In the News

Spectrum News 1 spoke with David Ibbett, adjunct professor of music, about his first album, Octave of Light, which will debut this Thursday. Ibbett, who will also live stream a performance of the album from the Boston Museum of Science (also on Thursday), wrote the album to explore the possibility of life on exoplanets.

WPI and President Leshin were named to The Boston Globe Magazine’s “The 2020 Top 100 Women-Led Businesses in Massachusetts” WPI was ranked at 42. The list, a joint project of The Commonwealth Institute and The Globe’s magazine, includes leaders of health care companies, retail giants, financial institutions, and nonprofits. 

The Worcester Business Journal sought insight from Michael Elmes, professor of business, for its article.“Given how easily this virus is transmitted via aerosol droplets in closed spaces, it is not clear to me how many customers will risk eating in restaurants in spite of the precautions that restaurants are taking,” he told The Journal.

The Boston Business Journal reported that Richard J. Doherty, who has led the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (AICUM) since 2005, plans to step down May 31. WPI President Laurie Leshin commented on the announcement: “The respect for Rich at the Massachusetts State House and with our Congressional delegation undoubtedly begins with Rich’s integrity and earnest concern for the students and families who attend our colleges and universities. His role this past year in assisting our colleges and universities to navigate the Covid-19 pandemic has been invaluable.”

Firehouse noted WPI’s role in the development of fire protection degrees (5th graph) in their article. “As time and society evolved, more fire protection-related degree programs were founded, including large ones at Eastern Kentucky University, the University of Maryland and Worcester Polytechnic Institute,” the article stated.

President Leshin was interviewed by NBC Boston for the segment, “Containing Covid at WPI” (6:35 mark). The report cited President Leshin saying that students are following the university’s masking and social distance guidelines.

Andrew Palumbo, assistant vice president for enrollment management & dean of admissions & financial aid, was quoted in The Telegram & Gazette article, “Pandemic Enrollment Effect a Mixed Bag for Central Mass. Colleges".

WPI was noted in The Worcester Business Journal article, “Fitchburg State Drops $50 Application Fee.” “Worcester Polytechnic Institute announced it, too, was dropping its $70 application fee. The school said the change was part of an ongoing effort to make its application process more accessible,” the article stated.

More than 70 media outlets, including the Latin Trade , Pittsburgh Post Gazette, and the Oklahoman carried the news of WPI welcoming 19 full-time educators and researchers to its faculty for the 2020-21 academic year. 

WPI was noted (last graph) in the Worcester Business Journal article, “Worcester Officials: Colleges Dedicated to Pandemic Safety.”

Spectrum News1 Worcester interviewed Kathy Chen, executive director of the STEM Education Center at WPI, and Nicole Anterni, director of sponsorship and events, about the university’s involvement with Massachusetts STEM week. Supported by the Governor’s office, the week highlights the importance of encouraging young people to get involved in the science, technology, engineering, and math fields.

Boston 25 (6:36 mark) reported on WPI eliminating its undergraduate application fee, supporting its mission of expanding access to a high-quality Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education.

Mass Live featured the article and quoted Health Director Lisa Pearlman. “We are focused on the health of our students,” she said. “adding new facilities and extra staff members to help us manage all the health needs of our campus.”

President Laurie Leshin was quoted in The Wall Street Journal article, “How a Pioneering Covid Testing Lab Helped Keep Northeast Colleges Open,” talking about how colleges’ and universities’ partnerships with the Broad Institute have helped institutions like WPI test their campus communities for COVID-19. The ability to test community members frequently has enabled higher education institutions to stay open during the academic year, and keep people healthy.

The Telegram and Gazette reported in its College Town section on WPI eliminating its undergraduate application fee, supporting its mission of expanding access to a high-quality Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education.

The Boston Globe article noted WPI as one of the universities that played a key role in the initiative (scroll to bottom).

The Guardian (UK) quoted WPI Associate Research Engineer Marco Kaltofen in their article (15th graph). “We shouldn’t ask how airborne radioactive risk from fracking compares to the waterborne risk. We should ask if it’s a good idea to add radioactive particulates to either air or water. This study suggests that the answer is no,” he said.

The Worcester Business Journal was the latest to report on WPI eliminating its undergraduate application fee, supporting its mission of expanding access to a high-quality Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education.

U.S. News & World Report included WPI in its piece highlighting colleges and universities whose early acceptance rate was nearly 50 percentage points higher on average than the regular acceptance rate.

Times Higher Education reported on how some colleges and universities are facing criticism about resuming in-person education at the start of the new academic year. The article included a quote from President Leshin on how it is too early to judge whether or not colleges or universities made the right decision: “It’s way too soon for anybody to gloat; it’s way too soon for any of us to declare success, and way too soon to point fingers,” she said.