Vassallo Professorship

In her time at WPI, spanning some 36 years, Dr. Helen Vassallo became known for her impact on thousands of students and hundreds of faculty and staff through her work in the classroom, as an advisor, as a mentor, and as a colleague. Dr. Vassallo joined WPI with a joint appointment in the Biology and Biotechnology Department and the Management Department, for which she was the first woman named department head.  She was also the first woman to be elected Secretary of the Faculty, the highest faculty post.

The Dr. Helen G. Vassallo Distinguished Presidential Professorship was established by Trae and Steve Vassallo ’93 to support an outstanding faculty member who has demonstrated excellence in all relevant areas of faculty performance, including teaching, research and scholarship, service/leadership and advising. It will be awarded to a newly tenured faculty member who is highly inter-disciplinary in their approach to pedagogy and research.