Worcester Polytechnic Institute has awarded promotions and/or tenure to 33 full-time faculty members in recognition of their exemplary teaching, research, and service to the WPI community. All promotions and awards of tenure take effect July 1, 2025.
“I am delighted to congratulate the talented faculty members who have been promoted and awarded tenure this year,” said Andrew Sears, WPI provost. “These faculty are being recognized for the outstanding contributions they have made through their teaching, advising, research, and scholarship. They are excellent teachers, internationally recognized scholars, and respected representatives of the WPI community.”
Among those recognized for their achievements are 21 faculty members who have been awarded tenure. Sixteen faculty members were awarded tenure for their achievements in both teaching and research. Six other professors were awarded tenure through the university’s innovative tenure track for faculty who focus on excellence in teaching. WPI launched the tenure track for teaching faculty in 2021 and first awarded tenure to teaching faculty members in 2024.
The following awards and promotions were announced:
Sakthikumar Ambady was promoted to teaching professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering.
Scott Barton was promoted to professor in the Department of Humanities and Arts.
John Blandino was promoted to professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering.
Joseph Cullon, professor of teaching in the Department of Humanities and Arts, was awarded tenure.
Holger Droessler was awarded tenure and promoted to associate professor in the Department of Humanities and Arts.
Wen-Hua Du, associate professor of teaching in the Department of Humanities and Arts, was awarded tenure.
Kwamie Dunbar was promoted to professor in The Business School.
Michael Engling was promoted to associate teaching professor in the Department of Computer Science.
Natalie Farny was awarded tenure and promoted to associate professor in the Department of Biology and Biotechnology.
Loris Fichera was awarded tenure and promoted to associate professor in the Department of Robotics Engineering.
John Galante, associate professor of teaching in the Department of Humanities and Arts, was awarded tenure.
Edward Gutierrez was awarded tenure and promoted to associate professor in the Interactive Media and Game Development program and the Department of Humanities and Arts.
Jagannath Jayachandran was awarded tenure and promoted to associate professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering.
Snehalata Kadam was promoted to associate teaching professor in the Department of Physics.
Renata Konrad was promoted to professor in The Business School.
Nima Kordzadeh was awarded tenure and promoted to associate professor in The Business School.
Zhi (Jane) Li was awarded tenure and promoted to associate professor in the Department of Robotics Engineering.
Oren Mangoubi was awarded tenure and promoted to associate professor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences.
V.J. Manzo was promoted to professor in the Department of Humanities and Arts.
Kate McIntyre was awarded tenure and promoted to associate professor in the Department of Humanities and Arts.
Rodica Neamtu, professor of teaching in the Department of Computer Science, was awarded tenure.
Adam Powell IV, associate professor in the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, was awarded tenure.
Angela Incollingo Rodriguez was awarded tenure and promoted to associate professor in the Department of Social Science and Policy Studies.
Joshua Rohde, associate professor of teaching in the Department of Humanities and Arts, was awarded tenure.
Derren Rosbach, associate professor of teaching in the Department of Integrative and Global Studies, was awarded tenure.
John Sanbonmatsu was promoted to professor in the Department of Humanities and Arts.
Anthony Spangenberger was promoted to associate research professor in the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering.
Sarah Stanlick was awarded tenure and promoted to associate professor in the Department of Integrative and Global Studies.
Seth Tuler, associate professor in the Department of Integrative and Global Studies, was awarded tenure.
Steven Van Dessel was promoted to professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering.
Catherine Whittington was awarded tenure and promoted to associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering.
Sarah Jane Wodin-Schwartz was promoted to professor of teaching in the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering.
Ziming Zhang was awarded tenure and promoted to associate professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
More from WPI Youtube Channel
- 3:28WPI Researchers Develop Cleaner, Scalable Process to Recycle Lithium-Ion BatteriesResearchers Develop Cleaner, Scalable Process to Recycle Lithium-Ion Batteries. Findings published in prominent international journal In a major step forward for sustainable energy technology, researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), led by Professor Yan Wang, William B. Smith Professor of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, have developed a new, scalable method to recycle lithium-ion batteries in a way that is both efficient and environmentally friendly.The team’s research, titled Upcycling Mixed Spent Ni-Lean Cathodes into Ni-Rich Polycrystalline Cathodes, was recently published in Energy Storage Materials, a multidisciplinary peer-reviewed journal focused on the topics of materials and energy. The paper details an innovative hydrometallurgical upcycling approach that offers both environmental and performance advantages over traditional recycling methods.The process specifically targets spent mixed nickel-lean (Ni-lean) cathode materials, which are commonly found in used lithium-ion batteries. Traditional recycling methods struggle to recover these materials effectively and often rely on energy-intensive processes that produce lower-value outputs. In contrast, Wang’s approach recovers more than 92% of critical metals—nickel, cobalt, and manganese—and turns them into high-performance cathode powders.Testing shows that batteries made with these recycled materials perform on par with those made from virgin materials, retaining 88% of their capacity after 500 charge cycles and over 85% capacity after 900 cycles in commercial-scale pouch cells. The new process also uses 8.6% less energy than conventional hydrometallurgical methods and significantly reduces carbon emissions—by 13.9% when compared with traditional recycling, slightly more than with direct upcycling.“This work not only addresses the environmental challenges of battery waste but also helps reduce our dependence on mining for critical materials,” said Wang. “We’ve shown that it’s possible to create high-performance batteries from recycled materials at scale, which is essential for building a more sustainable and resilient battery supply chain.”This innovation directly tackles two major challenges: the growing volume of battery waste and the global demand for critical materials used in electric vehicles and other clean energy technologies. With industry and policymakers focused on sustainable solutions, this advancement could play a key role in building a more circular and climate-conscious battery economy.
- 22:54E12: Advancing Advanced Manufacturing | Associate Professor Danielle CoteDiscover how WPI's industrial legacy is fueling the future of advanced manufacturing. In this episode, a WPI materials science professor breaks down how cutting-edge tech—from AI to sustainable materials—is transforming the way we make things. Whether you're a curious listener or a future innovator, tune in to explore part of the next industrial revolution.
- 13:39Ep. 10 - Student Stories - John KenneyJoin the WPI Business School conversation with FinTech student, junior John Kenney. In this episode, John shares how he landed at WPI from California, his insight into FinTech topics like blockchain and cryptocurrencies, getting involved on campus, and the upcoming student investment fund.
- 0:24What is Class of 2029 Most Excited For?🎤 We asked our incoming students: What are you most excited about for your first year here?Their answers are giving us ALL the feels!Welcome to the family, future goats!#WPI2029
- 0:12Could your story inspire the next generation of WPI students?Current student and alumni: your story could inspire the next generation of WPI students. Where did you land your first job/internship? How did WPI prepare you?
- 1:13AK, UH, and MQP... oh my!Don't stress, Class of 2029... you'll be pros at WPI's acronyms in no time!
