Global Lab @ WPI Global Lab and Tech News

Our 2021-2022 school year has come to an end! Listen as we reflect on the year we’ve had. Lauren and Kaitlyn talk about their thoughts leading up to graduation and welcoming Dilce as the new host for "Have You Herd?"! Jeremiah also says his goodbyes as he prepares to start his full-time job. Thanks for sticking with us! See you next year!

In this episode, Ukrainian student Artem Iurkovskyi and Russian student Misha Rashkovskii share their perspectives on the war in Ukraine. Artem talks about the history of conflict between Russia and Ukraine and how the war has impacted him personally. Both students discuss initiatives they’ve been a part of to help Ukrainian refugees and spread awareness.

Join us this week as we talk to National Geographic Explorer and filmmaker, Alizé Carrère! Alizé’s work as an environmental anthropologist focuses on documenting human adaptations to environmental change. Her 4-part docu-series titled “Adaptation” on PBS explores how humans adapt to environmental change. Listen as Alizé talks about her experiences with filming and her ongoing research!

In this episode Lee Vinsel, an Assistant Professor of Science, Technology, and Society at Virginia Tech, joins us to talk about his book “The Innovation Delusion”. Lee discusses how a societal obsession with innovation can cause workers in the areas of maintenance, upkeep, and care to be undervalued.

In this episode, Tarang Shah, a WPI Civil Engineering senior, discusses climate activism and environmental justice. He is the political lead of Sunrise Worcester, which is a local youth climate action group. Erika Sojka is the current Miss Worcester Teen USA. She tells us about her campus involvement and the upcoming competition for Miss Massachussetts Teen USA.

Join us as this week we talk to two teams of environmentalists! Our first interview is with a team of WPI students who are working on a project about the implications of material substitution and green technology. They have been looking into the impacts of cobalt and seabed mining to understand the effects that searching for green technologies can have on human rights and surrounding communities. In our second interview we chat with a team of WPI researchers who are working to turn bamboo into ethanol fuel. This new biofuel process could work to significantly reduce fossil fuel use.