The WPI Podcast

In this episode of The WPI Podcast, we explore how a group of Worcester Polytechnic Institute students are making a global impact and connections with a community in Ecuador. As part of a multiple-year project, WPI’s student chapter of Engineers Without Borders USA spent a week in May 2025 working with residents in Shungubug Grande to upgrade their aging water system and address water quality...

In this episode, we sit down with WPI’s Athletic Director to explore what it really means to be a student-athlete at one of the nation’s top STEM universities. With college sports making headlines nationwide, we take a closer look at the Division III experience at WPI — where academics come first, teamwork is essential, and the lessons learned on the field connect directly to WPI’s project-based l...

In this episode of The WPI Podcast, Erin Solovey, associate professor in the Department of Computer Science, introduces the concept of “thinking with AI,” a vision of human-centered intelligent systems designed as collaborative partners that enhance decision-making and creativity. She also discusses her research that seeks to make technology more intuitive and responsive. Solovey’s work lies...

Chronic pain affects millions of Americans and too often leads to dependence on opioids for relief. But what if doctors could predict, before writing a prescription, whether a patient would respond better to non-drug therapies like meditation? This episode explores groundbreaking research at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) that combines neuroscience, data science, and artificial intelligence...

Meet a WPI alum who first visited campus in middle school and keeps coming back! In this episode of The WPI Podcast, Em Beeler ’22 discusses her journey to becoming a high school math teacher in Worcester and how her story is deeply intertwined with the university. From early exposure to math and science at WPI and a career-shaping opportunity to join WPI’s Teacher Preparation Progr...

WPI’s new Explosion Protection Engineering program—the first of its kind in the U.S.—is training the next generation of engineers to tackle one of today’s most urgent safety challenges: explosions. In this episode, hear from a student and faculty member about how the program, created in part by Fire Protection Engineering professor Ali Rangwala, blends disciplines and real-world problem solving to...

The future of money isn’t minted, it’s coded—and every time you deposit a check on your phone or send money via an app, you’re actively using financial technology or "fintech." On this episode of The WPI Podcast, Kwamie Dunbar, Interim Dean of The WPI Business School and Professor of Finance, walks us through blockchain, cryptocurrency, and how artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping the...

Rest is often overlooked in the race for academic achievement, but science shows it may be one of the most powerful tools for success. This podcast explores the vital role rest plays in learning, creativity, focus, and long-term well-being. We dive into the ways sleep, downtime, and intentional pauses can boost memory, sharpen problem-solving skills, and prevent burnout. Whether it’s power naps, d...

Researchers across departments at WPI are studying how wildfires start, spread, and impact communities. In this episode of The WPI Podcast, Nan (Nancy) Ma, assistant professor, and Rachel Hurley, PhD candidate, both in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering, discuss their work to understand the impacts of wildfire smoke on indoor environments. Ma studies the effects...

From perfectly coordinated Pinterest boards to last-minute duffel bag packers, this episode dives into the highs, lows, and hilarious moments of living on campus. The director of WPI’s housing and residential experience center shares insider tips, real-life stories, and advice for students and parents navigating the exciting new world of college housing.

Researchers across departments at WPI are studying how wildfires start, spread, and impact communities. In this episode of The WPI Podcast, James Urban, assistant professor in the Department of Fire Protection Engineering, and Albert Simeoni, professor and head of the Department of Fire Protection Engineering, discuss their research on fire behavior and how they’re working to share the knowledge g...

Discover 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.

The emerging field of climate robotics is bringing together researchers, industry, and government partners to develop technological solutions to challenges that include environmental monitoring, disaster response and mitigation, and climate adaptation.  In this episode of The WPI Podcast, Berk Calli, an associate professor in the Robotics Engineering Department, discusses WPI research project...

In this episode, we explore how music and technology come together in powerful and unexpected ways at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Our guest, Professor Frederick Bianchi, is a world-renowned expert in music technology and a pioneer in virtual performance environments. He shares how WPI’s innovative programs in both music and music technology challenge traditional boundaries and prepare student...

At WPI, the “S” in STEM sometimes stands for Shakespeare! In this episode, we’re diving into how the Bard’s brilliant wordplay, unforgettable characters, and big ideas connect with the same curiosity and creativity that drive science, tech, engineering, and math.

For Fatimah Daffaie ’25, the path to studying at Worcester Polytechnic Institute involved early years living in Iraq, exposure to engineering while in high school in Worcester, and a pre-collegiate experience on the WPI campus.  In this episode of The WPI Podcast, Daffaie shares her experience as a biomedical engineering student, including how she completed both her bachelor’s and master’s de...

Infamous for being a “weed-out” course in college, organic chemistry is so hard it can scare off students from pursuing careers in medicine, biology, materials science, and dentistry. In this episode of The WPI Podcast, Anita Mattson, professor of chemistry and biochemistry, talks about a new series of graphic novels she created with United Kingdom-based illustrator Anton Brand to help students na...

This academic year, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) is celebrating 50 years of the Global Projects Program. Through the program, students conduct academic and research projects off campus at more than 50 WPI project centers on six continents for entire terms at a time. In this episode of The WPI Podcast, the co-directors of WPI’s Melbourne, Australia, Project Center share their experience an...

In this episode, we highlight Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s Sustainable Career Mentorship Program that gives students who are interested in sustainability an opportunity to connect one-on-one with professionals working in green jobs or sustainable fields. Guest Elisabeth “Lisa” Stoddard, one of the program organizers, is an associate professor of teaching of environmental and sustainability st...

WPI’s special Charles Dickens collections are an unlikely niche at an institution better known for robotics, computer science, and engineering. The Daniel and Alice Ryan Collection, The Robert D. Fellman Collection, the Fred Guida Audio/Visual Collection of Charles Dickens and other donations have helped WPI establish itself as a vital source of information about the towering 19th century literary...

Richard Lopez, assistant professor of neuroscience and psychology in the Department of Social Science and Policy Studies at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), explains that social interaction, learning things over time, and even confusion and failure are all crucial processes that need to be practiced and preserved as we enter a new age of artificial intelligence. Listen to the conversation; y...

Erica Brozovsky, assistant teaching professor in the Department of Humanities & Arts at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), helps listeners explore the history of words and the unique factors that determine how people speak the way they do. Brozovsky is a sociolinguist who teaches writing and rhetoric. Listen to hear the conversation, or read the transcript.

Kenny Ching, assistant professor at The Business School at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), recently had two papers published in “Organization Science” and “Research Policy.” One explores the dynamics of whether competitors can actually make good teammates; the other looks into what makes a product ripe for counterfeiting, and how companies can adapt. Ching sat down recently to talk about bo...