New Leadership for WPI's Archives & Special Collections
We 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
We 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
Latest Announcements - Talent & Inclusion
- 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
- 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!”
- WPI Biomedical Engineering’s Dr. Kristen Billiar Named Fellow of the American Heart AssociationSeptember 2025, by Victoria Yakes '27 The Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) Department of Biomedical Engineering celebrates Professor Kristen Billiar, Ph.D., on his election as a Fellow of the American Heart Association (FAHA) by the Council on Basic Cardiovascular Sciences (BCVS). The FAHA designation honors premium professional members of the AHA who have demonstrated excellence, innovation, and sustained contribution in the areas of scholarship, education, and volunteer service. Billiar joined the WPI faculty in 2002 after receiving his PhD in Bioengineering at the University of Pennsylvania and working as a staff engineer. Previously named John Woodman Higgens Professor of Biomedical Engineering and the former Head of the WPI Department of Biomedical Engineering, Billiar now focuses on education and student engagement. He currently teaches biomechanics courses at all levels, sharing his passion for biology and engineering with students. Beyond the classroom, Prof. Billiar leads the Tissue Mechanics and Mechanobiology laboratory at WPI, which strives to understand how mechanical forces affect the body’s soft tissue cells. During exercise, the soft tissues of the body are subjected to forces from adjacent muscles, blood vessels, and digestive organs. Understanding how cells interpret these forces will aid in the development of treatments for a multitude of diseases, including cardiovascular disease. The Billiar laboratory embodies a strong commitment to hands-on learning and research excellence. The laboratory hosts dedicated doctoral, master’s, and undergraduate students, offering meaningful research and development opportunities at every academic level. Together, the lab pushes the boundaries of scientific innovation, uncovering new insights into the mechanics of the body and paving the way for biomedical breakthroughs such as developing functional microtissue models, studying heart valve cell mechanics, and modifying microfluidic devices. Professor Billiar’s election as a fellow not only reflects his individual achievements but also highlights his dedication to the quality work conducted at WPI in the fields of cardiovascular science, biomechanics, and biomedical engineering education.