Worcester Polytechnic Institute

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{{Infobox_University |name=Worcester Polytechnic Institute |image=Image:WPI logo.gif
|motto=Lehr und Kunst
(theory and practice) |established=1865 |type=Private |president=Dennis D. Berkey |city=Worcester |state=MA |country=USA |enrollment= |undergrad=2,770 |postgrad=1,040 |staff=341 |colors=Crimson & Gray |campus=Residential |free_label=Athletics |free=18 varsity teams |mascot= Goat |website=www.wpi.edu |footnotes=Logo is © Worcester Polytechnic Institute }}

For other "Worcester Colleges," see Worcester College (disambiguation).

Located in Worcester, Massachusetts, in the United States, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI, informally: "Worcester PolyTech") was founded in 1865 as the Worcester County Free Institute of Industrial Science by John Boynton and Ichabod Washburn (and Stephen Salisbury II, Emory Washburn, George Frisbee Hoar, Phillip Moen, Seth Sweetser, David Whitcomb, and Charles O. Thompson).

Today a science and engineering university, WPI has an enrollment of over 2,800 undergraduate students and over 1,400 full- and part-time graduate students.

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Academic system

Instead of a normal semester, WPI uses 7-week terms, labeled A-D. A term began on August 25th in 2005, while D term was scheduled to end May 2, 2006. 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 Chemisty, Physics, and math in only a semester and a half. This faster pace allows for more in-depth study (by a student's senior year, they have already completed a normal four-year course track, essentially giving them an "extra" year), but also is a source of stress among the student body. The graduate student calendar follows a conventional two semester schedule.

The grading system of WPI helps reduce the strain somewhat: students can only earn final grades of A, B, or C. Work that would normally be graded as D or F is simply labeled "No Record" (NR). NR's do not appear on a student's final transcript nor do they affect grade point average. So the minimum GPA a WPI student can have is 2.0. WPI does not use the GPA system internally, though it is capable of producing one on request for transcript purposes. Students are required to pass a certain number of courses per year, so there is an indirect penalty for failure to successfully complete courses.

WPI's project-based curriculum makes it unique by requiring undergraduate students to complete a Sufficiency in the Liberal Arts, an Interactive Qualifying Project (IQP) to study the social effects of technology 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.

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Humanities Project

To provide intellectual breadth and a better understanding of themselves, their cultures and their heritage, every student must complete a Humanities Project. The Humanities Project used to be known as the Sufficiency, and many student still refer to it as such. Students majoring in a scientific or engineering field or in business management or the social sciences must fulfill this requirement in a humanities and arts area while students majoring in a humanities field must complete this project in an engineering field. Sufficiency projects generally consist of five thematically related courses concluded with an independent research project or, in the case of languages, an additional course.

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Interactive Qualifying Project

To provide an understanding of the priorities of other sectors of society, develop the ability to communicate effectively with disparate groups, organize and derive solutions to complex problems, and gain an awareness of the interrelationships between technology and people, every student must complete an Interactive Qualifying Project (IQP). Consisting of independent study, often in a team environment, and equating to three courses in terms of work and credit, it may be performed on-campus or at one of many global project centers.

An IQP shall address a topic relating science and/or technology to society. In this context, both "society" and "technology" should be construed as broadly as possible. Technology refers to the application of rational and efficient principles to a body of knowledge or to the control of space, matter and/or human beings. Thus, the IQP encompasses not only techniques of production embodied in tools and machines, but also advances in methods of social and economic organization, in managerial techniques, and in methods of analysis in science, mathematics, and engineering. Society refers not only to a grouping of individuals but also to the culture, values, laws, customs, and institutions shared by these individuals.

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Major Qualifying Project

To provide a capstone experience in the professional discipline, to develop creativity, instill self-confidence and enhance the ability to communicate ideas and synthesize fundamental concepts, every student must complete a Major Qualifying Project (MQP). This consists of an independent team-oriented project equivalent in credit to three courses of work. It may be performed on-campus or at one of several project centers around the globe.

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Student Life Events

WPI's student body stages a number of regular weekly events that students can enjoy. Some of them are listed below.

  • Coffee House - SocComm's Coffee House 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 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 will be brought to the Wedge (the space between Morgan and Daniels Hall) so that students can play. It usually starts at 5-6 PM and can last to 2 or 3 AM.
  • Sunday Movies - Hosted by SocComm's Film division. Every Sunday, a new film is shown on the WPI campus. WPI is one of the only universities capable of showing 70mm movies.

In addition to regularly scheduled campus activities, WPI is host to a number of annual events. These events usually only attract students, however, some events 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. It is the first major campus event of the year, usually taking place around Labor Day weekend. It is also held in the last term of the year. Gaming Weekend attracts a number of students and alumni, sometimes as many as 50-75. Games such as Magic: The Gathering, Care Bears: Call of Cthulhu, and Duck, Duck, Goose are all regular features.
  • 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.
  • Penny Wars - An annual fundraiser where clubs 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 denomonations, since it all goes to charity.
  • Winter Carnival - Another even 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 preformer).
  • Dragon Night - An annual celebration hosted by WPI's Chinese Student Association (CSA). Dragon Night usually features Chinese food, lion dancing, and other elements of Chinese culture.
  • Anime Fest - An annual showing of Japanese animation hosted by the SFS. This is one of the largest events held on campus during the year, attracting in upwards of 100 people. Attendees include students, alumni, students from other Consortium colleges, and even people from Eastern and Western Massachusetts. Anime Fest only shows licensed anime with permission from their respective companies.
  • 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 and political correctness.
  • Ugly Man on Campus (UMOC) - Hosted by WPI's chapter of Alpha Phi Omega. Students nominate themselves to compete for the title of Ugliest Man on Campus. Votes are done by putting money in the student's collection cup. Whoever raises the most money wins the title and chooses which charity the funds go to. UMOC usually coincides with QuadFest.
  • QuadFest - The largest event held on campus, hosted 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.
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Clubs and Organizations

The students of WPI have created various student clubs and run many student organizations.

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The 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. 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 some call it) is a stretch of restaurants and stores on Highland Street. A Subway sandwich shop, Tech Pizza, the Bean Counter (coffee shop), the Sole Proprietor (a fancy seafood restaurant), a consignment shop, Tortilla Sams (a Mexican food restaurant), and the Boynton (a traditional WPI student favorite) are all located there.

You can find a listing of things to do in Worcester (and at WPI) on the SocialWeb. The SocialWeb was created by a former WPI staff member and powers many calendars in the Worcester area including Assumption College and Worcester State College.

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Massachusetts Academy of Math and Science at WPI

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 WPI.

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.

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Notable alumni

WPI's best-known alumnus is Robert Goddard, who graduated in 1908 and is widely regarded as the Father of Modern Rocketry.

Another successful graduate is Robert Stempel, inventor of the catalytic converter and former Chairman and CEO of General Motors. Harold Stephen Black, another alumnus, revolutionized electronics by inventing the negative feedback amplifier in 1927. Antonio M. Celia, CEO of Colombia's Promigas, is also a graduate. WPI is also known for its famous drop-outs. Dean Kamen, who left the school without finishing his degree, invented the first portable insulin pump and 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. In Japan, a famous alumnus is Kotaro Shimomura, chemical engineer. After graduating, he became president of Doshisha University and Osaka Gas Co., Ltd. Paul Allaire, previous CEO of Xerox, is also an alumnus.

The Institute of Transportation Engineers highest award is the Burton W. Marsh Award. Marsh is a member of the Class of 1920 and credited with being America's first traffic engineer.

Nancy Pimental, who earned a Chemical Engineering degree, is one of the writers of South Park and the movie The Sweetest Thing. She also replaced Jimmy Kimmel as co-host of Win Ben Stein's Money.

Henry Davis, who graduated in 1880, was the first chairman of NBC.

Gilbert Vernam, class of 1914, is credited with the dawn of modern cryptography.

For more information on notable alumni, please see the WPI Library's Online Exhibition of Distinguished Alumni

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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 was the first to create a mouse who suffered from Alzheimers. History of Science and Technology professor Michael Sokal is currently serving as the President of the History of Science Society.

Kaveh Pahlavan is a professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering who, during the 90's, helped developed the 802.11 wireless protocols.

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Trivia

  • The current head of network security on campus is a former member of the NSA and an alumnus.
  • The term "gweep," meaning one who hacks on a computer at night, originated at WPI.
  • Many of the members of the well-established fanfiction-writing group Eyrie Productions are or were students at WPI, and much of their writing is littered with WPI references. This group was noted for such major work as Undocumented Features, considered one of the most significant pieces of fan-fiction of the 1990's.
  • WPI has a student organization known as the Skull. Details on the group are scarce due to their tradition of being secretive. Publicly available information includes who their members are. When a person is considered for membership, they are considered "tapped," a word used in official Skull related press releases. Their stated purpose is to preserve the traditions of WPI and act as a sounding board for new ideas from the campus community. They are not associated with the Skull and Bones organization at Yale University. Many WPI faculty have been inducted into Skull over the years.
  • Once a laboratory for electrical 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" inherrited the building.
  • Usenet flaming is said to have originated at WPI in arguments over computer time. WPI currently maintains wpi.flame.
  • Male-only school until 1968. The current male:female ratio is approximately 3:1. (Though if you asked a student, they would likely reply "Pi to 1")
  • In 2003, the door to the (by then abandoned) Gompei's pizzeria was stolen. Administrators were displeased with the act, though several students hailed it as a prank similar to those of WPI's history. Who stole it was never determined, though the most likely suspect (due to photos of the door resting behind his couch) was Jonathan Pesch, '03. After the door was "mysteriously" returned, administrators scraped the painted Gompei's logo off the glass, destroying the last remaining artifact of the original Gompei's.
  • The second debate in the 2002 Massachusetts gubernatorial race between Mitt Romney and Shannon O'Brien was held at WPI's Campus Center. Pictures of the event were limited to certain media outlets, however, Tech News was also able to get exclusive shots of the event. These pictures were later reprinted in the 2003 yearbook.
  • WPI's first Marshall Scholar was Nicholas Twomey Baker '03.
  • Its newspaper, Tech News, changed its name to Newspeak in the 1970s, then changed its name back to Tech News in 2000.
  • Since 1982 WPI has offered a summer-program for high school science & engineering students named Frontiers.
  • Since 1997, WPI has offered a summer outreach program for girls entering the sixth grade, Camp REACH, to promote women in math & science.
  • To date, the only Student Senator to also be a government official at the same time was John Lee Baird '04, who served on his hometown's Housing Authority while in the Student Government in 2000 and 2001. Another student to pursue politics outside of school was Yakov Kronrod '02, WPI's second Goldwater Scholar. He ran (unsuccessfully) for City Council in Worcester.
  • The WPI Acronym Dictionary currently consists of over 865 acronyms which are catalogued by an alumnus from the Class of 2005.
  • In the fall of 2005, The WPIwiki was created and is currently maintained by a number of student, staff, and faculty members.
  • Many rooms on the WPI campus have acquired alternate names based on who uses them and how they appear. The Campus Center's Hagglund Room is popularly referred to as "The War Room." Also, the Class of 1946 Lounge (also in the Campus Center) is referred to as the "OctoWedge."
  • 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. Boynton and Washburn were the university's first buildings, housing the classrooms and laboratories, respectively. The Two Towers symbolize Theory and Application, which are the foundation of the university and still the approach used today. [1][2]
  • If a student gets all NRs in a term, it means he's failed all his classes. The result is that no grades are entered onto his transcript from the term. This is known as a "snowflake," because historically, WPI paper transcripts would show a single asterisk next to each course in place of a grade. It is also meant as a metaphor, because the official transcript will have nothing on it if a student has earned only NRs, making it "as clean as the newly driven snow."
  • The original goat mascot was a live goat, kept by a student, Gompei Kuwada (Class of 1893), in 1891. The Goat was later given to WPI as a gift of the class of 1893. When the goat died, his head was bronzed and mounted. The bronzed goat's head was stolen and shown as a trophy by various groups. In 1928, a caricature model of the goat was created in place of the aging goats head. The Goat's Head Rivalry has been going on and off since then and still takes place today. The former campus pub was named after Gompei. [3]
  • As a superstition, it is said that stepping 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. As the average graduation time for an undergraduate degree at WPI is in excess of 5 years, the point is rather moot.
  • WPI boasts one of 35 civilian research nuclear reactors licensed to operate in the United States. It is the only nuclear reactor in North America 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.
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External links

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