In the News

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This Master’s in AI Program Is a Cross-University Collaboration. Here’s How Students Will Learn.

Elke Rundensteiner, the William Smith Dean's Professor of Computer Science and founding head of the WPI data science program, spoke with BestColleges about the university's new master's degree in artificial intelligence

Outbreak News Today

Pamela Weathers, professor of biology and biotechnology, was interviewed for an article and podcast on Outbreak News Today regarding her study testing the efficacy of a tea infusion made from the wormwood plant to cure the tropical disease schistosomiasis. The tea cured patients and cleared them of the parasitic infection much faster than the drug most commonly used, and with no adverse side effects.

NBC Connecticut

An app developed by WPI and UMass Medical School was featured in a news story about depression during pregnancy. The app, called Lifeline4Moms, is giving doctors new tools to better diagnose the condition.

Worcester Business Journal

This article was featured in the Worcester Business Journal. The research by Hong Susan Zhou, associate professor of chemical engineering, has led to a biosensor that could be used to quickly detect C. diff bacteria. Zhou is principal investigator for the biosensor research program, and Yuxiang (Shawn) Liu, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, is co-PI.

Institute (the)

WPI and Alexander Wyglinski, professor of electrical engineering and robotics engineering, are featured in this article, published in The Institute, a publication of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. “This is the first time anyone has ever conducted successful cognitive radio experiments using machine learning algorithms in space,” said Wyglinski, a member of the team that worked on the research.

NPR

National Public Radio's Morning Edition interviewed Jen Wilcox, the James H. Manning Professor of Chemical Engineering, for this article. “Certainly, in light of the recent climate reports, we don't have the option of simply avoiding carbon emissions any more. We now are at a point where we need to start removing CO2 directly from the atmosphere,” said Wilcox, an internationally renowned expert on capturing and storing carbon dioxide and other fossil fuel pollutants.

Daily Gazette (the)

English Professor Joel Brattin, also former president of the U.S.-based Dickens Society, was interviewed for The Daily Gazette (NY) article.

Worcester News Tonight

Worcester News Tonight covered a forum held at WPI on the gene-editing technology known as CRISPR.

Worcester Business Journal

The Worcester Business Journal covered a WPI forum on the gene-editing technology known as CRISPR. Noted in the article were: Dean, Arts and Sciences, Jean King; Assistant Professor, Social Science, Patricia Stapleton; Associate Professor, Humanities and Arts Bethel Eddy; Associate Professor, Biology and Biotechnology, Rita Rao; and Associate Teaching Professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Destin Heilman.

Telegram.com

The Telegram & Gazette published syndicated business columnist Peter Cohan’s interview with Jennifer Wilcox, the James H. Manning Chaired Professor of Chemical Engineering. She discussed the cost and impact of climate change, and how it can be slowed.

Sentinel & Enterprise

WPI students are mentioned in the Sentinel & Enterprise for helping design bridges for the Cook Conservation area in Lancaster.

PBS NOVA

Nova interviewed Albert Simeoni (2:32 mark), professor, interim department head, Fire Protection Engineering; and Steven Van Dessel (2:14 mark), associate professor, director, Architectural Engineering Program, for this PBS Videos segment on Facebook.

Newsweek

In a Q&A with Rob Gegear, assistant professor of biology and biotechnology, Newsweek reported on the decline in pollinators, how people can help bumblebees, and the Bee-cology project, Gegear's app that enables citizen scientists to collect data on native bees. 

The Berkshire Edge

A recent speech by Robert J. Gegear, assistant professor of biology and biotechnology, at the Berkshire (Mass.) Botanical Garden was cited in this Berkshire Edge article.

The Wall Street Journal

This Wall Street Journal article included WPI as one of the universities Tesla draws on for mechanical engineers and other talent. David Ortendahl, the Career Development Center’s director of corporate relations, was quoted. 

Machine Design

WPI researchers led by Gregory S. Fischer, associate professor of mechanical engineering and robotics engineering, were featured in Machine Design. They, along with Albany Medical College and corporate partners, received a five-year, $3.5 million award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to continue developing an innovative medical robotic system. 

Analytics

Analytics reported on a computational tool developed by a team led by Andrew Trapp, associate professor in the Foisie Business School, to help humanitarian aid organizations significantly improve refugees’ chances of successfully resettling and integrating into a new country.

Charged Magazine

Charged, a publication dedicated to news in the electric vehicles industry, reported on a WPI materials engineering research team, led by mechanical engineering professor Yan Wang. The team received $1 million to extend development of a novel process to recycle spent lithium-ion batteries and produce new cathode materials.

The Chronicle of Higher Education

The Chronicle of Higher Education quoted Professor Suzanne L. Weekes, mathematical sciences, in its article “For Mentorships to Work, Colleges Have to Commit” The article also mentioned Weekes is the  winner of an annual mentoring award from the Association for Women in Mathematics.

Jazz Times

Jazz Times, considered one of the world’s foremost jazz publications, featured a tribute to acclaimed trombonist Roswell Rudd on the anniversary of his death and noted that Rudd’s massive archive of music will be housed in WPI’s Jazz History Database, founded by assistant teaching professor Rich Falco to digitally preserve jazz music. 



 

Boston 25

Boston 25 News talked to Erkan Tuzel, associate professor of physics, biomedical engineering, and computer science, about Spartan, a small device that can be used to determine the fastest and best sperm cells to use during in vitro fertilization. “We wanted to come up with a passive technique where the sperm cells are not subjected to any large forces,” Tuzel told Boston 25. “The objective would be to come up with improved infertility solutions so that these processes take a shorter amount of time with better success rate."