State of the University
October 18, 2002
John F. Carney IIIProvost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
October 18, 2002WPI Joint Advisory Boards2
WPI – The University of Science and Technology. And Life.
October 18, 2002WPI Joint Advisory Boards3
Who We AreWho We Are
A university with a core focus on
science, engineering, and the
management of technology that
grants bachelor’s, master’s, and
doctoral degrees in 30+ disciplines.
October 18, 2002WPI Joint Advisory Boards4
Enrollment ProfileEnrollment Profile
2767 Undergraduates
1035 Graduate Students
October 18, 2002WPI Joint Advisory Boards5
Engineering– Biomedical (114)– Civil (169)– Chemical (115)– Electrical (483)– Industrial (30)– Mechanical (550)– Manufacturing (15)– Undeclared (64)
Full-Time Undergraduate EnrollmentFull-Time Undergraduate Enrollment
By Department, AY 02/03: 2708
October 18, 2002WPI Joint Advisory Boards6
Sciences– Biology (219)– Biochemistry (57)– Chemistry (26)– Computer Science
(530)– Math (68)– Physics (52)– Undeclared (8)
Full-Time Undergraduate EnrollmentFull-Time Undergraduate Enrollment
By Department, AY 02/03: 2708(Cont.)
October 18, 2002WPI Joint Advisory Boards7
Full-Time Undergraduate EnrollmentFull-Time Undergraduate Enrollment
Management (144) Econ/Soc Sci Tech (10) Humanities & Arts (11) Interdisc/Tech Writ (14) Undeclared (29)
By DepartmentAY 02/03: 2708(Cont.)
October 18, 2002WPI Joint Advisory Boards8
Changes in Freshman Class MakeupChanges in Freshman Class Makeup
Department Fall 2001 Fall 2002
CS 163 147
ECE 135 96
ME 130 142
TBD 11 63
October 18, 2002WPI Joint Advisory Boards9
Academic Reputation
October 18, 2002WPI Joint Advisory Boards10
National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE)National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE)
Annually surveys undergraduates at universities to assess extent to which they engage in a variety of good educational practices that are positively related to learning and personal development
Surveys at the end of the first year and senior year
Forty-one questions assigned to five clusters
October 18, 2002WPI Joint Advisory Boards11
Level of academic challenge Supportive campus environment Enriching educational experiences Active and collaborative learning Student interactions with faculty members
National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE)National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE)
October 18, 2002WPI Joint Advisory Boards12
National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE)National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE)
Four survey groups– WPI– AITU– Doctoral/Research-intensive– National
October 18, 2002WPI Joint Advisory Boards13
Level of Academic ChallengeLevel of Academic Challenge
WPI 49.9 58.6
AITU 55.6 56.7
Doc/Res-Intensive 52.1 54.9
National 52.9 56.6
First Year Senior Year
•Preparing for class (studying, reading, writing, rehearsing, and other activities related to your academic program
•Number of assigned textbooks, books, or book-length packs of course readings
•Number of written papers or reports of 20 pages or more
•Number of written papers or reports of between 5 and 19 pages
•Number of written papers or reports of fewer than 5 pages
•Coursework emphasizes: Analyzing the basic elements of an idea, experience, or theory
•Coursework emphasizes: Synthesizing and organizing ideas, information, or experiences into new, more complex interpretations and relationships
•Coursework emphasizes: Making judgments about the value of information, arguments, or methods
•Coursework emphasizes: Applying theories or concepts to practical problems or in new situations
•Worked harder than you thought you could to meet an instructor’s standards or expectations
•Campus environment emphasizes spending significant amounts of time studying and on academic work
October 18, 2002WPI Joint Advisory Boards14
Supportive Campus EnvironmentSupportive Campus Environment
45
50
55
60
65
WPI 58.1 58
AITU 61.7 53.2
Doc/Res-Intensive 56.9 52.9
National 60.2 56.8
First Year Senior Year
•Campus environment provides the support you need to help you succeed academically
•Campus environment helps you cope with your non-academic responsibilities (work, family, etc.)
•Campus environment provides the support you need to thrive socially
•Quality of relationships with other students
•Quality of relationships with faculty members
•Quality of relationships with administrative personnel and offices
October 18, 2002WPI Joint Advisory Boards15
Enriching Educational ExperiencesEnriching Educational Experiences
0
20
40
60
80
WPI 63.1 55.2
AITU 57.9 47.2
Doc/Res-Intensive 54.1 45
National 55.4 47.6
First Year Senior Year
• Participating in co-curricular activities (organizations, publications, student government, sports, etc.)
• Practicum, internship, field experience, co-op experience, or clinical assignment
• Community service or volunteer work• Foreign language coursework & study
abroad• Independent study or self-designed
major• Culminating senior experience
(comprehensive exam, capstone course, thesis, project, etc.)
• Had serious conversations with students that have different religious beliefs, political opinions, or personal values.
• Had serious conversations with students of a different race or ethnicity
• Used electronic technology (list-serve, chat group, internet, etc.) to discuss or complete an assignment
• Campus environment encourages contact among students from different economic, social, and racial or ethnic backgrounds
October 18, 2002WPI Joint Advisory Boards16
Active and Collaborative LearningActive and Collaborative Learning
0
20
40
60
WPI 40 52.1
AITU 46.4 48.6
Doc/Res-Intensive 39.2 47.2
National 40.9 49.7
First Year Senior Year
•Asked questions in class or contributed to class discussions
•Made a class presentation
•Worked with other students on projects during class
•Worked with classmates outside of class to prepare class assignments
•Tutored or taught other students
•Participated in a community-based project as part of a regular course
•Discussed ideas from your readings or classes with others outside of class (students, family members, co-workers, etc.)
October 18, 2002WPI Joint Advisory Boards17
Student Interactions with Faculty MembersStudent Interactions with Faculty Members
0
10
20
30
40
50
WPI 39.5 45.3
AITU 37.8 41
Doc/Res-Intensive 33.3 39.4
National 35.1 42.9
First Year Senior Year
•Discussed grades or assignments with an instructor
•Talked about career plans with a faculty member or advisor
•Discussed ideas from your readings or classes with faculty members outside of class
•Worked with faculty members on activities other than coursework (committees, orientation, student-life activities, etc.)
•Received prompt feedback from faculty on your academic academic performance (written or oral)
•Worked or planned to work with a faculty member on a research project outside of course or program requirements
October 18, 2002WPI Joint Advisory Boards18
Engineering Benchmarking InitiativesEngineering Benchmarking Initiatives
Four survey groups– WPI– 6 selected universities (Stanford
University, Carnegie Mellon University, Stevens Institute of Technology, Boston University, Northeastern University, and Vanderbilt University)
– Carnegie classification group– All schools
October 18, 2002WPI Joint Advisory Boards19
WPI – Comparative Analysis of FactorsWPI – Comparative Analysis of Factors
3
4
5
6
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
WPI
Select 6 Average
Carnegie Class Average
All School Comparison
1. Instruction and interaction in major courses
2. Aspects of major courses
3. Breadth of curriculum
4. Team and extracurricular activities
5. Computing resources
6. Fellow Students
7. Career Services and Job Placement
8. System design and problem solving
October 18, 2002WPI Joint Advisory Boards20
WPI – Comparative Analysis of FactorsWPI – Comparative Analysis of Factors
3
4
5
6
9 10 11 12 13 14 15
WPI
Select 6 Average
Carnegie Class Average
All School Comparison
9. Impact of engineering solutions
10. Use of tools and text
11. Apply knowledge and identify problems
12. Design experience built on coursework
13. Design experience issues
14. Laboratory facilities
15. Overall student satisfaction
October 18, 2002WPI Joint Advisory Boards21
Freshman YearFreshman Year
Insight Program– Created opportunities in the freshman year for
incoming engineering, science and technology students to:• develop strong mentoring relationships with
faculty, staff, and upper-class students outside the classroom
• assist these students in developing strong academic and social connections within the campus community
October 18, 2002WPI Joint Advisory Boards22
Freshman YearFreshman Year
Project-Based Learning Community (PLC)
October 18, 2002WPI Joint Advisory Boards23
Tutorial Structure (PLC)Tutorial Structure (PLC)
24/300 random selection enrolled in first course in Physics, Mathematics, and Humanities
Full credit for first semester (two terms at WPI) In a room, with open hours and 5 PCs on line via
hubs (later, 24 laptops wireless) In 5 to 6 project teams by DISC assignment All evaluation (outcomes based) done in the
Tutorial, with retakes possible Project ppt and reports every 9 days
October 18, 2002WPI Joint Advisory Boards24
Physicslectures
Project CoreHistory of Science
Ethics IssuesALL EVALUATIONS
Calculus
Humanities core
Insight Programlearning
to be put in
Physicsconf.
Q & A
Instructional ModelInstructional Model
October 18, 2002WPI Joint Advisory Boards25
WorcesterTransit:1890’s &
1990’s
Roy & DamsControversyWater andthe Middle
East
Galileo’sExperimentduplicated
Goddardat WPIprimarysources
Comp.Party
Platforms,1892,1912,1936,2002
Each Area (Rocketry; Wealth/Poverty; Galileo; Dams; Transportation)contains 6 projects, crossing science/math/history/ethics issues.
Example Projects from Five AreasExample Projects from Five Areas
October 18, 2002WPI Joint Advisory Boards26
NSSE and Tutorial/PLCNSSE and Tutorial/PLC
Questions in class Presenting in class Writing integrative
multi-source papers Working together on
projects Analyzing and
synthesizing ideas Writing/speaking
effectively
Areas Deficient for WPI inComparison to AITU group
Interaction with faculty Oral presentation of
projects Writing complex integrative
reports Project teamwork and group
learning Analysis and problem
solving Writing and speaking
effectively
Areas Rated Superior byTutorial/PLC students
October 18, 2002WPI Joint Advisory Boards27
ABET / CACABET / CAC
Accreditation visit in December for eight engineering programs and the Computer Science Department
October 18, 2002WPI Joint Advisory Boards28
U.S. NewsU.S. News
WPI deserves to be on the top 50 National Universities list
October 18, 2002WPI Joint Advisory Boards29
New Faculty HiresNew Faculty Hires
Eighteen new tenured/tenure-track faculty added for 2002/03 academic year
October 18, 2002WPI Joint Advisory Boards30
Extramural Support for Academic Sponsored
Programs$13,000,000
October 18, 2002WPI Joint Advisory Boards31
Committee on Graduate Studies and Research GoalsCommittee on Graduate Studies and Research Goals
Regain top 50 national university status Increase per capita funding and participation
in research and scholarship Achieve 0.2 Ph.D./year/faculty Expand master’s degree programs with self-
supporting students Integrate undergraduate education with
graduate research programs
October 18, 2002WPI Joint Advisory Boards32
Bioengineering Institute
The WPI Bioengineering Institute
Timothy R. Gerrity, Ph.D.Director, BEI
October 18, 2002
A Bridge from the University to AdvancedA Bridge from the University to Advanced ManufacturingManufacturing
October 18, 2002WPI Joint Advisory Boards34
The WPI Bioengineering Institute The WPI Bioengineering Institute
What – University/industry/government partnership (cluster)
Why – We need new industry, we have resources (especially student & faculty expertise)
Where – Gateway Park (Grove & Prescott St. area)When – Already started, move ahead fasterHow – R&D, new products, new companies
(product realization, incubators), corporate partnerships, services.
October 18, 2002WPI Joint Advisory Boards35
ImportanceImportance Create new and innovative medical devices; Provide new opportunities for university faculty,
students, and entrepreneurs; Create jobs; Increase tax base; Secondary benefits to community; Strong support of community, and local and
federal governments.
October 18, 2002WPI Joint Advisory Boards36
Academic Research
Medical ProductCommercialization
Marketing Manufacturing
Financing
WPI
A Facilitated Path to CommercializationA Facilitated Path to Commercialization
Business
IP
BEI
October 18, 2002WPI Joint Advisory Boards37
Bioengineering Institute Bioengineering Institute OrganizationOrganization
• Office of the Director• Four R&D centers within BEI
• Center for Untethered Healthcare• Center for Comparative
Neuroimaging• Molecular Engineering - proposed• Bioprocessing and Tissue
Engineering - proposed
October 18, 2002WPI Joint Advisory Boards38
The Center for Comparative
Neuroimaging
The Center for Comparative Neuroimaging (CCNI)
Coil Technology for High Field MRIand
Visualization and Analysis of NMR Data
Reinhold Ludwig & John M. Sullivan, Jr.
October 18, 2002WPI Joint Advisory Boards40
Technology IntegrationTechnology Integration
RF coil technology is an integral part of animal restrainer system.
It can be placed in such a way as to image various regions of the animal’s anatomy.
October 18, 2002WPI Joint Advisory Boards41
Visualization-CNI-WorkbenchVisualization-CNI-Workbench
October 18, 2002WPI Joint Advisory Boards42
Tasks-Image Visualization and AnalysisTasks-Image Visualization and Analysis
Mesh Generation
Posterior and Shaded View of Volume Mesh
Transverse and Shaded View of Volume Mesh
Segmentation Registration Mesh Generation
October 18, 2002WPI Joint Advisory Boards43
Solid Volume Mesh – 850,000 Tetrahedral ElementsRendered to Enhance Blood Vessel Visualization
Watch a Video Simulation(Requires QuickTime)
October 18, 2002WPI Joint Advisory Boards44
S.I.M.S.I.M.
Exciting new graduate certificate/MS program for industry