Water Resource Outreach Center (Massachusetts) - MQP

Current Director(s)
Corey Dehner
Paul Mathisen
Active Program Term(s)
D-Term during spring
Project Opportunities
Major Qualifying Project (MQP)
PROJECT CENTER WEBSITE GET STARTED

WPI’s Water Resource Outreach Center (WROC) is a theme-based project center, focused on protecting water resources within Massachusetts. The WROC is in the unique position of having a partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MADEP). This means that students are likely to have consistent access toMADEP employees, including the Regional Deputy Director of the MADEP and the statewide stormwater coordinator. Likewise, the co-directors are experts in their respective water related fields.

The WROC is dedicated to assisting watershed stakeholders on projects that help simultaneously protect our surface and groundwater resources and ensure residents access to safe water.

The first group of students will complete their MQP in A'21.

Students will have the opportunity to work on groundbreaking water issues from either a policy perspective, an engineering perspective, or a combination of the two. Topics may include storm water management; climate change mitigation; water quality protection; and drinking water infrastructure, quality and access. WROC students will be partnered with a Massachusetts municipality, water resources organization, watershed organization, and/or a state senator or representative, and a water resources expert. WROC students will receive water related training from the WROC co-directors and Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection employees throughout the MQP.

We have numerous community and governmental partners that work with our students and faculty to tackle water issues. Some of our partners include the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, the Central Massachusetts Regional Stormwater Coalition, the Massachusetts Statewide Stormwater Coalition, the Massachusetts Watershed Coalition, the City of Worcester, and a number of cities and towns throughout Massachusetts. Project opportunities are generally well suited for students in Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Environmental and Sustainability Studies, and Society, Technology, & Policy.