You are invited to join us for the Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) Poster Symposium on Friday, August 7, 2026, from 10:30-11:30 a.m. in Higgins House.
This summer, eight in-service and pre-service teachers have been conducting research alongside WPI faculty as part of the NSF-funded RET program. At the symposium, participants will showcase their research projects and share STEM lesson plans inspired by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).
2026 RET RESEARCH PROJECTS
| Research Project (UN SDG #) |
Research Project | WPI Faculty Mentor, Department | Teacher, Licensure, School | Teacher, Licensure, School/Major |
| #7 – Affordable & Clean Energy | Magnesium Production and Recycling for Clean Energy | Adam Powell (Mechanical & Materials Engineering / Chemical Engineering) |
Anna Barrasso HS Chem & Physics Joseph P Keefe Tech |
Adele Aldridge HS Physics WPI Mech Eng |
| #3 – Good Heath and Well-Being | Antibiotic Resistance in Mycobacteria | Scarlet Shell (Biology & Biotechnology) |
Stefany Rodriguez HS Biology Discovery PolyTech HS |
Amanda Lorusso HS Biology Fontbonne Academy |
| #13 – Climate Action | Removing PFAS from Contaminated Soils | Andrew Teixeira & Geoffrey Tompsett (Chemical Engineering) |
Juan Madrid HS Chemistry Hudson HS |
Jesse Drozd (HS Chemistry, WPI Chemistry) |
| #9 – Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure | Sensor Technologies for a Healthier World | Doug Petkie (Physics) |
Chris Golembewski HS Eng & Comp Sci Tri-County Reg Voc Tech |
Elijah Chaimovitch HS Physics WPI Physics |
People
Erin Solovey
Associate Professor, Computer Science
My research is in human-computer interaction and human-AI interaction, exploring how people and intelligent systems can work together in both high-stakes and everyday environments in ways that are natural, empowering, and aligned with human goals and values. One focus of my res
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Adam Powell
Professor, Mechanical & Materials Engineering
Adam C. Powell, IV is a Professor in the Mechanical & Materials Engineering department who joined the WPI faculty in August 2018. His field is materials processing, and research focuses on greenhouse gas emissions reduction, elimination, and drawdown. Current projects aim to
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Scarlet Shell
Associate Professor, Biology & Biotechnology
I have a passion for understanding how living systems work, as well as for sharing my love of biology and research with the next generation of scientists and informed citizens.
The central goal of my lab is to understand the regulatory mechanisms that underlie mycobacterial stres
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Andrew Teixeira
Associate Professor, Chemical Engineering
Andrew is a classically trained chemical engineer with with specialties in the fields of chemical reaction engineering and materials science. He received his B.S. from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 2009, and continued to pursue his Ph.D. with Professor Dauenhauer at the Univ
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Doug Petkie
Interim Dean, Graduate and Professional Studies, Physics
I am delighted to collaborate with students and colleagues to enhance WPI’s global impact. WPI offers a vibrant and dynamic environment that emphasizes experiential learning and interdisciplinary research, with near-peer mentorship spanning the undergraduate and graduate programs
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Donna Taylor
Associate Director, Academic Services, STEM Education Center
Donna Taylor
Associate Director, Academic Services
Email: dltaylor@wpi.edu
Phone
+1 (508) 8316278
Department :
STEM Education Center
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Kathy Chen
Exec Director, STEM Education, STEM Education Center
Kathy Chen joined The STEM Education Center at WPI after 15+ years as a professor in Materials Engineering at California Polytechnic (Cal Poly) State University, San Luis Obispo where she served as Department Chair and lead many K-12 and community STEM outreach activities. In her
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