Myrtle Beach, SC --- The WPI baseball team swept its doubleheader against Bridgewater State on Thursday night, taking game one 10-5 before securing a 7-4 victory in the nightcap at Ripken Field in Myrtle Beach. With the wins, the Engineers improved to 4-3 on the season, while the Bears dropped to 2-6.

Washington, DC --- The WPI softball team continued its offensive onslaught with a 15-3 victory over Gallaudet Thursday afternoon as the team's journey to the Mid-Atlantic region continues.

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) spent a record $71.6 million on research and development activities during the 2024 academic year, up 8% over the previous year, as expenditures grew on projects funded by federal agencies and nonprofit organizations. University researchers also launched 234 multiyear projects in 2024 and received a record $60 million in public and private awards for research activities.  “WPI’s extraordinary faculty, staff, and students are conducting research that tackles some of the world’s most pressing problems, and the awards they have received from government, corporate, and private funders are a testament to their innovative thinking,” said Bogdan Vernescu, WPI vice president and vice provost for research and innovation. WPI’s research growth follows a decade of investment and work by students, faculty, and staff. The university was recently designated an R1 institution, the top tier of American research colleges and universities, based on its 2023 research spending and doctorate degrees.  Newer data shows that WPI’s expansion of research and development continued in 2024. Information on research expenditures was recently submitted to the National Science Foundation (NSF), and WPI published award data in late 2024. About 83% of all research dollars awarded to WPI during 2024 were provided by the federal government. The Department of Defense sponsored more than $15 million in awards to WPI, followed by the NSF with nearly $14 million in awards, and the Department of Health and Human Services with more than $9 million in awards. Other large federal funders included the Department of Energy and the Department of Education, each with more than $2 million in awards to WPI researchers.  State and local governments sponsored about 10% of the research funds awarded to WPI, and the remaining awards were sponsored by corporate, foundation, and other sponsors.

Worcester Polytechnic Institute researchers believe a new robotic technology they’re developing can help save lives by improving the process of matching kidney donors with people awaiting a transplant. Their approach seeks to advance medical evaluations that determine whether a donated kidney is viable to be transplanted.  According to the National Kidney Foundation, 90,000 people in the United States are on a kidney waitlist; each day, 12 die before a transplant can happen. While a shortage of donors is one reason for the long waitlist, another major factor is the number of donated kidneys that get discarded. Assessing a kidney for transplant involves examining the organ after it’s been removed from the donor to ensure the kidney is free of disease or structural anomalies.  Current methods for this assessment include either a biopsy, which involves a review of cells taken from a small sample of the kidney, or optical coherence tomography (OCT), a light-based handheld imaging technology that can provide a high-resolution snapshot of a limited section of the organ. Xihan Ma, robotics engineering PhD student, and Haichong (Kai) Zhang, associate professor of robotics engineering and biomedical engineering The assessment process risks wasting the organ because these exams take time and provide information about only a small portion of the kidney; both factors may hamper clinicians’ ability to accurately assess the organ and approve it for transplant while it is still viable.  Haichong (Kai) Zhang, associate professor of robotics engineering and biomedical engineering, and Xihan Ma, a robotics engineering PhD student, are using innovations in medical robotics to address this problem.  “With our robotic system, we can capture a scan of the whole kidney,” said Zhang. “With current approaches, the area of the kidney that can be assessed is inherently limited by either the size of the biopsy needle or the size of the OCT imaging probe, and thus the assessment of the organ is biased by which small part of the kidney the operator chooses to focus on.” Zhang and Ma have developed a robotic OCT system, which is a fully automated method of imaging an entire donated kidney to help a clinician make an assessment. The system was developed at WPI’s Medical FUSION (Frontier Ultrasound Imaging and Robotic Instrumentation) Lab. “Our motivation is to think about how we can streamline the process used to evaluate the viability of donated kidneys to be more reliable and accurate, and to not waste kidneys that potentially can be used to save lives of patients,” said Zhang. “We are integrating the strengths of medical robots to make imaging of donor kidneys more accessible and less user-dependent and to acquire images over a wider area of the organ, which can provide more concise and direct feedback to clinicians so they can make better clinical decisions.”

Students in Assistant Teaching Professor David Ibbett's Music and Science: Climate Change class recently collaborated with the EcoTarium in Worcester. The group developed prototype audio and visual technology enhancements for the nature and science museum's planned re-imagination of its African Communities exhibit. The technology will help the museum update the space to become more accessible, interactive, and engaging, while educating guests about the impact of climate change on African animal habitats.   The work was one of several ongoing partnerships between the university and the EcoTarium. Just last year, the museum went live with a navigational app developed by a student Major Qualifying Project (MQP). 

Graduate Student Newsletter March 13, 2025 Edition Announcements Graduate Student Health & Wellness Series: Financial Wellness March 18 4pm – 5pm Unity Hall 420. Join the Office of Financial Aid for a workshop to enhance your financial wellness and provide you resources that will support you with items like protecting yourself from identity theft, buying a home, and building up your credit. Refreshments will be served. Please register here.  EXPLORE THE INTERSECTION OF SCIENCE + INNOVATION - A Life Sciences Career Expo | Worcester Polytechnic Institute For current and aspiring scientists in the field, there’s no better place to advance your career than at the Life Sciences Expo. The life sciences industry is exploding in WPI’s backyard, with big names like AbbVie, Bristol Meyers Squibb, Insulet, UMass Chan Medical School, and more carving out a foothold in Worcester County. Meet with those and other potential employers.  Check out Catalyst – WPI Graduate and Professional Studies Blog. Catalyst offers practical tips, professional development tools, and discussions of hot topics in STEM with insights direct from WPI's labs, researchers, and industry experts. Career and Professional Development Grad Student Training and Readiness Sessions (STARS)  Grad Alumni/Career Panel March 21. 12-1 PM via Zoom. The panel session will feature several WPI graduate alumni, both Masters and PhDs, and will cover their career paths and provide advice on career advancement. Registration required.   WPI students are invited to participate in WPI’s 17th Annual Sustainability Project Showcase, hosted by the Office of Sustainability and Gordon Library! Submissions are open to any student project that tackles a sustainability-related problem, local or global, with consideration to at least one of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Registration opens on March 17th. Find key dates here.  2025 NextProf Nexus Future Faculty Workshop September 8 – 11, 2025 This 3-day workshop is intended for senior-level Ph.D. candidates, postdoctoral researchers, and early career scientists or researchers in the field of Engineering. This preeminent event is designed to give participants the opportunity to explore and prepare for a faculty position in academia.   Social, Community, and Wellness Activities  Graduate Student Health & Wellness Series: Financial Wellness March 18 4pm – 5pm Unity Hall 420 Join the Office of Financial Aid for a workshop to enhance your financial wellness and provide you resources that will support you with items like protecting yourself from identity theft, buying a home, and building up your credit. Refreshments will be served. Please register here.  Energizing Meditations April 8 12pm – 1pm Salisbury Labs Feeling the weight of the semester?  Tired? Tough to get motivated? Learn Energizing Meditation practices that will help revive you. Lunch will be served. Please register here.  March Wellness Day – March 31, 2025 11am – 12pm: Start your Herb Garden- From Seed to Table, location TBD.  Come to pot cilantro, mint or basil.  Register here. 3pm – 4pm: Graduate Online Meditation Session – Join other Graduate Students to engage in a short meditation practice followed by a time to meet fellow graduate students. Register here.   Registration is still open for D-term Graduate Student ProjectConnect! ProjectConnect is a fun, 6-session peer-led program to help you build community on campus. Questions can be sent to cwb@wpi.edu  Registration is still Open for Intro to Mindfulness Meditation in D-Term MIEA Intro to Mindfulness is a four-week evidence-based mindfulness curriculum that runs Mondays, 4:45 to 6:00pm, Mar 17 to Apr 14 (skip Mar 31, wellness day).  Internships/Job Opportunities/Employer Info Sessions  Heebner Career Development Center Check out upcoming Talent Tabling: Chemtek on March 18th 9am – 2pm, Amazon, March 26th 9am – 3pm and City of Worcester Emergency Community Response Team, April 3rd 10am – 2pm.  How to Ace your Interview as a Master’s Student: A webinar by Beyond Graduate School March 19th 2pm – 2:30pm.  Whether you’ve already booked your first screening interview, or you’re wondering what to expect, this webinar will help you prepare for your first meeting with an employer.  WPI VIRTUAL CAREER FAIR – April 17th 12pm-4pm – Register on Handshake. EXPLORE THE INTERSECTION OF SCIENCE + INNOVATION - A Life Sciences Career Expo | Worcester Polytechnic Institute For current and aspiring scientists in the field, there’s no better place to advance your career than at the Life Sciences Expo. The life sciences industry is exploding in WPI’s backyard, with big names like AbbVie, Bristol Meyers Squibb, Insulet, UMass Chan Medical School, and more carving out a foothold in Worcester County. Meet with those and other potential employers.  Funding Opportunities and Competitions   Celdara Medical Fellowship: experiential learning opportunity for student and post doctoral researchers Entrepreneurial skills are critical for many high-impact careers, including academia, biotech, healthcare, private practice, investing, and consulting. Our fellowship program is a 1 day/week commitment for a period of 9 months. This is expected to be in addition to the participants’ current responsibilities in academic research. Interested applicants should submit a cover letter (2 page maximum) and their CV to chef@celdaramedical.com Sigma Xi Virtual Student Research Showcase March 30th – April 13th, 2025. Students compete for awards and recognition of outstanding virtual research presentations. Learn more here.  Search Graduate and Postdoc Funding Opportunities at the UCLA GRAPES Database. Over 625 scholarships and fellowships listed.  Volunteer and Community Service Opportunities Volunteer for WOMEN in STEM DAY We are excited to announce the 3rd Women in STEM Day will take place at WPI on Saturday, March 29!  We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help make the day a success as we inspire the next generation of young women in STEM through hands-on workshops, inspirational conversations, and a team design challenge! Volunteer here or contact nmanterni@wpi.edu with any questions! Highlighted Resources  Resources If You’re Facing Difficulties  Sometimes an unforeseen situation arises, and you need some emergency help. WPI has a few resources that can assist you in times of need.  Hull Loan Fund Immediate short-term loan for emergencies and unforeseen situations. The loans are generally $25-$300, 0% interest, and expected to be repaid in 30 days.  Emergency Assistance Fund This grant fund can help provide support up to $1,000 for unforeseen medical bills, expenses, or other hardships. The application is available on the Dean of Students’ website.  Food Insecurity If you are experiencing hunger issues or food insecurity, reach out to the Dean of Students Office for help. They can offer you both short-term and long-term solutions.  Contact the Dean of Students Office staff at dean_of_students@wpi.edu for additional information

Come join us on Wednesday, 3/19 at 2:00PM ET for our webinar, Information Security Journey. It is about how members of WPI's Information Security team arrived in their roles. Plenty of time to ask questions, or submit in advance at registration! Please register on this Microsoft Form to receive the Zoom link. For more information about cybersecurity careers, check out SECURE IT - March 2025.

Applications for Undergraduate Awards Kranich & Two Towers awards are due on Friday, March 21st. Don't miss out on the opportunity to be recognized for your outstanding work. If you have additional questions, please contact undergradstudies@wpi.edu.