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Tech Power Players 50: Yan Wang
Yan Wang, the William B. Smith Professor of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, was named to the Boston Globe’s Tech Power Players 50 list. Wang was recognized for his pioneering work to recycle lithium-ion batteries and to build cleaner li-ion batteries with improved performance.
Pamela Weathers, professor of biology and biotechnology, and Pratap Rao, associate professor of mechanical and materials engineering, were interviewed by the Worcester Telegram & Gazette about the impact of algal blooms on local bodies of water. Rao and a team of graduate and undergraduate students received a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency to create 3D-printed floating structures designed to mimic natural objects that serve as photocatalysts, which have been shown to break down cyanobacteria and associated toxins.
In The Academic Minute podcast, Lindsey Davis, assistant professor of teaching in the Department of Humanities and Arts, describes a WPI alumni survey which found women attributed significantly greater gains in self-efficacy to their project work at WPI than men did. The findings suggest project-based learning as a method to recruit and retain women in STEM.
In The Academic Minute podcast, Sarah Stanlick, assistant professor in the Department of Integrative and Global Studies and director of the Great Problems Seminar, explains how a WPI alumni survey demonstrates that a negative project experience still provides learning benefits to students. The findings shed light on the differences between satisfaction and learning and demonstrate that even projects that do not seem useful to students at the time can have lasting positive benefits.
Megan DeSanty '24 was interviewed by Worcester Magazine for a story on college students who give back to their communities. DeSanty began volunteering at the Wachusett Food Pantry in Holden when she was in high school. Eventually, she focused on systemic issues involving food insecurity, and as a freshman at WPI, she joined the Food Recovery Network, a national organization that has about 200 member schools.
Arthur Carlson, university archivist and assistant director for special collections, Gillian McCuistion, access and outreach archivist, and Madelyn Veccia, an Interactive Media & Game Development student, spoke with Spectrum News 1 about the joys of Tetris as the George C. Gordon Library vintage video game exhibit highlighted the iconic game's 40th anniversary.
Andrew Sears comes to WPI with more than 30 years of experience in higher education. He will serve as chief academic officer, supervising all facets of academic affairs, manage associated curricular, human, financial, and physical resources, head recruitment initiatives, and foster a positive academic experience for students.
In this episode of The Academic Minute podcast, Ryan Madan, associate professor of teaching in the Department of Humanities and Arts, discusses the results of a WPI alumni survey which suggest WPI's project-based humanities and arts curriculum helps students explore themselves, the human experience, and equips them with tools and perspectives that deepen their learning in STEM fields.
The Academic Minute podcast featured WPI's Benefits of Project-Based Learning Week. In this episode, Kimberly LeChasseur, senior researcher and evaluation associate with the Morgan Teaching and Learning Center and the Center for Project-Based Learning at WPI, discusses a WPI alumni survey that shows when students are exposed to more project-based learning experiences, they increasingly develop valuable skills in a variety of areas.
The Academic Minute podcast explores the results of a WPI alumni survey. It finds that WPI's project-based curriculum provides strong preparation for students' lives and careers. Kris Wobbe, director of WPI's Center for Project-Based Learning, discusses how stacking high-impact practices over time can uniquely benefit students.
Shahin Tajik, assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, will develop new technologies to monitor and protect computer chips and other hardware from malicious attacks.
Bakersfield.com reported on the work of Joel J. Brattin, professor of Humanities & Arts and resident Charles Dickens expert, who recently co-edited a scholarly edition of Dickens's third novel, "Nicholas Nickleby."
“Our analysis finds polystyrene to be an ideal candidate for a chemical recycling process.” – Professor Michael Timko on the study he authored with colleagues from the Department of Chemical Engineering and the University of Bath. The analysis found a simple and scalable technology could increase the viability of recycling products like food packaging and packing peanuts. WPI authors include Professor Nikolaos Kazantzis and PhD students Elizabeth Belden (’24) and Madison Reed. This analysis was also reported on in Plastics Today, Recycling Today, and The Business Magazine.
Analysis from researchers in the Department of Chemical Engineering and at the University of Bath suggests a new approach could dramatically increase the amount of polystyrene recycled. Their paper in the Chemical Engineering Journal finds a simple process combining pyrolysis and distillation has the potential to be a scalable, cost- and energy-efficient method of transforming old into new when it comes to polystyrene. WPI researchers include professors Michael Timko and Nikolaos Kazantzis and PhD students Elizabeth Belden (’24) and Madison Reed.
Angela C. Incollingo Rodriguez, assistant professor of Psychological & Cognitive Sciences and Neuroscience, talked with Self Magazine for an article about how pregnancy can impact body image. She noted that pregnancy content on social media tends to skew toward what we look like versus what we feel like, even if what you're seeing isn't overtly talking about appearance.
Natalie Farny, an assistant professor in the Department of Biology and Biotechnology, has received funding from the National Science Foundation to advance the use of bacteria in the cleanup of contaminated soil. Farny will study how a critical biological process regulates genes in bacteria as they adapt to conditions outside of laboratories.
Graduate students Camila Gomez and Muhammad Hassan Dajana, in the Community Climate Adaptation program, are exploring historical data on winter storms, climate projections, and surveying Worcester residents to identify winter weather impacts and potential vulnerabilities. Their project with the City of Worcester's Department of Sustainability and Resilience seeks to identify recommendations to support winter climate adaptation and resilience in Worcester.
Ephraim, professor of English in the Department of Humanities & Arts, was interviewed about her book Green World, that details her quest to become a Shakespeare scholar.
More than a thousand students got their degrees from WPI during commencement ceremonies at the DCU Center. President Grace Wang urged graduates to dream boldly. Read more in The Worcester Guardian.
Cyber threats are becoming more sophisticated. Xiaoyan (Sherry) Sun, associate professor in the Department of Computer Science, discusses how managed detection and response combines technology and human expertise to approach cybersecurity risks. Learn more in this article from Techopedia.
