Social Justice

Social Justice STEMs from You

At WPI, we work every day to increase our engagement with social justice through research, teaching, projects, and community engagement—critical to the mission of The Global School at WPI. From climate change research to closing the socio-economic divide between populations and communities, an increasing number of WPI's students, faculty, and staff are coming together through events such as the inaugural Summit on Social Justice and other initiatives in their passion to create a more just world through innovative, life-changing STEM solutions.

Here, we take an action-oriented approach to social justice issues, striving toward equitable opportunities and equal economic, educational, political, and social rights for all.

Latin American Studies Highlighted During Arts & Sciences Week

This year's Arts & Sciences Week featured Latin American Studies Initiative, which brings together on- and off-campus communities to confront critical issues that affect Latin America, the Caribbean, and the wider world. Through collaboration among the university’s four schools—Arts & Sciences, the Global School, Business, and Engineering—the initiative involves diverse forms of engagement between WPI and the region, as well as broader issues and activities with particular relevance to Latin America. Learn more.

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Social Justice in Project-based Learning

WPI’s intensive project-based learning initiatives—the Interactive Qualifying Project (IQP), Major Qualifying Project (MQP), and Great Problems Seminar (GPS)—tackle problems related to social justice and give students hands-on experience working on economic, educational, political, and social inequalities. Recent examples include:

Addressing franchised bus emissions and their impact on disadvantaged communities in Hong Kong
Developing and testing an African village exhibit to promote understanding of the interconnected impacts of water and food insecurity and environmental justice issues on Australians and Africans

WPI is dedicated to supporting faculty as they integrate STEM into social justice-focused social science and humanities courses, and incorporate social justice content into STEM-based courses.

With support from Teaching and Innovation grants, administered by the Educational Development Council, Academic Technology Center, and Morgan Teaching and Learning Center, WPI offers many courses that work to integrate STEM and social justice through assignments, problem sets, and more.
Eight activists—including WPI alumni Shahbaz Soofi, founder and CEO of WooRides, and Asima Silva, founder of EnjoinGood.org—worked with students in the “Social Media, Social Movements, and the Environment” class to discuss how they work with people in STEM fields through their activist work, as well as help the students learn about their own path to activism.

Co-PIs Jeanine Skorinko, Chrysanthe Demetry, Natalie Farny, Elizabeth Long Lingo, and Susan Roberts received a $1 million ADVANCE grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to evaluate and clarify the promotion criteria for tenured and non-tenure track faculty, examine gender biases in promotion, and initiate a new mentoring program for associate faculty members.
Donna Riley, head of the School of Engineering Education at Purdue University, hosted workshops and talks on integrating STEM and social justice in the classroom, and what a career that integrates STEM and social justice looks like over her two-day visit.

Our ability to foster an inclusive campus climate, cultivate pathways for educational access and innovate through teaching and research will help WPI realize our aspiration to continue to inspire the next generation of global citizens.

Michelle Jones-Johnson
Vice President, Talent and Chief Diversity Officer

Social justice is using our knowledge and technologies to help solve the most challenging problems we face--especially in under-resourced communities across the globe.

Jean King
Dean of Arts & Sciences

I’m excited to work at a STEM university that educates future leaders on how we can use science and technology to address our most pressing global issues of equality, fairness, equity, and justice.

Emily Douglas
Professor and Department Head, Social Science & Policy Studies

Social justice at WPI reflects our vision to include and engage “all great minds” in contributing to global solutions.

Michelle Jones-Johnson
Vice President, Talent and Chief Diversity Officer

My career mission has been to foster equity for all, regardless of origin, gender, religion, race. The overall goal is to create healthy communities through the idea of social equity.

Liz Tomaszewski
Facilities Manager, Associate Director, Office of Sustainability

“In the future, I hope to help shift the culture of STEM to be more inclusive, and create sustainable pathways for historically underrepresented or excluded groups to earn a STEM degree and a career that they are passionate about.

Kathy Chen
Executive Director, STEM Education Center

Michelle Jones-Johnson
Vice President, Talent and Chief Diversity Officer

Social justice is using our knowledge and technologies to help solve the most challenging problems we face--especially in under-resourced communities across the globe.

Jean King
Dean of Arts & Sciences

I’m excited to work at a STEM university that educates future leaders on how we can use science and technology to address our most pressing global issues of equality, fairness, equity, and justice.

Emily Douglas
Professor and Department Head, Social Science & Policy Studies

Social justice at WPI reflects our vision to include and engage “all great minds” in contributing to global solutions.

Michelle Jones-Johnson
Vice President, Talent and Chief Diversity Officer

My career mission has been to foster equity for all, regardless of origin, gender, religion, race. The overall goal is to create healthy communities through the idea of social equity.

Liz Tomaszewski
Facilities Manager, Associate Director, Office of Sustainability

Kathy Chen
Executive Director, STEM Education Center

Michelle Jones-Johnson
Vice President, Talent and Chief Diversity Officer

Student Clubs and Organizations

WPI students’ passion for social justice is reflected in the clubs and organizations they run, participate in, and continue to create. Some examples include:

Gender Equality Club, striving to overcome the barriers of gender discrimination through both awareness and empowerment
Students for a Just and Stable Future, envisioning a world where all living beings have their needs met and people resolve their conflicts peacefully
The Green Team, dedicated to promoting and increasing sustainability on campus
WPI SMART (Students Mentoring Active Responsibility Together), advocating for social responsibility in terms of alcohol awareness, alcohol responsibility, and bystander awareness
Food Recovery Network, recovering leftover food from WPI’s dining halls and on-campus events and donating it to people in Worcester who are in need
Diversity in Games Club, providing a safe space for discussion and events concerning marginalized groups within the gaming community

Social Justice STEMs from You

Latin American Studies Highlighted During Arts & Sciences Week

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Social Justice in Project-based Learning

Social Justice Faculty Initiatives

Student Clubs and Organizations