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Wildfire research at WPI
The devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area exemplify the dangers of wind-driven fires in inhabited areas. WPI’s Department of Fire Protection Engineering is leading research designed to understand how fires spread with the goal of contributing to measures that can better protect communities and firefighters.
WPI’s experts in this field include those who are part of the National Science Foundation’s Wildfire Interdisciplinary Research Center, a collaboration with San Jose State University, to study new fire detection methods, first responder safety, and wildfire suppression systems.
WPI’s research, which involves faculty and ongoing experiments conducted by students in a state-of-the-art wind tunnel on campus, was featured by several media outlets including The Boston Globe, WCVB, NBC 10 Boston, and NECN.
Black Friday is ahead. How can AI tools help consumers find the best deals and tackle the holiday shopping list? Associate Professor of marketing Purvi Shah spoke with NBC Boston about the technology driving retail transformation. "AI can help you compare products and prices across stores. It can also give you review summaries that can help you evaluate various product options based on those review summaries," Shah said. "All of this is done very efficiently."
The Worcester Guardian reported on the research work of Roee Shraga, an assistant professor of computer science and data science. Shraga has been awarded a National Science Foundation grant to explore the "human-in-the-loop" concept, which is focused on the importance of human involvement to improve the quality of data in artificial intelligence processes.
The Worcester Guardian reports WPI landed on College Raptor's 2025 "Best Colleges" rankings. These rankings, now in their tenth year, evaluate schools based on selectivity, financial health, academic rigor, and student success. WPI earned recognition as one of the top schools in the nation for AI, ranking 14th on the list.
EdTech Digest reported on federal efforts to support developers of educational technology and provide essential information regarding artificial intelligence. The article credits Neil Heffernan, the William Smith Dean's Professor of Computer Science and the director of the Learning Sciences and Technologies Program, with contributing ideas for translating Department of Education recommendations for AI in education into practical guidelines.
A lithium-metal battery manufacturer plans to fund a new research initiative led by Professor Yan Wang to develop a recycling technology for lithium-metal batteries. Wang is the William B. Smith Professor of Mechanical and Materials Engineering.
Neil Heffernan, the William Smith Dean's Professor of Computer Science and the director of the Learning Sciences and Technologies Program, has been awarded a three-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s (DOE) Institute of Education Sciences to lead efforts to develop an artificial intelligence tutor to help middle-school students learn math while doing homework.
Elke Rundensteiner, the William Smith Dean's Professor of Computer Science and founding head of the WPI data science program, spoke with Best Colleges about the university's new master's degree in artificial intelligence.
“We're teaching the technology, but then we're helping students turn that into something that's going to make a difference in the world." The Business School Dean Debora Jackson discusses how WPI prepares future business leaders, in an article in BestColleges, a student resources website.
Governor Maura Healey has formed a task force on AI and named President Grace Wang as a member. Wang and the other members will make recommendations on how Massachusetts can leverage AI technology to bolster the economy. This article on iBerkshires.com details the effort to make the state a leader in applied artificial intelligence.
Governor Maura Healey has appointed President Grace Wang to the state's Artificial Intelligence Strategic Task Force. Wang and 24 others on the panel will make recommendations later this year to leverage AI across the Massachusetts economy to stimulate job creation and advance key sectors. Axios Boston reported on the appointment.
The Worcester Telegram & Gazette interviewed Elke Rundensteiner, the William Smith Dean's Professor in Computer Science; Jean King, the Peterson Family Dean of Arts & Sciences, Carolina Ruiz, computer science professor and associate dean of Arts & Sciences, and John McNeill, the Bernard M. Gordon Dean of Engineering, for an article highlighting the launch of the new master's degree in artificial intelligence.
Elke Rundensteiner, The William Smith Dean's Professor in Computer Science and founding head of WPI's new master's degree program in AI, spoke with Spectrum News 1 about the university's unique depth of expertise in the field and its aim to satisfy high demand for AI-related jobs.
Worcester Business Journal reported on the rollout of WPI's new master's degree in artificial intelligence. The article highlights the program's strong emphasis on the ethical implications of AI as well as a multidisciplinary approach to the degree, including research. Several other media outlets including Yahoo! Finance published news about the new program.
Some of our experts on blockchain offer a glimpse at the future in this Techopedia article. The Business School professors Sara Saberi and Joseph Sarkis explain how they see the decentralized database technology having new applications in supply chain management.
“Much of the work on AI right now is actually inspired by brain research and how brains work,” computer science professor Erin Solovey provided insight for this article in AI Business on how artificial intelligence is being used in neuroscience and its potential future applications.
Humanities & arts professor Yunus Telliel was a guest on Radio Boston for a discussion on artificial intelligence. He shared insight on regulations surrounding the technology and the ethical questions we should be asking about A.I. "At the center of this conversation is what does it mean to be human," Telliel said. "The deeper question is not about A.I. It's about us."
Computer science professor Neil Heffernan spoke with Government Technology about the public discussion over regulations of artificial intelligence. He explained why regulations could stifle research and development and lead to monopolization.
Robotics engineering professor Carlo Pinciroli shares how artificial intelligence could be used to make drones better at completing complex and dangerous missions. He tells Lifewire that advancements in AI technology could also minimize the risk of human harm during those missions.
Gillian Smith, associate professor of computer science and director of the Interactive Media and Game Development, talked about the dangers of, and misconceptions about, artificial intelligence and platforms like ChatGPT with 100FM The Pike radio.
