Alexander Duffield of Brookfield, a member of the class of 2020 majoring in civil engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), was a member of a student team that recently completed an intense, hands-on research project in An off-campus location in Massachusetts. The project was titled Twin Cities Rail Pedestrian Bridge. In their project summary, the students wrote, "The purpose of this project was to evaluate an abandoned railroad bridge over Route 2 in Leominster, MA, and design structural improvements for Stantec Inc."
At WPI, all undergraduates are required to complete a research-driven, professional-level project addressing a challenge in their major field of study. About two-thirds of students complete a project at one of the university's more than 40 off-campus project centers, which are located around the world. A signature element of the innovative undergraduate experience at WPI, the project-based curriculum offers students the opportunity to apply their scientific and technical knowledge to develop thoughtful solutions to real problems that affect the quality of people's lives-and make a difference before they graduate.
"The WPI project-based curriculum brings students out of the classroom and into the real world to apply their knowledge to solve problems," said Professor Kent Rissmiller, interim dean of the WPI Interdisciplinary and Global Studies Division. "Students are immersed in a new setting, solving open-ended problems and working with people of different backgrounds-all valuable perspectives for surviving and thriving in today's global marketplace. They also learn the meaning and magic of teamwork; make valuable contributions to a problem in their field; and gain a competitive edge for any resume, or graduate or professional school application."
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