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  1. 18H AGO

    Senior Students Showcase Spotlights Real-World Impact and Future-Forward Projects

    Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s annual Undergraduate Research Projects Showcase transformed campus into a vibrant celebration of innovation, discovery, and student achievement as seniors presented the culmination of their academic journeys through Major Qualifying Projects (MQPs). Highlighting the breadth and depth of WPI’s signature project-based education, the event brought together students, faculty, project sponsors, and the broader community to experience how undergraduate research is tackling real-world challenges with the potential to shape industries, improve lives, and change the world. From groundbreaking engineering solutions to interdisciplinary advancements, these capstone projects not only mark a defining milestone for students but often lead to peer-reviewed research, patents, startup ventures, and career-launching opportunities.  From sustainable transportation and life-saving robotics to quantum computing and accessible AI, the following projects represent just a sample of the creativity, technical excellence, and real-world impact on display at this year’s showcase.  Comparing the Stress Reduction Impact of Social Media Use with Restful Activity  Students: Abigail Henry, Casey Dowd, and Eric Zhong   Advisors: Stacy Shaw and Louis Roberts  The team studied whether deliberate self-chosen restful activities like puzzles or building with LEGOs reduced physiological stress more or less than social media use, which is a common quick coping mechanism students may use for stress relief. The study involved collecting saliva samples and conducting student surveys from 45 student participants. The study found no statistical differences in cortisol level reduction between the strategies tested. The team suggests future research use more study participants and more specific survey questions.  Q: What inspired you to take on this project?  A:  Abigail Henry: “I am super interested in social media. I use it all the time. So, I thought it would be interesting to see how we could juxtapose that with intentional rest to try to help out college students.”  Designing Green Infrastructure in Worcester  Students: Ethan Paredes and Alison Strojny  Advisors: Suzanne LePage and Stephen McCauley  The team developed a green infrastructure design plan to mitigate stormwater runoff and the heat island effect in a neighborhood in Worcester. The students suggested a design with natural solutions, including rain gardens and bioswales, to handle runoff around a school. Through mapping data analysis, site visits, and collaboration with project sponsors—the City of Worcester and Weston & Sampson, an engineering and environmental consulting firm—the team proposed solutions to address storms that drop more rain than current infrastructure can handle.  Q: How does it feel to know that you’ve got a concrete proposal that could potentially help the City of Worcester?  A:  Ethan Paredes: “We put a lot of effort into this project. It feels good to see that effort actually materialize into something that is going to make the change that we hoped it would.”   Developing a Scanning Device for Integration into Drones for Medical Emergency Rescues  Students: Ian Hagglund and Caitlin Murphy  Advisors: Guanrui Li and Giovanni Pittiglio  The students created a handheld device, which could be carried by a drone, that utilizes two types of cameras and radar to scan a body, measure a person’s vital signs, and detect signs of trauma or bleeding. The goal is to assist first responders in disaster zones by empowering them with technology to locate injured people and assess their physical condition.  Q: What motivates you or interests you in this problem? A: Ian Hagglund: “Being able to find a robot to be able to better perceive the world around it and to better perceive people so that it can help people that are in need is really important to me. And it’s also really important to be able to help people at the same time. So that’s really what motivates me.”   Analyzing Strategies to Optimize Cloud Gaming User Experience  Students: Thomas O’Leary, Jake Lariviere, and Benjamin Perry Advisors: Mark Claypool and Xiaokun Xu  The team created a computer game to be played over a network and tested network buffer policies under varying network conditions to study the impact on input delay and smoothness of game imagery. The team identified a no-buffer policy as the best option for this particular game for maintaining a user experience closest to a traditional gaming system in which games are not played over a network.  Q: What are you most proud of about this project?  A: Thomas O’Leary: “I play a lot of video games. So, being able to make a game was definitely something that I really found enjoyable. And then being able to bring in my computer science knowledge to test all these buffer policies and network delays and the effect they have on the user. It was really interesting working with a team. That feeling of having a project that you can definitely own is incomparable.”   Reducing Vibration in Baby Carriages  Students James Hoagland, Andrew Pugh, Rachel Tsang, Nikita Zuev, and Michael Collins Advisor: Joe Stabile  The team developed a suspension system for baby carriages to improve child safety and comfort during transportation and enhance the caregiver’s experience. The design relies on a combination of voice coil motors and moving magnets, with the goal of improving on current approaches to suspension for baby carriages.  Q: Where could this project go from here?  A: Rachel Tsang: “We’re hoping another group of students can build off this research. By just blending active suspension and passive suspension systems in a stroller, this is definitely a really good starting point. We have that proof of concept, and I think that future work could definitely improve it and continue to develop this.”   Implementing Artificial Intelligence Computer Vision into a Chess-Playing 3D-Printed Robot  Students: Ethan Ford, Max Williams, Aziel Habtemichael, Nicolas Graham, Nate Caughron, and Arjun Vyavaharkar  Advisors: Taylor Andrews and Pradeep Radhakrishnan  Students created an app to allow a robot to play chess. Through work on computer vision, simulation, and the device at the end of the robotic arm, the team trained and allowed for arm motion control so the robot could recognize chess pieces, pick them up, and place them as designed. The robot is also designed to be able to pick and place a variety of objects in a tabletop setting, including pill bottles.  Q: How did you benefit from working on this project as a team?  A: Max Williams: “We had a large group. In general, I think the best part of working in a group is having a bunch of different ideas and being able to rely on other groups of people to help while still being focused.”   Advancing the Development of a Sleep Health Game  Student: Trey Bowen  Advisor: Gillian Smith (Project Center: Kyoto, Japan) Bowen helped further the development of a smartwatch-based game, “Sleep Tamagotchi,” by implementing new elements and updates and conducting a user study of the game prototype that has been developed by students at Kyoto University of Advanced Science (KUAS) in Japan. The game is designed to promote better sleep health. Bowen conducted the user study while abroad at WPI’s major qualifying project center in Kyoto, Japan, and through collaboration with KUAS students.  Q: What was the most impactful part of this project for you?  A: Trey Bowen: “I think the most impactful experience for me was being able to work with people from other majors who were not as familiar with making games and to help them overcome some of the challenges as they found there’s more to the development process than they originally thought.”  Electric Conversion of a 1962 Corvair Van  Students: Trevor Bowen, Jacques Blashka, Colin Cotton, and Iain Spearance   Advisors: Lee Moradi and Hunter Zhang  The team transformed a vintage 1962 Corvair van into a fully electric vehicle using salvaged components from a 2015 Nissan Leaf. The project combined mechanical redesign, battery integration, and electrical engineering to create a replicable platform for sustainable vehicle restoration. Beyond the building itself, the team developed a detailed guidebook to help others safely convert older vehicles to electric power.  Question: What is the possible outcome of this project? “We designed it so it can be replicated. Part of our project was creating a guidebook so others can safely follow the right engineering steps and potentially convert and preserve their own older vehicles,” said Spearance.  Flarebot: Unmanned Firefighting Reconnaissance Robot   Students: Nicholas Carignan, Aidan Carter-Frem, Max Gosselin, Trajen Masner, Henry Wagg, TJ Weeden   Advisors: Mustapha Fofana, Griffin Tabor, and Jacob Whitehall  Inspired by Worcester’s 1999 Cold Storage Warehouse tragedy, students developed Flarebot, a robotic platform designed to enter burning structures before firefighters, conduct initial searches, and detect trapped occupants. Equipped with sensors and search capabilities, the system aims to improve survival rates while reducing unnecessary risks to first responders. Question:   How does

  2. APR 23

    Roxanne Armbruster Joins Worcester Polytechnic Institute as Vice President of Talent and Chief Human Resources Officer

    Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) today announced that Roxanne Armbruster, an accomplished human resources and organizational leadership executive with more than 25 years of cross-sector experience, will join the university as vice president of talent and chief human resources officer. Armbruster will report directly to President Grace Wang and serve as a member of the president’s Cabinet. Armbruster brings deep expertise across higher education, technology, and global professional services, with a demonstrated ability to align talent strategy with institutional priorities and drive organizational growth. Her leadership is defined by building scalable, data-informed human resources functions that enable institutions to attract, develop, and retain high-performing teams—capabilities that will support WPI’s continued momentum as a research-driven, innovation-focused university. In this role, Armbruster will lead a team of 19 and will oversee all human resources functions, including talent acquisition, total rewards, leadership development, organizational effectiveness, HR systems and analytics, and inclusive people practices, with a focus on advancing a forward-looking talent strategy that supports WPI’s academic and research enterprise. “WPI’s most critical resource is our people: our talented faculty and our professional staff who are dedicated to education, research, operation, campus life, and the future of WPI,” said Wang. “Roxanne is a leader who brings an exceptional combination of higher education experience, analytical rigor, energy, and commitment to supporting people and community. I am thrilled to have Roxanne join us and lead the critical work of our remarkable Talent and Inclusion team.” Prior to joining WPI, Armbruster served as chief of people and organizational effectiveness at Enterra Solutions, a growth-stage artificial intelligence and data analytics firm. There, she led enterprise-wide human resources and worked closely with executive leadership and the board to align talent strategy, governance, and operations with long-term business objectives, building the infrastructure needed to support rapid organizational growth. She previously served as chief human resources officer and assistant dean at Harvard Law School, where she was a key member of the senior leadership team. She led a comprehensive HR operation supporting more than 600 staff, 800 student workers, and 120 faculty within a complex shared-governance environment. During her tenure at Harvard, she advanced enterprise workforce planning, strengthened compensation and pay equity practices, and modernized HR service delivery—efforts that enhanced organizational effectiveness and positioned the institution for long-term success. Throughout her career, Armbruster has focused on building HR organizations that are strategic partners to leadership—leveraging data, strengthening operations, and aligning HR practices with institutional goals. Earlier in her career, she held senior leadership roles at Ropes & Gray LLP and the TJX Companies, and she began her career on active duty in the U.S. Coast Guard. A longtime member of the Worcester community, Armbruster brings both professional expertise and personal commitment to WPI’s mission and regional impact. She has lived in Central Massachusetts for more than two decades and has closely followed the university’s growth and contributions to the region. “WPI’s mission, culture, and future aspirations strongly align with my own values and leadership approach,” said Armbruster. “I am excited to join the university at an important moment and partner with faculty, staff, and leadership to advance a forward-looking, people-centered talent strategy that supports WPI’s continued growth and impact.” Armbruster holds a master’s degree in corporate and organizational communication from Northeastern University and a bachelor’s degree in leadership. She has also completed advanced professional training in executive coaching, organizational consulting, assessment, and continuous improvement. Armbruster was appointed following a national search and will begin serving in her role May 18, 2026. She succeeds Lauren Turner, who is retiring from WPI after a lengthy and accomplished career in higher education human resources.

  3. APR 23

    Uncovering the Path to Heart Valve Failure

    For researchers, the path to understanding aortic heart valve disease is littered with clues. Chronic high blood pressure, or hypertension, is a risk factor. So is inflammation. And then there is lipoprotein a, a sticky cholesterol-carrying particle that circulates in the blood. Kristen Billiar, a professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, will try to determine what turns those risk factors into disease as part of a $15 million multi-center initiative that is funded by the American Heart Association and focused on early detection and prevention of heart valve disorders. Billiar has been awarded $1,278,213 for a four-year project aimed at determining the connection between circulating liproprotein A, the biomechanical forces at work in the aortic valve, and development of calcific aortic valve disease. It's the most common heart valve disease, causing an estimated 248,256 deaths in the United States in 2019. The disease thickens, calcifies, and narrows the thin, flexible flaps of tissue that open and close in valves as blood moves through a beating heart. Billiar’s project is one of three taking place under the Center for Integrative Valve Science at the University of Pittsburgh. Cynthia St. Hilaire, associate professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh, leads the center and will lead a project with collaborators from Creighton University. A third team will be led by Satoshi Okawa, University of Pittsburgh assistant professor of medicine. Together, the three teams will focus on early detection, disease progression, and treatment of aortic stenosis, which is a narrowing of the heart valve that allows oxygen-rich blood to flow out to the body. “The project at WPI will focus on biomechanics, but we will also collaborate with researchers at other institutions who are concentrating on cell biology and using artificial intelligence to examine genetic risk factors” Billiar says. “The goal is to identify targets for potential therapies to treat heart valve disorders.” High levels of lipoprotein A, an inherited condition, seem to play a role in hardening the aortic valve. Yet not all people with high levels of liproprotein A develop valve disease, which suggests that other factors such as inflammation and abnormal mechanics may predispose valves to disease. Billiar will focus on whether disordered blood flow and stretching of valve tissue prime heart valve cells to be sensitive to circulating lipoprotein A and inflammation, leading to calcification. He and researchers in his lab will conduct experiments with valve-on-a-chip technology—human valve cells seeded onto a flexible gel that can be stretched and exposed to disturbed fluid flow. Undergraduate and graduate students at WPI will participate in the research. Undergraduates will have opportunities to work as laboratory assistants and undertake capstone projects, which all WPI students must complete to graduate. Billiar’s research focuses on the field of mechanobiology, which involves understanding how mechanical forces regulate health and disease in connective tissues. He has received funding from the National Institutes of Health to research how stretching and blood flow can inhibit or encourage cardiovascular cells to populate and grow in tissue-engineered heart valves. He has received American Heart Association funding to examine how cell death leads to calcium deposits that cause aortic valves to fail. “This new project builds on years of research and the development of tools that can reveal the role that mechanical forces play in disease,” Billiar said. “Bringing my work together with the work of other researchers has the potential to make great advances in our understanding of heart valve disease and lay the groundwork for new therapeutic approaches.”

  4. APR 17

    will.i.am and Alliant Energy CEO Lisa Barton to Speak at Worcester Polytechnic Institute Commencements

    Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) has announced its speakers for the 2026 Commencement ceremonies: will.i.am, artist, tech founder, and philanthropist, will deliver the undergraduate address, and Lisa Barton, president and CEO of Alliant Energy and a WPI electrical engineering alumna, will speak at the graduate ceremony. The graduate ceremony will be held Thursday, May 14, at 5 p.m., and the undergraduate ceremony will take place Friday, May 15, at 2 p.m., both at the DCU Center in Worcester. “Commencement is a time to celebrate the energy, creativity, and determination that define our graduates,” said Grace Wang, president of Worcester Polytechnic Institute. “will.i.am has energized audiences around the world by blending music, technology, and entrepreneurship in bold new ways, while also expanding access to STEAM and robotics education and opportunities through his forward-thinking philanthropic work. Lisa Barton has spent her career building and operating the infrastructure that powers modern life—from homes and hospitals to the technologies driving today’s digital economy. Together, they represent two powerful forms of innovation that reflect the spirit of WPI.” Undergraduate Commencement Speaker Multiplatinum, Grammy Award–winning artist, tech founder, and philanthropist will.i.am will address graduates at the undergraduate ceremony. An innovator at the intersection of music, technology, and innovation, he has built a global reputation as a creative force and a leader in advancing artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship, and digital transformation. Beyond his success in music, will.i.am is a committed advocate for expanding access to education and opportunity through the i.am Angel Foundation, which he launched in 2009 to transform lives through education, inspiration, and opportunity—connecting talented individuals with the skills needed to build businesses, pursue meaningful careers, and create lasting impact in their communities. The foundation supports college scholarships, college preparation programs, and hands-on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) and robotics education initiatives. As a creative innovator and futurist, will.i.am also engages youth, educators, policymakers, and the broader tech community to help shape more inclusive pathways into AI and innovation-driven fields. He shares WPI’s commitment to strengthening the pipeline of future innovators through early engagement in robotics and STEM education, equipping students with the critical skills needed for high-impact careers in a rapidly evolving world. Recognized for his outstanding contributions to the international engineering community, will.i.am was named an honorary fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology UK in 2017, and in 2025 he was appointed goodwill ambassador for the AI Skills Coalition, led by the United Nations International Telecommunications Union. In 2025, will.i.am was also appointed professor of practice at Arizona State University, where he is currently teaching The Agentic Self, a course he co-developed that explores the relationship between human creativity and artificial intelligence. He also serves on the boards of the USC Iovine and Young Academy, College Track, and FIRST Global. In addition to delivering the undergraduate Commencement address, will.i.am will receive an honorary doctorate in humanities during the undergraduate ceremony. Graduate Commencement Speaker As president and CEO, Barton leads Alliant Energy and is positioning the company to power the next era of economic growth—modernizing the grid, expanding generation, and preparing the region as a destination for AI, hyperscale data centers, and advanced industry. Her focus is simple but ambitious: Ensure the energy infrastructure of today can power the technology breakthroughs of tomorrow. An engineer and attorney by training, Barton has spent more than three decades helping transform the energy industry—from grid operations and market design to meeting the energy demands of a rapidly digitizing economy.  Before joining Alliant Energy in 2023, Barton served as executive vice president and chief operating officer of American Electric Power, where she led the largest electric transmission network in North America and helped establish the first competitive, investor-owned electric transmission company, Transource Energy, pioneering a new model for infrastructure investment and grid modernization. She currently serves on the boards of the Commercial Metals Company, Edison Electric Institute, American Transmission Company, and the Electric Power Research Institute, helping shape national energy policy and research priorities. Barton will also receive an honorary doctorate in engineering as part of the graduate ceremony.  For a full list of 2026 Commencement activities and related information, visit https://www.wpi.edu/news/annual-events/commencement.

  5. APR 15

    Worrying About Weight Stigma at the Doctor’s Office

    A routine component of many medical appointments—stepping on the scale to be weighed—may be a stigmatizing experience that raises patients’ blood pressure and potentially impacts their healthcare, according to new research from Worcester Polytechnic Institute researcher Angela Incollingo Rodriguez. A study of 190 college students who went through a mock healthcare visit showed that blood pressure remained elevated among those who were weighed, even if they weighed themselves. Blood pressure dropped among students who had not been weighed. The results suggest that merely being weighed might elevate stress, artificially inflating subsequent blood pressure measurements, said Incollingo Rodriguez, an associate professor of health psychology and neuroscience in the Department of Social Science and Policy Studies. “An individual patient might not face lasting harm from a short-term increase in blood pressure. However, if that patient is repeatedly experiencing the stress of being weighed right before blood pressure is measured, this stress could be continually distorting an important piece of data about the patient’s health—one that is often used to diagnose health issues. And then we might see effects on the decisions a doctor makes,” Incollingo Rodriguez said. The research was published in the journal Stigma and Health and co-authored by Incollingo Rodriguez and WPI alumni Lorena Nunes and Mira Kirschner. Weight stigma is a social phenomenon that devalues and denigrates individuals based on weight. Incollingo Rodriguez has previously researched factors that drive weight stigma, how it undermines health, and, specifically, the impact of weight stigma during pregnancy on maternal health. In medical settings, clinicians or medical assistants typically weigh patients and record blood pressure at the start of a visit. Blood pressure is an especially important measurement because chronic high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, can occur without symptoms and play a role in heart attack, stroke, and heart failure. Hypertension is caused by factors such as genetics, underlying illnesses, and diet. Temporary spikes in blood pressure, however, differ from hypertension and can be caused by a number of stressful experiences. Some individuals even experience temporary high blood pressure in healthcare settings, a phenomenon known as “white coat syndrome.” Incollingo Rodriguez and her research team sought to identify whether being weighed was a specific trigger for stress and higher blood pressure. They recruited WPI students for a study that was described as an effort to examine medical appointment procedures. (Students learned about the true focus of the research after their appointments.) The researchers furnished a campus lab to resemble a healthcare setting and wore white coats when interacting with students. Students were randomly assigned to one of three groups that differed by how and when they were weighed. Over the course of appointments, students had their blood pressure measured twice. They also provided saliva samples three times so that levels of cortisol, another measure of biological stress, could be measured as well. Consistent with white coat syndrome, all students had slightly elevated blood pressure at the start of their sessions. Among students who weighed themselves or were weighed by researchers early during appointments, blood pressure remained elevated, suggesting a stress response. In contrast, blood pressure dropped among those who were not weighed until after blood pressure was measured. While the weighing experience influenced blood pressure, it did not appear to have any effect on cortisol levels. Incollingo Rodriguez said the study results raise questions about whether and when information about weight should be collected during medical appointments. The relationship between weight and health is not entirely straightforward, so it is worth considering on a case-by-case basis if a patient needs to be weighed for all medical appointments, especially if their weight is not relevant to the healthcare interaction or clinical goals, she said. “If a patient’s weight must be documented, it might be better to weigh the patient at the end of an appointment,” Incollingo Rodriguez said. “This change-up to the typical order of operations could be especially impactful in prenatal care. Perhaps pregnant patients could be reassured by the sound of their baby’s heartbeat before having blood pressure or weight measured. These results open the door to an important conversation: Maybe we can change the healthcare experience in a way that could potentially cost nothing but meaningfully reduce patient stress, promote size inclusivity, and yield more accurate physiological measurements.”

  6. APR 13

    Strengthening Academic Achievement while Cultivating Community

    A federally funded program in the Department of Computer Science is showing that although good grades are often the most widely recognized expression of student success, well-being and belonging are part of the equation, too. The program, known as the Path to Achieving Success and Sense of Belonging in Computer Science (PASS-CS), offers financial support and enrichment opportunities to computer science majors who are eligible for federal Pell Grants. A third of the way into the program’s six-year timeline, data and anecdotes alike show strong academic achievement and personal well-being among the 20 students participating in the program so far. “Two years after this program started, there is evidence that these students are really impacted positively,” says Rodica Neamtu, professor of teaching and principal investigator (PI) of the $2.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation. While “Pell eligible” refers most directly to financial need, Neamtu explains that these students also face other barriers to success. Notably, many are first-generation college students and often lack role models at home who are able to guide their path to, and through, college. The obstacles Pell recipients navigate tend to contribute to lower graduation rates. Nationwide, among students who started at a four-year college in 2018, approximately 49% of Pell recipients graduated within six years, compared to nearly 69% of their non-Pell peers. At WPI, while 90% of non-Pell undergraduates who started in 2018 graduated in six years, the figure dropped to just below 85% for Pell recipients. Neamtu notes that so far among the PASS-CS participants, “retention is 100% and the feedback that students are giving is that they’re thriving.” Allowing strengths to flourish Research into graduation and retention rates—coupled with an acknowledgement that, despite continued need for well-educated graduates, the computer science industry has historically been fairly homogenous and slow to embrace new viewpoints—prompted WPI faculty and staff to develop the PASS-CS program. “To make WPI’s computer science domain more welcoming and help retain students, we identified the groups who might need a little more support, a little more engagement into the life of the department,” Neamtu says. Data shows that Pell-eligible students are among those who could use support. In recent years, 76% of students who enter WPI as first-year computer science majors with a Pell award remain at WPI in their fourth year. That figure is 86% among non-Pell computer science majors—and 89% among undergrads in all majors across the university. “The question was never about Pell students’ ability. It was about whether we were creating an environment where those strengths could actually show up and flourish,” notes Debra Boucher, assistant dean of undergraduate studies and co-PI on the grant. “At WPI, where the pace is fast and the work is highly collaborative, we wanted to make sure students with those strengths had structured ways to connect, contribute, and see themselves as part of the CS community—because that community is richer when they’re fully in it.” Since 2024, all incoming first-year students who plan to major in computer science and are eligible for Pell awards have been invited to apply to the PASS-CS program. Ten applicants were selected from each of the two most recent incoming first-year classes, based on who would be most likely to engage with the program and use the extra support. Although the grant’s final cohort will be chosen from this fall’s incoming class, Neamtu and her co-P.I.s are considering how to extend the program’s benefits by generalizing some aspects to all computer science students. Each PASS-CS grant participant receives a $15,000 annual scholarship for four years. New cohort members also attend a three-day summer program that’s part academic review—helping students feel ready to start college-level math and computer science courses—and part community building—helping students develop connections with their peers in the program and with participating math and computer science faculty. During the school year those faculty members host informal weekly drop-in sessions and workshops on topics ranging from summer research opportunities and résumé writing to tips for working on teams. Everything covered in the sessions is public information and available to all WPI students. But, notes Emma Normand ’28, “you can’t look for information if you just don’t know what exists.” In that way, she says, PASS-CS is “basically giving us the best possible chance to succeed.” In fact, the grant’s leadership team regularly adjusts the program offerings based on participants’ feedback. “Every term I ask the students, ‘What are things that we can do to improve?’” says co-PI Crystal Brown, assistant professor in the Department of Social Science and Policy Studies. “Our first cohort of students told us early on they needed more support in math, so we provided wraparound support in that area. Now, as they move up in their major, they’re requesting more support in their computer science courses, and we’re working to hire juniors or seniors who can be available as tutors for them.” Developing confidence and connections Normand, now a sophomore, serves as a “near-peer mentor” to the first-year PASS-CS cohort, an experience that’s helping to boost her confidence and refine her career goals. “I’m helping the newer students with computer science, of course, but if they’re having trouble on campus and they need advice, I love being able to tell them, ‘This is the secret. This is how you need to do it,’” she says. “I also realized that even though I don’t want to be a teacher, I do really like helping people, and I’m definitely more open to jobs in that area.” Seeking help from student mentors like Normand has been easy for first-year student Aaryana Gant ’29, who has also enjoyed getting to know the professors in the PASS-CS program. “I know there’s always someone I can go to for help,” she says. Thanks to the coursework Gant did at Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational High School, she came to WPI with a solid computer science foundation. Still, she adds, “sometimes I know what we should be doing but don’t understand how or why, so I go and talk to the professor and they break it down for me.” Having students develop rapport with faculty is a goal of the program, says Boucher. “Students are consistently recognized as emerging professionals—not students who need fixing, but people with ideas and perspectives worth engaging. That framing matters,” she adds. “Students know that their experience and voice count with each other and with the faculty and staff that make up the PASS-CS team.” That kind of personal and professional growth is hard to quantify because it’s “not directly measurable. But even hearing somebody say ‘I see myself as a computer scientist’ or ‘I see myself graduating’ shows they feel supported,” says Neamtu. “When students can say they feel that they belong, they can also feel that they are going to succeed.” Several faculty members from across the university are actively engaged with the PASS-CS grant through program design and implementation, student advising, and more: from the Department of Computer Science, Matthew Ahrens (assistant teaching professor), Lane Harrison (associate professor), and Erin Solovey (associate professor); and from the Department of Mathematical Sciences, Francesca Bernardi (assistant professor) and Keenan Kidwell (assistant professor of teaching). Nicole Asbridge in the Office of Undergraduate Studies provides administrative support.

  7. APR 10

    Worcester Polytechnic Institute Names New Vice President for Enrollment Management

    Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) has appointed Raul Fonts as vice president for enrollment management, a strategic, data-driven leader with a record of innovation, collaboration, and success in building strong student pipelines. Fonts will join WPI July 1, 2026. In this role, Fonts will oversee undergraduate admissions, financial aid, enrollment strategy, and pre-collegiate outreach programs helping to advance WPI’s mission as a global leader in project-based, experiential STEM education. Fonts joins WPI following more than 25 years at Providence College, where he assumed roles of increasing scope and responsibility, most recently serving as senior associate vice president for enrollment management and chief enrollment officer. He led a team of 36 professionals across admissions and financial aid and achieved record enrollment outcomes, including a 20% increase in applications and enrollments over five years while maintaining the academic quality of admitted students. “As the higher education landscape continues to evolve, institutions must rethink how they engage and support prospective students,” said Fonts. “Today’s students are looking for more than information—they want authentic connection, clear value, and a strong sense of community from their very first interaction. That’s what makes this opportunity at WPI so exciting, and I look forward to building on the university’s distinctive, project-based approach to create meaningful connections with students from the start.” “Enrollment strategy is central to WPI’s continued momentum as a leading institution across engineering, arts and sciences, business, and technology that educates tomorrow’s leaders,” said Andrew Sears, senior vice president of academic affairs and provost. “Raul brings a thoughtful, analytical approach and a strong track record of aligning enrollment with academic priorities and institutional goals that will strengthen our ability to attract students eager to engage in WPI’s distinctive, project-based education.” Throughout his career, Fonts has emphasized the use of analytics and technology to inform enrollment decisions to better understand and support prospective students. He has also led major strategic initiatives, including the successful launch of recruitment and enrollment for a new School of Nursing and Health Sciences at Providence College. At WPI, Fonts will partner closely with academic leadership, marketing and communications, student affairs, and advancement to align enrollment strategy with the university’s strategic priorities, including its designation as an R1 research institution and continued emphasis on global engagement and experiential learning. “WPI offers students a truly distinctive, immersive education that prepares them to be thoughtful leaders across a wide range of disciplines,” Fonts said. “I am excited to collaborate with colleagues across the university to attract and support students who are ready to tackle complex, real-world challenges and make a meaningful impact.” Fonts will succeed Philip Clay, who is currently serving as senior vice president for student affairs and enrollment management. Clay is retiring at the end of this academic year after more than 33 years at WPI.

  8. APR 8

    Steering Toward Better Larynx Surgeries

    WPI researchers have developed a flexible optical fiber that can be threaded through a medical endoscope and steered into the larynx to destroy hard-to-reach tumors on the vocal folds, an advance that could expand outpatient laser treatment options for patients whose only other choice might be surgery under general anesthesia. The researchers reported that during tests with a 3D-printed replica of a human larynx, they were able to reach about 81% of 70 targets that otherwise would be impossible to reach during outpatient treatments. “Some people, such as patients with cardiac conditions, may not be able to undergo general anesthesia and conventional laser surgery for growths in the larynx,” says Loris Fichera, associate professor in the Department of Robotics Engineering and leader of the research team that developed the new optical fiber technology. “An improved medical device could address that problem by giving some patients an option to undergo laser treatment while under mild sedation in medical offices instead.” The researchers’ device is a flexible optical fiber threaded through a thin-walled nickel-titanium sheath that is 1.6 millimeters in diameter and notched so it can bend. The sheath is thin enough to fit into an endoscope, a tube-like device with a light and camera on the tip. Surgeons insert endoscopes into the body to examine tissues, organs, and structures. Once inside an endoscope, the sheath and optical fiber can be steered with hand-held controls to a site in the voice box, tissues that are also known as vocal cords, to destroy growths with pulses of light. Laser surgery of the vocal folds is typically done to remove tiny benign or precancerous growths such as callus-like nodules and polyps that can leave patients with raspy voices. For professional singers and speakers, the condition can threaten livelihoods. Allergies, underlying illness, smoking, and overuse or misuse of the voice can play a role in the development of growths. Most procedures are performed in a doctor’s office and typically involve snaking an endoscope through the nostril of a patient whose vocal folds have been numbed with a cooling spray. Patients whose growths are harder to reach can be treated in a hospital under general anesthesia. To test their design, the researchers used 3D printing to build an anatomically correct model of a real human larynx. They plotted 70 points on the model that could not be reached with non-steerable optical fibers, then used their steerable tool to reach 57, or about 81%, of the targets. Although research results suggest the device created by Fichera’s team could expand office-based procedures for laser surgery of the larynx, Fichera says that more research and development of the device is needed. The rigid 3D-printed model could not replicate the movements that occur when a patient is being treated, and the device currently requires two operators working together. Improvements might make it possible for one operator to use the device. “Much of the fundamental research has been completed,” Fichera says. “We are planning a follow-on project to make improvements that would allow the optical fiber to bend in different directions and curve to reach more places. Ultimately, our goal is to help as many patients as possible by expanding options for office procedures.” The research was published in the American Society of Medical Engineers’ Journal of Medical Devices. In addition to Fichera, co-authors were Alex Chiluisa, Kang Zhang; Yao Shen, Lucas Burstein; Yuxiang Liu, associate professor in the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering; and Thomas Carroll, associate professor in the Department of Otolaryngology at Harvard Medical School. Fichera’s research focuses on using robotics and computer science to advance technologies used in medicine, especially surgery. He received a prestigious CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation to develop technology for a new class of surgical robots that can treat disease without cutting or touching human tissues. He also is part of a team at WPI that is developing technology for flexible robotic arms that can grasp, lift, and carry objects. He is a co-inventor on a patent protecting the flexible and articulating surgical laser probe for laryngeal surgery.

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  • Channel
    WPI
  • Creator
    WPI
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    214
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    Clean
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