Who's Coming to Homecoming?
We know that it's the people that make WPI so special, and we're so excited to share some of the amazing students, faculty, staff, and alumni who are part of this year's Homecoming. Looking for the registrant list? You'll find that here.
Event details here.
Robert H. Goddard Alumni Award for Outstanding Professional Achievement
David Doherty ’85
President and Chief Operating Officer
DigiKey Electronics
What top career achievements are you most proud of?
- Having the privilege to be part of the leadership team at DigiKey since 2008, resulting in organic growth from $900 million to more than $4 billion in annual revenue and reaching nearly 1 million customers in 180 countries.
- Receiving the 2019 ECIA North Star Award for commitment, leadership, and dedication to the field of electronic components and the ECIA community, along with serving as the ECIA board chairperson from 2017-2018.
- Co-chairing the Transformation Through Education (TTE) board and building a secondary school in a rural area in Malawi, Africa, which is planned to open this fall and serve 150 incoming freshmen.
Maneesh Goyal ’95
Chief Operating Officer
Mayo Clinic Platform
What top career achievements are you most proud of?
- The design of a mass scale cable model chipset that made high speed internet available to the masses, globally.
- The launch of a global healthcare platform bringing higher quality care to densely packed and remote parts of the world.
- Mentoring hundreds of aspiring entrepreneurs and executives to enable second order impact.
Lothar Kleiner ’70
Chief Scientist, POLTECO, Inc.
Advisor and Volwiler Fellow,
Abbott Vascular
What top career achievements are you most proud of?
- Due to unique competence in the field of polymer materials technology, I was able to contribute to the conception, formulation, processing, characterization and commercial development of specialty polymer compositions for EMI shielding, circuit protection, controlled drug delivery and medical device systems. This knowledge led to 75 patents, 40 peer-reviewed journal and book chapter publications, and 20 invited lectures.
- Of the many awards, I am most proud of being inducted into Abbott Laboratories Volwiler Society in recognition of scientific excellence by my peers.
David Ross ’90
GE Vernova Vice President
President & CEO,
Americas Pole for Gas Power
What top career achievements are you most proud of?
- GE Power’s response to 9/11: led the team that was mobilized to help restore power to lower Manhattan and the financial district in the hours following the attack.
- Developing power plants in less developed countries around the world where people didn’t have access to reliable electricity.
- Building effective teams over the years and watching the individuals grow in their careers to become great leaders.
Ichabod Washburn Young Alumni Award for Professional Achievement
Marta Asack ’05
Senior Vice President North America HUB
Home & Distribution Division,
Schneider Electric
What top career achievements are you most proud of?
- Development of patent-awarded patent diagnostic tool for an Army/Navy helicopter engine to reliably and continuously test engine performance during flight, resulted in reduction of maintenance cost. (GE Aviation)
- Launching multiple products into the global automotive markets. (Sensata Technologies)
- Developing products for the electrical protection market that enable safety, protection and energy efficiency for home and business owners. (Schneider Electric)
Dr. Laura Holberger ’05
Co-Creation Architect,
Novo Nordisk
What top career achievements are you most proud of?
- The most notable accomplishments in my career have involved leveraging my expertise and position to address the evolving needs of the biotechnology industry. After completing a PhD during a challenging investment climate, I helped create a successful business model at BioLabs and LabCentral to support capital-constrained biotech companies.
- I also played a pivotal role in establishing a COVID-19 testing consortium that allowed biotech companies to continue their work solving global health challenges during the pandemic. Our efforts contributed to the scientific understanding of COVID-19 transmission and were published in JAMA Network Open.
- Currently, I’m involved in facilitating partnerships and external innovation for Novo Nordisk, addressing ongoing challenges for biotech startups in accessing capital for drug discovery.
Kate Olguin ’20
Other Ocean Interactive
What top career achievements are you most proud of?
- The Walking Dead: Betrayal was my first time working with a major property that other people would recognize, which was a very cool feeling, but I also was flown out to San Diego Comic Con to speak to press, the fulfillment of a childhood dream.
- Releasing The Call of Karen, my MQP, onto the Steam store. I had always hoped that my MQP would be good enough to make it to Steam, but it was rare at the time. The whole team worked so hard to put it out, and the fact that it got 100,000+ downloads, gameplay videos with millions of views, and positive reviews was an amazing feeling. It was also great to win the Provost’s MQP Award shortly before we released it.
- Making it on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for games. When I first heard about the list after starting at WPI, I would occasionally indulge myself in the fantasy that someday I’d make it on there, as other game developers that I really respected had been put on it. I didn’t think it would actually happen, or if it did, that it would happen so soon. It was a total shock, but I’m very grateful!
Adam Panzica ’10, MS ’13
Arene Vehicle Platforms Architecture Lead,
Woven by Toyota
What top career achievements are you most proud of?
- Launching the Performance Analysis software suite I developed in my first role at NREC. Before this software, the analysis process was performed once a quarter and took more than 10 engineers working full time for a week. With this software, it was reduced to a matter of minutes, so little time that it was integrated into the day-to-day development process and facilitated rapid, data-driven development decisions for the whole team. This was my first assignment as a professional software engineer; that it was so impactful makes me proud.
- At Uber ATG, leading the project for launching the Operational Domain Definitio management and enforcement system. This system was used to ensure that the robots only attempted to route through areas where they had the capabilities to safely operate, and required close collaboration between onboard software, cloud software, and fleet operations personnel. It was a foundational piece of the operational infrastructure for robot operations, and it was my first experience leading a big, cross-functional project. I was able to deliver a system which scaled to new use cases without major redesigns as the needs of operations grew, and I was awarded several patents for various aspects of the design.
- Developing a talk on testing best practices while at Uber ATG. This talk was so well received that it was eventually integrated into the onboarding training for every new hire in their first weeks at the company. I was allowed to take it with me when ATG shut down, and it has been equally well received at my subsequent companies. Being able to pass on the lessons I’ve learned on how to help ensure the production of quality software is something I’m really proud of, and it makes me really happy when I see engineers who maybe have always thought of testing as an inconvenience before realizing how it can help them move faster while maintaining a high-quality bar.
Herbert F. Taylor Alumni Award for Distinguished Service to WPI
John Gabranski ’75
Partner,
PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP,
Retired
What WPI service activities are you most proud of?
- Serving on the WPI Dean of Arts & Sciences Advisory Board.
- Relieving some of the financial burden of incoming WPI students by providing scholarship awards through our endowment fund.
Mike Aspinwall ’75
CEO & Founder,
Stability Health,
WPI Trustee
What WPI service activities are you most proud of?
- Serving on the Presidential Search Committee that recruited Grace Wang. She will have a significant positive impact on WPI.
- Serving on the Board of Trustees and chair of three critical committees (Budget & Finance, Investment, and Audit).
- Serving as co-chair of the Innovation & Entrepreneurship working group on two WPI Strategic Plans during Laurie Leshin’s term.
William R. Grogan Award for Support of the Mission of WPI
Paula Delaney ’75
Manager of Administrative Applications and Senior Business Process Analyst,
Clark University,
Retired
What WPI service activities are you most proud of?
- Member of Alumni Association Board of Directors June 1995 -June 2024
- Core team member of fundraising committee to name the Academic Advising Suite in Unity Hall.
- Regular member of Class of 1975 Reunion committees since graduation.
Goat’s Head Award for Lifetime Commitment to WPI
Pat Moran ’65
Founder, Patrick T. Moran Consulting
What WPI service activities are you most proud of?
- The Class of ‘65 News—It’s an email newsletter, started in 2019, that goes to classmates every four weeks; Issue 79 went out in May 2025. The thing I’m proud of is that I don’t write for it - my classmates do. They send articles about their families, careers, travels, hobbies, even books they’ve read. The newsletter also publishes obituaries and honors past classmates by listing their names in every issue.
- President of the Class of 1965.
Latest Announcements - All
- Staff Council Update September 2025Welcome Back to a New Academic Year! We hope you had the opportunity to rest, relax, and recharge over the summer. As we are in the full swing of A-Term, we’re excited to share some updates from the Staff Council. Reflecting on Our Journey So Far Last year was a big year for Staff Council, we feel like we really found our groove. After spending time getting established, we focused on making sure staff voices are heard and pushing for changes that matter to staff. We're excited to share some highlights from our year-end report, like the wins from our PTO Task Force, getting more staff involved in campus-wide decisions, and hosting events that brought people together, from all-staff meetings to listening sessions where we could hear what's really on everyone's mind. Check out our full end of year report to see what we accomplished together. Thank You to Our Departing Members As we move into our fourth year, we want to express our sincere gratitude to the five dedicated members whose two-year terms have come to an end. Thank you for your invaluable contributions: Lusine Baghsarian, Innovation & Entrepreneurship Nicole Caligiuri, Research Pat Howe, School of Engineering Alesia Lesane, Diversity, Inclusion, and Multicultural Education Nicole Luiz, Campus Planning & Facilities Elena Morganelli, Undergrad Enrollment Looking Ahead We’re excited for what lies ahead, guided by our strategic plan, we remain committed to ensuring that staff voices are heard. Your feedback over the past 18 months has been instrumental in shaping our direction—please continue to share your thoughts! Save the Dates All-Staff Meetings: If you have ideas for topics you would like to hear about at our all-staff meetings, please reach out to let us know. October 14th 9:00–10:30 AM | Olin 107 December 16th 9:00–10:30 AM | Olin 107 March 10th, 2026, 9:00–10:30 AM | Olin 107 May 19th, 2026, 2:00–3:00 PM | Odeum Special Events: November 24th, 2025, 2:00–4:00 PM | Harvest of Thanks | Odeum April TBD Staff Award Ceremony | Odeum May 19th, 2026, 3:00–4:00 PM | End of Year Social | Odeum Meet Our New Members We’re pleased to introduce seven new members to the Staff Council: Elizabeth Chirico, Advancement, Jaime Dillon, Student Affairs, Matt Foster, Student Affairs, Stanley Horton, Talent & Inclusion, Shawn Needham, Marketing & Communications, Jessica Sabourin, Undergraduate Enrollment, Carrie West, School of Arts & Sciences Meet Our Executive Committee Mike Hamilton, Chair; Sarah Miles, Vice-Chair; Caitlin Neer, Secretary; Lauren Martunas, Treasurer; and Stacey Happy, Public Relations Meet Our Committee Leadership Amy Curran, Feedback; Matt Foster, Engagement; Elizabeth Jacoby, Recognition; and Jaime Dillon, FBC Vice-Chair Your input is crucial—feel free to reach out to any Staff Council member, fill out our feedback form, recognize a fellow staff member with a Goat Note, or email us at staffcouncil@wpi.edu. Have a great rest of your week! Mike Hamilton, Staff Council Chair, on behalf of Staff Council
- OneDrive Clean Up Webinar Next WeekNext week, ITS will be hosting a OneDrive Clean Up webinar as part of the Microsoft365 Storage Management project. Come join us on Tuesday, September 23 from 3:00pm - 4:00pm EDT for a live tutorial and tips on how to clean up your OneDrive storage. Please register on this Microsoft Form to attend the webinar or receive the recording. Microsoft 365 Storage Resources: These resources will help you get started on managing your Outlook and OneDrive storage. Storage Management FAQs Exploring Outlook Outlook Clean Up Resources Exploring OneDrive
- New Leadership for WPI's Archives & Special CollectionsWe are pleased to announce that, effective September 1, Digital Collections Archivist Emily Ping O’Brien has taken on additional new responsibilities as Department Head for Archives & Special Collections, while Access and Outreach Archivist Gillian McCuistion has added new responsibilities as WPI’s Institute Archivist. With this experienced team at the helm, we can assure long-term continuity and innovative leadership for the essential work of the Institute’s archives and unique collections of books and artwork: Emily Ping O’Brien joined WPI in 2017, rapidly building her technical expertise in digital archives and digital exhibits as a key member of the joint Library-IT Digital WPI steering group. Digital WPI is an innovative and unique open-source university repository. It provides global access to over 25,000 digital items created by the WPI student & faculty community, in addition to another 25,000 digital assets that document and share WPI’s history and unique cultural assets. Emily has been active in regional and national professional digital archiving communities, frequently presenting and leading programs; she was one of the inaugural participants in WPI’s self-leadership program (2024-2025). In her new role as Head of Archives & Special Collections Emily will serve as the administrative lead for this Department in its many relationships with the campus community, donors, and scholars. She will also be joining the library’s leadership team. She will also continue her work on Digital Collections and digital exhibits. Gillian McCuistion joined WPI in 2023 from the University of North Carolina, where she helped direct the Student Health Coalition archive project, documenting collaborative efforts between college students and underserved communities to increase access to healthcare in the rural American South from the 1960s-1980s. Since joining WPI, Gillian has been spearheading efforts to create a more inclusive institutional memory, namely as it relates to partnering with student organizations to expand collecting practices. Gillian has also designed and produced annual exhibits in the Archives’ Gladwin Gallery, each telling the story of different departments or programs in WPI's vibrant and creative technical community. This year's exhibit, “Currents of Change: Electrical & Computer Engineering at WPI from the Dawn of the Electric Age to Present Day” features the history and progress of the ECE department. As Institute and Outreach Initiatives Archivist, Gillian will work closely with the WPI community to document our history and to ensure access to our archives, whether for our alumni, university offices, or our students and other researchers. Emily and Gillian are excited to continue their work with our students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, and all others who help us create a lively, open, and meaningful archive of WPI’s people and shared community. They can both be reached at: archives@wpi.edu
- Finance & Operations September NewsletterThe Finance & Operations Newsletter contains important information for the WPI Community related to finance due dates, policies, procedures, and trainings. To view the September Newsletter click here.
- Human Firewalls - SECURE IT September 2025Your assumptions about cyber criminals could be your biggest vulnerability. Challenge them now by reading this month's SECURE IT newsletter about social engineering. Learn how people are able to act as a firewall in thwarting attackers. In this issue: From WPI's CISTO: Local Storage Is Not Backed Up Social Engineering Psychology & Strategies, including AI Prevent Social Engineering Learning with Laughter Secrets of Social Engineering Video Meet Jeff Eaton! Featured Videos Statistics and In the News Diversity in Cybersecurity WPI Resources
- Guiding Students, Respecting Robots: Welcoming Assistant Teaching Professor Griffin Tabor to Robotics EngineeringWe are thrilled to announce that Griffin Tabor has joined the Robotics Engineering Department at Worcester Polytechnic Institute as an Assistant Teaching Professor. With his unique blend of academic rigor, innovative robotics research, and steadfast commitment to education, Professor Tabor is poised to make an impactful addition to our community. Professor Tabor’s journey in robotics began in middle school at a LEGO robotics summer camp, an environment that ignited a lifelong fascination with how mechanical and digital worlds converge. A formative moment unfolded when Professor Tabor spun a motor and watched a microprocessor power up without a battery. “Realizing how generators and motors were the same thing, and how cool that is has stuck with me ever since,” he recalls, capturing the essence of curiosity that has guided his work ever since. Professor Tabor is a proud WPI alumnus, having earned his Bachelor of Science in Robotics Engineering in 2018. From there, he pursued a PhD in Computing with a Robotics Track from the University of Utah, which he completed in 2024. His doctoral research focused on motion planning, control, and numerical optimization, including groundbreaking work using magnets to manipulate non-magnetic objects—possibilities that extend to futuristic applications like space debris cleanup. As a teaching scholar, Professor Tabor believes deeply in project-centered learning. He emphasizes a classroom structure where every concept builds toward a meaningful term-long project—instilling clear purpose and contextual relevance in each lesson. At WPI, he looks forward to guiding Major Qualifying Projects (MQPs), advising the WPI Robotics Club, and supporting students involved in competitive robotics. Professor Tabor strongly encourages students to “join a club and get involved. We have lots of different robotics clubs going on that are applicable to both RBE majors and otherwise.” His thriving interest in mobile robotics and extracurricular engagement reflects his conviction that hands-on experience is transformative in learning. Professor Tabor’s arrival reinforces WPI’s strengths in project-based education, student-led innovation, and cutting-edge robotics research—all educational pillars he aligns with deeply. Professor Tabor’s combination of technical expertise, educational insight, and an affinity for robotics competitions positions him as a dynamic mentor for students. He’s excited to foster interest in probabilistic methods in robotics—reflecting a growing trend to better model uncertainty and complexity with today’s computing power. He playfully notes, “I think our robot overlords are right around the corner. As long as I train students to treat robots with respect, maybe the robots will treat me with respect—even though they’re still tricky and not always cooperative!”