Note: Some media outlets require users to log-in. The Gordon Library offers the WPI community free access to a number of newspapers. Visit newspaper database for details.
Hurricane Milton is a real-time test for satellite cell service
Recent hurricanes are putting the spotlight on ways to address disaster-related cell phone service outages. Some providers are turning to space, leveraging satellites to keep customers connected. Professor Alexander Wyglinski, in the department of electrical and computer engineering, provided analysis on satellite-to-cell systems, including potential benefits and challenges, for this article in The Boston Globe.
Professors Michael Timko and Alex Maag in the Department of Chemical Engineering have received funding from the Massachusetts Manufacturing Innovation Initiative to support their efforts to reduce plastic waste by converting mixed plastics and films into chemicals. The funding award was reported on in this article in Recycling Today, and also in articles in Waste Today, the Worcester Business Journal, and MassLive.
Massachusetts Manufacturing Innovation Initiative grants will support research efforts at WPI involving the departments of chemical engineering and mechanical & materials engineering. One grant will see AM Batteries collaborate with WPI on battery material research. Another grant will allow WPI researchers to develop a process to convert plastic waste into valuable chemicals.
“When you move your IT infrastructure to the cloud, suddenly you’re in a place that is shared with a bunch of other people, and it becomes much trickier… There are many more ways in which potential attacks can be done.” Professor Patrick Schaumont in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering provided analysis for The New York Times on the AT&T breach involving the data of more than 100 million phone customers. He discussed the potential risks of shared IT infrastructure in the cloud. The article also appeared in MSN.
"These call logs reveal social and/or professional networks of people." Electrical & computer engineering professor Patrick Schaumont explains the security concerns raised by a data breach affecting millions of AT&T customers. His analysis was featured in a CBS News article that was re-published in yahoo! News and AOL.
Eurogamer recently reviewed a new escape room called Memoirscape, which was created as part of a design of interactive experiences course. The immersive narrative experience provides an opportunity for participants to let curiosity guide them and notice the narrative unfold, rather than rush to escape.
An agreement will offer guaranteed admission to WPI for Quinsigamond Community College students who meet program requirements. "By establishing pathways that reduce barriers and offer built-in support, we make obtaining a four-year degree more accessible for QCC students. Moreover, the strategic partnership between QCC and WPI will help meet today’s workforce demands and foster regional economic growth," said President Grace Wang.
WPI has formed a new partnership with Manchester Community College in New Hampshire to support expanded pathways for students to transfer to WPI and increase access to STEM education. The agreement will guarantee admissions to WPI for MCC students who meet program requirements. The transfer agreement was reported on by the Worcester Business Journal and WBUR radio.
WPI chemical engineering researchers are working to find ways to recycle more polystyrene – a common product packaging material you may know as Styrofoam. Their analysis of the potential for a chemical recycling process is featured in yahoo! News
Have you ever wondered what Mars sounds like? Visiting assistant teaching professor David Ibbett in the Department of Humanities & Arts composed the Mars Symphony. Three performances are scheduled at the Museum of Science, Boston this summer. He spoke with The Boston Globe about the sonification of science and this joint project with the Museum of Science and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He also discussed the composition on WGBH's The Culture Show podcast and the CultureLab podcast from New Scientist.
WPI will launch a new initiative to increase access to off-campus project-based learning experiences through the Global Projects Program, with funding from a State Department IDEAS grant. The effort will focus on students with disabilities. The project, led by the Global Experience Office in collaboration with the Office of Accessibility Services, is highlighted in this UPI news report.
How might nuclear energy fit into Massachusetts’ climate goals? Professor Derren Rosbach of The Global School shared analysis on the topic with the Telegram & Gazette and discussed his research with Professor David Medich on next generation nuclear microreactors.
To celebrate 40 years since the origination of Tetris, WPI is hosting a retro Tetris display featuring the classic Nintendo Entertainment System version. People are invited to play the game, which is featured in the Gordon Library's exhibit “Video Game Console Wars 1976-2001,” which showcases the work and interests of WPI’s Interactive Media Archive and Interactive Media & Game Development Department.
ISS Source wrote about Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) researcher and assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Shahin Tajik, who just received a CAREER Award of $594,081 by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to look at ways to protect computer hardware from attacks.
WPI is working with partners on a project to allow for the 3D printing of the Experiential Robotics Platform (XRP), a kit that makes it possible for novice engineers to build and program a simple, powerful, and affordable robot. A goal of this partnership is to expand exposure to robotics in classrooms across New England.
TechCodex wrote about the National Science Foundation grant that Shahin Tajik, assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, received to expand his research into hardware security, a field that focuses on physical threats to computing systems that attackers can hijack by tampering with chips, motherboards, and other electronic components traveling through global supply chains.
Farnoush Reshadi, assistant professor of marketing in The Business School, helps explain non-owner car insurance in this WalletHub article. Non-owner car insurance is coverage for drivers who don’t own a car but drive regularly using rental cars, car sharing services, or borrowed vehicles.
Pamela Weathers, professor of biology and biotechnology, and Pratap Rao, associate professor of mechanical and materials engineering, were interviewed by the Worcester Telegram & Gazette about the impact of algal blooms on local bodies of water. Rao and a team of graduate and undergraduate students received a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency to create 3D-printed floating structures designed to mimic natural objects that serve as photocatalysts, which have been shown to break down cyanobacteria and associated toxins.
In The Academic Minute podcast, Lindsey Davis, assistant professor of teaching in the Department of Humanities and Arts, describes a WPI alumni survey which found women attributed significantly greater gains in self-efficacy to their project work at WPI than men did. The findings suggest project-based learning as a method to recruit and retain women in STEM.
In The Academic Minute podcast, Sarah Stanlick, assistant professor in the Department of Integrative and Global Studies and director of the Great Problems Seminar, explains how a WPI alumni survey demonstrates that a negative project experience still provides learning benefits to students. The findings shed light on the differences between satisfaction and learning and demonstrate that even projects that do not seem useful to students at the time can have lasting positive benefits.
Megan DeSanty '24 was interviewed by Worcester Magazine for a story on college students who give back to their communities. DeSanty began volunteering at the Wachusett Food Pantry in Holden when she was in high school. Eventually, she focused on systemic issues involving food insecurity, and as a freshman at WPI, she joined the Food Recovery Network, a national organization that has about 200 member schools.
