SWEET Undergraduate Student Fellows
Name: Gavin David George
Major: Business with a concentration in FinTech / Minor in Data Science
Hometown: Salem, New Hampshire
Academic Interests: Varsity Baseball, Sigma Phi Epsilon, IFC
I care about fostering equitable and effective teamwork at WPI because: We our known for our reputation of being a collaborative and group-work institution.
Name: Elowyn Akers
Major: Mechanical Engineering, Robotics Engineering
Academic Interests: I am interested in robotic motion and controls.
I care about fostering equitable and effective teamwork at WPI because: It creates a supportive environment wherever everyone has the ability to thrive and succeed.
Name: Katelyn Beirne
Major: Data Science
Minor: Computer Science
Academic Interests: Data visualizations, GIS, statistics.
I care about fostering equitable and effective teamwork at WPI because: It's important for our success everywhere! Not just within WPI.
Name: Katelyn Beirne
Major: Data Science
Minor: Computer Science
Academic Interests: Data visualizations, GIS, statistics.
I care about fostering equitable and effective teamwork at WPI because: It's important for our success everywhere! Not just within WPI.
Name: Evan Carmody
Major: Robotics Engineering and Mechanical Engineering
Academic Interests: Robotics (Robotic Controls, Soft Robotics, Multi-Robotic Systems), Additive Manufacturing
Name: Thomas Casey
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Minor: Business
Academic Interests: Design and CAD
I care about fostering equitable and effective teamwork at WPI because: It is important for everyone to have the best experience possible while working on a team in order to have the best success.
Name: Allison DeVillers
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Academic Interests: Biomechanics and Tissue Engineering
I care about fostering equitable and effective teamwork at WPI because: I want to help ensure that every WPI student has positive teamwork experiences that will help them learn and develop skills for the future.
Name: James DiGiovanni
Major: Electrical and Computer Engineering
Minor: Business
Academic Interests: Varsity Baseball, Sigma Phi Epsilon, and Circuit Design
I care about fostering equitable and effective teamwork at WPI because: I think being able to successfully work in teams is one of the most valuable skills to have. It makes such a big difference here at WPI in our project-based curriculum and sets us up for success in life beyond school.
Name: Meghan Doane
Major: Environmental Engineering
Minor: Sustainability Engineering
Academic Interests: Water Quality/Treatment/Distribution Systems
I care about fostering equitable and effective teamwork at WPI because: It is important to create environments for students to feel valued and supported. In doing so they will be able to succeed academically and build essential skills for their personal and professional development.
Name: Jessica Duda
Major: Biology & Biotechnology
Minor: Psychology
Academic Interests: Pre-Med
I care about fostering equitable and effective teamwork at WPI because: All students deserve to experience the benefits of group work and tackle the challenges together.
Name: Jake Friend
Major: Data Science and Environmental & Sustainability Studies
Academic Interests: GIS, Climate Resilience, Ecology
I care about fostering equitable and effective teamwork at WPI because: Effective teamwork helps foster communication, creating a more positive and enjoyable experience for everyone.
Name: Paula Gibbons
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Academic Interests: Biomaterials, Oncology, Disease Research, Biomedical Science Research
I care about fostering equitable and effective teamwork at WPI because: We live in a diverse world and it is important that everyone’s voice is heard and that everyone gets an opportunity to meaningfully contribute to any effort. If we can support WPI students to achieve this goal of learning to work equitably on teams, we can equip them to positively impact whatever sphere they end up in once they leave WPI.
Name: Kitty Guo
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Academic Interests: Biomaterials, Tissue Engineering, and Material Engineering
I care about fostering equitable and effective teamwork at WPI because: Teamwork is a fundamental skill to ensure you are being self-aware, vigilant, and considerate of other viewpoints and ideas to engage in problem-solving goals.
Name: Jonathan Lattimer
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Minor: Masters in Management
Academic Interests: I am interested in pursuing project management.
I care about fostering equitable and effective teamwork at WPI because: WPI's project-based learning provides students with an opportunity to be better prepared in the working world. I want to be a part of building this program to new heights so that all people have opportunities to be better prepared for the working world.
Name: Jack Libow
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Academic Interests: Biomechanics
I care about fostering equitable and effective teamwork at WPI because: Creating an environment where everyone works well together is rewarding.
Name: Sahil Mirani
Major: Robotics Engineering and Mechanical Engineering
Academic Interests: Robotics and Math
I care about fostering equitable and effective teamwork at WPI because: I care about fostering equitable and effective teamwork at WPI because collaboration is the cornerstone of innovation and success. By ensuring that all voices are heard and valued, we create an inclusive environment where diverse perspectives drive creative solutions. Effective teamwork not only strengthens individual skills but also builds a supportive community, enabling everyone to achieve their full potential while contributing to collective goals.
Name: Adrianna Niles
Major: BS Biomedical Engineering & MS Global Health
Academic Interests: I enjoy the bioinstrumentation side of BME, especially electrocardiography. I value the various perspectives of global health and I’m hoping to contribute to the efforts in creating health equity for all.
Name: Kasia Nolan
Major: Environmental and Sustainability Studies
Minor: Biology
Academic Interests: Biodiversity, Conservation, Urban Planning, Sustainability Psychology
I care about fostering equitable and effective teamwork at WPI because: Being able to work effectively in teams is an important skill and has the potential to produce great outcomes for everyone involved!
Name: Kashvi Singh
Major: Data Science
Minor: Fintech
Academic Interests: South Asian Student Association (SASA), Green Team, Data Science Club
I care about fostering equitable and effective teamwork at WPI because: Teamwork is crucial in both academic and professional settings. It helps individuals grow while ensuring that everyone contributes meaningfully, leading to better collaboration and success for the team.
Name: Erika Sojka
Major: Data Science
I care about fostering equitable and effective teamwork at WPI because: I know from personal experience how crucial it is to have equity and effectiveness in a team. Lacking these things not only hinders productivity and innovation, but also a person's well-being and confidence. Having an experience on an equitable and effective team can shape a person's teamwork and social skills in a major way.
Name: Alyssa Stoffel
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Academic Interests: Manufacturing, Materials, History, Music, Statistics
I care about fostering equitable and effective teamwork at WPI because: I want everyone to be able to feel successful and proud of the work that they do! Everyone deserves to feel comfortable in their groups, and to be self-confident. Ineffective groups can lead to unnecessary stress and anxiety, and that can be mitigated through open communication and equitable division of work.
Name: Anya Sychevsky
Major: Biochemistry
Academic Interests: Drug Discovery and Research: American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, American Chemical Society, Greenhouse and Horticulture Club, Alpha Phi Women’s Fraternity, Panhellenic Council, FIRST Robotics, Undergraduate Studies Student Advisory Board, Women’s Varsity Rowing
I care about fostering equitable and effective teamwork at WPI because: Both my major and my plans after college lend themselves to working with a team in a lab. Working in a lab can possess certain stresses whether it be limited time, uncertain results, or just limited room. This experience is true for many students at WPI besides myself and besides working in labs. The experience is why I am happy to work in the SWEET center where I can help other individuals learn and grow in academia and as people.
In Their Own Words
Here's what SWEET Fellow Alumni have to say about why they care about fostering equitable and effective teamwork at WPI:
Good teamwork is essential in today's world!
Everyone at some point will have to work on a team. Educating people on good communication will create a better overall experience for everyone.
Everyone should have at least one positive team experience before they leave WPI! Learning to collaborate with others, especially those who we may find difficult, is an essential skill for all engineers to have. Learning how to make the process of working in a team, identifying others' strengths, and leveraging those strengths a bit easier, is so fulfilling and valuable. Some of my biggest moments of growth here at WPI involved learning how to navigate working with people whose communication and leadership styles clashed with my own.
In my time at WPI I've been involved with many group projects, as well as executive boards, so I have a lot of experience in what works and what doesn't, so I really want to share what I've learned and help others to create and foster better teams.
The engineering field operates around the idea of teamwork, and I have been part of teams that do not work well together. I know I am not the only one who has experienced this, which is a problem. I would like to do my part in ensuring that teams can find a way to work equitably, and thus making the WPI experience what it is truly designed to be.
Everyone deserves the opportunity to be on a team where they are appreciated and can be productive.
Throughout my time at WPI I have had plenty of good and bad teamwork experiences, and I would have greatly benefitted from more support surrounding team skills. I want to help improve this experience for other students!
Teamwork is the foundation of all relationships, whether they are personal or work related. Once effective teamwork is established, your interactions with the world become easier!
Working on a team is such an important part of life that I would like to help people better their teamwork skills!
WPI is all about project-based learning. We do so many group projects here, and I want to help make that process as smooth as possible because everyone deserves to have a great group project experience.
Teamwork is one of the most important skills to learn to be successful with any type of role whether in sports, academics, or work life.
From first-hand experience, I know how difficult working on a team can be when it's uncomfortable, inequitable, and there's poor communication. I think by giving resources and having support available for teams, it can help create a more open environment at WPI to discuss issues with teamwork as they happen, prevent students from being put in uncomfortable situations, and foster some really amazing project work and solutions.
It's really important to be able to develop communication and teamwork skills so that we can most effectively work with others to solve any type of problem that might pop up!
The experiences we have now in teams will be applicable to many aspects of life after college (jobs, relationships, etc.).
A good team dynamic can make all the difference.
Teamwork and effective communication are foundational skills that can be used in many areas of life!