In the News

The Telegram & Gazette talked to Brajendra Mishra, the Kenneth G. Merriam Professor of mechanical engineering, about the tariffs that are hitting recycling businesses and consumers hard, and putting a strain on the industry. “In cases where recycling is not profitable, like glass and paper, the government should step up and provide subsidies in those areas," Mishra told the Telegram & Gazette. "Like the subsidy we provide for solar panels because we know it is good for the environment.”

WCVB's The Cutting Edge covered WPI's sports shoe sole, which was designed by Chris Brown, professor of mechanical engineering, and a team of students, to reduce the incidence of non-contact knee and ankle injuries in organized sports.

Natural History magazine published an article, "The Chemistry of Fear," which featured work by Jagan Srinivasan, associate professor of biology and biotechnology, on how animals utilize signaling in their “fight or flight” response to predators.

The Worcester Business Journal reported on Boston Scientific joining PracticePoint, a membership-based research and development and commercialization alliance founded by WPI to advance healthcare and patient wellness technologies through accelerating development of medical cyber-physical systems.

Channel 3 “Worcester News Tonight” aired an interview with Erin Solovey, associate professor of computer science, about her NSF-funded research. Solovey is leading a team of researchers in developing a new program combining computer science and neuroscience tools to study online learning.

The Associated Press interviewed Associate Research Engineer Dr. Marco Kaltofen, nuclear science and engineering, for this article. He explained how mining contaminants can become airborne if floodwaters deposit them on a riverbank, where they can dry out and blow away.

The Telegram & Gazette talked to John Goulet, teaching professor of Mathematical Sciences and Coordinator, Master of Mathematics for Educators Program, and Kristin Tichenor, senior vice president of Undergraduate Admissions, about WPI's reduction in its Mathematics for Educators degree program, which aims to reverse declining enrollment in the program. 

The T&G's College Town reported on work by Craig Shue, associate professor of computer science, to develop "containerization" technology, to prevent a malware attack via commercial websites. Shue received a three-year grant from the National Science foundation for this work. 

NPR interviewed Pamela Weathers, professor of biology and biotechnology, about the benefits of using a tea infused with plant Artemesia annua to treat and cure the parasitic disease schistosomiasis. Artemesia annua is easily grown in Africa, where the illness is more common.

Glenn Gaudette, the William Smith Dean’s Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Director of the Value Creation Initiative, was quoted in a Forbes article about the importance of training engineering students to think entrepreneurially. The article focused on the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network (KEEN), of which WPI is a member.

The Worcester Business Journal reported that Battery Resourcers, a lithium battery recycling company developed by Yan Wang, the William Smith Foundation Dean’s Professor, and colleagues, received a $174,000 grant from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center. 

WPI was selected as an inaugural recipient of the Worcester Preservation Awards in the “new construction” category for the Foisie Innovation Studio, Worcester Magazine reported.

• Joseph Sarkis, professor in the Foisie Business School, co-authored an article in Nature, “How to Globalize the Circular Economy,” stressing the need for more sustainable use of resources in manufacturing processes across industries worldwide.

Vice Provost for Research Bogdan Vernescu discussed with the Telegram & Gazette the federal government shutdown’s potential impact on federally funded research.

President Laurie Leshin was featured on WGBH's The Curiosity Desk, talking about the recent advancements and successes in space science that launched 2019. She noted the extensive space science research faculty and students are conducting at WPI: "How do you keep astronauts alive for long space flight? How do you make sure our communications with them will be flawless?" she said. "It’s these kinds of foundational technologies that are being worked on at WPI." 

Education Post featured an op-ed by Neil Heffernan, professor of computer science and director of learning sciences and technologies, that examines ways school districts nationwide can make homework more effective and relevant. In “Schools Don’t Need to Ban Homework; They Just Need to Make It Better,” Heffernan argues for homework technologies that help replicate the kind of back-and-forth interactions that students and teachers have in class.

National Public Radio’s "All Things Considered" profiled research by Pamela Weathers, professor of biology and biotechnology, comparing the efficacy of sweet wormwood tea to cure the parasitic disease schistosomiasis. The tea cured patients faster than the most common drug treatment and with no adverse side effects. NPR also featured Weathers’ work on its blog last week.

In a story on National Public Radio’s Goats and Soda blog, health reporter Jason Beaubien describes a new study co-authored by Pamela Weathers, professor of biology and biotechnology, that showed that tea infusions made from the wormwood plant cured patients with schistosomiasis faster than the commonly used drug.

ScaryMommy, a parenting blog, highlighted Lifeline4Moms, an app developed by WPI and UMass Medical School that will help OB-GYNs better evaluate and treat PPD in new mothers.

Earther-Gizmodo published an article about Albert Simeoni, professor and interim fire protection engineering department head, and the work being done at WPI to better understand wildfires and their impact on communities.