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Wildfire research at WPI
The devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area exemplify the dangers of wind-driven fires in inhabited areas. WPI’s Department of Fire Protection Engineering is leading research designed to understand how fires spread with the goal of contributing to measures that can better protect communities and firefighters.
WPI’s experts in this field include those who are part of the National Science Foundation’s Wildfire Interdisciplinary Research Center, a collaboration with San Jose State University, to study new fire detection methods, first responder safety, and wildfire suppression systems.
WPI’s research, which involves faculty and ongoing experiments conducted by students in a state-of-the-art wind tunnel on campus, was featured by several media outlets including The Boston Globe, WCVB, NBC 10 Boston, NECN, and Spectrum News 1.
The Associated Press also interviewed James Urban, an assistant professor of fire protection engineering, for an article that helps explain how firebrands, or flying embers, contribute to the spread of wildfires. The AP also interviewed Urban and visited campus to observe fire laboratory experiments for its coverage explaining how fire whirls, or fire tornadoes, can develop in large fires like those occurring in the Los Angeles area.
Techopedia asked experts to weigh in on their expectations for new developments in technology in the new year. Alexander Wyglinski, professor of electrical and computer engineering and associate dean of graduate studies, shared insight on the potential applications of the rise of 6G technology, including remote health monitoring, information sharing among vehicles, virtual reality, and augmented reality.
WPI is offering educational programs aimed at improving the country’s software security. The Strengthen Workforce Education for Excellence in Programming Securely (SWEEPS) program will include a variety of options focused on improved security in computer coding, including online courses and certificate programs, offered by a coalition of universities and colleges. "The increasing frequency of large-scale cyberattacks reinforces the need for more experts in secure programming," said Xiaoyan (Sherry) Sun, associate professor of computer science, an administrator of the program.
WPI researchers are partnering with Grensol and XCharge North America to develop an industrial recycling solution for electric vehicle supply equipment, such as EV charging cables and modules in an effort to promote more sustainable electrified travel. The research at WPI is being led by Brajendra Mishra, the Kenneth G. Merriam Distinguished Professor of Mechanical & Materials Engineering and the director of the Metal Processing Institute at WPI, and Akanksha Gupta, a postdoctoral fellow in materials science & engineering.
Farnoush Reshadi, assistant professor of marketing in The Business School, provided answers to frequently asked questions about purchase protection plans, which are sometimes offered by retailers and credit card companies, for an article in WalletHub.
The Tech Edvocate, a blog that covers education technology in the PreK-12 and higher education sectors, has ranked The Massachusetts Academy of Math & Science at WPI as the top public K-12 school in Massachusetts. Mass Academy is a designated "school of excellence." The academy is an administrative unit within WPI, and 12th grade students at the academy enroll in classes at WPI.
A new agreement will allow pre-engineering students at Framingham State to transfer into WPI's School of Engineering to complete a bachelor's degree in engineering if they meet minimum academic requirements. The partnership also provides opportunities for students to join accelerated master's degree programs in data science, medicinal chemistry, and neuroscience.
WHDH featured student innovation at WPI by highlighting the winners of the Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization 2024 Global Pitch Competition. Technotonin Industries, a company that includes students from WPI (Antonio Marzoratti and Ivan Zou) and Boston University (Arav Tyagi) won first prize. WHDH also spoke with Rosanna Garcia, Beswick professor of innovation and entrepreneurship, about how WPI supports student entrepreneurs with its i3 Lab, mentorship, networking, business guidance, and pitch competition opportunities.
Black Friday is ahead. How can AI tools help consumers find the best deals and tackle the holiday shopping list? Associate Professor of marketing Purvi Shah spoke with NBC Boston about the technology driving retail transformation. "AI can help you compare products and prices across stores. It can also give you review summaries that can help you evaluate various product options based on those review summaries," Shah said. "All of this is done very efficiently."
As part of their Interactive Qualifying Project, four students at WPI's Nantucket Project Center are conducting a survey about usage of the Nantucket Community Pool. The project, in partnership with the Nantucket Community School, is one of 89 projects that WPI students have conducted at the project center since 2008 in collaboration with local organizations and town officials. “These projects have covered a wide variety of topics in areas such as energy conservation, museum studies, parks and recreation, coastal erosion, parking, sustainable agriculture, affordable housing, facilities management, light pollution, and town trees," said Nantucket Project Center Director Dominic Golding.
Nantucket is working in partnership with four WPI students and the non-profit Nantucket Lights on a project to reduce light pollution. As part of the students’ Interactive Qualifying Project, the students will take feedback from residents on new LED streetlights and potential future lighting decisions as part of the town's adoption of an outdoor lighting by-law.
An article in Australia's Waste Management Review highlighted the work of WPI students during their Interactive Qualifying Project at the Melbourne Project Center. The students helped Jesuit Social Services' Ecological Justice Hub to support local recycling solutions by designing a plastic recycling assembly line to collect, sort, and recycle bottle caps and turn them into new products. In March, the student team was honored for its work as winners of the Forum on Education Abroad's Award for Academic Achievement Abroad.
Jamal Yagoobi, professor of Materials Science & Engineering at WPI, spoke with Energy News Network about advances in laser-powered technology he’s developing at the Center for Advanced Research in Drying (CARD) that could make manufacturing more sustainable across several sectors.
As brush fires in the northeast continue, WPI students and faculty in the Department of Fire Protection Engineering are doing research and hands-on projects that help better understand how wildfires spread and their impact. Spectrum News 1 Worcester reported on the laboratory experiments being conducted aimed at protecting solar energy infrastructure from wildfire threats.
Albert Simeoni, head of the Department of Fire Protection Engineering, spoke with Boston 25 News for a report on the elevated brush fire danger in the northeast and the impacts of smoke from those fires on people living nearby.
Xiaowei Teng, the James H Manning Professor in Chemical Engineering, is leading a team to explore new battery technologies for grid energy storage. Teng hopes the research will lead to improved alkaline iron-air batteries for applications such as microgrids or solar or wind farms.
James Urban, assistant professor in the Department of Fire Protection Engineering, spoke with 7News about active brush fires in Massachusetts, the elevated fire risk in the area, smoke hazards, and the challenges of putting out these types of fires in dry and windy conditions.
The agreement allows for pre-engineering students at Framingham State who meet minimum academic requirements to transfer into WPI’s School of Engineering, allowing them to complete a bachelor’s degree in engineering. The deal will see the two universities collaborate on three new accelerated master’s degree programs in data science, medicinal chemistry, and neuroscience.
The funding will finance fellowships for graduate students studying to become researchers and educators in cell and molecular biology and microbiology. Eight doctoral students will be funded in the Department of Biology and Biotechnology.
President Grace J. Wang was named to the annual list which was featured in The Boston Globe Magazine as part of its Women & Power issue. The list was created by The Women’s Edge, a nonprofit that supports female business leaders, and celebrates the state’s leading companies and nonprofit organizations led by women. The group examined 2023 revenue or operating budget as well as other variables and ranked organizations according to its own formula
Drought and winds have increased wildfire risk in Massachusetts. Dozens of fires have started in the last month. James Urban, assistant professor in the Department of Fire Protection Engineering, provided insight into the factors leading to the elevated risk for an article in The Boston Globe.
