All WPI undergraduate students do significant research in pursuit of their degrees. It is in our DNA.
Performing meaningful, purpose-driven research with faculty early in a college career helps students gain a greater understanding of their discipline, see the implications of their work in the world, and develop a better focus on the career they want. Undergraduate research at WPI runs the gamut from basic to applied to fundamental. Research problems come from within academia or from our business, industry, or government partners.
WPI’s motto, Lehr und Kunst, extols the importance of theory and practice. One without the other has less impact, so no matter what their career plans are, all students at WPI engage in research which, as part of the WPI Plan, includes the following:
The Major Qualifying Project (MQP) is a senior-year capstone research or design project completed by all students within their major field of study. Students bring to bear all the theory that they have learned in their disciplines to solve open-ended problems and to effectively communicate their results.
All undergraduate students do an Interactive Qualifying Project (IQP) in the junior year. They tackle issues at the intersection of science, technology, and society, and in their work they learn how technology affects societal values and structures.
WPI undergraduate students have the opportunity to engage in significant inquiry as soon as they step on campus. The Great Problems Seminar (GPS) is a two-term, project-based course that introduces first-year students to university-level research focusing on themes of global importance.
Beyond these opportunities, students may work with faculty and graduate students on research during the summer or academic year.
Learning how to ask and solve open-ended questions leads to advances in the field. Research takes undergraduate students past that important initial step of asking a question, leading them through the complexities of finding good solutions to original scientific, technical, and societal problems.
Companies and organizations fund various WPI projects and give students real-world work experiences while solving an authentic industry problem. Undergraduate students often work on an MQP that is done in collaboration with industry partners. The following list is a sample of some companies that have sponsored WPI research projects.
Alissa sought out research opportunities with the Math Department that led to her completing an undergraduate research project with Vestigo Ventures—a project that has turned into her MQP and led to the submission of a research paper to IEEE.
Joshua’s work on his IQP in Australia and ecological research he has completed––especially projects involving songbirds with Professor Marja Bakermans––has led to a valuable undergraduate experience and, hopefully, grad school in the future.
For information about undergraduate research, contact Suzanne Weekes, associate dean of undergraduate studies by email or call 508-831-5267.
