Next 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

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

Your 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  

We 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!” 

September 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.  

Honoring Culture. Celebrating Legacy. Uplifting Voices.  Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) proudly celebrates Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month 2025 from September 15 to October 15, a national observance honoring the vibrant histories, rich cultures, and vital contributions of communities with roots in Latin America and Spain. This month, we reflect on and appreciate the diversity of Hispanic and Latinx experiences. At WPI, we highlight the narratives and accomplishments that continue to shape innovation, community, politics, art, and science. Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month offers a chance to consider how history, identity, and resiliency intersect. The experiences of Hispanic and Latinx people are multifaceted and varied, ranging from Indigenous customs to current campaigns for justice and equity. By listening to these stories, we pay tribute to both the past and the current initiatives that are forming a more inventive and inclusive future. Our university's academic and social fabric is enhanced by the Hispanic and Latinx faculty, staff, and students who provide insightful approaches to engineering, science, technology, and the arts. This month serves as a reminder that multicultural communities foster innovation, increase scientific understanding, and build more inclusive campuses.    Why September 15 to October 15? The celebration begins mid-September to honor the Latin American countries who declared independence from Spain on September 15, 1821: Costa Rica  El Salvador  Guatemala  Honduras  Nicaragua  The month-long observance began as a week in 1968 (thanks to CA Rep. George E. Brown) and was officially expanded in 1989 by President George H. W. Bush.  “We must preserve our culture and celebrate our differences, for in diversity lies strength and creativity.” — Ellen Ochoa, astronaut and first Hispanic woman in space  STEM Scholar Spotlights We honor trailblazing Hispanic and Latinx individuals in science and technology:  Pedro Alonso – Spanish physician and epidemiologist, former Director of the WHO Global Malaria Programme. Severo Ochoa – Spanish-American biochemist, Nobel Prize in Physiology/Medicine (1959) for his work on RNA synthesis. Antonia Novello  – First woman and first Hispanic U.S. Surgeon General; physician and public health leader. Luis Alvarez – Nobel Prize-winning physicist and inventor. France Córdova – Astrophysicist and first Latina NASA Center Director Ellen Ochoa – First Hispanic woman in space, engineer and former Johnson Space Center director Mario Molina – Chemist and Nobel Laureate for his work on the ozone layer    Explore, Read, Watch, Listen Explore National Hispanic Heritage Month online    Listen to the Latinos Out Loud Podcast   Watch “La Misma Luna” (2007, Mexican American Drama)  Listen to Yo Más Te Adoro by Morat  Explore PBS Hispanic Heritage Month Documentary collection  Explore the New Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Latino  Read  Our Voices, Our Images: A Celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month by the Inter-American Development Bank Read “National Hispanic Heritage Month Q&A” written by Insight Staff, Insight into Diversity  Read The U.S. Hispanic Manifesto by The Hispanic Star  Explore Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month through WGBH and WORLD Channel  Watch Hispanic Heritage Month Movies  Watch The Latino List: Volume 1 and 2 online via Gordon Library, directed by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders  Watch Retablo online via TubiTV, directed by Alvaro Delgado-Aparicio, written by Alvaro Delgado-Aparicio and Hector Galvez, produced by Enid Campos, Alvaro Delgado-Aparicio, Lasse Scharpen, and Menno Döring, (Lima, Peru: Siri Producciones, Catch of the Day Films, DHF, 2017), 95 minutes  Listen to the Level Up Latina Podcast  Listen to the Latinx On The Rise Podcast  Listen to the Alt Latino Podcast     Take Action Support the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute   Support the TransLatin@ Coalition   Register to Vote -OR- Check Your Voter Registration   Everything you need to vote. Vote.org   Become a Poll Worker      ODIME Logo The Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Multicultural Education (ODIME) promotes and oversees student-facing learning experiences, programs, services, trainings, and initiatives for WPI.