Project-based Learning

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection has given its Educator Award to Corey Denenberg Dehner, associate professor of teaching in The Global School, and Paul Mathisen, associate professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering and WPI’s director of sustainability. The award recognizes Dehner and Mathisen's work as co-directors of the Massachusetts Water Resource Outreach Center. The project center allows WPI student teams to partner with municipalities, local government agencies, and watershed organizations to work on water resource challenges. 

WCVB's Chronicle program highlighted two student-led initiatives focused on building a remote-controlled plane and rockets. Students shared their skyward work for Wings of Gompei, a Major Qualifying Project by students in mechanical engineering that took part in an international competition in Texas, and the High Power Rocketry Club, a student organization that participates in a variety of competitions.

For an issue on learning that happens outside of classrooms, Focus Magazine, produced by Lumina Foundation, provided an in-depth look at the opportunities available to WPI students through our unique approach to project-based learning through projects conducted off-campus and in partnership with communities. This magazine article follows a recent Interactive Qualifying Project done through the Boston Project Center and includes interviews with students, a project sponsor, an alum, and leaders in the Global Projects Program.

Yahoo! News republished an article originally from The Worcester News in the United Kingdom which documented the experience this spring of students from WPI who were in Worcester, England to conduct their interactive qualifying projects with local community partners.