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

State House News Service

The Business School Professor Joe Sarkis spoke with the State House News Service after he testified in a Beacon Hill hearing on a bill about blockchain and workforce development in Massachusetts. Sarkis told State House News how blockchain technology can be used for social good, to support sustainability goals, and transform supply chains.

Science Daily

Science Daily covered the continued collaboration between Professor Suzanne Scarlata and Associate Professor Nima Rahbar to develop their Enzymatic Construction Material – a sustainable, low-cost replacement for concrete that can also heal itself. Scarlata and Rahbar recently received a nearly $700,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to refine the material, explore its ability to repair cracks in glass, and create educational programs for girls in Worcester and Nigeria.

Insight Into Diversity

INSIGHT into Diversity spoke with The Business School Dean Debora Jackson about the new Executive PhD program and how it is giving executives the opportunity to support social justice initiatives and diversity, equity, and inclusion goals. Dean Jackson told INSIGHT that with this program, WPI is “making an impact for the betterment of society because we are helping our leaders to understand the value of giving back.”

NPR

Lisa Pearlman, the director of student health services at WPI was interviewed by NPR for its segment. Lisa says we can’t forget it but “I do think we can kind of live with COVID for the first time and still do all of the other normal things. And that feels really different about this year than the past two."

KCBS-AM

Professor Alex Wyglinski, electric and computer engineering department spoke with KCBS radio out of San Francisco, CA about how self-driving cars can continue to evolve after being involved in an accident, helping the field increase its overall safety. When asked about a specific fender bender, Wyglinski says it’s “a learning opportunity for the computer in this vehicle which has never seen this explicit case before, so what will do is take the most conservative the most safe outcome.”

Spectrum News 1

Spectrum News 1 spoke with Nikolaos Gatsonis, head of aerospace engineering, about what he will be looking for when the Artemis I test flight to the moon launches.

Popular Mechanics

Popular Mechanics spoke with Professor Yan Wang about his groundbreaking research to develop a method to recycle lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles. Wang talked about the impetus for his research, the unique recycling process, the future of battery recycling, and how the technology is now being used commercially by Ascend Elements, the company Wang co-founded, along with his former PhD student Eric Gratz.

WBUR 90.9

WBUR spoke with Professor Alex Wyglinski about the CHIPS and Science Act and how its passage will affect the semiconductor industry in Massachusetts.

 

Drone Life, an industry trade publication, wrote about the $350,000 NSF grant from the U.S. Navy that aerospace engineering professors Michael Demetriou and Nikolaos Gatsonis’ secured to develop a computational model that processes data from underwater drones to estimate the source and concentration of contaminants in oceans.

Worcester Business Journal

The Worcester Business Journal wrote about the $350,000 NSF grant from the U.S. Navy that aerospace engineering professors Michael Demetriou and Nikolaos Gatsonis’ secured to develop a computational model that processes data from underwater drones to estimate the source and concentration of contaminants in oceans.

Worcester Business Journal

The Worcester Business Journal wrote about the renaming of the former Office of Multicultural Affairs, which is now known as the Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Multicultural Education, to reflect the university’s diversity mission.

Telegram.com

The Telegram & Gazette published a feature on the WPI research team who helped the New York Times investigate a fatal fire in the Bronx. It article also mentions how this study will be used in future WPI Fire Protection Engineering classes.

Boston Globe

The Boston Globe mentions WPI as a “critical academic player” in its article detailing the robotics ecosystem in Massachusetts.

Telegram.com

Why are some areas in a city so much hotter than others during a heat wave? WPI Associate Professor Steve McCauley, Department of Integrative & Global Studies (DIGS), discusses “heat islands” with the Telegram & Gazette.  According to WPI's Global Lab, neighborhoods in Worcester can be as much as 17 degrees warmer than the air in neighboring towns, particularly in the afternoon and after sunset. The article is part of an extensive USA TODAY Network reporting project on climate change.

NBC Boston

Associate Professor Elisabeth Stoddard of the Department of Integrative & Global Studies within The Global School spoke with NBC10 as part of their Climate 2022 coverage about the Farm Stay Project Center in Paxton, Massachusetts. Through the partnership with Turn Back Time, WPI students are helping some of the youngest learners get excited about environmental education through the university’s project-based education.

Irish Times

Professor Jennifer Rudolph, an expert on modern Chinese political history, lends her thoughts about the potential impact of Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan in a Financial Times article which was picked up by several other media outlets including The Irish Times.

WBUR 90.9

Associate professor Michelle Ephraim spoke with WBUR Radio Boston about her popular “Infected Shakespeare” class at WPI that studies how the famed playwright understood and wrote about pandemics and infectious diseases, as part of the station’s “Brilliant Boston” series.

Worcester Business Journal

The Worcester Business Journal highlighted two grants secured by WPI researchers: a $900,000 grant secured by WPI’s Institute of Science and Technology for Development (instead) for work in Ethiopia related to WPI MicroFlush toilets; and a $700,000 National Science Foundation grant secured by WPI researcher and associate professor Erin Ottmar to improve math tools for middle school teachers.

GBH

Adjunct Professor of Music David Ibbett appeared on the GBH program “Boston Public Radio” to talk about the “Black Hole Symphony” he composed and is performing at the Museum of Science planetarium. Ibbett worked with astrophysicists to turn the different aspects of a black hole galaxy into a concert and immersive experience that includes audio and visuals.

Telegram.com

The Worcester Telegram & Gazette interviewed researcher Erin Ottmar about the $700,000 grant she received from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to develop technology that will help middle school teachers better understand when and how students are succeeding or struggling while learning algebra.