Four Local Students at WPI Complete Research Projects

JERSEY BOYS STATE...Martin Wallberg Post No. 3 of the American Legion in Westfield sent 10 boys to American Legion Jersey Boys State, which took place June 16 to 21. A civics conference teaching “Americanism,” Boys State exists in 49 states. The young men set up a mock local city, county and state government and are assigned to a political party upon arriving for check-in at Rider University campus. It ends with the election of a Boys State Governor and two Senators who go on to American Legion Boys Nation in Washington, D.C. in August. Pictured, from left to right, are: Front row, Jack Ford, co-chairman; Francesco Logrippo, Matthew Sidun, Jimmy Donnelly and Corey Bartley; and second row, Rob Whitehead, assistant; Charlie Magistro, Brody Henderson, Max Hendrix, Jack Garguilo, Carson Donnelly and Shawn Mullen, co-chairman. Not pictured is Connor West.

Community

July 4, 2024

WORCESTER, Mass. — Four local students were among team members who recently completed intensive research projects at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). All undergraduates are required to complete a researchdriven, professional-level project that applies science and technology that addresses an important societal need or issue. The students included the following: Andrew Cunningham of Westfield, class of 2025, majoring in Mechanical Engineering, was part of a project titled The Implementation of the XRP Curriculum in Paraguay.

Joshua Garcia of Fanwood, class of 2025, majoring in Aerospace Engineering, was part of a project titled Agricultural Tool and Process Assessment.

Zachary Kaplan of Westfield, class of 2025, majoring in Robotics Engineering, was part of a project titled Designing a Regional Ecotourism Development Plan.

Justin Shen of Westfield, class of 2025, majoring in Aerospace Engineering and Physics, was part of a project titled Agricultural Tool and Process Assessment.

About two-thirds of students complete a project at one of the university’s 50-plus off-campus project centers, which are located around the world. A signature element of the innovative undergraduate experience at WPI, the project-based curriculum offers students the opportunity to apply their scientific and technical knowledge to develop thoughtful solutions to real problems that affect the quality of people’s lives — and make a difference before they graduate.

“The WPI project-based curriculum’s focus on global studies brings students out of the classroom and their comfort zones and into the global community to apply their knowledge and to solve problems,” said Professor Kent Rissmiller, professor of Integrative and Global Studies and associate dean of The Global School. “Students are immersed in all aspects of a different culture, from the way people live and work to the values they hold to the foods they eat — all valuable perspectives for surviving and thriving in today’s global marketplace.”

WPI offers more than 70 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs across 18 academic departments in science, engineering, technology, business, the social sciences, and the humanities and arts. For more information, visit www.wpi.edu.