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

Worcester Business Journal

In WPI research news, Worcester Business Journal is the latest to report on the university receiving a $25 million award from the Army Research Lab to be used by Danielle Cote, assistant professor of materials science and engineering, and Kyle Tsaknopoulos, a postdoctoral fellow at WPI. They’ll use the funding to advance a cold spray 3D printing technique that could be used to repair military vehicles and equipment.

Worcester News Tonight

Worcester News Tonight aired a story about a new mural at WPI created by internationally renowned graffiti artist Panmela Castro. Castro’s painting, which was done on a wall in Salisbury Labs, features Abby Kelley Foster, a 19th century women’s rights activist from Worcester. The work was done in celebration of Arts and Sciences week at WPI.

 

Thrive Global

Thrive Global (UK) quoted Assistant Professor Sarah Stanlick, IGSD, in this article. “Nuance can be difficult to understand and honest representations and discussions of mental health in media can help our society to transform to a place where we understand those nuances,” Stanlick told Thrive.

The Chronicle of Higher Education

WPI was featured in the Chronicle of Higher Ed's Teaching Newsletter. Beth McMurtrie, the Chronicle writer, attended a presentation by Geoffrey Pfeifer, associate teaching professor of philosophy and international and global studies, and Derren Rosbach, associate teaching professor of environmental studies, as part of WPI’s 2019 Institute for Project-Based Learning. She wrote about designing project-centered courses for first-year students.



 

Boston 25

Boston 25 interviewed Suzanne LePage instructor, civil engineering, for its segment on how telecommuting could help ease Boston traffic. “If we’re going to work within the capacity that we have then that seems to me a logical solution,” she said.

The Wall Street Journal

Craig Shue, associate professor of computer science and cybersecurity, contributed his thoughts in a Wall Street Journal point-counterpoint opinion piece, “Should Cities Ever Pay Ransom to Hackers?” Shue’s position: “YES: Sometimes, the Benefits of Paying a Ransom Outweigh the Costs."

Mumbai Mirror

WPI mechanical engineering professor Greg Fischer, the director of WPI’s Automation and Interventional Medicine Lab, is noted in a story about medical robotics and his research on MRI-compatible robots for cancer therapy.

WBZ News Radio 1030

Danielle Cote, assistant professor of materials science and engineering, and Kyle Tsaknopoulos, a postdoctoral fellow at WPI, discuss their $25 million award to advance a cold spray 3D printing technique that could be used to repair military vehicles and equipment. Cote noted that they alter the chemical composition of spray powders, where “a small adjustment in composition can make a big difference.”

Boston 25

Boston 25 reported news about WPI receiving a $25 million award from the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Army Research Laboratory. Danielle Cote, assistant professor of materials science and engineering and director of WPI’s Center for Materials Processing Data, is the principal investigator for the project.

Worcester Business Journal

The Worcester Business Journal reported on WPI and the University of Massachusetts Lowell partnering to award more than $111,000 in seed funding to six different teams, focusing on work ranging from human-robot collaboration to cancer detection and rehabilitation for stroke patients.

RÚV

In Iceland Project Center news, TV news station RUV interviewed Professors and project advisors Fred Looft (16:10, 17:46 marks) and Ingrid Shockey (16:57 mark) about the work students will be undertaking there related to transportation congestion.  “They’ll be conducting surveys. I’m sure you’ll see our students around town,” Shockey told RUV.

Telegram.com

The Telegram & Gazette’s College Town lead off with the news of WPI rolling out its bachelor’s degree program in data science. The article quoted Elke Rudensteiner, Data Science Program director, “As the availability of vast amounts of digital data increasingly impacts all facets of our daily lives, from health to business to entertainment, it is critical that we build a pipeline of programs to equip more students with the necessary skills for these 21st-century jobs,” she said.

WCAI

Harold Walker, Schwaber Professor of Environmental Engineering, was interviewed for NPR affiliate WCAI about toxic algae blooms in Cape Cod ponds. In her on-air report, reporter Eve Zuckoff noted her conversation with Walker. “(Walker) basically said we’ve reached a point of high enough risk for ponds that the standard shouldn’t be ‘Is this unsafe?’ but rather, ‘Is there proof that this IS safe?’



 

Education Technology Insights

Computer Science Professor Michael Gennert had his article published in Educational Technology Insights.

WBZ News Radio 1030

WBZ radio interviewed Randy Paffenroth, associate professor of mathematical sciences, computer science, and data science, on his work to make NASA spacecraft lighter and more damage tolerant. “Any mission that NASA wants to do, they have to build spacecraft out of materials, and they want those materials to be stronger, to improve the safety of the spacecraft,” Paffenroth told WBZ. WPI, he said, helps make the materials even better.

Telegram.com

WPI’s effort to help Worcester determine the city’s hottest areas was detailed in this Telegram &  Gazette article. “Excessive heat is a public health threat, especially to people we’d describe as vulnerable,” said   Associate Professor, IGSD, Seth Tuler, who is working on the project. He also noted that he hoped the project would provide “a more fine-grained understanding” of how that health threat is distributed across Worcester. WPI’s Global Lab was a project funder, the article added.

WBZ News Radio 1030

WBZ Radio featured WPI’s Fire Protection Engineering Lab, interviewing students and describing the research done there. “WPI boasts the largest fire lab in academia nationwide. They put the lab to good use doing a number of controlled burns over the course of the year,” WBZ reported.

India West

IndiaWest newspaper reported on a new liquid biopsy chip developed by Balaji Panchapakesan, professor of mechanical engineering. The chip was designed to capture circulating tumor cells, making it possible for early-stage cancer detection.

Worcester Business Journal

The Worcester Business Journal announced that Casey Wall assistant dean/director of the Housing & Residential Experience Center, was named to its annual “40 Under 40” list.

Telegram.com

In this front-page article, the Telegram & Gazette interviewed and photographed English Professor and internationally renowned Hendrix expert Joel Brattin. “When Hendrix’s guitar sings ‘bombs bursting in air,’ you hear not only the bombs, but you hear the cries of agony of the people on the ground who are experiencing those bombs,” Brattin told the T&G. “There’s a strong amount of political content, even if it’s nonverbal.”