation
2010-11 Academic Year
For the 2010-11 Academic Year we plan to conduct projects at the Stantec Lexington, KY office. This office routinely conducts projects for the Tennessee Valley Authority and the US Army Corps of Engineers.
Project topics are anticipated as follows:
- TVA – ash pond assessments (a recent ash pond spill has resulted in a $1.2 billion cleanup cost)
- US Army Corps of Engineers – levee assessment (the most spectacular example is the levee collapse in New Orleans, due to Hurricane Katrina).
Last modified: November 04, 2009 16:08:10







