Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) is a private university located in
WorcesterWorcester is a city in the state of Massachusetts in the United States of America. Having a population of 172,648 in the 2000 census, Worcester is ranked the second or third largest city in New England. It is the county seat of Worcester County....
,
MassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. Most of its population of...
, in the United States.
Founded in 1865 in
WorcesterWorcester is a city in the state of Massachusetts in the United States of America. Having a population of 172,648 in the 2000 census, Worcester is ranked the second or third largest city in New England. It is the county seat of Worcester County....
, WPI was one of the nation's first engineering and technology universities. WPI's 14 academic departments offer more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science, engineering, technology, management, the social sciences, and the humanities and arts, leading to bachelor's, master's and PhD degrees. WPI's faculty works with students in a number of cutting-edge research areas, leading to breakthroughs and innovations in such fields as biotechnology, fuel cells, and information security, materials processing, and nanotechnology. Students have the opportunity to make a difference to communities and organizations around the world through the university's innovative Global Perspective Program. There are 25 WPI project centers throughout North America and Central America, Africa, Australia, Asia, and Europe.
History
Worcester Polytechnic Institute was founded in 1865 as the
Worcester CountyWorcester County is a non-governmental county located in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. The largest city and county seat is the city of Worcester. The population was 750,963 at the 2000 census.- Law and government :...
Free Institute of Industrial Science by John Boynton and
Ichabod WashburnIchabod Washburn was a church deacon and industrialist from Worcester County, Massachusetts, USA. His financial endowments led to the naming of Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas and the foundation of Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, Massachusetts.Washburn became an apprentice in...
, two prominent Worcester industrialists. Stephen Salisbury II,
Emory WashburnEmory Washburn was a United States political figure. Born in 1800 in Leicester, Massachusetts, Washburn was the Governor of Massachusetts from 1854 to 1855. He was elected as a member of the United States Whig Party defeating Henry W. Bishop and Henry Wilson with 46% of the vote...
, George Frisbee Hoar, Phillip Moen, Seth Sweetser, David Whitcomb, and Charles O. Thompson were also instrumental in the founding of the school. The collaboration between Boynton, who wanted to teach science, and Washburn, who wanted to teach vocational skills, led to the university's philosophy of "theory and practice." Funding and
land grantA land grant is a gift of real estate - land or privileges - made by a government or other authority as a reward for services to an individual, especially as rewards for military service...
s for the university were given by Stephen Salisbury II, who was an influential merchant and later served as the first president of the Institute's board of directors. Though Boynton died before the first class entered in 1868, and Washburn died shortly afterwards, their contributions to WPI in its infancy are memorialized by Boynton Hall and Washburn Shops, the first two buildings on the campus.
WPI was led in its early years by president and professor of chemistry Charles O. Thompson.
Early graduates of WPI went on to become mechanical and civil engineers, as well as artisans, bankers, and enter other prominent occupations. WPI continuously expanded its campus and programs throughout the early twentieth century, eventually including
graduate studiesA graduate school is a school that awards advanced academic degrees with the general requirement that students must have earned a previous undergraduate degree...
and a program in
electrical engineeringElectrical engineering, sometimes referred to as electrical and electronic engineering, is a field of engineering that deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after...
. During
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, WPI offered defense engineering courses and was selected as one of the colleges to direct the
V-12 Navy College Training ProgramThe V-12 Navy College Training Program was designed to supplement the force of commissioned officers in the United States Navy during World War II...
.
During this time, WPI suffered from the lack of a unified library system, well-maintained buildings, and national recognition. This changed under the leadership of president Harry P. Storke from 1962 to 1969. Storke brought significant change to the school in what would be known as the WPI Plan. The Plan called for the creation of three projects and drastically redesigned the curriculum to address how a student learns. The Storke administration also launched a capital campaign that resulted in the creation of the George C. Gordon Library, added residence halls, an auditorium, and a modern chemistry building. Furthermore, women were first allowed to enter WPI in February 1968. The WPI Plan is the guiding principle behind undergraduate education at the Institute today, and is arguably the most notable contribution WPI has made towards science and engineering education.
Today, WPI is primarily an undergraduate focused institution, though expansion of graduate and research programs is a long-term goal. The
WPI Bioengineering Institute is currently a significant contributor to Worcester's growing
biotechnologyBiotechnology is technology based on biology, agriculture, food science, and medicine. Modern use of the term usually refers to genetic engineering as well as cell- and tissue culture technologies...
industry. Significant research in other fields such as
metallurgyMetallurgy is a domain of materials science that studies the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements, their intermetallic compounds, and their mixtures, which are called alloys. It is also the technology of metals: the way in which science is applied to their practical use...
, untethered
health careHealth care , is the treatment and management of illness, and the preservation of health through services offered by the medical, dental, complementary and alternative medicine, pharmaceutical, clinical laboratory sciences , nursing, and allied health professions...
, fuel cells, the
learning sciencesThe term Learning Sciences refers to an interdisciplinary field that works to further scientific understanding of learning as well as to engage in the design and implementation of learning innovations...
,
applied mathematicsApplied mathematics is a branch of mathematics that concerns itself with the mathematical techniques typically used in the application of mathematical knowledge to other domains.-Divisions of applied mathematics:...
and
fire protectionFire protection is the study and practice of mitigating the unwanted effects of fires. It involves the study of the behaviour, compartmentalisation, suppression and investigation of fire and its related emergencies, as well as the research and development, production, testing and application of...
currently help establish WPI as an important, specialized research university.
Campus
WPI is an urban school with what some have called "a suburban feel." The main campus is not gated, but it is entirely WPI owned and no public roads cross this part of the school. WPI sits on Boynton Hill, which sets it apart from the surrounding neighborhood. Situated only one block away from "the Hill" (as it is often referred to) is a stretch of restaurants and stores on Highland Street. A Subway sandwich shop, Tech Pizza, Boomer's Pizza, Dragon Dynasty (Chinese cuisine) the Bean Counter (coffee shop), the Sole Proprietor (an upscale seafood restaurant), a consignment shop, Tortilla Sams (a Mexican restaurant), and the Boynton (a bar and grill) are all located there.
As a superstition, it is said that setting foot on the seal in the center of the quadrangle will prevent a student from graduating in four years. In the graduation ceremony, students walk around the seal to get to their seats but walk over the seal as they leave. Since the seal is relatively new, this rumor may have been deliberately circulated to potential freshmen to help reduce wear.
Once a laboratory for electromagnetic research, the "Skull tomb" was built entirely without ferrous metals. Several years after its construction, electrified trolley tracks were built in Worcester which led to the building's disuse. It served for a time as a site for Robert Goddard's rocket fuel research as the building is relatively isolated from other buildings on campus and Dr. Goddard's research had previously led to explosions on campus. Subsequent to the building earning its present nickname, "Skull" inherited the building. The building was reconditioned in 2004. The building contains three doors to gain entry and it contains three floors.
WPI boasts one of 35 civilian research
nuclear reactorA nuclear reactor is a device in which nuclear chain reactions are initiated, controlled, and sustained at a steady rate.The most significant use of nuclear reactors is as an energy source for the generation of electrical power and for the power in some ships...
s licensed to operate in the United States. It is the only nuclear reactor in
North AmericaNorth America is the northern continent of the Americas, situated in the Earth's northern hemisphere and in the western hemisphere. It is bordered on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southeast by the Caribbean Sea, and on the west by the North Pacific...
to be in a wood-framed building. The Nuclear Engineering program at WPI has been discontinued, and the reactor is not presently in use in any research.
The 'Two Towers' shown in old WPI logos show the clock tower of Boynton Hall and the arm and hammer weathervane of the Washburn Shops. The original weathervane was stolen in October 1975 and never recovered. Boynton and Washburn were the university's first buildings, housing the classrooms and laboratories, respectively. The Two Towers symbolize Theory and Practice, which are the foundation of the university and still the approach used today.
Academics
WPI offers a variety of majors in engineering, science, management, liberal arts, and social science at the undergraduate and graduate level. Unlike many peer universities, WPI currently does not combine related departments into colleges or schools.
WPI's schedule is also unusual compared to most universities. Instead of a normal semester, WPI uses 7-week terms, labeled A-D, with an optional E term in the summer. A term typically begins on the second to last Thursday in August, while D term is usually scheduled to end on the first Tuesday of May. Each term is claimed to be roughly equivalent to a third of a year at another university. Thus, students are able to complete a year's worth of Chemistry, Physics, and Math in only a semester and a half. This faster pace allows for more study (by a student's senior year, they have already completed a normal four-year course track, essentially giving them an "extra" year. The graduate student calendar follows a conventional two semester schedule.
WPI's student performance evaluation system uses grades A, B, or C. If a student were not to satisfactorily complete the course or they elect to drop the course, they would receive a No Record (NR). The NR designation is used since there is no differentiation between a dropped course or an unsuccessful attempt to complete it.
Project System
WPI's project-based curriculum makes it unique by requiring undergraduate students to complete a
Sufficiency in the Liberal Arts (or a
Technical Sufficiency for liberal arts majors), an
Interactive Qualifying Project (IQP) to study the social effects of
technologyTechnology is a broad concept that deals with human as well as other animal species' usage and knowledge of tools and crafts, and how it affects a species' ability to control and adapt to its environment...
with students from other disciplines, and a
Major Qualifying Project (MQP) within their own discipline. These projects are based on WPI's founding principle of theory alongside practice, though were introduced in the last 40 years. Usually, the Sufficiency, IQP, and MQP are completed in the sophomore, junior, and senior years, respectively. The MQP is similar to other schools' "senior thesis," while the IQP is a bit more unusual and sometimes difficult to explain on resumes.
Global Perspective Program
At WPI, the opportunity to complete significant project work off campus is an integral element of an academic program that emphasizes the practical application of knowledge to meaningful technical and societal problems. Through the Global Perspective Program, over 60% of WPI students complete at least one of their required projects at an off-campus
Project Center. Typically, students work under faculty guidance in small teams at Project Centers to address problems posed by external agencies and organizations.
Through the Global Perspective Program, WPI sends more engineering students abroad than any US college or university. As of the 2006-2007 academic year, the program included established Project Centers for society-technology projects (IQPs) in Worcester; Boston; Washington, DC; San Juan, Puerto Rico; San Jose, Costa Rica; Copenhagen, Denmark; London, England; Venice, Italy; Windhoek, Namibia; Bangkok, Thailand; Hong Kong, PRC; and Melbourne, Australia. Project Centers for senior design or research projects (MQPs) included MIT Lincoln Laboratory; Wall Street, New York; Silicon Valley; Gallo Wineries, California; Limerick, Ireland; Nancy, France; Budapest, Hungary; and Wuhan, PRC. Between 1974, when the first WPI Project Center was established in Washington, DC, and 2006, over 7000 students had completed over 2000 projects in locations around the globe.
The Global Perspective Program was cited by the Association of American Colleges and Universities in 2000, when it named WPI one of 16 Greater Expectations Leadership Institutions to serve as models for the future of undergraduate education in the United States.
Humanities Project
The Humanities Project, also known as a Sufficiency, is designed to assess well-roundedness in areas outside of technological knowledge. The project consists of five thematically-related courses in the humanities and arts (such as Western literature, musical composition, etc.), and culminates with a course-long independent project. This can be a variety of different things; recent Sufficiency projects include research into contemporary music history, a student giving a flute recital, original screenplays, and critiques of philosophy. Students interested in foreign languages often skip the project and take an additional course, though there are opportunities to do a project. Students who are majoring in a humanities and arts related field do a similar Sufficiency project in a science or engineering discipline.
The Humanities Project, or Sufficiency, was replaced by a new Humanities requirement starting with the class of 2011; current students have the option of either fulfilling the Sufficiency or the new requirement.
More information regarding the change could be found
here.
For more information regarding the Sufficiency, including a list of award-winning projects, visit
this page.
Interactive Qualifying Project
The Interactive Qualifying Project, or IQP, is described as a "project which relates technology and science to society or human needs." This project is very broad in scope, encompassing a wide variety of topics and actions. Generally, IQPs are designed to solve a societal problem using technology. This can range from improving high school science education to
redesigning an irrigation system in Thailand. This project is often done off-campus through WPI's Global Perspective Program. From an educational perspective, the IQP serves to emphasize team-based work and introduces a real-world responsibility absent from courses. Many IQPs have made a
significant impact on the community in which it is done. Recently there has been significant criticism of the IQP by students. Some students feel not being paid for doing significant pieces of work is violating their 13th amendment rights. This has resulted in WPI requiring students to sign a contract that students are "not being forced" to do the IQP.
Major Qualifying Project
The Major Qualifying Project, or MQP, assesses knowledge in a student's field of study. As mentioned above, this project is similar to a senior thesis, with students doing independent research or design. MQPs are often funded by either WPI or external corporations. Topics of MQPs done in the 05-06 academic year include a study of the effects of stress and nicotine on ADHD, the design of a research rocket, a mathematical viscoelastic cell motility model, experimental research of liquid crystals using atomic force microscopy, and the design of polymers for medicine delivery.
Rankings and reputation
In 2009, WPI's undergraduate program ranked #71 out of all doctoral universities according to US News and World Report.
WPI has also been named the 22nd "Most Connected Campus" by The Princeton Review for 2006. A recent ranking compiled by Forbes.com recognizing the “Top Colleges for Getting Rich” rated Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) ninth in the nation. WPI has been elected by the Association of American Colleges and Universities as one of 16 national Leadership Institutions that will define the future of liberal education. In the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), WPI was ranked No. 1 out of 33 doctoral-intensive universities for "student-faculty interactions," a measure of the quality and quantity of time faculty spend with undergraduate students.
WPI's innovative undergraduate program also enjoys a strong reputation among education officials; the New England Association of Schools and Colleges favorably commented on the Institute's dedication and unique approach to science and engineering education. Furthermore, WPI's emphasis on international education through the Global Perspective Program has received much acclaim, including awards such as the 2003 TIAA-CREF Theodore Hesburgh Certificate and inclusion in
NAFSA: Association of International EducatorsNAFSA: Association of International Educators is a non-profit professional organization whose members promote the exchange of students and scholars between universities worldwide. Members also encourage university faculty to include an international perspective in all curricula...
's list of fifteen universities to be used as models for internationalization.
Student life
WPI's student body stages a number of regular weekly events that students can enjoy. Some of them are listed below.
- Coffeehouse - SocComm's Coffeehouse committee brings local, regional, and national folk artists to Riley Commons every Tuesday night. While listening students can also enjoy hot drinks, snacks, table-top crayon drawing, board games and of course the weekly contest.
- Friday Night Gaming - An event sponsored by WPI's Science Fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction. It differs from fantasy in that, within the context of the story, its imaginary elements are largely possible within scientifically-established or scientifically-postulated laws of nature...
Society (SFS). The SFS has a stock of various board games in a library at the basement of Riley Hall. Every Friday (even during term breaks and summer vacation), these games are brought to the Octowedge (the lounge on the first floor of the Campus Center) so that students can play. It usually starts at 5-6 p.m. and can last to 2 or 3 a.m.
- Sunday Movies - Hosted by SocComm's Films committee. Every Sunday, a new film is shown on the WPI campus. The technical side of these movies is handled by LnL. WPI is one of the few universities capable of showing 70 mm movies.
- Tuesday Socials - Due to WPI's class scheduling, many students do not have many if any classes on Wednesday. This has made Tuesday a popular week night for social activity. Socials used to be held frequently at fraternity houses where student and friends would gather to relieve the stresses of the tough curriculum. These socials are being weeded out by an administration that believes these events are detrimental to the learning environment. These events are being replaced with a different type of Tuesday night social with the only similarity being the name. Now every week, the Social Dance Clubtakes over the Campus Center stage from 7:00pm to 12:00am. A variety of music is played for dancers to break out their crazy moves to Argentine tango, Salsa, Swing, and Discofox, among other dances. Socialization is promoted through the media of dance as well as conversation. Tea is a staple at Tuesday socials.
- WPI Genius! - The entrepreneurship group at WPI endeavors to create a safe place for students to discuss valuable intellectual property (IP) and collaborate to improve the overall viability of technology concepts. WPI Genius! is a branch of the national organization "Genius!".
- AIAA - a professional society for aerospace students.
In addition to regularly scheduled campus activities, WPI is host to a number of annual events. These events usually only attract students, though some events, such as Gaming Weekend and Quadfest, are large enough to draw in off-campus visitors. Some are listed below in order of occurrence.
- Gaming Weekend - A bi-annual three-day event hosted by the SFS that revolves around games of all sorts: board games, RPGs, video games, and even "Duck, Duck, Goose." It is the first major campus event of the year, usually taking place around Labor Day weekend. It is also held the first weekend of D term.
- Homecoming - sponsored by the Office of Alumni Relations, this fall event brings numerous alumni back to campus to celebrate the past, present, and future of the University.
- Greek Week - An annual week-long event that begins the week prior to homecoming. Each of the Greek houses compete in several events that include but are not limited to: Capture the flag, water balloon toss, talent show competition, and a float parade on the morning of homecoming.
- Penny Wars - Created and operated by Alpha Chi Rho
Alpha Chi Rho is a men's collegiate fraternity founded on June 4, 1895 at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut by the Reverend Paul Ziegler, his son Carl Ziegler, and Carl's friends William Rouse, Herbert T. Sherriff and William A.D. Eardeley. It is a charter member of the North-American...
, Penny Wars is an annual fund raiser where clubs and Greek organizations on campus compete to raise money for charity. The goal is to collect the most pennies, however, any money other than pennies counts against your score. Most of the money raised is from competing clubs offsetting the competition with dollars or larger denominations, since it all goes to charity.
- Costume! Dance! Party! - An annual event held by the WPI Game Development Club. The event falls near Halloween, and includes a costume contest, over 100 pounds of free candy, and many giveaways.
- Latin Dance Party - An annual dance held during New Student Orientation. This is a Social Dance Club kickoff event for freshman complete with Cuban Salsa lessons for beginners and 'experienced' dancers alike. It is SDC's way of welcoming new students and introducing them to the dance community on campus.
- Winter Carnival - Another event hosted by WPI's Social Committee (SocComm), this event is a week long grouping of smaller events, ending in a major event (such as a concert or a well known performer).
- Service Auction - Alpha Phi Omega
Alpha Phi Omega is the largest collegiate fraternity in the United States, with chapters at over 350 campuses, an active membership of approximately 17,000 students, and over 350,000 alumni members...
asks the students, faculty, and staff to donate services such as baking a pie, horseback riding, or building a sandcastle and then auctions them off to the student body and surrounding community. The person who donated the highest bid item then selects a charity where all of the raised funds are donated.
- Diya - An annual celebration of the Indian festival Diwali, hosted by WPI's India
India, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal...
n Student Organization (ISO). Diya usually features performances of Indian songs, Bollywood dances, skits, and other events signifying Indian culture, with Indian food served at dinner.
- Dragon Night - An annual celebration, generally meant to tie into Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year or Spring Festival is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. It is often called the Lunar New Year, especially by people in mainland China and Taiwan. The festival traditionally begins on the first day of the first month in the Chinese calendar and ends on the...
, hosted by WPI's ChineseChina is a cultural region, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
Student Association (CSA). Dragon Night usually features Chinese food, lion dancing, and other elements of Chinese culture.
- National Day of Silence - Every year, BiLaGa and other organizations lead an effort on campus for students to observe the National Day of Silence, an event created to raise awareness about those oppressed by various ideologies, such as bigotry
A bigot is a person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices.The correct use of the term requires the elements of obstinacy, irrationality, and animosity toward those of differing devotion....
and political correctnessPolitical correctness is a term denoting language, ideas, policies, and behavior seen as seeking to minimize social offense in gender, racial, cultural, handicap, and age-related usages...
.
- Quadfest - The largest event held on campus by the WPI Social Committee (SocComm). It takes place during the final week of the WPI school year. Events include musical acts, movies, and special booths created by WPI clubs and organizations. Information about past Quadfest events can be found in the QuadFest Archives.
- WPI Talent and NSBE Fashion Show - Beginning in 2007, the National Society of Black Engineers chapter combined their 7th annual Fashion Show and 3rd annual Talent Show into a single event. The Talent Show part gives every WPI student an opportunity to showcase their talent to each other, and the Fashion show is meant to promote professionalism and how to dress for success, tying into the core purpose of the NSBE.
- Wall of Sound - This event is hosted annually by the Lens and Lights Club. It consists of about 70,000 Watts worth of speakers blasting music over 120dB volumes. For the price of $1, students can get a song of their choice to be played. Proceeds benefit a local charity.
- Comedy Festival - A biennial comedy festival hosted by WPI's Student Comedy Productions (SCP) at the end of the academic year, first produced in 2002. A several-day event showcasing the comedic talents of college students both inside and outside WPI, the festival has featured the school's three comedy troupes; improv, sketch, and standup comedy troupes from around New England, and even the mesmerizing talents of Tufts University's mime troupe HYPE!
Thirty percent of the students participate in Greek Life. There are currently 12 fraternities and 3 sororities on campus.
http://www.wpi.edu/Admin/SAO/Greek/fratsandsors.html
Other opportunities at WPI
Since 1982 WPI has offered a summer-program for high school science & engineering students named
FrontiersFrontiers, hosted by Worcester Polytechnic Institute of Worcester, Massachusetts is a two-week research and learning experience geared toward students preparing to enter college. The program challenges students to explore the limits of knowledge in science, mathematics and engineering...
. Also, since 1997, WPI has offered a summer outreach program for girls entering the sixth grade, Camp REACH, to promote women in math & science.WPI participates in a collaborative effort with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the high schools of Massachusetts to support a school called the
Massachusetts Academy of Math and Science at WPILocated in Worcester, Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Academy of Math and Science at WPI was founded in 1992 by the Massachusetts State Legislature as a public school to serve academically advanced youth in grades eleven and twelve in math, science, and technology.The school emphasizes math and...
.Mass Academy is an 11th and 12th grade public high school for 100 academically accelerated youths. Juniors receive advanced high school classes at the academy building, with seniors taking the WPI freshman curriculum at the university. The program emphasizes math and science within a comprehensive, interactive program and is the only public school in Massachusetts whose students attend a university full time as seniors in high school.
Notable alumni
- Robert Goddard is WPI's best-known alumnus. Goddard graduated in 1908 and is widely regarded as the Father of Modern Rocketry.
- Richard T. Whitcomb, class of 1943, is an aeronautical engineer responsible for the "area rule
The Whitcomb area rule, also called the transonic area rule, is a design technique used to reduce an aircraft's drag at transonic and supersonic speeds, particularly between Mach 0.8 and 1.2...
" of high-speed aircraft design, the supercritical airfoilA supercritical airfoil is an airfoil designed, primarily, to delay the onset of wave drag in the transonic speed range. Supercritical airfoils are characterized by their flattened upper surface, highly cambered aft section, and greater leading edge radius as compared to traditional airfoil shapes...
, and winglets.
- Robert Stempel
Robert C. Stempel is a former Chairman and CEO of General Motors Corporation. He joined General Motors in 1958 as a design engineer at Oldsmobile and was key in the development of the front-wheel drive Toronado...
, inventor of the catalytic converterA catalytic converter is a device used to reduce the toxicity of emissions from an internal combustion engine. First widely introduced on series-production automobiles in the U.S. market for the 1975 model year to comply with tightening EPA regulations on auto exhaust, catalytic converters are...
and former Chairman and CEO of General Motors.
- Harold Stephen Black
Harold Stephen Black was an American electrical engineer, who revolutionized the field of applied electronics by inventing the negative feedback amplifier in 1927. To some, his invention is considered the most important breakthrough of the twentieth century in the field of electronics, since it...
, revolutionized electronics by inventing the negative feedback amplifier in 1927.
- John P. Casey, President of General Dynamics Electric Boat.
- Antonio M. Celia, CEO of Colombia's Promigas.
- Kotaro Shimomura
Kotaro Shimomura was a Japanese chemical engineer known for many famous inventions.- Early life and education :When about 12 years of age, he attended the Kumamoto Yogakko where American soldier Capt. L. L. James was engaged. In 1876, he was studying theology in Doshisha. He went to America in...
, chemical engineer. After graduating, he became president of Doshisha University, or is a private university in Kyoto, Japan. It has 24,000 students on three campuses, in faculties of theology, letters, law, commerce, economics, policy, and engineering. It also has graduate programs in American studies and policy and management...
and Osaka Gas, commonly written as 大阪ガス, is a Japanese gas company based out of Osaka, Japan. It supplies gas to the Kansai region, especially Keihanshin area.-Company Profile: , commonly written as 大阪ガス, is a Japanese gas company based out of Osaka, Japan...
Co., Ltd in Japan.
- Paul Allaire, previous CEO of Xerox
Xerox Corporation is a fortune 500 global document management company which manufactures and sells a range of color and black-and-white printers, multifunction systems, photo copiers, digital production printing presses, and related consulting services and supplies...
.
- David Gewirtz
David Allen Gewirtz is an American journalist and author who has written more than 700 articles about technology, competitiveness, and national security policy...
, CNN columnist, cyberterrorism advisor, and leading presidential scholar. He was also a candidate for the 2008 Pulitzer Prize in Letters.
- Mark Thomas, class of 2007, winner of $25,000 on the game show "Wheel of Fortune" (October, 2008)
- Burton Marsh, member of the Class of 1920 is credited with being America's first traffic engineer. The Institute of Transportation Engineers highest award is the Burton W. Marsh Award.
- Nancy Pimental
Nancy Marie Pimental is an American actress and screenwriter.-Biography:Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Pimental attended Somerset High School, graduating in 1983 and she graduated from the Worcester Polytechnic Institute with a degree in chemical engineering in 1987...
, who earned a Chemical EngineeringChemical engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with the application of physical science , and life sciences with mathematics, to the process of converting raw materials or chemicals into more useful or valuable forms...
degree, is one of the writers of South ParkSouth Park is an American animated sitcom created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become infamous for its crude, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
and the movie The Sweetest ThingThe Sweetest Thing is a 2002 comedy film directed by Roger Kumble and written by Nancy Pimental, who based the characters on herself and friend Kate Walsh...
. She also replaced Jimmy KimmelJames Christian "Jimmy" Kimmel is an American television host and comedian. He is the host of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, a late-night talk show that airs on ABC. Before that program, Kimmel was also well-known as co-host of Comedy Central's The Man Show...
as co-host of Win Ben Stein's MoneyWin Ben Stein's Money is an American television game show that ran from July 28, 1997 to January 31, 2003 on the Comedy Central cable network with unaired episodes and reruns airing until May 8, 2003. It featured three contestants who competed in a general knowledge quiz contest to win the grand...
. She is an alumna of Phi Sigma SigmaPhi Sigma Sigma , colloquially known as "Phi Sig," was the first collegiate nonsectarian fraternity, welcoming women of all faiths and backgrounds...
.
- Henry Davis, the first chairman of NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices in Burbank,California...
, graduated in 1880.
- Gilbert Vernam
Gilbert Sandford Vernam was a AT&T Bell Labs engineer who, in 1917, invented the stream cipher and later co-invented the one-time pad cipher. Vernam proposed a teletype cipher in which a previously-prepared key, kept on paper tape, is combined character by character with the plaintext message to...
, class of 1914, is credited with the dawn of modern cryptography.
- William Hobbs
William Herbert Hobbs, Ph.D. was an American geologist.He was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, and educated at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, at Johns Hopkins , and at Heidelberg ....
was a noted 19th century geologist.
- Elwood Haynes
Elwood P. Haynes was an American inventor, metallurgist, automotive pioneer, entrepreneur and industrialist. He invented the metal alloys stellite and martensitic stainless steel and designed one of the earliest automobiles in the United States...
, an early alumnus, was a prominent chemist and inventor and credited for aiding in the development of the automobile and the creation of stainless steel.
- Dan Itse
Daniel C. Itse, known as Dan Itse , is a conservative Republican member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives. A native of San Francisco, California, Itse is a professional engineer who resides in Fremont, New Hampshire...
, engineer, inventor, member of the New Hampshire House of RepresentativesThe New Hampshire House of Representatives is the lower house in the New Hampshire General Court. The House of Representatives consists of 400 members coming from 103 districts across the state, created from divisions of the state's counties. On average, each legislator represents about 3,000...
- W. Todd Akin, United States Representative from Missouri
Missouri is a state in the Midwest region of the United States bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. Missouri is the 18th most populous state with a 2008 estimated population of 5,911,605. It comprises 114 counties and one independent city....
(2001- )
- Curtis Carlson
Curtis R. Carlson is currently the president and CEO of SRI International and a prominent technologist.- Education and Research :...
, famous researcher into imaging systems and current president and CEO of SRI InternationalSRI International, founded as Stanford Research Institute, is one of the world's largest contract research institutes. Based in the United States, the trustees of Stanford University established it in 1946 as a center of innovation to support economic development in the region. It was later...
.
- Anup K. Ghosh
Dr. Anup K. Ghosh has served as a Senior Scientist and Program Manager in the Advanced Technology Office of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency where he creates and manages programs in information assurance and information operations. Dr...
, electrical engineer and computer scientist who was awarded the National Security AgencyThe National Security Agency/Central Security Service is a cryptologic intelligence agency of the United States government, administered as part of the United States Department of Defense. Created on November 4, 1952 by President Harry S...
's Frank Byron Rowlett AwardThe Frank Byron Rowlett Award is an award given by the National Security Agency to recognize outstanding organizational and individual excellence in the field of information systems security...
in 2005.
- Michael J. Dolan, current vice president of ExxonMobil Corporation and president of the ExxonMobil Chemical Company.
- Patrick T. Delahanty '95, one of the founders of Anime Boston
Anime Boston is an annual three-day anime fan convention held in the spring in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. The convention features a number of events which include a masquerade, an anime music video contest, video programming rooms, an artists' alley and art show, karaoke, game shows,...
, which is now one of the largest anime conventions in the nation. He was also a board member of the New England Anime SocietyThe New England Anime Society, Inc. is a Massachusetts-based 501 non-profit organization dedicated to furthering American understanding of Japanese language and culture through written and visual media. Founded in 2001, The New England Anime Society, Inc...
.
- John Woodman Higgins
John Woodman Higgins was an American businessman who was the founder and owner of the Worcester Pressed Steel Company...
, founder of Worcester Pressed Steel Company and of the Higgins Armory MuseumHiggins Armory Museum, located in Worcester, Massachusetts, housed in a steel Art Deco Building, is the sole museum in the Western Hemisphere devoted to arms and armour. The museum is a public, non-profit museum specializing in the history of arms and armor...
.
WPI is also known for its famous drop-outs:
- Dean Kamen
Dean L. Kamen is an American entrepreneur and inventor from New Hampshire.Born in Rockville Centre, New York, he attended Worcester Polytechnic Institute, but dropped out before graduating...
, who left the school without finishing his degree, invented the first portable insulin pumpThe insulin pump is a medical device used for the administration of insulin in the treatment of diabetes mellitus, also known as continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion therapy.The device includes:...
and started the company that invented the Segway Human Transporter;
- Atwater Kent, who dropped out twice in the 1890s, went on to found the Atwater Kent Manufacturing Company which was the world's leading producer of radios in the late 1920s (there is now a building on campus called the Atwater Kent Laboratories);
- John W. Geils Jr., who founded The J. Geils Band, attended for a few semesters in 1965.
- Daniel Robbins
Daniel Robbins is a software developer best known as the founder and former chief architect of the Gentoo Linux project.- Background :During his time as a system administrator at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque Robbins first came into contact with Linux...
, founder and former chief architect of the Gentoo LinuxGentoo Linux is a computer operating system built on top of the Linux kernel and based on the Portage package management system. It is distributed as free and open source software. Unlike a conventional software distribution, the user compiles the source code locally according to their chosen...
project.
For more information on notable alumni, please see:
the WPI Library's Online Exhibition of Distinguished Alumni or
The WPI International Corporate Leaders Roundtable.
Notable faculty
WPI has employed several professors whose achievements have made them notable across the nation and the world.
- In 1995, Biology professor David Adams
David S. Adams is a Professor of Biology at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. In 1995, he was the first person to successfully replicate Alzheimer's Disease in a mouse. His work in the field suggests that it was an over-abundance of protein production that causes the disease, as opposed to "twists"...
was the first to create a mouse who suffered from Alzheimers.
- Former History of Science and Technology professor Michael Sokal
Michael Sokal is a retired professor at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in the history of science. He is the current president of the History of Science Society....
is currently serving as the President of the History of Science SocietyThe History of Science Society is the primary professional society for the academic study of the history of science. It was founded in 1924 by George Sarton and Lawrence Joseph Henderson, primarily to support the publication of Isis, a journal of the history of science Sarton had started in 1912....
.
- Kaveh Pahlavan
Kaveh Pahlavan, born in 1951 in Tehran, is a Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, a Professor of Computer Science, and director of the Center for Wireless Information Network Studies, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts....
, professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and director of the Center for Wireless Information Network StudiesEstablished in 1985, The Center for Wireless Information Network Studies , Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts, is a compact wireless research laboratory with a successful history of research alliances with other industrial and academic groups...
(CWINS) who, during the 1990s, helped develop the 802.11 wireless protocols.
- Umberto Mosco, professor of mathematical sciences and eponym of Mosco convergence
In mathematics, Mosco convergence, named for the Italian mathematician Umberto Mosco, is a notion of convergence for functionals, useful in nonlinear analysis. It is closely related to the notion of Γ-convergence...
.
- George Phillies
George Phillies is a Libertarian Party activist and professor of physics at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. He resides in Worcester, Massachusetts. Phillies was the Libertarian Party candidate for Massachusetts' Third Congressional District in 1998. He finished third with 2,887 votes or 1.5% of...
, physics professor and 2008 Libertarian presidential candidate.
- Current Professor of Practice, James Lyneis, serves as the President of the System Dynamics Society
The System Dynamics Society is a not-for-profit organization based in Albany, New York, USA, whose mission is to further research into system dynamics and systems thinking.- Economics Chapter :...
. He is the third WPI faculty member to serve in this post, the other two being Michael J. Radzicki (SDS President 2006), and Khalid Saeed (SDS President 1995).
External links