The Global Perspective Program at WPI

Rick Vaz Associate Dean Interdisciplinary and Global Studies Division March 25, 2004

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

• Founded in 1865 • 2700 undergrads, 600 grads, 220 faculty • Engineering, science, management majors • Prepares “technological humanists” for leadership and citizenship • WPI sends more engineering and technology students abroad than any other university in the US • Second in the US for doctoral institutions in sending students abroad

The WPI Plan

• Established in the 1970s • Relatively few required courses •

Three required projects

•

Focus on outcomes and abilities

•

Four seven week terms per academic year

Required Projects at WPI

• 2 nd year: Humanities Project – One course equivalent

Humanities Sufficiency

– Research paper, play, musical performance, .… • 3 rd year: Society-Technology Project – Three course equivalent

Interactive Qualifying Project

– Problem at interface between society and technology • 4 th year: Major Discipline Project – Three course equivalent

Major Qualifying Project

– Senior design or research problem

Expected Student Outcomes

• Ability to address real-world, open-ended problems • Ability to work in multidisciplinary teams • Improved written and verbal communication • Connections between – Classroom and experiential learning – Impact of decisions of the profession on culture and community – Impact of culture and community on decisions of the profession • Professional and personal growth

WPI Global Perspective Program

• About 75% of students do at least one project fulltime at an off campus Project Center • Over 50% do at least one project at an overseas Project Center.

• Project Centers generally run for a single term with 25-30 students and 2 resident faculty advisors • Projects are sponsored by local organizations: public, private, non profit, NGOs, and universities • Each center has a faculty director to provide continuity and logistical support • Operated by the

Interdisciplinary and Global Studies Division,

in cooperation with academic departments

Off-campus Project Centers

MQP Programs IQP Programs Sufficiency Programs Exchange Programs

Current Project Center Locations

• • • • • • • • • •

Hong Kong, PRC Bangkok, Thailand Melbourne, Australia Zűrich, Switzerland Limerick, Ireland London, UK San Jose, Costa Rica Venice, Italy Windhoek, Namibia Copenhagen, Denmark

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Nancy, France

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Madrid, Spain

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San Juan, Puerto Rico

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Worcester

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Boston

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Lincoln Laboratories

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Washington, DC

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Wall Street

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NASA Goddard SFC

•

Silicon Valley

600 500 400 300 200 100 0

Growth of the Global Perspective Program

Since 1974 – over 5000 students

Some Keys to Success

• Program champions and supporters – Faculty site director, preparation instructors – Faculty advisors on site with students – Local resident coordinator – On-campus staff: risk management, logistics, housing • Student enthusiasm and participation in promotion • Satisfied sponsors, active liaisons • The projects are built into the curriculum as a degree requirement

Center Director Support Services Local Coordinator Risk Management Team

Student Experience

Sponsor Liaison Project Preparation Instructor Resident Faculty Advisors Orientation and Re-Entry Facilitator

Faculty Academic Roles on Site

Provide students with regular feedback on:

• Problem formulation, methods, analysis, conclusions, and recommendations • Clarity and persuasiveness of their writing and oral presentations • Professional development and project management – Conduct of meetings – Communication with advisors and sponsors – Initiative and attitude • Team functioning and dynamics

Non-Traditional Faculty Roles • Cross-cultural communicator and culture advocate • Fashion police • Enforcer and judicial officer • Health and safety officer • On-the-spot therapist

Why Do Faculty Volunteer for This?

Personal satisfaction:

• Tangible evidence of student development • Project outcomes that make a real difference to sponsoring organizations

Professional development:

• Exposure to a variety of issues and problems at interface of technology, society, and culture • Experience in cross-cultural communication

Micro-Hydroelectric Power for Kre Khi, Thailand (2002)

Students:

Sonja Bjork, Ben Charbonneau, Jackie Maiorano, Andrew West

Advisors:

P. Hansen (HU) and P. Christopher (MA) Our project focused on determining the feasibility of implementing a micro-hydroelectric system as a reliable source of electricity to the remote Karen village of Kre Khi, in northwest Thailand. The intended use of the electricity is to improve the education within the village. While in Kre Khi, we conducted fieldwork which involved determining the attitudes of villagers towards electricity, surveying a nearby stream, and calculating the potential power output in order to determine what educational tools could be used.

The Dunes of Venice: A Prototype for the Environmental Atlas

The Dunes of Venice: A prototype for the Environmental Atlas (2002) Students:

Keith Bonneau, Sergio Cherenzia, Caroline Frelat, Jennifer Persico

Advisors:

David DiBiasio, (ChE) and Fabio Carrera (IGSD) This project examined dune sites on the outer island of the Venetian lagoon. We collected data on the vegetation and geomorphology, and proposed site specific preservation plans based on condition assessments. The database, in conjunction with published research was used to create the prototype of the Environmental Atlas. This Atlas will be used by the Environment Department of the City of Venice to conduct impact assessments of future development plans, and assist in maintaining data for environmental monitoring and preservation.

More Examples of Projects

• • • • • • • •

Building a Cyclist's Comfort Guide (Danish Cyclists' Federation, Denmark) Kuiseb River Basin Management (Desert Research Foundation, Namibia) Do “Mind the Gap” standards reduce accidents on train platforms?

(Railtrack, UK)

Commercial full-duplex speaker-phone design (Analog Devices,

Ireland)

Commercial and subsistence aquaculture (Namibia, Puerto Rico,

Costa Rica)

Efficient cargo boat delivery system (Consorzio Trasportatori, Italy) Public response to air quality information (Environmental Protection

Agency, Australia)

A community playground for the Klong Toey slums (Duang Prateep

Foundation, Bangkok, Thailand)

Program Recognition

• #1 among US colleges & universities for technical students studying abroad • #3 among doctoral universities in percentage of all students studying abroad • TIAA-CREF Hesburgh Award Certificate of Excellence (faculty development) • NAFSA Association of International Educators, one of 10 exemplary programs (International education) • American Association of Colleges and Universities, one of 16 Greater Expectations Leadership Institutions (liberal education leadership)

What Does This Cost?

One faculty advisor per about fifteen students (WPI pays travel and living cost allowance) Many sponsors pay a small fee ($5000 per project) Students pay travel and living cost (but eligible for some extra financial aid) Overall the cost to the Institute is comparable to an on campus technical course But, workload for the faculty is higher

Program Challenges

As the program has grown, risk management become a more pressing issue has With 500 students per year in the program, we have had to develop an extensive infrastructure to stay on top of details Limiting resources: Money Time Faculty advisors