The WPI Podcast

Sending a student to college is an exciting milestone, but it also comes with plenty of questions. How involved should parents be? When should they step in, and when should they step back? In this episode, WPI's Dean of Students shares practical advice on supporting college students through academic challenges, independence, well-being, and everything in between. Whether you're preparing for move-...

Can artificial intelligence help create better public policy and stronger communities? In this episode, WPI professors Rob Krueger and Lane Harrison discuss how AI is transforming social science research and providing policymakers with new tools to better understand complex societal challenges. The conversation also explores Poverty Stoplight, an innovative initiative that empowers families to ass...

In this episode of The WPI Podcast, we explore ways that students who are getting ready to start college, at any institution, can manage the transition so they’re prepared to succeed academically.   Paul Reilly, assistant dean of student success, and Raghavan Rajkumar, an undergraduate student in computer science and data science and a former summer transition assistant, share practical...

In this episode of The WPI Podcast, we explore how communities can better prepare for hurricanes and their long-term effects. Sarah Molinari, assistant teaching professor in the Department of Integrative and Global Studies, discusses lessons learned from damaging storms in modern Caribbean history. The conversation highlights examples of grassroots preparedness and response strategies, the challen...

In this episode of The WPI Podcast, we speak with Paula Gibbons ’26, ahead of her upcoming graduation, about her experiences in classrooms, labs, academic projects, student organization activities, performance spaces, research settings, and more as a student at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Gibbons, a lifelong Worcester resident who is majoring in biomedical engineering and minoring in biology,...

In this episode of The WPI Podcast, we explore why video, images, and other content generated by artificial intelligence seems to be everywhere on social media. Rodica Neamtu, professor of teaching in the Department of Computer Science, explains how AI-generated content is easily produced and distributed and why it can be difficult to distinguish it from human-generated content. She discusses the...

In this episode of The WPI Podcast, we explore common running injuries and the engineering research aimed at predicting or preventing them. Karen Troy, the John Woodman Higgins Professor in Engineering and head of the Department of Biomedical Engineering, explains her research that examines bone stress injuries and the role of biomechanics and physiology in bone health and injury. Troy’s research...

On this episode of The WPI Podcast, WPI’s Director of the Heebner Career Development Center, Amanda Laungani, unpacks how today’s students—and WPI alumni—can thrive in a job market transformed by AI and rapid technological change. She explains how the entry level is evolving—and how WPI equips students with the human and technical skills employers now demand. Listeners get an inside look at how WP...

In this episode of The WPI Podcast, we explore how K–12 robotics programs are igniting a passion for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics by giving students hands-on opportunities to design, build, and problem-solve in real time.  This conversation with Colleen Shaver, the director of the Robotics Resource Center at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, highlights how the university s...

In this episode of The WPI Podcast, we celebrate 100 years since the “Father of Modern Rocketry,” Robert Goddard (Class of 1908), conducted the first successful launch of a liquid-fueled rocket, a development that opened the door to space exploration.  Nikolaos Gatsonis, professor and head of the Department of Aerospace Engineering, and John Blandino, professor in the Department of Aerospace...

Step inside engineering education in action with Dean on the Scene, featuring Daniel Linzell, the Bernard M. Gordon Dean of Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Instead of a traditional studio interview, this episode takes listeners on a walking tour across campus—through labs, collaborative spaces, and student project environments—offering a firsthand look at how ideas become real-worl...

In this episode of The WPI Podcast, we explore NASCAR racing from an engineer’s perspective.  Phil Surgen, director of technology for Trackhouse Racing, former crew chief for NASCAR Cup Series driver Ross Chastain, and a 2004 Worcester Polytechnic Institute mechanical engineering graduate, discusses the role of engineering, technology, and teamwork in competing at the highest level of stock c...

In this episode of The WPI Podcast, we explore the role of engineering in safe skiing and ski racing, and design improvements in athletic equipment that could help prevent ACL injuries, which are common in skiing and other sports.  Christopher Brown, professor in the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, director of WPI’s sports engineering laboratory, former collegiate All-Amer...

In this episode of The WPI Podcast, we explore the launch of Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s new Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence—why the demand for specialized AI talent is accelerating, what makes WPI’s approach distinctive, and how the program prepares students to apply AI across disciplines and industries. Featuring faculty leaders behind the degree’s design, the conversation h...

In this episode of The WPI Podcast, we explore why sticking with your money goals is harder than it seems. Alexander Smith, associate professor in the Department of Social Science and Policy Studies, explains how personal finance is deeply influenced by behavioral economics, or the psychology of decision-making. He describes how emotions and a focus on short-term goals can make it hard to follow a...

In this episode of The WPI Podcast, Purvi Shah, associate professor in The Business School, explains the marketing strategies behind what you’re seeing in stores and online during the holidays. From advertising and early-season deals to nostalgia and artificial intelligence, the holidays provide a master class in marketing. Understanding it all can make you an empowered shopper with knowledge...

Have you ever wondered if a gift you gave someone was something they wanted and actually would use? Have you felt the joy of receiving a gift that showed the giver really cares about and knows you? There’s a lot of emotion around gift giving and, thankfully, there’s research about it as well. In this episode of The WPI Podcast, Farnoush Reshadi, assistant professor in The Business School, dis...

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...