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Proposed Plan for Reopening College Campuses
President Laurie Leshin discusses a proposed framework for a safe reopening of colleges and universities in Massachusetts.
The Power 50, Class of 2020
President Leshin and Michelle Jones-Johnson, vice president for talent and inclusion and chief diversity officer, were among the Worcester Business Journal’s honorees in its compilation of The Power 50 for 2020. The annual Power 50 issue “gives us an opportunity to really examine who wields influence in the Central Massachusetts economy, understand who is making power moves and their reasoning for doing so,” the article stated.
WPI President Featured in Virtual Robotics Seminar
President Leshin’s involvement in a virtual seminar on robotics was featured in The Telegram & Gazette’s College Town section (scroll down to third item). The four-part “Robot Stories” series was broadcast by the Innovation Institute at the Mass. Technology Collaborative and MassRobotics.
Lives Lost: An Unassuming Maestro of Sunday Soundtracks
The Associated Press profiled the life of Joe Policelli, 71, who was an adjunct professor in arts and sciences at WPI for 25 years.
Local College Graduations Celebrated Virtually
Spectrum News 1 Worcester aired a segment about President Laurie Leshin’s video to the Class of 2020. The University released the video on Saturday which would have been the Undergraduate Commencement day.
College Board Changing how AP Test-Takers can Submit Answers after Complaints of Botched Online Exams
The Washington Post included comments from Andrew Palumbo, dean of admissions and financial aid, regarding AP exams in this article (12th graph).
WPI Receives $200K Grant to Study College Student Pandemic Stress
The Worcester Business Journal reported on WPI receiving a $199,999 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to study how the novel coronavirus global pandemic is affecting stress in college students and their ability to learn in remote settings.
WPI Receives Grant to Study Student Stress and Remote Learning
WBUR spoke with Shichao Liu, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, about his work on how the novel coronavirus global pandemic is affecting stress in college students and their ability to learn in remote settings.
New Programs: Sports Media, Public Service Leadership, Data Science, Physician Assistants, Mental Health, Health-Care Management, Business Analytics
Inside Higher Ed noted WPI’s launching of a master’s in business analytics degree in this segment.
Business Sense: WPI's Master's Program Merges IT with Analytics for Real-World Applications
Diane Strong, department head and professor of information technology and data science, spoke with Diversity in Action magazine about WPI's revised Master's in Information Technology program. (pg. 70). "Starting at the intersection of technology, business and people, we prepare our students to become leaders, to think simultaneously about what businesses need, how to answer that with innovative tech solutions and then deliver intuitive, easy-to-use products and programs," she said.
Do Mask Hacks Work? Some Tips for Making Your Homemade Face Covering More Effective
Professor of Biomedical Engineering Glenn Gaudette, was interviewed in a Boston 25 segment (.57). "A tight fit is key and the mask should be flush against one’s face to keep air droplets carrying the virus from entering and exiting your mouths and nose," he said.
Colleges are Making the SAT and ACT Optional Now. Will that Stick?
The Boston Globe interviewed Dean of Admissions Andy Palumbo for an article. (12th graph) “Admissions offices do not need standardized test scores to make sound admissions decisions,” he said.
COVID AND CAREERS: IMPACT ON STUDENTS AND HOW WE CAN HELP
NACE (National Association of Colleges and Employers) published a blog post by Steve Koppi, executive director, Career Development Center.
Inventing a University 'From Scratch': College Leaders Talk Covid-19
President Leshin was noted in The Boston Business Journal article, "Inventing a University 'from Scratch': College Leaders Talk COVID-19", a virtual panel hosted by the Mass. High Technology Council. “We can move quickly and innovatively in higher ed — more than anyone thought,” Leshin said. “This moment has shown we can pivot quickly and that’s exciting,” she told the group.
Charlie Baker Forms Board to Plan Reopening as he Extends Closures, Stay-at-Home Advisory to May 18
WPI President Laurie Leshin is noted in a story in Boston.com as being named a member of the Reopening Advisory Board, which is charged with informing Massachusetts Gov. Charles Baker’s administration “on strategies for a phased reopening of the economy” amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Watch 3D printers churn out medical supplies to fight COVID-19
The Verge featured Greg Fischer, professor of engineering, along with other makers in an online interview (quoted throughout). “This is not going to do as well as a commercially available ventilator, but it’s going to do a heck of a lot better than nothing,” Fischer told The Verge. “And, that’s really unfortunately the situation we might be in.”
A College Admissions Dean Writes Open Letter to Panicked High School Juniors
The Washington Post’s education writer included an open letter to high school juniors by Andrew Palumbo, dean of admissions and financial aid.
The Computer-Science Boom is Straining Colleges. But it Could Save Some, Too.
Craig Wills, professor and head of computer science, spoke with The Chronicle of Higher Education about the surge of students enrolling in computer science programs.
As I See It: Widespread Testing Required for Tracking, Responding to COVID-19 Pandemic
Joseph D. Fehribach, associate professor of mathematical sciences, wrote a piece for the Telegram & Gazette about how one of the greatest weapons against COVID-19 is widespread testing for both the virus and for COVID-19 anti-bodies produced by infected people.
Students Call For Test Optional Admissions in 2021 as the Coronavirus Delays ACT And SAT
Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Andrew Palumbo was quoted in a Diverse Issues in Higher Education article. “Test scores have a problematic correlation with family income, with sex and with race and ethnicity. Period,” he said. “As someone who’s led admissions teams at a range of different institutions, admissions officers do not need a single high-stakes test score to make solid admissions decisions.”