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Winter   2  002 


JOURNAL      OF 


1 


Meet  thd  IBOT 

Dean  Kamen's  other  big  idea 

levels  the  playing  field  for  the  disabled 

Breaking  Away 

Runner  Christine  Clifton  is  going  the  distance 

Power  Shift 


How  researchers  at 


WPI  are  helping  put  the  future  of  energy  in  your  hands 


September   1  1 

How  this  day  of  infamy  affected  WPI  alumni 

In  the  Spotligl 

Lighting  40  candles  f 


Profiles  in  Giving 


On  Stewardship 

The  desire  to  share,  systematically  and  proportionately,  one's 
time,  talents  and  material  possessions  with  one's  community, 
worthy  charitable  causes — and  one's  alma  mater:  for  many, 
this  is  the  essence  of  stewardship.  It  is  also  the  driving  senti- 
ment behind  the  philanthropy  of  Joan  and  David  Szkutak, 
both  membets  of  rhe  Class  of  1979.  They  are  active  as  volun- 
teers for  WPI  and  for  the  United  Way  in  the  community 
where  they  live  and  in  the  town  where  they  recently  built  a 
second  home.  They  feel  fortunate  to  be  able  to  make  signifi- 
cant gifts  to  the  institutions  that  are  important  to  them. 
"We  feel  that  giving  back  in  this  way  is  an  obligation." 


Joan  and  David  Szkutak  '79 

Homes:  West  Chester,  Ohio;  Bar  Harbor,  Maine 

Gift  Arrangement:  Appreciated  Securities 


On  Gift  Planning  at  WPI 

Joan  and  David  say  WPI  was  a  critical  enabler  in  their 
careers.  "The  unique  education  we  received  at  WPI  really 
made  a  difference,"  David  notes.  Scholarships  from  WPI 
made  it  possible  for  both  of  them  to  attend  the  university, 
so  they  chose  to  give  other  students  the  same  opportunity 
by  making  a  commitment  to  the  Class  of  1979  Reunion 
Gift  through  a  President's  Advisory  Council  Scholarship. 
"By  making  a  gift  of  appreciated  securities,  we  were  able  to 
leverage  the  tax  advantages  and  make  a  bigger  gift.  It  allowed 
us  to  be  more  ambitious  and  generous.  We  funded  our  gift 
with  stock  we've  been  accumulating  for  a  long  time.  It  had 
a  cost  basis  of  $1,000;  our  gift  and  our  charitable  tax  deduc- 
tion was  based  on  its  current  value  of  $5,000.  With  a  low 
cost-basis  comes  a  high  capital  gains  tax,  so  it's  the  best  asset 
to  contribute.  Our  personal  assets  will  continue  to  accumu- 
late and  grow.  Whatever  we  do  with  our  personal  wealth, 
WPI  will  be  factored  in." 


i     sj; 


If  you  would  like  to  join  the  Szkufaks  and  the  hundreds  of  others  who  are  enjoying  the  many  benefits  of  planned  giving 
at  WPI,  please  contact  the  WPI  Office  of  Planned  Giving  at  1  -888-WPI-GIFT  or  via  e-mail  at  planned-giving@wpi.edu. 


Starting  Point 


"7 


On  behalf  of  the  many  people  whose  talents  and  hard  work 
are  reflected  in  the  pages  that  follow,  I  am  happy  to  present  to 
you  the  first  issue  of  Transformations:  A  Journal  of  People 
and  Change.  Though  it  has  a  new  name  (more  on  that  later), 
this  quarterly  periodical  continues  the  106-year  heritage  of  the 
WPI  Journal,  the  university's  first  alumni  magazine.  The 
Journal,  augmented  for  the  past  15  years  by  the  news  tabloid 
The  Wire,  has  played  a  critical  role  in  strengthening  the  ties 
that  connect  this  university  with  its  many  alumni  and  friends. 
Transformations  will  assume  that  role. 

Like  the  Journal  and  The  Wire,  Transformations  will 
serve  as  both  the  official  chronicle  and  the  family  album  for 
the  WPI  community,  keeping  readers  up  to  date  on  the  latest 
developments  on  campus  and  giving  alumni  a  forum  for  shar- 
ing their  own  news,  views  and  milestones.  It  will  also  be  a 
regular  showcase  for  WPI,  helping  those  within  and  beyond 
the  WPI  family  appreciate  what  makes  this  institution  and  its 
people  distinctive  and  noteworthy. 

This  new  publication  is  the  product  of  more  than  a  year 
of  research,  planning  and  creative  effort.  Given  the  many 
important  jobs  that  WPI's  alumni  publications  are  asked  to 
do,  the  university  decided  to  take  the  time  to  critically  evaluate 
those  publications  to  see  how  well  they  were  meeting  the  needs 
and  addressing  the  interests  of  today's  readers.  We  also  took  the 
time  to  review  the  kinds  of  publications  our  readers  turn  to  for 
information,  and  to  see  what  we  could  learn  from  some  of  the 
best  examples  of  university  and  consumer  magazine  publishing. 

From  that  review  came  the  resolve  to  create  a  new  publica- 
tion, one  that  retained  the  qualities  that  endeared  the  Journal 
and  the  The  Wire  to  readers,  but  augmented  them  with  new 
features  and  a  new,  more  contemporary  and  reader-friendly 
design.  In  short,  we  set  out  to  create  a  magazine  at  the  cutting 
edge  of  publishing,  just  as  WPI  and  its  people  have  always  been 
at  the  cutting  edge  of  science  and  technology.  We've  given  this 
new  publication  a  multipart  mission.  First,  we  want  to  make 
sure  that  as  you  peruse  each  issue,  you  discover  what  a  remark- 
able place  WPI  is.  We  want  you  to  be  proud  of  your  alma 


mater — proud  enough  to  tell  your  friends,  neighbors  and  col- 
leagues all  about  us. 

Second,  we  want  you  to  feel  that  each  issue  of  Transfor- 
mations is  just  the  beginning  of  a  conversation.  We  hope  that 
what  you  read  and  see  in  these  pages  prompts  you  to  talk 
back — to  tell  us  what  you  think  about  the  information  we've 
sent  you,  about  what  you'd  like  to  receive  more  (or  less)  of, 
about  what's  on  your  mind,  and  about  what's  happening  in  your 
life.  Write  us,  e-mail  us  or  visit  us  on  the  Web,  where  you  can 
chat  with  our  staff  and  your  fellow  readers  in  the  brand  new 
Alumni  Cafe. 

Third,  we  want  this  publication  to  reflect  what  is  truly 
unique  about  WPI.  We  call  this  new  magazine  Transformations 
because  we  believe  that  word  captures  better  than  any  other 
what  distinguishes  this  university  from  all  others.  In  fact,  the 
idea  of  transformation  is  at  the  core  of  WPI's  mission. 

Through  its  innovative  approach  to  teaching  and  learning, 
WPI  transforms  young  men  and  women  into  productive, 
socially  aware  professionals  exquisitely  well  prepared  to  apply 
their  knowledge  and  skills  to  make  a  difference  even  before 
they  graduate.  Through  their  scholarship  and  research,  WPI 
faculty  members  are  transforming  our  planet  and  our  under- 
standing of  it.  And  through  their  achievements,  and  with 
their  imagination,  their  creativity,  their  knowledge  and  their 
irrepressible  desire  to  make  things  better,  WPI  alumni  are 
helping  transform  the  world  around  them  in  positive  ways. 

In  the  pages  of  this  new  magazine,  we  will  tell  the  stories 
of  those  transformations  and  the  people  behind  them.  And,  we 
will  paint  a  colorful,  dynamic  and  informative  portrait  of  the 
innovative  university  where  those  stories  begin. 

With  that,  I  wish  you  happy  reading. 


Michael  W.  Dorsey 

Editor 


March  9  Alumni  Leadership  Council  Meeting 

March  18-22  Second  International  Corporate/Academic  Roundtable 

on  Emerging  Technologies;  Topic:  Molecular  Engineering 

April  10  WPI  Traditions  Day 

April  1  6  Project  Presentation  Day 

May  1  8  Commencement 

May  21  New  England-Africa  Business  Conference 

June  6-9  Reunion 

June  16-21  Seventh  International  Symposium  on  Fire  Safety  Science 


All  events  take  place  on  the  WPI  campus. 


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12     Leveling  the  Playing  Field 

A  sophisticated  personal  transportation  system  that  can  balance  like 
a  human  being?  No,  it's  not  IT,  it's  the  IBOT,  another  brainchild  of 
inventor  Dean  Kamen  '73.  By  Joan  Killough-Miller 

16     Hitting  Her  Stride 

Five  short  years  ago,  Christine  Clifton  '94  could  hardly  finish  a 
marathon.  Today,  she  is  one  of  the  best  long-distance  runners  in 
the  world.  By  Joan  Killough-Miller 

20    Clearing  the  Air 

When  Gregory  Wirzbicki  '68  wrote  a  patent  application  for 
cleaner-burning  gasoline,  he  didn't  know  he'd  set  off  a  historic 
battle  over  intellectual  property.  By  Michael  W.  Dorsey 


Volume  102,  No.  1,  Winter  2002 


24    Thinkinq  Small 


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revolution  that  will  transform  the  way  electricity  is  generated  and 
delivered.  By  Laurance  S.  Morrison  and  Michael  W.  Dorsey 

29    Recharged 

Robert  Stempel  '55  left  his  post  as  chairman  of  General  Motors 
intent  on  helping  make  electric  vehicles  a  reality.  In  a  new  career, 
he's  doing  that  and  more.  By  Laurance  S.  Morrison 

42    September  11,  2001 

The  terrorist  attacks  touched  many  WPI  alumni  in  many  ways. 
They  were  also  the  impetus  for  a  moving  e-mail  dialog  between 
alumni  and  their  alma  mater.  By  Joan  Killough-Miller 


I  On  the  cover:  photo  illustration  by  Patrick  O'Connor  and  Steven  Pascal.  Special  thanks 
to  Timothy  R.  Rougnon  '82,  vice  president,  Mass  Electric  Compony  (Notional  Grid). 


iverse  views  presented  in  this  magazine  do  not  necessarily  reflect  the  opinions  of .. 
WPI  policies.  We  welcome  letters  to  the  editor.  Address  correspondence  to  Editor,  TransL. . 
100  Institute  Road,  Worcester,  AAA  01609-2280.  Phone:  508-831  -5609;  fax:  508-831  -5820;  e-mail: 
transformations@wpi.edu;  Web:  www.wpi.edu/+Transformations.  Periodicals  postage  paid  at  Worcester, 
Mass.,  and  at  additional  mailing  offices.  Postmaster:  please  send  address  changes  to  address  above. 
Entire  contents  ©  2002,  Worcester  Polytechnic  Institute. 


transformations 


Departments 


Campus  Buzz    4/6 
A  Few  Words    5 
Inside  WPI    7 
Investigations    8/9 
The  Big  Picture     1  0 
Explorations    1 1 
Class  Notes    32 
Time  Machine    48 


n  the  Web 


www.wpi.edu/+  Transformations 


The  online  edition  of  the  Winter  2002  Transformations  has  a  host  of  features  and  links  related  to  the  stories 
in  this  issue.  Read  a  profile  of  Michael  Sokal,  recently  elected  History  of  Science  president.  Find  out  how  a 
disabled  writer  thinks  Dean  Kamen's  IBOT  could  change  her  life.  Learn  about  a  new  fuel  cell  being  developed 
by  Energy  Conversion  Devices,  the  company  that  Robert  Stempel  now  chairs,  that  might  be  ideal  for  use  in 
vehicles.  You'll  also  find  a  preview  of  the  Spring  2002  issue.  While  you're  online,  send  us  your  news, 
write  a  letter  to  the  editor,  or  chat  with  fellow  readers  in  the  Transformations  forum  of  the  new  Alumni  Cafe. 


formations    I    Wi  n  t 


Scenes  from  a  candlelight 
vigil  at  Reunion  Plaza  on 
15. 


WPI  Gets  Kudos 
for  Networking 

WPI  received  honorable 
mention  for  its  strategically 
coordinated  and  integrated 
network  environment  at  the 
Oct.  30  annual  conference 
of  EDUCAUSE.  A  pre- 
eminent association  repre- 
senting more  than  1 ,800  colleges, 
universities  and  education  organ- 
izations, EDUCAUSE  addresses 
the  complex  issues  attending  the 
incorporation  of  information 
technology  into  higher  education. 
The  award  cites  WPI's  success  in 
consolidating  its  core  information 
and  technology  functions  into  the 
Information  Technology  Division. 
Over  the  last  two  years,  well- 
orchestrated  technological  advances, 
including  infrastructure  upgrades, 
wireless  access,  media-streaming 
capabilities  and  digital  conversion 
facilities,  have  improved  teaching, 
learning  and  research  across  WPI. 
"Our  shared  vision  has  been  to 
unite  the  power  of  knowledge  with 
the  flexibility  of  technology  to 
connect  faculty,  staff,  students  and 
content — anytime,  anyplace," 
says  Thomas  Lynch,  vice  president 
for  information  technology. 


m 


\ 


A  National  Tragedy;  A  Local  Response 

Nothing  could  have  prepared  the  WPI  community  for  the 
news  that  flashed  across  campus  on  the  morning  of  Tues 
Sept.  1 1 .  In  seconds,  the  quiet  business  of  a  late  summit 

day  exploded  into  anguish,  pain  and  worry. 

. 

The  shock  was  intense  and  mind-numbing.  But  somehow  t 
campus  quickly  responded.  TVs  were  set  up  across  campu 
broadcasting  news  updates.  The  Counseling  and  Student 
Development  Center  mobilized  to  offer  solace  and  support  f 
those  closely  affected  by  the  tragedy  and  those  finding  it  hard 

a  world  turned  upside  down.  The  university  sen 
■  ■uuic.  io  their  families  and  cancelled  classes  that  first  day,  Umu  m 
events  scheduled  for  subsequent  days  and  weeks  were  cancelled 
or  postponed,  as  were  the  travel  plans  of  faculty  and  staff. 


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Truiisfo 


nus    I    Winter  2002 


Work  and  study  began  again  the  following  day.  While  striving  to 
return  to  a  routine,  the  WPI  community  also  reached  out  to  help 
meet  the  needs  of  those  affected  by  the  tragedy.  Many  rushed  to 
local  blood  donation  centers — some  standing  in  line  for  many 
hours  to  make  a  donation.  Many  responded  with  gifts  of  clothi 
food  and  other  items  needed  by  the  victims   and  by  the  teams 
working  at  the  sites  of  the  disasters. 

At  week's  end,  as  President  Bush  declared  a  National  Day  of  Ptu; 
and  Remembrance,  hundreds  of  students,  faculty  members  and  staff 
members  gathered  in  Harrington  Auditorium  for  a  prayer  service. 
That  evening,  they  came  together  again,  lighting  candles  and  march 
ing  in  a  solemn  procession  that  stretched  in  an  unbroken  chain  of 
light  nearly  all  the  way  around  the  Quadrangle.  The  march  ended 
in  Reunion  Plaza  for  a  moving  tribute  to  the  victims  and  their  families. 
It  was  a  memorable  conclusion  to  a  week  that  will  remain  seared 
in  the  memory. 

The  tragic  events  of  Sept.  1 1  affected  every  member  of  the  greater 
WPI  community.  To  read  about  how  they  touched  the  lives  of  the 
university's  alumni,  see  pages  42  and  43. 


Kaufman  Passes  the  Ball  to  Bartley 

A  new  era  began  this  summer  with  the  appointment  of  Chris  Bartley  as  WPI's  new  head  men's 
varsity  basketball  coach.  Bartley  succeeds  Ken  Kaufman,  who  led  the  Engineers  for  32  years 
(26  as  head  coach),  the  longest  tenure  of  any  head  coach  at  the  university. 

Bartley  graduated  from  UMass-Lowell  and  is  completing  a  master's  degree  in  education  at 
Cambridge  College.  He  spent  the  last  two  years  as  assistant  coach  at  Babson  College,  where  he 
helped  lead  the  Beavers  to  a  second-place  finish  in  the  New  England  Women's  and  Men's  Athletic 
Conference  in  2001  (the  same  year  the  team  was  named  Most  Improved  Team  in  New  England  by 
the  New  England  Basketball  Coaches  Association).  In  1  999,  during  his  two-year  stint  as  coach  of 
the  Medford  High  School  boys  basketball  team,  he  received  the  Boston  Globe  Division  I  Coach  of 
the  Year  award  and  the  NBA's  Greater  Boston  High  School  Sportsmanship  Award. 

This  summer,  Kaufman  was  elected  first  vice  president  of  the  National  Association  of  Basketball 
Coaches  (NABC).  He  gave  up  his  coaching  duties  in  anticipation  of  the  additional  responsibilities 
he  will  assume  after  he  becomes  NABC  president  in  March  2002.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the 
board  of  trustees  of  the  Basketball  Hall  of  Fame  in  Springfield,  Mass.  He  will  remain  at  WPI  as 
assistant  to  the  director  of  athletics,  physical  education  instructor,  and  coordinator  of  summer  sports 
camps.  WPI's  men's  basketball  team  made  its  first  appearance  in  the  NCAA  national  Division  III 
tournament  in  1981  under  Kaufman's  coaching.  The  team  he  coached  in  1984  finished  with  a 
20-8  record  and  won  the  NCAA  Northeast  Regional  Championship. 


re  about  these  and  other  stories  In 
issue  at  www.wpi.odu/4-TransformaHoiu. 


*-k   1 


*■  t~ 


Michael  M.  Solcal, 

President  Elect,  History  of  Science  Society 


An  Interview  by  Ray  Bert  '93 


Last  fall,  Michael  Sokal,  professor  of  history 
at  WPI  since  1970,  was  elected  to  the 
presidency  of  the  History  of  Science  Society 
(HSS),  which  he  says  is  the  greatest  honor 
he  has  ever  received.  He  begins  a  two-year 
term  as  vice  president  in  January  2002,  and 
will  serve  as  president  in  2004  and  2005. 
Sokal  spoke  with  the  Transformations  about 
his  field  and  what  we  can  learn  from  it. 

What  do  you  hope  to  accomplish  in 
your  new  post? 

I  hope  to  help  the  society  serve  its  members 
as  teachers  and  scholars  by  helping  ensure 
that  HSS  has  the  resources — both  human 
and  financial — that  it  needs.  I  do  not  plan 
to  set  any  teaching  or  pedagogical  agenda; 
it's  quite  clear  that  there  is  a  lot  of  excellent 
teaching  going  on  and  a  lot  of  interest  in 
the  field.  But  I  hope  to  help  the  field 
expand  its  influence  outside  academia,  in 
part  by  promoting  the  efforts  of  those  who 
call  themselves  public  historians  and 
independent  scholars. 

Why  is  it  important  to  study  the 
history  of  science  and  technology? 

Here's  one  of  my  favorite  examples:  In 
teaching  Introduction  to  the  History  of 
Technology  and  tracing  the  roots  of  the 


Industrial  Revolution,  I  start  with  King 
Henry  VIII  wanting  to  divorce  his  wife. 
Because  Roman  Catholicism  wouldn't  allow 
this,  he  converted  to  Protestantism  and 
created  the  Church  of  England,  thereby 
promoting  in  England  the  "Protestant  ethic" 
that  some  historians  believe  was  the  most 
important  factor  in  the  rise  of  a  capitalist 
society.  If  one  looks  for  the  root  causes  only 
in  technology,  while  ignoring  large  social 
changes,  one  misses  a  lot  of  the  story.  The 
two  are  inextricably  intertwined.  This  is,  of 
course,  why  WPI  requires  students  to 
complete  the  Interactive  Project. 

Can  looking  to  the  past  help  us 
grapple  with  current  issues  in 
science  and  technology? 

Too  many  people  in  Congress  are  either 
anti-science,  or  think  it  can  do  anything. 
That  split  plays  out  in  some  current  issues, 
such  as  the  much  discussed  missile  defense 
shield.  Both  sides  of  that  debate — the  side 
that  says  it  is  absolutely  necessary  and 
certain  to  be  effective,  and  the  side  that  says 
that  it  is  a  useless  exercise  that  will  serve 
only  to  line  people's  pockets — are  vastly 
ovetsimplified.  In  terms  of  stem  cells,  we 
can  show  considerable  evidence  that  past 
attempts  to  limit  research  for  political 
reasons  have  been  counterproductive;  not 
only  does  the  field  suffer,  but  the  ethical 
concerns  that  prompted  the  limits  aren't 
addressed.  There  are  other  ways  to  ensure 
that  research  is  conducted  ethically.  We 
believe  strongly  that  our  field  has  a  lot  to 
say  to  policymakers,  and  that  the  history  of 
science  can  be — and  has  been — used  in  a 
way  that  can  benefit  the  country. 

Are  policymakers  the  only  ones  who 
can  benefit  from  an  understanding 
of  the  history  of  science? 

My  discipline  has  a  lot  to  offer  the  general 
public,  as  well.  Introducing  non-science 
people  to  the  nature  of  science  helps  pro- 
duce more  educated  citizens.  An  example 
is  Thomas  Kuhn's  Structure  of  Scientific 
Revolutions,  published  in  1963,  which 
introduced  the  concept  of  the  paradigm. 
Kuhn  was  a  former  HSS  president,  and  his 


work  educated  a  lot  of  Americans  on  what  is 
involved  in  the  development  of  science  and 
more  general  intellectual  change. 

Can  the  historian's  perspective  help 
us  deal  with  the  issues  left  in  the 
wake  of  the  recent  terrorist  attacks? 

As  a  historian,  I  try  to  take  a  long  and 
broad  view  of  the  events  of  Sept.  11. 
I  question  any  explanation  that  relies 
simply  on  narrow  and  short-term  factors 
and  influences.  As  I  hear  commentators 
speculate  as  to  the  immediate  causes  of 
these  events,  I'm  led  to  consider  the 
centuries-long  relationships  between  Islamic 
civilization  and  the  rest  of  the  world,  and 
between  the  United  States  and  the  rest  of 
the  world.  It's  important  to  understand  how 
these  relationships  have  evolved  and  how 
one  has  helped  shape  the  other.  When 
asked,  "What  can  history  teach  us?"  I 
respond  that  although  many  believe  that 
history  cannot  teach  us  what  to  do,  it  can 
teach  us  what  strategies  and  tactics  have 
failed  in  the  past,  and  why  they  failed.  We 
ignore  the  past,  and  historians'  analyses  of 
the  past,  at  our  peril. 

How  will  your  term  as  HSS 
president  help  WPI? 

My  serving  as  president  of  a  national 
humanities  society  will  give  outsiders  an 
idea  of  how  the  university  has  evolved  — 
that  WPI  is  something  broader  than  it  used 
to  be.  But  it  may  also  help  change  the 
institution's  image  of  itself. 

Does  WPI's  unique  approach  to 
education  have  anything  to  offer 
your  field? 

Quite  clearly,  science  historians  today  know 
about  WPI,  which  wasn't  the  case  when  I 
started  here  30  years  ago.  A  big  part  of  that 
is  the  Sufficiency  program,  which  could 
serve  as  a  model  for  any  school  for  introduc- 
ing students  to  ways  of  thinking  different 
from  their  main  field.  It  says  there  are  other 
ways  of  understanding  the  world,  of  coming 
to  grips  with  reality.  The  skills  that  scientists 
and  engineers  at  WPI  develop  in  the 
humanities  are  useful  across  the  board. 

—  Bert  is  a  freelance  writer  living  in  Maryland. 


Transformations    I    Winter  2002     5 


Conference  Brings 
Wireless  World 
to  Boston 

Scores  of  international 

experts  came  together  at 

the  third  IEEE  Workshop 

on  Wireless  Area 

Networks  in  Boston  in 

September,  a  conference 

organized  by  WPI's  Center 

for  Wireless  Information  Network  Studies 

and  chaired  by  Kaveh  Pahlavan,  professor 

of  electrical  and  computer  engineering. 

The  oldest  IEEE  workshop  in  wireless 
broadband  local  and  ad-hoc  networks, 
the  five-year-old  meeting  brings  together 
researchers,  leading  industry  developers 
and  end  users.  This  year,  invited  speakers 
addressed  chip  development,  market 
development  and  product  demonstrations. 
Edson  de  Castro,  best  known  as  the 
founder  of  Data  General  Corporation, 
gave  the  keynote  address. 


From  left,  Rencis, 
Delorey  and  Kronrod. 


Innovative  Curriculum 
Receives  Major  Award 

The  American  Society  for  Engineering 
Education  presented  three  WPI  chemical 
engineering  professors  with  its  2001 

William  H.  Corcoran 
Award  for  the  best 
paper  published  last 
year  in  the  journal 
Chemical  Engineering 
Education.  Associate 
Professor  David 
DiBiasio  Associate 
Professor  William 
Clark  and  Professor  Anthony  Dixon 
wrote  "A  Project-based,  Spiral  Curriculum 
for  Introductory  Courses  in  Chemical 
Engineering,"  a  three-part  description  of 
the  Chemical  Engineering  Department's 
comprehensive  overhaul  of  its  sophomore 
curriculum.  The  new,  yearlong  sequence, 
which  integrates  topics  from  the  four  tradi- 
tional core  courses  (material  and  energy 
balances,  classical  thermodynamics,  mixture 
thermodynamics,  and  staged  separation  pro- 
cesses), leads  students  to  make  connections 
between  ideas  previously  treated  separately. 


6     Transformation!   I   Winter  2002 


People  in  the  Spotlight 

Joseph  J.  Rencis,  mechanical  engineering  professor  and  director  of 
engineering  mechanics,  was  recently  elected  a  fellow  of  the  American  Society 
of  Mechanical  Engineers  (ASME)  International.  The  highest  grade  of 
membership  within  ASME,  fellow  recognizes  exceptional  engineering 
achievements  and  contributions  to  the  engineering  profession.  A  member  of  the 
faculty  since  1  985,  Rencis  is  also  a  fellow  of  the  Wessex  Institute  of  Great 
Britain,  which  recognizes  leaders  in  the  field  of  computation  engineering  and 
boundary  element  research. 

WPI  student  musicians  have  something  new  to  sing  about.  John  Francis  Delorey  was 

named  WPI's  first  director  of  choral  music  last  fall.  He  succeeds  Associate  Professor  Louis 
Curran  as  director  of  the  WPI  Men's  Glee  Club  and  assumes  conducting  responsibilities  for 
Alden  Voices  (the  women's  chorus)  and  the  Concert  Chorus.  Curran,  who  has  directed  the 
Glee  Club  since  1  966,  will  continue  to  teach  at  WPI.  Delorey,  a  graduate  of  Vassar  College, 
is  a  multifaceted  musician  with  an  impressive  resume.  He  was  most  recently  director  of 
choral  activities  and  concert  band  director  at  Clark  University  and  was  a  music  teacher 
and  program  coordinator  at  Doherty  Memorial  High  School. 

WPI  senior  Yakov  Kronrod  is  preparing  for  a  career  in  research  and  teaching  with  a 
double  major  in  mathematics  and  computer  science.  Three  prestigious  awards  attest  to  his 
academic  excellence.  In  2000  he  received  WPI's  Richard  V.  Olson  Award  for  outstanding 
performance  in  basic  mathematics  courses.  Last  April,  he  was  named  a  Goldwater  Scholar 
for  the  2001  -02  academic  year.  These  scholarships  are  awarded  to  outstanding  sophomores 
or  juniors  who  demonstrate  a  high  potential  for  and  commitment  to  a  career  in  mathematics, 
the  natural  sciences  or  academic  research.  Last  summer,  he  was  one  of  two  WPI  students 
(the  other  was  senior  Megan  Lally)  chosen  to  receive  a  Waldemar  J.  Trjitzinsky  Memorial 
Fund  Award  from  the  American  Mathematical  Society.  After  graduation  Kronrod  plans  to 
pursue  a  master's  in  computer  science  and  a  doctorate  in  mathematics. 


Scenes  from  Frankenstein,  a  play  adapted  from  Mary  Shelley's  novel  by  Joseph  Romagnano  '01 
and  presented  at  WPI  in  November. 

Theater  Plays  Well  With  Princeton  Review 

It  is  no  secret  to  members  of  the  WPI  community  that  the  dramatic  arts  thrive  on  campus. 
Recent  recognition  from  the  Princeton  Review  has  gotten  the  word  out  nationwide.  In  its 
newest  guidebook,  The  Best  33  1  Colleges,  the  Review  ranked  WPI  1  1  th  on  its  list  of  schools 
where  "college  theater  is  big."  Emerson  College,  Ithaca  College  and  Brown  University 
topped  the  list;  WPI  came  in  just  ahead  of  Vassar  and  Hampshire. 

Under  the  direction  of  Susan  Vick,  professor  of  drama/theatre,  the  university  has  moved 
to  the  leading  edge  of  theater  production  with  the  development  of  the  Theatre  and 
Technology  Program  and  with  multifaceted  opportunities  to  learn  and  participate,  including 
courses,  student  projects,  several  standing  drama  organizations,  and  a  yearly  festival  of 
plays  written,  directed,  produced  and  performed  by  members  of  the  WPI  community 


-s    •>■.  P 


Closing  the  Gender 


Since  it  went  co-ed  IiM  968,  WPI  has  been 
working  to  increase  the  number  of  bright, 
confident  women  like  Janelle  Smith 

in  its  classrooms  and  labs.  Its  1999  strate- 
gic plan  set  an  ambitious  target,  calling  for 
its  student  body  to  be  30  percent  female 
by  2010-1 1  (female  enrollment  is  at  now 
about  23  percent). 

Attracting  and  retaining  women 
interested  in  engineering,  math  and 

.„„hal  challenge.  In  2000, 
women  accounted  for  only  20  percent 
of  the  students  enrolled  in  engineering 
programs.  "Women  are  over  half  the 


University  before  coming  to  WPI  to  head 
this  new  office.  "We  do  a  historically  bad 
job  of  telling  them  that  engineering  is 
also  a  helping  profession  and  that  math 
and  science  can  help  them  solve  real- 
world  problems  they  can  relate  to." 

With  other  administrators,  faculty 
and  students,  Blaisdell  has  launched 
several  "pipeline"  programs  and  is 
expanding  others.  She  is  also  reac 
out  to  the  community  to  inform  _ 
inspire  younger  women  interested  in 
engineering,  math  and  science  (see  the 
online  Transformations  for  more  on 


population,"  says  J- 
"It's  important  for  us  to  have  a  voice  in  the 
'i»'i«n  and  development  of  things  we  use 
in  our  lives."  Balancing  the  Equation: 
Where  Are  Women  and  Girls  in  Science, 
Engineering  and  Technology?,  a  1 998  report 
by  the  National  Council  for  Research  on 
Women,  notes  that  at  a  time  when  U.S. 
industry  can't  fill  openings  for  technically 
advanced  jobs,  women  are  grossly 

WPI  is  seeking  to  answer  the  call  to 
action.  Last  year  it  established  the  Office 
of  Diversity  and  Women's  Programs. 
"Research  has  shown  that  women  want 
to  help  people,  the  environment  and 
animals,"  notes  Stephanie  Blaisdell,  who 


A  cross-functional  team  at  WPI 
is  examining  the  university's  marketi 
materials,  academic  program,  campus 
culture,  facilities  and  services  to  identify 
conditions  that  may  deter  women  and 
minorities  from  applying  or  matriculat- 
ing. One  of  the  issues  the  committee  is 
examining  is  whether  the  30  percent 


am  at  Arizona  State 


"The  bottom  line,"  says  Admissions 
Director  Kristen  Tichenor,  chair  of  the 
committee,  "is  that  we're  not  content 
with  where  we  are.  We  think  we  can  do 
better  in  attracting  and  retaining  women 
and  minorities  who  would  benefit  greatly 
from  a  WPI  education." 

—  Bonnie  Gelbw 


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20 1 


Seeing  the  Forest  for  the  Trees 


This  chart,  generated  by  XmdvTool  from  a 
data  set  consisting  of  attributes  for  several 
hundred  cars,  demonstrates  a  capability 
of  the  software  called  parallel  coordinates. 
It  shows  six  dimensions  of  the  data  at  an 
intermediate  level  of  detail.  Each  vertical  axis 
corresponds  to  a  dimension  (for  example, 
miles  per  gallon  and  number  of  cylinders). 
Each  colored  line  represents  a  cluster  (or 
correlation  among  a  grouping  of  cars)  within 
the  data  space.  The  band  around  each  line 
shows  the  spread  of  values  for  each  dimen- 
sion within  that  cluster.  For  example,  the 
purple  line  represents  eight-cylinder  cars  with 
poor  fuel  economy  and  low  acceleration. 
Most  of  the  clusters  differentiate  themselves 
from  others  in  more  than  one  dimension, 
allowing  the  viewer  to  divide  each  dimension 
into  ranges  (such  as  low,  medium  and  high) 
and  spot  trends  and  outliers. 


Simply  put,  visualization  is  a  way  of  taking  information  and  turning  it  into  images  that  make 
it  easier  to  comprehend.  Road  maps,  bar  charts  and  organizational  charts  are  examples  we 
encounter  in  our  everyday  lives.  Scientists  use  visualization  techniques  to  present  their  results, 
confirm  hypotheses  and  extract  meaning  from  their  data.  In  fact,  visualization  is  becoming 
increasingly  important  in  science,  engineering  and  business  because  it  can  provide  rich 
overviews  of  data  and  help  researchers  quickly  see  the  forest  for  the  trees. 

But  commonly  used  visualization  methods  are  often  inadequate  for  dealing  with  exceed- 
ingly large  data  sets — the  kind  that  exceed  millions  or  even  tens  of  millions  of  records,  each 
with  hundreds  or  thousands  of  entries.  Revealing  the  patterns  and  trends  hidden  in  such  vast 
seas  of  numbers  is  the  specialty  of  Matthew  Ward  '77,  professor  of  computer  science  at  WPI, 
and  Elke  Rundensteiner,  associate  professor  of  computer  science. 

Their  research  focuses  on  the  development  of  interactive  visualization  and  data  man- 
agement techniques  that  permit  scientists  to  explore  massive  quantities  of  data.  Ward,  who 
has  been  working  in  visualization  for  more  than  a  decade,  is  the  developer  of  XmdvTool,  a 
powerful  tool  for  the  interactive  analysis  of  large  multivatiate  data  sets.  The  public  domain 
software  takes  advantage  of  the  ability  of  the  human  eye  to  detect,  isolate  and  classify  clus- 
ters, trends  and  anomalies  within  visual  patterns.  It  integrates  a  variety  of  multivariate  data 
visualization  techniques,  including  scatterplot  matrices,  parallel  coordinates,  star  glyphs  and 
dimensional  stacking,  along  with  an  extensive  suite  of  interactive  tools  for  filtering  the  data 
and  modifying  the  views. 

Funded  by  the  National  Science  Foundation  since  1998,  Ward  and  Rundensteiner's 
current  research  is  focused  on  three  interconnected  tasks.  First,  they  are  extending  the  visuali- 
zation techniques  of  XmdvTool  to  permit  it  to  display  millions  of  records  with  thousands  of 
dimensions  in  meaningful  clusters  that  can  be  examined  at  multiple  levels  of  detail.  They  also 
hope  to  improve  the  software's  data  management  and  retrieval  capabilities  and  develop  inter- 
active tools  to  allow  users  to  better  navigate  the  data 
display  and  control  the  level  of  detail  by  drilling 
down,  rolling  up  and  zooming. 

"Visualization  is  not  meant  to  teplace  the  tradi- 
tional analytical  or  statistical  methods  of  data  analysis 
currently  used,"  Ward  says,  "but  it  is  a  useful  tool  tor 
understanding  the  structure  and  characteristics  of  a 
given  data  set.  Visualization  is  'exploratory  analysis." 
It  allows  you  to  use  your  innate  visual  pattern  recog- 
nition abilities  to  spot  clusters,  trends,  and  anomalies 
that  direct  you  toward  the  5  percent  of  the  data  that 
is  important,  while  letting  you  bypass  the  95  percent 
that  is  not." 

XmdvTool  currently  has  hundreds  of  users 
from  a  wide  variety  of  application  domains,  including 
environmental  monitoring,  stock  market  analysis  and 
bioinformatics.  h  is  also  used  in  visual  data  mining 
research  and  in  information  visualization  graduate  courses  .n  several  universities.  Ward  s.tvs 
feedback  from  users  has  been  invaluable,  as  each  new  domain  provides  him,  through  its  own 
unique  data  characteristics  and  exploratory  tasks,  new  opportunities  for  taking  visualization 
to  yet  another  level  ol  exploration. 


8     Transformation!    I    Winter  2002 


The  Air  We  Breathe 

Just  as  the  cleatest  pond  watet  comes  alive  with  tiny  organisms  when  viewed  under  a 
microscope,  the  specialized  equipment  in  the  laboratory  of  Barbara  Wyslouzil  reveals 
that  the  air  surrounding  us  is  really  an  aerosol  containing  thousands  of  particles  per 
cubic  centimeter. 

For  the  last  six  years,  Wyslouzil,  associate  professor  of  chemical  engineering,  has 
focused  on  the  finest  of  these  particles,  called  nanodroplets  because  they  are  typically 
less  than  100  nanometers  in  diameter.  These  droplets  can  impair  human  health, 
change  the  chemistry  of  the  atmosphere  and  alter  our  perception  of  air  quality,  yet  lit- 
tle is  known,  from  a  molecular  perspective,  about  how  they  form  when  fossil  fuels  are 
burned  or  through  incineration  and  other  industrial  and  natural  processes. 

Wyslouzil  heads  three  aerosol  science  research  projects 
funded  by  the  National  Science  Foundation  and  another  funded 
by  the  Petroleum  Research  Fund.  As  a  leading  figure  in  this 
emerging  field,  she  has  been  recognized  by  the  NSF  with  a 
Faculty  Early  Career  Development  (CAREER)  award  and  by 
WPI  with  the  2001  Trustees'  Award  for  Outstanding  Research 
and  Creative  Scholarship. 

A  primary  focus  of  her  research  is  the  formation  and  struc- 
ture of  multicomponent  nanodroplets.  She  hopes  to  learn  how 
conditions  in  the  gas  phase  affect  the  rate  at  which  these  droplets 
form.  She  is  also  interested  in  knowing  whether  the  droplets 
contain  regions  with  distinctly  different  compositions,  since  the 
way  a  droplet  interacts  with  its  environment  depends  on  which 
molecules  lie  at  its  surface. 

In  her  laboratory  in  Olin  Hall,  Wyslouzil  and  her  team  of 
undergraduate  and  postdoctotal  students  ptoduce  aerosols  using 
a  supersonic  nozzle,  then  study  them  with  conventional  methods, 
including  light-scattering.  Once  a  year,  they  pack  their  equipment  in  a  15-foot  truck 
and  drive  to  the  Center  for  Neutron  Research  at  the  National  Institute  of  Standards  and 
Technology  (NIST)  in  Gaithersburg,  Md.  Over  the  course  of  four  to  five  days,  they  use  a 
highly  sophisticated  piece  of  equipment  called  a  Small  Angle  Neutron  Scattering  (SANS) 
instrument.  Because  the  wavelength  of  the  neutrons  is  smaller  than  the  size  of  the  droplets, 
the  neutron-scattering  patterns  can  provide  information  about  both  the  size  and  the  internal 
structure  of  the  droplets  that  can't  be  derived  with  other  methods.  The  NIST  campaigns  are 
grueling,  Wyslouzil  says,  because  the  experiments  run  24  hours  a  day. 

The  most  recent  trip  to  NIST,  in  June,  "was  the  most  rewarding  yet  and  produced 
exceptionally  good  results,"  she  says.  "For  the  first  time,  we  were  able  to  observe  that  some 
nanodroplets  really  are  segregated  and  consist  of  a  water-rich  core  with  an  alcohol-rich 
surface  layer.  It  was  out  third  attempt  to  get  a  'signal'  from  this  type  of  droplet  and  this 
time  the  spectra  looked  right!" 

With  this  information,  Wyslouzil  and  her  team  can  complete  a  more  quantitative  analysis 
of  the  results — for  example,  determining  the  exact  thickness  of  a  nanodroplet's  outer  layer. 

Having  pioneered  the  use  of  SANS  to  investigate  the  properties  of  atmospheric  nano- 
droplets, Wyslouzil  says  she  and  her  group  are  keen  on  extending  her  work  into  other  areas 
of  aerosol  science. 


-      ""•^H20-d- 

1  X 


D20-h-butanol       clOmSDD 

a   3.75  m  SDD 

"*"**_  H20  -  d  -  buonol       i  2.0  m  SDD 


To  develop  a  method  for  probing  the 
structure  of  atmospheric  nanodroplets, 
Wyslouzil  created  test  droplets  by 
spraying  a  mixture  of  water  or  heavy 
water  (D2O)  and  d-butanol  through  a 
supersonic  nozzle.  The  curves  to  the 
left  show  that  the  droplets  were 
expected  to  have  a  water-rich  core 
and  an  alcohol-rich  shell.  The  curves 
to  the  right  show  actual  results  obtained 
with  small-angle  neutron  scattering. 
The  results  demonstrate  the  usefulness 
of  this  technique,  the  only  one  yet 
developed  that  can  probe  the 
microstructure  of  nanodroplets. 


"  am  more  about  these  and  oth 


er  stones 


issue  at  www 


■Transformations. 


Transformations    I    Winter   2  002 


The  Big  Picture 


rom  the 


■■'•"■-■;'  ■  i 


**  W*>. 


V 


Wichita,  you've  no  doubt  come  to 
realize  that  WPI  is  not  exactly  a 
household  name  beyond  Central 
New  England.  While  our  faculty, 
staff,  students  and  alumni  have 
carried  our  name  to  the  far  corners 
of  the  globe,  and  while  we've 
become  widely  known  in  some 
circles  (fire  protection  engineering, 
for  example),  our  reputation  quickly 


'? 


wanes  as  one  moves 
farther  and  farther 
from  our  own 
backyard. 


How  can  it  be,  you 
may  wonder,  that  an 
institution  that  was  30  years 
ahead  of  its  time  in  developing  the 
best  approach  to  preparing  students 
for  the  challenges  and  opportunities 
of  tomorrow's  technological  world 
has  been  so  little  recognized  for  its 
efforts?  We've  come  to  realize  that 
excellence  in  academics  and 
research  doesn't  translate  automati- 
cally into  reputation  and  prestige. 
Those  qualities  are  largely  a  function 
of  who  knows  you,  what  they  know, 
and  how  they  see  you  in  compar- 
ison to  other  institutions. 

WPI  has  set  out  to  do  something 
about  this  challenge — to  make  a 
name  for  the  university  that  will  be 
known  and  appreciated.  We've 


ast  year  and  a  half 
conducting  an  image  assessment 
that  has  told  us  a  great  deal  about 
how  we  are  perceived  in  the  market- 
place and  what  we  need  to  do  to 
become  more  visible  and  to  be 
better  known  for  our  quality  and 
excellence. 

In  the  months  ahead,  we  will  be 
launching  a  multifaceted  marketing 
and  communications  program  aimed 
at  putting  that  vision  into  action  (this 
newly  redesigned  magazine  is  just 
one  element).  This  is  a  serious  effort, 
unlike  anything  the  university  has 
ever  undertaken.  It  will  involve  every 
segment  of  the  WPI  family,  including 
our  alumni  body. 

The  stakes  are  high,  but  the  rewards 
could  be  higher  still.  I  look  forward 
to  telling  you  more  about  this  critical 
effort  as  it  moves  from  the  drawing 
board  and  into  the  public  eye  in  the 
near  future. 

—  Parrish  is  presidenl  of  WPI. 


\r 


IO     Transformations    I    Whiter  2002 


Explorations 


Students  Help  British 
Museums  Connect 
With  Visitors 

By  Bonnie  Gelbwasser 

What  do  you  expect  from  a  museum? 
Information?  Enlightenment?  Interaction? 
Last  spring,  four  teams  of  WPI  juniors  and 
seniors  traveled  to  the  London  Project  Center, 
the  oldest  site  in  WPI's  global  network,  to 
help  British  museums  grapple  with  this 
question.  Their  task  was  to  suggest  ways  the 
museums  might  improve  how  they  fulfill 
visitors'  expectations. 

"WPI's  Interactive  Project  is  perfect  for 
museums,"  says  James  S.  Demetry,  professor 
emeritus  of  electrical  engineering,  who 
advised  the  museum  projects,  along  with 
Ruth  Smith,  associate  professor  of  philosophy 


David  Kirubi,  Shaun  McQuaid,  David  Spitz 
and  David  Yamartino  were  given  the 
opportunity  to  make  the  first  systematic 
study  of  the  comments  and  associated  data 
recorded  by  the  system  during  its  first  six 
months.  They  found,  for  example,  that 
though  the  kiosks  were  designed  to  appeal 
to  young  visitors,  they  are  enjoyed  by 
people  of  all  ages.  The  students  were  asked 
to  develop  ideas  for  new  topics,  and, 
based  on  their  analysis,  they  recommended 
that  the  kiosks  ask  open-ended  questions 
aimed  at  generating  well  thought  out 
comments.  They  interviewed  visitors  to 
determine  which  topics  appealed  to  them, 
and  suggested  that  the  museum  develop 
kiosks  on  euthanasia,  stem  cell  research 
and  Internet  privacy.  All  three  topics  were 
approved  by  museum  officials. 
»  Housed  within  the  Victoria  and  Albert 
Museum,  the  National  Art  Library  is  home 
to  many  priceless  manuscripts  that  document 
the  history  of  art  and  of  the  museum. 


•  Supply  and  demand  takes  on  new  urgency 
in  the  intensifying  world  energy  debate. 

To  help  young  visitors  learn  about  future 
sources  of  energy  for  the  United  Kingdom, 
London's  National  Museum  of  Science  and 
Industry  is  considering  the  installation  of 
wind  turbines  and  solar  arrays  on  its  roof. 
To  complement  the  exhibit,  WPI  seniors 
Elizabeth  Hart,  Joseph  Knuble  and  David 
Tolmie  designed  an  interactive  Web  site 
about  photovoltaics  and  wind  energy  that 
presents  the  information  in  a  colorful,  clear 
and  concise  manner.  The  site  engaged  the 
interest  of  7-  to  14-year-olds  in  alternative 
energy  and  enabled  the  museum  to  deter- 
mine the  most  effective  way  to  showcase 
the  rooftop  exhibit. 

•  As  they  prepared  for  an  expanded  and 
improved  Education  Centre,  staff  members 
at  the  Royal  Armouries  of  the  Tower  of 
London  wanted  to  know  more  about  how 
teachers  learned  of  their  programs  and 


From  left,  Skiba,  Garon  and  Giarnese  at  the  Tower  of  London;  Tolmie,  Hart  and  Knuble  at  the  National  Museum  of  Science  and  Industry; 
and  Spitz,  Ruth  Smith  and  McQuaid  at  the  London  Museum  of  Science. 


and  religion.  'The  project's  focus  on  the 
interdependence  of  technology  and  society 
and  its  emphasis  on  teamwork  is  enhanced 
by  the  students'  exuberance  and  creativity. 
It  all  comes  together  as  team  members  devote 
an  intense  seven  weeks  to  helping  museum 
staffers  organize  or  improve  collections  in 
ways  that  appeal  to  and  enlighten  visitors." 
Here  are  highlights  of  four  of  these  projects: 
•  More  and  more  museums  are  replacing 
lectures  about  their  exhibitions  with  inter- 
active presentations.  In  June  2000,  the 
London  Museum  of  Science,  in  an  effort  to 
encourage  more  interaction  between  visitors 
and  the  museum,  opened  the  Welcome 
Wing,  which  features  a  series  of  kiosks  on 
controversial  issues  in  science  and  technol- 
ogy. At  each  kiosk,  visitors  receive  an 
introduction  to  a  topic  through  film  clips 
and  text;  they  then  have  a  chance  to  offer 
their  own  observations  and  opinions. 


However,  access  to  the  documents,  which 
are  deteriorating  and  becoming  more 
difficult  to  decipher,  is  carefully  controlled. 
Thanks  to  the  creativity  of  Adam  Brancato, 
Michael  Modisett  and  Alex  Tang,  the 
manuscripts  may  soon  be  available  online. 
A  previous  student  project  team  designed  a 
tagging  system  that  allows  transcribers  to 
annotate  text  to  identify  information  so  it 
can  be  easily  recognized  by  a  computer. 
Brancato,  Modisett  and  Tang  extended  that 
idea  with  their  design  of  a  comprehensive, 
flexible  online  resource  that  will  provide 
scholars  with  faster,  more  efficient  and 
more  powerful  access  to  these  treasures. 
The  system,  which  includes  links  to  online 
resources,  can  be  adapted  for  use  by  other 
art  history  archives  around  the  world. 


how  they  felt  about  the  lessons  they  presented. 
Based  on  a  survey  they  conducted  of  teachers, 
Justyn  Garon,  Edward  Giarnese  and  Robert 
Skiba  recommended  that  the  museum  focus 
more  on  hands-on  activities  and  spend  less 
time  lecturing  visiting  students.  They  also 
suggested  that  the  Education  Centre  add 
a  guided  tour  of  the  tower  to  increase  the 
educational  value  of  the  visit.  Since  the 
teachers  said  they  learned  about  the  center 
primarily  from  colleagues  who'd  been  there, 
Garon,  Gianese  and  Skiba  suggested  that 
the  museum  develop  a  database  of  schools 
to  stimulate  interest  in  the  center  and 
the  tower. 


Transformations    I    Winter   2002     1  1 


J 


- 


Call  it  an  advanced  motility  device. 

Call  it  a  personal  transportation  system. 

Call  it  the  most  sophisticated  autonomous  robotics  system  ever  devised 

Just  don't  call  it  a  wheelchair. 

on  two  wheels,  the  IBOT,  brainchild  of  Dean  Kamen  '73,  has  placed  the  energy 
face-to-face  with  President  Clinton  and  carried  him,  step-by-step,  to  the  top  of '' 
Ifs  now  ready  to  enable  disabled  people  to  do  things  and  go  places  they  never  dreamed  possi 


** 


By  Joan  Killough-Miller       Photography  by  Patrick  O'Connor 


12  :    tt'/n/fi 


What  if  the  whole  world  were  handicapped 
accessible?  What  if  a  wheelchair  could  step  over 
curbs,  climb  stairs  and  keep  on  rolling,  no  matter 
how  rough  the  road?  What  if  there  were  a  wheel- 
chair that  could  stand  up  and  balance  on  two 
wheels  like  a  person  on  two  legs? 

Dean  Kamen  is  a  master  at  turning  "what  ifs"  into  lucrative 
products.  His  previous  inventions — which  include  a  miniature 
infusion  pump  for  diabetics  and  a  portable  kidney  dialysis 
machine  for  home  use — have  made  him  a  multimillionaire. 
Kamen  entered  WPI  with  the  Class  of  1973,  but  left  before 
completing  his  degree.  He  was  awarded  an  honorary  doctor 
of  engineering  degree  in  1992.  His  passion  is  finding  ways  to 
inspire  American  youth  to  pursue  careers  in  science  and  engi- 
neering. To  that  end,  he  created  a  hands-on  learning  center 
called  SEE  (Science  Enrichment  Encounters)  and  a  foundation 
called  FIRST  (For  Inspiration  and  Recognition  of  Science  and 
Technology),  which  sponsors  a  national  robotics  competition 
that  teams  professional  engineers  with  high  school  students 
from  around  the  country. 

Nothing  pleases  Kamen  more  than  putting  his  resources 
and  the  talent  of  his  company,  DEKA  Research  &  Develop- 
ment Corp.,  behind  a  new  pet  project.  So  when  Kamen  was 
struck,  one  evening,  by  the  sight  of  a  young  man  in  a  wheel- 
chair unable  to  get  over  a  curb  at  a  shopping  mall,  his  mind 
would  not  let  go  of  that  injustice.  Instead  of  changing  the 
world,  Kamen  set  out  to  rethink  the  chair. 

A  decade  later,  The  Independence™  3000  IBOT™  Trans- 
porter is  undergoing  FDA  clinical  trials.  Its  development  has 
captured  the  attention  of  USA  Today,  Scientific  American, 
The  Wall  Street  Journal,  and  NBC's  Dateline,  as  well  as 
Wired  a.n&  InfoWorld.  Once  approved,  it  will  be  marketed  by 
Independence  Technology,  a  Johnson  &  Johnson  company 
that  has  been  working  in  cooperation  with  DEKA,  with  a 
$100  million  investment  from  the  health  care  giant.  When  the 
IBOT  is  rolled  out — possibly  later  this  year — it  will  open  the 
door  to  new  freedom  for  millions  of  wheelchair  users  and  glide 
into  a  $2  billion  global  market. 


Although  the  concept  of  a  chair  on  wheels  is  ancient, 
the  basic  design  has  changed  little  over  the  centuries.  Most 
innovations  in  chair  design  have  been  spearheaded  by  users — 
in  collaboration  with  their  engineer  friends.  These  advances 
include  the  first  folding  wheelchair  in  1932,  and  chairs  adapted 
for  racing  and  basketball  in  the  1 960s.  Power-operated  chairs 
are  also  benefiting  from  new  materials  and  technology  that 
make  them  lighter  and  more  maneuverable.  A  few  have  been 
developed  to  scale  curbs  or  boost  the  user  to  a  standing  eleva- 
tion, but  balance  and  weight  become  challenging  considerations 
when  an  adult  is  raised  to  full  height. 

Kamen's  IBOT  doesn't  just  replace  two  legs  with  four 
wheels.  It  performs  like  the  human  body — using  motors  and 
wheels  to  do  the  work  of  muscle  and  bone,  while  a  series  of 
gyroscopes  and  electronic  sensors  carry  out  the  advanced  bal- 
ance and  positioning  responses  of  the  nervous  system.  Three 
Pentium-class  processors  act  together  as  a  brain,  receiving  up 
to  10,000  messages  per  second.  To  ensure  the  safety  of  their 
responses,  two  of  the  three  processors  must  approve  a  given 
action.  (Similar  technology  is  "under  the  hood"  of  Kamen's 
recently  unveiled  Segway  Human  Transporter?'  In  fact,  the 
IBOT  code  name,  Fred,  reveals  its  close  relationship  to  the 
Segway,  which  was  previously  known  only  as  Ginger  or  IT.) 

On  the  ground,  the  IBOT  doesn't  look  much  different 
from  the  typical  motorized  chair.  For  all  its  high-tech  powers, 
the  IBOT  is  actually  a  bit  smaller  and  narrower.  What's  revo- 
lutionary— figuratively  and  literally — is  the  action  of  the 
double  set  of  rear  wheels. 

Three  flights  up  by  elevator  at  DEKA's  Manchester,  N.H., 
research  facility  is  a  secure-access  laboratory  code-named  "Easy 
Street."  It  is  actually  a  real-world  chamber  of  horrors  for  a  non- 
ambulator)'  person.  Here,  DEKA  technicians  and  people  with 
disabilities  ranging  from  gunshot  wounds  to  Parkinson's  disease 
have  pitted  the  IBOT  against  obstacles  that  would  stop  an 
ordinary  wheelchair  in  its  tracks. 

Kamen  is  in  his  element  as  he  demonstrates  his  creation, 
seated  smugly  atop  this  whirring  mechanical  throne.  In 
Standard  Function,  he  can  do  up  to  eight  miles  per  hour — 
a  moderate  speed  for  runners.  "I  could  have  made  it  faster," 
he  jokes,  "but  they  wouldn't  let  me."  With  a  touch  of  the  arm- 
rest controls,  he  shifts  into  4-wheel  drive  and  cruises  through 
pits  of  sand  and  gravel.  Curbs,  cobblestones — even  a  bumpy 
flagstone  path — are  no  challenge  for  the  IBOT. 

As  Kamen  switches  to  Balance  Function,  one  set  of  rear 
wheels  tucks  up  over  the  other,  elevating  vertically  challenged 
Kamen  to  a  standing  height  of  six  feet.  His  single-axle  stance 
looks  as  precarious  as  a  unicycle  rider's,  but  Kamen  crosses  his 
arms  and  challenges  visitors — able  bodied  and  wheelchair 
warriors  alike — to  knock  him  over. 


Transformations    I    Winter  2002     13 


For  the  grand  finale,  Kamen  rides  over  to  a  flight  of  stairs 
and  leans  against  the  chair's  backrest.  In  Stair  Function,  the 
IBOT  backs  up  the  stairs  with  the  two  sets  of  rear  wheels  rotat- 
ing around  each  other.  It  looks  perilous,  but  Kamen's  seated 
figure  remains  steady  as  the  wheels  bump  along.  At  the  top  of 
the  stairs  he  pauses,  then  rolls  down  again,  spreading  his  arms  in 
a  triumphant  gesture,  asking,  "What  else  do  you  need  to  know?" 

It  looks  like  magic — and  Kamen  delights  in  telling 
observers  that,  technically,  it  is.  The  balance  problem  stymied 
him  for  some  time,  but  the  key  to  a  solution  came  in  a  flash, 
when  he  slipped  in  rhe  shower,  then  asked  himself  how  he 
recovered  without  falling.  The  image  of  his  spinning  arms 
inspired  rhe  gyroscopic  technology  that  balances  the  IBOT. 
It  is  programmed  to  mimic  whar  the  human  does  without 
thinking.  For  example,  when  the  head  gets  too  far  ahead  of 
the  body,  the  feet  instinctively  shuffle  forward  to  keep  up. 

"Magic"  is  about  as  technical  as  Kamen  will  get  by  way  of 
an  explanation  of  the  IBOT's  inner  workings.  His  engineers — 
who  include  1 1  WPI  alumni — are  guarded  when  answering 
questions  about  design  details.  Russ  Beavis  '94,  who  joined 
DEKA  after  graduation,  worked  on  the  IBOT  project  as  a  sub- 
system leader  of  rhe  sensor  design  team.  He  says  that  secrecy 
during  the  design  phase  made  him  feel  isolated  from  the  rest 
of  the  company. 

"The  IBOT  development  group  was  always  seen  as  a 
'black  hole'  that  engineers  would  enter  but  never  leave,"  he 
says.  "But  on  a  more  positive  note,  the  IBOT  development 
facilities  have  been  compared  favorably  to  James  Bond's  gadget 
gurus'  labs.  The  excitement  level  has  always  been  high."  The 
challenge  of  integrating  so  many  subsystems  from  the  different 
engineering  disciplines  was  great,  but  Beavis  takes  pride  in 
knowing  that  the  IBOT,  like  all  of  DEKA's  products,  will  have 
such  a  profound  effect  on  so  many  lives.  "We  never  have  to 
think  about  whether  our  products  are  valuable,"  he  says. 

The  seeming  insurmountable  task  of  making  a  six-legged 
chair  climb  stairs  fell  to  another  WPI  alumnus,  Kurr  Heinz- 
mann  '86.  Heinzmann  joined  DEKA  in  1992,  after  meeting 
Kamen  during  the  first  FIRST  competition.  Kamen  hired 
Heinzmann  away  from  WPI's  MEAC  (Manufacturing  Engi- 
neering Applications  Center),  much  to  the  chagrin  of  former 
president  Jon  C.  Strauss.  Heinzmann  was  the  first  engineer 
hired  to  work  full  time  on  the  IBOT  and  has  had  a  hand  in 
all  of  the  propulsion  and  control  systems.  Conquering  the 
stair-climbing  problems  was  a  very  creative,  fun  period  in 
DEKA's  history,  he  recalls. 

"There  are  several  possible  approaches,"  Heinzmann 
elaborates.  "One  obvious  one  is  some  kind  of  anthropomorphic 
design — that  is,  something  resembling  the  biological  way  of 
doing  things,  such  as  legs  that  articulate  just  like  a  human's. 
Then,  of  course,  there  are  others  that  are  more  like  a 
wheeled  vehicle." 


The  chosen  stair-climbing  strategy  also  had  to  be  easy 
for  a  wheelchair  user  to  control.  The  perfect  solution  lay  in 
a  serendipirous  side  effect  of  the  balance  control  scheme. 
"We  had  already  figured  out  how  to  get  the  device  to  maintain 
balance  on  two  wheels,"  says  Heinzmann.  "So  one  day  we 
thought  we'd  try  using  rhe  same  scheme  for  rotating  the  whole 
cluster  of  wheels  around  each  other,  instead  of  just  rotating 
the  wheels  that  were  in  contact  with  the  ground." 

In  stair  mode,  the  IBOT  responds  the  same  way  that  it 
does  in  balance  mode.  If  the  rider  leans  back,  the  wheels  rotate 
backwards  to  keep  the  point  of  contact  under  the  center  of 
mass.  Lean  forward,  and  the  chair  "walks"  down  the  stairs.  It 
takes  a  bit  of  practice,  says  Heinzmann,  but  it's  not  difficult  to 
learn.  "It's  a  lot  less  scary  when  you're  in  the  seat  than  it  looks  to 
an  observer,"  he  says.  "It's  a  very  reassuring-feeling  machine." 

Making  the  IBOT  safe  for  even  the  most  fragile  users  was 
an  unprecedented  technical  challenge.  "This  is,  without  a  doubt, 
the  most  grueling  project  we've  worked  on,"  says  Kamen.  "In 
Balance  Function,  there's  nothing  between  you  and  the  road 
but  software.  Imagine  your  80-year-old  grandmother  up  there." 

Although  in  demonstrations  it  looks  like  athletic  Kamen 
is  reaching  back  to  pull  the  IBOT  up  the  stairs,  he  notes  that 
using  the  IBOT  takes  little  strength  or  range  of  motion.  An 
extremely  weak  or  unstable  user  could  have  an  artendant  guide 
the  chair  from  behind.  "In  assist  mode,  a  90-pound  woman 
could  get  her  240-pound  husband  up  the  stairs,  when  properly 
trained,"  says  Kamen.  The  durability  of  rhe  IBOT  has  also 
been  severely  tested.  "We've  dropped  it  off  curbs  and  down 
stairs  and  it  doesn't  bend.  We  just  hose  it  down  and  move  on," 
Kamen  says.  "Our  goal  was  to  build  a  machine  that  would  go 
five  years  wirhout  any  of  the  major  systems  needing  replace- 
ment, and  we've  done  that." 

Future  versions  of  the  IBOT  may  offer  head-  and  mouth- 
operated  controls  for  quadriplegic  users  who  cannot  use  hand 
controls,  and  a  smaller,  lighter  model  for  children  and  small 
adults  is  in  the  works.  A  proprietary  vendor  is  working  on 
puncture-proof  pneumatic  tires,  to  alleviate  the  thorn  in  the 
side  of  all  wheelchair  users.  Heinzmann  and  others  on  the  team 
continue  to  work  on  design  improvements  to  bring  down  the 
weight  and  cost. 

Although  200  pounds  may  sound  heavy  to  a  manual  chair 
user  who  is  used  to  tossing  her  26-pound  Quickie  ultralight 
chair  into  her  car,  Kamen  contends  that  the  IBOT's  capabilities 
make  its  weight  irrelevant.  "What  does  vour  Buick  weigh?"  he 
counters.  "You  don't  care,  because  you  don't  have  to  litt  it.  You 
don't  carry  the  I  ROT,  it  carries  you.  It  lifts  itself.  It  even  puts 
itself  away."  Using  rhe  removable  control  panel  as  .i  remote,  the 
I  ROT  could  be  commanded  to  climb  a  ramp  into  irs  user's  van. 

Price  may  be  a  bigger  issue  to  consumers  and  Rinding 
sources  such  as  private  insurance  and  Medicaid.  The  [BOl 
projected  selling  price  of  $25,000  may  seem  high  (manual 


14     Transformations    I   Winter 


chairs  start  in  the  hundreds  and  motorized  chairs  in  the  thou- 
sands), but  some  highly  specialized  power  chairs  can  cost  up 
to  $20,000.  The  IBOT  would  save  users  the  cost  of  renovating 
their  homes  to  accommodate  a  standard  wheelchair.  But,  given 
the  sophistication  of  the  technology,  Kamen  thinks  the  IBOT 
is  a  bargain.  "You're  looking  at  the  most  sophisticated 
autonomous  robotics  system  in  existence,"  he  says.  By  compar- 
ison, an  industrial  robot  capable  of  only  a  single  task — such  as 
painting  parts  on  an  assembly  line — might  have  a 
price  tag  of  $2  million,  he  says.  "Here  is  a  Class  III 
medical  device  that  can  carry  a  human  payload 
over  all  conditions,  and  it  will  be  on  the  market 
for  one  percent  of  the  cost  of  a  typical  robot." 

For  a  person  who  moves  through  the  world 
seated  at  39  inches,  the  ability  to  stand  at  adult 
height  may  be  priceless.  Kamen  is  succinct  about 
the  IBOT's  most  important  ability.  "If  you're  in  a 
bar  with  friends,  you're  not  looking  at  belt  buck- 
les," he  says.  "The  hell  with  everything  else — it's 
putting  people  at  eye  level  that  matters."  It  is  this 
experience,  of  being  tall  again  and  approaching 
others  face  to  face  and  eye  to  eye,  that  seems  to  be 
most  moving  to  disabled  people  who  have  tested 
the  IBOT. 

Kamen  registers  no  pity  or  sentimentality 
toward  the  people  who  will  be  helped  by  his  inven- 
tion. He  fits  perfectly  the  profile  of  inventors  cast 
by  journalist  John  Hockenberry,  himself  a  para- 
plegic, who  interviewed  Kamen  and  test-drove  the 
IBOT  on  a  1999  edition  of  NBC's  Dateline.  In  his 
memoir,  Moving  Violations:  War  Zones, 
Wheelchairs,  and  Declarations  of  Independence, 
Hockenberry  wrote,  "Inventors  weren't  shy  about  disability, 
because  they  saw  the  physical  details  as  an  interesting  problem 
in  engineering.  As  long  as  the  wheelchair  said  tragedy,  everyone 
was  inclined  to  stare  and  look  away."  By  contrast,  Hockenberry 
writes  that  his  inventor  friends  saw  his  wheelchair  as  just 
another  opportunity  for  applying  ingenuity — "an  uncharted 
reservoir"  in  the  "vast  ocean  of  unmet  needs." 

DEKA  personnel  will  swiftly  correct  anyone  who  refers  to 
the  IBOT  as  a  wheelchair.  Johnson  &  Johnson  promotes  it  as 
an  "advanced  mobility  system."  Kamen  seems  to  relate  to  the 
IBOT  as  neither  a  medical  device,  a  machine,  nor  a  high-tech 
servant.  He  speaks  of  his  invention  almost  as  if  it  were  a  pal — 
a  high-energy,  fun-loving,  high-living  adventurer,  not  unlike 
himself.  The  IBOT  often  accompanies  him  on  business  travel. 
It  has  also  been  to  Tokyo  and  Washington,  D.C.  Last  year  it 
went  to  the  White  House,  where  its  owner  received  the 
National  Medal  of  Technology. 


It's  not  every  wheelchair  that  sports  a  bumper  sticker 
boasting  that  it  climbed  the  Eiffel  Tower.  While  in  town  for 
an  international  robotics  expo,  Kamen  and  the  IBOT  did 
some  sightseeing,  rode  the  Paris  Metro  and  enjoyed  an  elegant 
dinner.  At  2  a.m.,  neither  Kamen  nor  IBOT  were  tired,  so  they 
went  dancing  at  a  French  discotheque.  Hours  later,  the  IBOT 
was  still  rolling,  but  Kamen  took  it  back  to  the  hotel  room  to 
recharge.  The  IBOT's  advanced  nickel  cadmium  battery  system 


NEW 


The  revolutionary  technology 
developed  for  the  IBOT  also 
gives  the  recently  unveiled 
Segway  Human  Transporter, 
formerly  known  only  as  Ginger 
or  IT,  the  ability  to  balance 
and  respond  to  the  rider's 
subtle  movements.  Months 
of  speculation  about  Dean 
Kamen's  latest  invention  and 
the  national  publicity  accorded 
its  launch  have  made  the 
Segway  an  instantly  recog- 
nized addition  to  popular 
culture,  as  this  recent  New 
Yorker  cover  makes  clear. 


(Cover  illustration  by  Barry  Blitl. 
Copyright  ©  2001  Condo  Nasi 
Publications.  Reprinted  by 
permission.  All  rights  reserved.) 


will  run  all  day  after  4—6  hours  of  charging.  A  lighter,  cheaper, 
higher-capacity  battery  system  that  is  now  being  explored  at 
DEKA  will  likely  spawn  a  new  technology  with  much  wider 
applications. 

Scientific  American  cited  Kamen's  IBOT  as  one  of  only 
three  examples  of  advanced  robots  that  the  public  will  be  likely 
to  see  in  real  life,  soon.  Not  content  with  conquering  curb- 
stones and  staircase,  Kamen  is  still  consumed  by  the  challenge 
of  mimicking — and  exceeding — the  human  organism's  natural 
abilities.  "Five  years  from  today,"  he  predicts,  "you're  going  to 
see  this  machine  on  a  basketball  court.  Five  years  from  today 
this  machine  will  outrun  and  outmaneuver  and  be  more  stable 
than  a  human  being.  It  will  surpass  humans  in  every  aspect  of 
balancing  ability." 

But,  one  senses,  it  will  never  out-think  Kamen.  D 


Transformations    I    Winter   2  002     15 


By  Joan  Killough-Miller 
Photography  by  Patrick  O' 


Christine  Clifton  has  aome  a  long  way  since  she  began  her  running  career  as 
a  rteshmai/  at  WPI  in  1 990.  Rack  then  she  was  a  talented  but  undisciplined 
runner  who  once  skipped-Gcross  country  meet  to  attend  a  party.  Today  she 
is  one  off  the/nation's  most  promising  long-distance  racers. 


/ 


16       /  f  it  ii .»  fo  T  >n  ti  1 1  ii  n  <     I     U' '  i  ii  t  r  r    JO  0  2 


Five  years  ago,  Christine  Clifton  (then  Christine  Junker- 
mann)  could  hardly  finish  a  marathon.  She  limped  over  the  fin- 
ish line  of  the  1996  Hartford  Marathon  with  a  time  of  4  hours 
even.  "God,  I  almost  died,"  she  later  told  Runner's  World  of 
her  26.2-mile  ordeal.  "It  was  all  I  could  do  to  walk  it  in." 

Last  year,  Clifton  took  the  running  world  by  surprise  by 
taking  seventh  place  in  the  women's  division  (the  second 
American  to  finish)  in  the  2000  Lasalle  Bank  Chicago 
Marathon,  with  a  time  of  2:32:45.  To  put  that  in  perspective, 
Joan  Benoit  Samuelson's  1985  course  record  (still  the  best 
women's  marathon  time  on  any  North  America  race  course)  is 
only  1 1  minutes  faster. 

"A  very  impressive  debut,"  said  American  Track  and 
Field  magazine..  The  Chicago  Sun -Times,  celebrating  a  come- 
back by  American  long-distance  runners,  proclaimed:  "The  one 
name  on  everybody's  lips  was  Junkermann." 

Today,  Clifton  is  one  of  America's  most  promising  long- 
distance runners,  training  under  Dr.  Gabriele  Rosa,  the  leg- 
endary Italian  coach  who  led  Moses  Tanui  to  victory  in  the 
1991  Boston  Marathon.  Her  performance  in  Chicago — the 
third-fastest  women's  marathon  time  for  2000,  and  one  of  the 
finest  debuts  by  an  American  marathoner — meets  the  current 
Olympic  qualifying  standard. 

Clifton,  a  Wyoming  native  who  earned  a  bachelor's  degree 
in  chemistry  at  WPI  in  1994,  is  genuinely  awed — even  giggly, 
at  times — about  her  own  success.  At  29,  she  knows  she's  still 
young  for  a  marathoner  and  is  competing  against  women  who 
have  been  running  competitively  since  high  school  and  college. 
She's  also  articulate  and  thoughtful  about  what  it  took  for 
someone  who  didn't  take  running — or  chemistry — very 
seriously  in  college  to  transform  herself  into  an  elite  athlete 
with  sights  set  on  the  world's  biggest  marathons  and  the  2004 
summer  Olympics  in  Athens. 

Brian  Savilonis,  professor  of  mechanical  engineering  and 
coach  of  the  men's  and  women's  cross  country  teams,  remem- 
bers a  very  different  Christine  Clifton  trying  out  for  track  and 
cross-country  as  a  freshman.  "First  day  of  cross-country,"  he 


says,  "she  could  not  believe  we  were  going  to  run  that  far.  In 
her  first  race  she  walked  some  and  was  far  back.  So  it  went 
through  her  freshman  season,  although  she  was  actually  running 
the  3.1-mile  course  and  had  earned  a  team  spot  by  the  end  of 
the  year." 

Though  she  came  to  WPI  with  no  cross-country  or  dis- 
tance running  background,  Clifton  had  a  strong  high  school 
track  record  and  excelled  in  the  400-  and  800-meter  events. 


Savilonis  hoped  that  Clifton  would  make  All-New 
England,  but  a  lack  of  focus  and  an  active  social 
life  hindered  her  success.  The  strain  of  balancing 
academics,  track,  work  and  parties — not  necessarily 
in  that  order — left  her  too  tired  to  keep  up  at  big 
meets.  "Then  she  went  to  a  frat  party  rather  than  the 
NEW8  meet — a  conflict  that  nearly  tore  our  friendship 
apart,"  Savilonis  says.  "The  team  won  the  first  NEW8 
championship  to  be  held,  but  she  wasn't  part  of  it." 
After  graduation  Clifton  joined  Uniroyal  Chemical  and 
then  began  working  toward  a  master's  degree  in  chemical  engi- 
neering at  Yale.  In  1997  she  left  to  concentrate  on  tunning. 
"Somehow,  I  quit  grad  school  even  though  I  wasn't  running 
that  well,"  she  admits.  "My  friends  didn't  tell  me  at  the  time, 
but  everyone  thought  I  was  a  little  crazy."  After  a  pause  she 
adds,  "But  now  they  don't  think  I'm  so  crazy  anymore." 

The  decision  to  abandon  a  promising  career  for  a  far-off 
dream  was  not  difficult.  "When  I  was  in  grad  school  I  felt 
dumb  and  I  didn't  like  it,"  Clifton  says.  "But  when  I  ran,  I  felt 
great,  I  felt  like  I  could  do  anything.  At  the  time  I  really  didn't 
know  where  it  would  take  me.  All  I  knew  was  that  I  felt  great 
about  running." 

For  a  time,  Clifton  and  her  former  husband,  Mark 
Junkermann — a  collegiate  steeplechase  champion  and  a 
two-time  Olympic  Trials  qualifier — operated  Marathon  Sports 
in  Btookline,  Mass.,  and  then  Woodbridge  Running  Company, 
a  specialty  runner's  shop  in  Connecticut.  Christine  worked  part 
time  in  the  store  until  it  became  clear  that  those  hours  were 
detracting  from  her  racing.  "It's  hard  to  hold  down  a  real  job 
when  you're  running  70  to  100  miles  a  week,  traveling  to 
races — and  trying  to  get  in  some  naps!"  she  says.  With  Mark  as 
her  coach,  she  gave  up  working  and  dedicated  herself  to 
racing  full  time. 


Transformations    I    Winter  2002     17 


"Christine  who?"  was  the  question  posed  by  sports  jour- 
nalists who  saw  Clifton  emerge  out  of  nowhere  in  the  spring  of 
1999  and  go  on  to  become  New  England  Runner  magazine's 
Overall  Female  Runner  of  the  Year.  At  the  start  of  that  season 
she  was  just  beginning  to  gain  some  standing  as  a  local  runner 
on  the  south-central  Connecticut  circuit.  Then  came  a  series 
of  spectacular  races  that  transformed  Clifton  into  a  second-tier 
national-class  racer  with  her  own  agent  and  sponsorship  from 
Adidas.  By  shaving  almost  four  minutes  off  her  time  on  the 
10K  race — from  a  PB  (personal  best)  of  37:25  down  to 
33:34 — Clifton  came  within  14  seconds  of  the  standard  needed 
to  qualify  for  the  2000  Olympic  Trials.  That  year  she  outran 
Olympic  medallist  Joan  Nesbit  in  another  1  OK  race  and 


Although  her  contract  with  Adidas  provided  travel  expens- 
es to  company-sponsored  races,  as  well  as  all  her  running  gear, 
racing  full  time  meant  just  getting  by.  "I  was  racing  for  rent 
and  groceries,"  Clifton  laughs,  explaining  that  depending  on 
prize  money  for  living  expenses  was  more  stressful  than  the 
races  themselves.  "My  friends  from  WPI  all  have  amazing 
careers,"  she  says.  "I'm  sure  they  all  own  their  own  houses  by 
now.  In  this  country,  it's  only  the  people  at  the  very  top  of  my 
sport  who  make  a  great  living  at  it." 

The  big  break  came  in  August  2000,  when  Clifton  was 
selected  as  one  of  a  first  group  of  eight  American  long-distance 
runners  to  attend  FILA  Discovery  USA,  a  high-altitude  training 
camp  at  Mt.  Laguna,  in  the  mountains  of  southern  California. 


"Christine  who?"  was  the  question  posed  by  sports  journalists  who  saw  Clifton  emerge 
out  of  nowhere  in  the  spring  of  1 999  and  go  on  to  become  New  England  Runner  magazine's 

Overall  Female  Runner  of  the  Year. 


clocked  one  of  the  nation's  top  five  times  on  the  half-marathon 
(13.1  miles),  finishing  in  1:13:35.  At  the  1999  New  Haven 
20K  Road  Race,  she  placed  third  in  her  division,  finishing 
in  1:11:20. 

One  of  the  toughest  hurdles  for  Clifton  was  learning  to 
get  out  of  her  own  way  and  let  herself  become  the  runner  she 
was  meant  to  be.  A  turning  point  came  when  she  traveled  to 
Korea  in  April  1999  as  an  alternate  on  the  U.S  Ekiden  team. 
For  the  first  time  she  lived  in  close  proximity  to  female 
champions.  "While  I  was  over  there,  I  looked  at  all  the  other 
women  and  realized  that  they 
look  just  like  me!"  she  says. 
"I  could  run  the  same  pace  they 
ran,  I  could  do  a  workout  with 
them,  but  they  all  were  running 
much  faster  races  than  I  had  at 
that  point. 

"It  was  after  that  trip,  about 
two  weeks  later,  that  my  1  OK 
time  came  down  to  35  minutes. 
I  think  I  ran  nine  personal  bests 
in  a  row  over  the  summer.  I 
think  I  just  had  to  come  to  real- 
ize mentally  that  there  wasn't 
anything  different  about  these 
women.  They  were  just  ordinary 
people,  working  hard  and  doing 
exactly  what  I  was  doing.  It  was 
very  hard  for  me  to  see  myself 
as  one  of  them.  Once  I  got  past 
that  mental  barrier,  I  could  just 
let  myself  perform." 


Discovery  USA — like  its  counterpart  programs  in  Kenya 
and  Italy — aims  to  identify  and  nurture  promising  American 
athletes  using  the  same  techniques  that  Coach  Rosa  used  to 
develop  the  raw  talents  of  Elijah  Lagat,  Joseph  Chebet  and 
other  East  African  runners  who  now  dominate  the  interna- 
tional marathon  scene. 

Few  American  runners  are  given  this  opportunity  to  focus 
on  intensive  training,  free  from  the  pressures  and  distractions 
of  ordinary  life.  The  Discovery  program's  sponsor,  sports 
manufacturer  FILA,  covers  all  expenses  and  provides  a  small 

stipend.  The  athletes — selected 
through  extensive  physiological 
and  psychological  testing,  are 
provided  with  everything  they 
need — individualized  coaching, 
ample  rest,  and  even  massages. 

Those  grueling  workouts — 
averaging  1 15  miles  a  week,  on 
mountain  roads — paid  off,  first 
at  the  2000  Philadelphia  Half- 
Marathon,  where  Clifton  ran  a 
PB  of  1:13:23  (7th  place),  then 
in  Chicago,  where  she  was  the 
first  American  22  miles  into  the 
race,  before  exhaustion  hit  near 
the  end  of  the  course.  After 
recovering  from  the  Chicago 
Marathon  ("It  took  my  body 
a  month  and  my  mind  even 
longer."  she  notes),  Clifton  was 
sent  to  Kenya  to  train  with  FILA's 
elite  intern.iiion.il  athletes. 


18      Transformations    I    Winter   Jim.1 


In  Kenya,  Clifton  stayed  at  the  home  of  Moses  Tanui  in 
Eldoret,  and  visited  the  various  high-altitude  camps  established 
by  Rosa  and  some  of  the  African  runners.  Everywhere  she  went 
she  was  amazed  by  the  beauty  of  the  landscape  and  the  passion 
and  support  for  running  shown  by  the  Kenyan  people.  More 
than  2,000  children  turned  out  for  a  local  race,  many  barefoot, 
with  some  little  girls  racing  in  their  best  dresses.  In  their  travels, 
the  Discovery  athletes  were  serenaded  by  local  school  children 
and  treated  to  a  feast  of  fresh  mutton.  The  women  were  present- 
ed with  handmade  gifts,  including  feather  headdresses,  beaded 
neckpieces  and  shell-decorated  halter-tops,  and  the  group  was 
honored  with  face  painting  and  spear  dancing  ceremonies. 

FILA  also  sent  Clifton  to  train  in  St.  Moritz  in  the  Swiss 
Alps,  where  morning  workouts  took  her  to  the  snow  line  at 
8,900  feet,  and  to  Italy,  where  she  competed  in  some  local 
events.  Her  training  partners  included  some  of  the  top  Kenyan 
women:  Margaret  Okayo,  Alice  Chlagat,  Margaret  Otondayong 
and  Nora  Moraga. 

The  spring  season  brought  unexpected  challenges  for 
Clifton,  including  an  allergy  to  the  Italian  version  of  ragweed. 
Blood  tests  revealed  that  an  infection — possibly  a  virus  or 
parasite  she  contracted  abroad — was  compromising  her  per- 
formance. Although  she  did  not  feel  sick,  Clifton  was  forced  to 
forgo  several  promising  races  until  her  fitness  level  improved. 
She  was  selected  to  represent  the  United  States  in  the  women's 
marathon  at  the  200 1  World  Track  and  Field  Championships 
in  Edmonton,  Canada,  but  withdrew  from  the  team  to  focus 
her  energies  on  upcoming  competitions. 


On  Labor  Day  200 1 ,  a  faster,  stronger,  more  confident 
Christine  Clifton  returned  to  Connecticut,  where  her  dream 
began,  to  run  the  New  Haven  20K  Road  Race.  She  placed  sec- 
ond in  the  women's  division  with  a  1:08:24  PB,  beating  her 
1999  record  by  almost  three  minutes.  Her  fine  showing  is  even 
more  noteworthy  since  this  year's  20K  also  served  as  the 
National  Championship  event  for  USA  Track  &  Field,  the 
sport's  national  governing  body. 

On  Nov.  4,  Clifton  attempted  the  New  York  City 
Marathon,  the  USATF's  National  Marathon  Championship, 
but  dropped  out  at  the  12-mile  mark  due  to  a  severe  chest 
cold.  If  all  goes  well,  watch  for  her  this  spring  in  the  elite  line- 
up for  the  Boston  or  the  London  marathon. 

Coach  Savilonis,  who  has  stayed  in  touch  with  Clifton 
since  graduation,  has  watched  her  career  with  pride.  "Her 
progress  at  WPI  was  large,  although  not  noticeable  to  the  out- 
side world,"  he  says.  "She  may  not  remember  running  the  5K 
in  26  minutes  as  a  freshman,  then  19  minutes  as  a  senior.  She 
was  indeed  driven  and  wanted  to  put  everything  into  the  sport. 
It  just  took  her  a  while  to  put  it  together" 

"I  feel  like  I'm  living  my  dream  life  right  now,"  Clifton 
says.  "I  can  go  out  and  run  six  miles  in  a  row  faster  than  I 
could  run  a  mile  in  college.  My  personal  best  for  a  mile  at  WPI 
was  5  minutes,  24  seconds,  and  in  New  Haven  this  year,  I  aver- 
aged 5:30  for  more  than  12  miles.  It's  pretty  cool  to  keep  push- 
ing your  body  to  see  what  it  can  do."  D 


Transformations    I    Winter  2002     19 


'**'  ^Ifc 


In  1989,  two  scientists  at  Unocal  Corp.  found  a  way  to  make  cleane 
chief  patent  counsel,  protected  their  discovery  with  a  patent.  That  migl 
beginning  of  a  long,  bitter  court  battle  that  would  pit  one  compan 


By  Michael  W.  Dorsey 
Photography  by  Patrick  O'Connor 


earned  WPI  bachelor's  degree  in  chemical  engineering  and  a  desire 
to  make  a  new  start.  A  native  or  Hartford,  Conn.,  dreg  Wir/bicki 
had  decided,  after  two  decades  of  New  England  winters,  to  relo- 
cate someplace  where  nearly  every  day  brings  beach  weather. 

As  he  traveled  about  the  Southern  California  Basin,  he  saw 
the  bright  California  sun  filtered  through  a  brown  ha/e  thai  stung 
the  eves  and  irritated  the  throat.  1  he  government  was  also  paying 
.mention  to  those  brown  skies.  Air  pollution  in  I  os  Angeles  was 
a  known  problem  as  far  back  as  the  1940s.  California,  which  con- 
sumes about  a  third  ol  the  nation's  gasoline,  passed  its  fust  bill 
limiting  tailpipe  emissions  in  ll)V).  A  decide  later.  (  ongress 
enacted  the  Clean  Air  Acl  ol  ll>-(),  the  fust  national  law  to  take 
S(  rioUS  aim  ai  pollution  from  automobiles. 


2  0      I  formation!    I   Winter  2002 


There  are  rwo  basic  ways  to  curb  auto  emissions:  (1)  build 
engines  that  burn  fuel  more  completely — or  equip  them  with 
devices  that  treat  pollutants  before  they  enter  the  air;  and 
(2)  produce  fuels  that  pollute  less  when  they're  burned.  Fedetal 
and  state  legislation  took  both  of  these  approaches  (mandating 
catalytic  converters,  for  example,  and  banning  leaded  gas).  But 
as  time  went  on,  attention  increasingly  focused  on  finding 
cleaner-burning  fuels. 

Wirzbicki  didn't  know  it,  but  in  a  few  yeats  his  career 
would  take  a  sharp  turn  that  would  place  him  in  the  thick  of 
the  race  to  clean  the  air.  It  was  a  race  that  would  begin  in  the 
research  laboratoiy,  but  move  quickly  into  the  courts,  blossom- 
ing into  one  of  the  largest  and  most  fiercely  waged  legal  battles 
ever  fought  over  intellectual  property  in  this  countty. 


It  was  serendipity  that  brought  Witzbicki  to  his  present 
position  as  chief  patent  counsel  fot  Union  Oil  Co.  of 
California,  the  operating  subsidiary  of  Unocal  Corp.  While 
working  as  a  water  tteatment  chemist  at  Southern  California 
Edison,  he  decided  to  enroll  in  an  evening  business  program. 
Finding  the  classes  full,  he  learned  that  Loyola  University  in 
Los  Angeles  had  openings  in  its  evening  law  ptogram. 

In  1972  he  received  his  Juris  Doctor  and  passed  the 
California  bar.  Less  than  two  years  later,  a  job  as  a  patent 
attorney  opened  at  Unocal,  and  Wirzbicki  opted  for  a  career 
change.  "It  was  a  big  week  for  me,"  he  says.  "I  got  a  new  job, 
I  bought  a  house  and  I  got  mairied." 

In  Unocal's  legal  offices,  he  waded  into  patents  for  new 
polymers,  catalysts  fot  refining  crude  oil,  and  geothermal 
energy,  among  other  areas.  "I  got  to  work  with  some  really 
brilliant  scientists,"  he  says.  "I  enjoyed  being  able  to  take 
what  they  had  discovered  and  protect  it  with  patents." 

Among  those  biilliant  scientists  were  Peter  Jessup  and 
Michael  Croudace,  chemists  whose  specialty  is  the  chemical 
formulation  of  gasoline.  In  1989  they  made  a  research  proposal 
on  behalf  of  Unocal  to  a  coalition  of  14  oil  companies  and  the 
Big  Three  automakers,  which  had  agreed  ro  work  togethet  to 
look  for  ways  to  reduce  auto  emissions. 

The  impetus  for  this  unprecedented  collaboration  was 
uncertainty  over  new  Clean  Air  Act  amendments  that  were  tak- 
ing form  in  Congress.  There  were  strong  indications  that  the 
new  act  would  call  for  serious  reductions  in  hydrocarbons  and 
toxics  in  auto  emissions,  leaving  oil  companies  little  alternative 
but  to  switch  from  selling  gasoline  to  making  non-petroleum 
fuels,  such  as  natural  gas  and  ethanol. 

The  Auto/Oil  Group,  as  it  came  to  be  known,  decided  to 
jointly  sponsot  research  to  look  for  new  gasoline  formulations 
that  would  create  fewer  pollutants.  They  hoped  to  show  that 
reformulated  gasolines,  or  RFGs,  could  begin  to  clean  the  air 
immediately,  since  they  can  be  burned  in  existing  vehicles  and 
can  be  made  with  only  modest  changes  to  refineries. 

Gasoline  is  a  complex  blend  of  hydrocarbons  that  interact 
to  create  an  array  of  physical  properties.  The  first  question  the 
Auto/Oil  Gtoup  needed  to  answer  was  which  of  these  many 
components  and  ptoperties  were  worth  studying.  The  answer 
could  have  a  significant  impact  on  the  complexity  and  cost  of 
the  research. 

"Jessup  and  Croudace  brought  the  group  a  proposal  to  do 
an  initial  screening  of  1 0  parameters  to  see  which  were  the  bad 
guys  and  which  were  the  good  guys,"  Wirzbicki  says.  "Their 
proposal  was  rejected.  The  consortium  decided  instead  to  run 
just  fout  of  those  parameters." 

Fearing  that  important  relationships  might  be  missed, 
Croudace  and  Jessup  convinced  Unocal  to  let  them  run  inde- 
pendent research  on  all  10  parameters:  atomatics,  olefins, 
paraffins,  MBTE  (methyl  tertiary-butyl  ether,  an  oxygenate 
that  helps  fuel  burn  more  completely),  T10,  T50  and  T90 


Transformations    I    Winter  2002     2  1 


\\ 


(the  10,  50  and  90  percent  distillation  points,  or  the  temper- 
atures at  which  10,  50  and  90  percent  of  the  fuel  would  evap- 
orate), Reid  Vapor  Pressure  (the  vapor  pressure  of  a  gasoline  at 
100  degrees  Fahrenheit),  research  octane,  and  motor  octane. 
Conducting  research  independent  of  the  consortium  group  was 
permitted  by  the  joint  study  agreement  all  the  participants 
had  signed,  Wirzbicki  notes. 

The  two  Unocal  scientists 
blended  15  combinations  of 
ingredients  and  burned  them  in  a  test  vehicle.  They  found 
that  two  properties,  T50  and  Reid  Vapor  Pressure,  were  the 
primary  means  to  controlling  tailpipe  emissions.  Research  octane 
number,  olefin  content,  paraffin  content,  T10  and  T90  also 
had  important  effects.  Of  these  seven  characteristics,  only  two 
(olefins  and  T90)  were  among  the  parameters  included  in  the 
Auto/Oil  Group  study.  None  of  the  characteristics  the  consor- 
tium chose  to  investigate  in  its  four-parameter  study  were 
found  to  have  a  primary  effect  on  emissions  in  the 
Unocal  studies. 

After  an  independent  research  laboratory  verified  their 
results,  the  Unocal  scientists  were  confident  they  had  discov- 
ered keys  to  producing  clean-burning  gasoline.  It  was  a  major 
breakthrough  with  great  commercial  potential.  They  brought 
their  discovery  to  Wirzbicki,  who  was  by  then  the  company's 
chief  patent  counsel. 

Wirzbicki  began  work  on  what  would  be  the  first  of  five 
patent  applications  he  would  file  with  the  U.S.  Patent  Office 
over  the  subsequent  decade  to  protect  the  work  of  Jessup  and 
Croudace.  While  the  application  worked  its  way  through  the 
Patent  Office,  Unocal  shared  its  research  results  with  the 
Auto/Oil  Group  and  with  the  California  Air  Resources  Board 
(CARB),  which  was  developing  new  clean  air  regulations. 

"Unocal  felt  it  was  important  to  tell  CARB  about  our 
data,"  Wirzbicki  says.  "Jessup  and  Croudace  wanted  the  gov- 
ernment to  have  the  best  data  available  and  to  reach  its  own 
conclusions  as  to  what  to  do  with  it.  But  more  important, 
Unocal  was  among  the  parties  that  were  most  interested  in 
having  the  regulations  be  as  flexible  as  possible." 

In  1991,  CARB  issued  its  Phase  2  RFG  rules,  which  called 
for  oil  companies  to  begin  making  RFG  by  March  1,  1996, 
and  to  sell  only  RFG  after  June  1  of  that  year.  Unocal  received 
U.S.  Patent  No.  5,288,393  on  Feb.  22,  1994.  The  patent  cov- 
ered the  combinations  of  factors  that  Jessup  and  Croudace  had 
found  to  impact  auto  emissions,  as  well  as  many  fuels  that  might 
be  blended  to  achieve  those  factors — automotive  gasolines  that 
would  meet  the  new  CARB  regulations. 

The  following  January,  the  company  announced  it  would 
soon  begin  licensing  its  protected  formulations  to  other  compa- 
nies. In  the  legal  offices  of  the  nations'  largest  oil  companies, 
the  wheels  began  turning. 


^m 


fc^* 


i 


The  judge  was  seeking  to  sanction  the  oil  companies 


for  the  vexatious  way  in  which  they  handled  this  case. 


n  mid-April  1995, 
just  before  Unocal's 
licensing  program 
was  set  to  begin, 
Atlantic  Richfield, 
Chevron,  Exxon, 
Mobil,  Shell  and 
Texaco  sued  Unocal 
in  U.S.  District  Court, 
asking  that  its  RFG 
patent  be  declared 
invalid.  They  argued  that  the  claims  in  the  patent  were  based 
on  prior  art  (for  example,  that  the  formulations  resulting  from 
the  claims  resembled  certain  aviation  and  racing  fuels)  and 
obvious  to  one  skilled  in  the  field. 

They  suggested  that  Unocal  had  usurped  the  CARB 
regulatory  process  for  its  own  gain  because  the  company  had 
narrowed  the  claims  of  the  patent  after  the  CARB  regulations 
were  released  with  the  result  that  the  claims  "resembled"  the 
regulations.  And,  they  claimed  that  the  patent  was  unenforce- 
able due  to  "inequitable  conduct"  in  the  way  Unocal  had  prose- 
cuted the  patent  application  before  the  patent  examiner.  In 
response,  Unocal  countersued,  arguing  that  the  plaintiffs  (which 
by  then  were  all  selling  RFGs  to  meet  the  CARB  regulations) 
had  infringed  its  patent,  and  were  continuing  to  do  so. 

Unocal,  represented  by  the  Minneapolis-based  law  firm 
of  Robins,  Kaplan,  Miller  and  Ciresi,  would  successfully  refute 
all  of  these  claims  in  a  trial  that  began  in  July  1997.  For  exam- 
ple, Unocal  demonstrated  that  the  claims  in  its  patent  were 
novel  and  not  obvious  to  a  skilled  scientist  in  the  field.  The 
company  also  addressed  head-on  its  prosecution  of  its  patent 
application  and  its  relationship  to  the  CARB  regulations. 
Wirzbicki  says  he  filed  the  first  patent  application  1 1 
months  before  CARB  issued  its  Phase  2  regulations.  During  the 
patent  prosecution,  the  company  kept  the  examiner  in  the  U.S. 
Patent  Office  apprised  of  those  regulations.  He  also  notes  that 
the  amendments  made  during  prosecution  narrowed  the  claims, 
so  that  the  resulting  patent  actually  covered  fewer  potential 
gasoline  blends  than  the  original  application. 

The  court  also  learned  that  the  other  oil  companies 
became  aware  of  the  Unocal  patent  a  month  after  it  was 
awarded,  but  none  asked  CARB  to  reconsider  its  regulations. 
"Instead,"  Wirzbicki  says,  "they  sued  us  to  break  the  patent." 

In  October  1997,  the  jury  decided  that  the  Unocal  patent 
was  valid  and  that  the  other  oil  companies  had  infringed  it.  A 
month  later,  it  said  that  Unocal  was  entitled  to  damages  of  5  '. 
cents  tor  each  of  the  1.2  billion  gallons  of  RFC!  the  plaintiffs 
had  already  sold  (about  29  percent  of  their  California  RFG 
output  between  March  1.  1 ')%.  and  July  31,  1996),  for  3  total 
award  of  $69  million.  The  following  year  the  presiding  judge. 
Kim  Mil  ane  Wardlaw.  ruled  that  there  was  no  inequitable  conduct 
and  thai  I  'nocal  had  acted  properly  and  with  good  fiuth  during 
the  patent  tiling  .mil  prosecution  process. 


2  2     Transformation    I   Winter   2002 


Wirzbicki  notes  that  Judge  Wardlaw  also  ordered  the 
plaintiffs  to  pay  nearly  $1.5  million  in  legal  fees  to  Unocal. 
"Assessing  legal  fees  in  patent  cases  is  done  only  in  exceptional 
cases,"  he  says.  "The  judge  was  seeking  to  sanction  the  oil  com- 
panies for  the  vexatious  way  in  which  they  handled  this  case. 
One  of  the  things  she  specifically  pointed  to  was  the  fact  that 
they  had  tried  to  influence  her  and  the  jury  to  believe  that  we 
hadn't  told  the  patent  office  about  the  CARB  specifications, 
when,  in  fact,  the  record  was  extremely  clear  on  that." 

By  the  time  the  case  ended,  the  company  had  won  two 
more  patents,  covering  other  aspects  of  the  original  research  of 
Jessup  and  Croudace.  Another  would  be  received  in  November 
1998;  the  last  of  the  five  patents  for  which  Wirzbicki  had  writ- 
ten applications  was  awarded  in  early  2000.  The  additional 
patents  covered  more  gasoline  formulations  and  methods  for 
burning  the  fuels  to  reduce  pollutants,  delivering  and  dispensing 
them,  and  blending  them  in  refineries. 

In  December  1998,  Unocal  again  wrote  to  major  refiners 
and  offered  to  discuss  licensing.  Instead,  the  other  companies 
headed  back  to  court,  this  time  to  file  an  appeal  of  the  District 
Court's  ruling  in  the  U.S.  Court  of  Appeals  for  the  Federal 
Circuit  in  Washington,  D.C. 

Among  other  allegations,  the  appeal  asserted  that  the 
claims  in  Unocal's  initial  patent  were  too  broad  to  be  patented, 
potentially  covering  every  gallon  of  gas  refiners  must  make 
during  the  summer  months  under  California's  regulations. 


in  a  patent.  The  Patent  Office  rejected  the  request  to  re-examine 
the  fourth  patent,  but  decided  to  re-examine  the  first. 

In  March,  ExxonMobil  (the  companies  merged  in  1998) 
asked  the  Federal  Trade  Commission  to  investigate  the  Unocal 
patents,  claiming  the  company  engaged  in  anticompetitive  prac- 
tices in  patenting  the  results  of  its  RFG  research.  ExxonMobil 
and  CARB  officials  allege  that  Unocal  attempted  to  deceive 
CARB  about  its  research  and  patent  application  to  gain  a 
monopoly  on  the  sale  of  RFGs.  ("This  is  one  of  the  claims  that 
resulted  in  the  assessment  of  legal  fees,"  Wirzbicki  says.)  The 
FTC  investigation  is  ongoing. 

In  the  meantime,  Unocal,  which  no  longer  sells  gasoline, 
having  sold  its  refineries  and  gas  stations  in  1997,  is  reaping  the 
rewards  of  the  discoveries  of  Jessup  and  Croudace.  In  October 
2001,  the  U.S.  District  Court  of  Los  Angeles  granted  Unocal's 
motion  for  summary  judgment  requesting  an  accounting  of 
infringement  against  its  first  patent  by  the  plaintiffs.  The  motion 
covers  the  period  Aug.  1,  1996,  to  Dec.  31,  2000.  The  company 
had  already  received  the  $69  million  (which  grew  to  $91  mil- 
lion with  interest  and  attorneys'  fees)  awarded  it  by  the  court. 

The  company  has  licensed  all  five  of  its  patents  to  oil 
companies  not  participating  in  the  litigation.  To  date,  none  of 
the  original  plaintiffs  has  signed  a  license  with  Unocal.  In  pub- 
lic statements,  the  company  says  it  estimates  that  its  patents 
will  add  less  than  one  cent  to  the  cost  of  reformulated  gasoline 
sold  nationwide  (or  about  $10  per  year  per  consumer). 


"The  real  storv  from  mv  Doint  of  view  is  these  two  inventors.  Thev  were  seriously  concerned  that  Auto/Oil  was  going  the 


wrong  way;  that  they  wouldn't  find  out  what  the  bad  guys  in  gasoline  were.   The  inventors  thought 


they  had  a  better  idea.  That  is  the  name  of  the  game  when  it  comes  to  invention. 


After  the  appeals  court  affirmed  the  lower  court's  ruling  in 
March  2000,  the  plaintiffs  filed  a  petition  to  have  the  case  consid- 
ered by  the  U.S.  Supreme  Court.  Friend  of  the  court  briefs  were 
filed  on  behalf  of  the  plaintiffs  by  34  state  attorneys  general 
and  several  industry  organizations. 

"The  content  of  the  amicus  briefs  showed  a  lack  of  under- 
standing of  the  facts  of  the  case,"  says  David  Beehler,  one  of  the 
attorneys  with  Robins,  Kaplan,  Miller  and  Ciresi  who  repre- 
sented Unocal  at  trial.  "They  were  renewing  claims  that  Unocal 
had  tried  to  improperly  influence  the  regulatory  system,  when 
that  wasn't  even  part  of  the  appeal." 

In  an  opinion  joined  by  two  Patent  Office  officials,  the 
U.S.  Solicitor  General  recommended  that  the  court  reject  the 
case,  and  within  a  month,  the  petition  was  denied.  Ordinarily, 
a  judgment  by  the  Supreme  Court  signals  the  end  of  the  road 
for  a  court  battle,  but  the  plaintiffs  in  this  case  had  not  yet 
exhausted  their  options. 

After  the  high  court  ruling,  the  oil  companies  that  sued 
Unocal  petitioned  the  U.S.  Patent  Office  to  re-examine  Unocal's 
first  RFG  patent.  (An  unnamed  party  requested  a  re-examina- 
tion of  the  fourth  patent.)  Current  U.S.  patent  law  entitles  any- 
one at  any  time  to  file  a  request  for  re-examination  of  any  claim 


T 


he  file  cabinets  in  Wirzbicki's  office  bulge  with  10 


years  worth  of  news  stories  about  Unocal's  patent  trial, 
most  of  which,  he  says,  miss  two  important  points. 

"The  real  story  from  my  point  of  view,"  he  says,  "is  these 
two  inventors.  They  were  concerned  that  Auto/Oil  wouldn't 
find  out  what  the  bad  guys  in  gasoline  were.  They  thought  they 
had  a  better  idea.  That  is  the  name  of  the  game  when  it  comes 
to  invention.  Yes,  the  cost  of  gasoline  may  have  gone  up  slight- 
ly because  of  our  patent,  but  every  meritorious  invention  ends 
up  costing  the  consumer  at  some  point." 

The  other  point  is  the  one  that  Wirzbicki  sees  every  day 
from  his  office  window.  In  short,  the  brown  skies  are  gone.  The 
work  of  Unocal's  scientists  and  the  cooperative  efforts  of  gov- 
ernment and  industry  to  make  the  widespread  use  of  reformu- 
lated gasoline  a  reality  have  paid  off  in  substantially  cleaner  air. 

"From  1976  to  1989,  there  were  at  least  150  days  each 
year  in  the  Southern  California  Basin  that  exceeded  the  one-hour 
federal  ozone  air  quality  standard,"  he  says.  "By  1998,  that  was 
down  to  65  days — a  decrease  of  more  than  half.  California  says 
its  Phase  2  regulations  have  been  enormously  successful.  And 
after  all,  that's  what  this  was  all  about  to  begin  with."  D 


Transformations    I    Winter   20  02     2  3 


I 


small 


%*k 


S 


Tomorrow's  electric  power  productio 
and  distribution  network  may  look  ver 


different   from    today's,    with    smaller, 
more   environmentally   friendly   power 


ating  stations.  Among  the  technologies 


that  will 


rina  this  vision  to  reali 


Call  it  a  micro-revolution. 


For  over  a  century,  electric  power  systems  have  been  designed 
for  economies  of  scale,  with  large  fossil-fuel  or  nuclear  generating 
plants  producing  electricity  and  delivering  it  through  far-flung 
grids  of  transmission  lines  to  homes  and  businesses  many  miles 
away.  It's  a  system  that  has  worked  reasonably  well  through  the 
years,  despite  its  vulnerability  to  natural  events,  technological 
glitches  and  acts  of  terrorism. 

But  as  the  Information  Age  has  made  every  aspect  of  mod- 
ern society  increasingly  dependent  on  highly  reliable  supplies  of 
electric  power,  as  consumers  have  grown  increasingly  reluctant 
to  support  energy  policies  that  tax  the  environment,  finite  nat- 
ural resources  or  human  health,  and  as  recent  power  crises,  like 
those  in  California,  have  made  clear  the  complexities  of  manag- 
ing vast  interconnected  power  networks,  a  new  paradigm  of 
energy  production  and  distribution  has  begun  to  emerge. 

In  this  new  model,  power  generation  is  dispersed,  with 
smaller,  more  environmentally  friendly  sources  of  electricity 
located  closer  to  where  the  power  is  needed.  Sophisticated  net- 
works monitored  by  high-tech  sensors  and  intelligent  agents 
control  the  flow  of  watts  and  account  for  the  movement  of 
dollars  in  this  "smart"  energy  marketplace. 

One  of  the  advocates  for  this  new  model  is  the  Electric 
Power  Research  Institute,  the  electric  power  industry's  own 
research  and  development  think  tank.  A  story  in  the  July  2001 
issue  of  Wired  magazine  notes  that  EPRI  envisions  smarter 
energy  networks  that  "will  incorporate  a  diversified  pool  of 
resources  located  closer  to  the  consumer,  pumping  out  low- 
or  even  zero-emission  power  in  backyards,  driveways,  down- 
scaled  local  power  stations,  and  even  in  automobiles,  while 
giving  electricity  users  the  option  to  become  energy  vendors." 


A  A  prototype  for  a  new  proton-exchange  membrane  fuel  cell 
sits  on  the  lab  bench  in  the  WPI  Fuel  Cell  Center. 


Transformatio 


is    I   Winter  2002    2  5 


The  new  focus  on  smaller  and  cleaner  sources  of  electric 
power  has  placed  a  spotlight  on  alternative  electric  power  gener- 
ation technologies,  including  two  (wind  turbines  and  fuel  cells) 
that  are  the  focus  of  research  and  student  project  work  at  WPI. 

Stephen  W.  Pierson,  associate  professor  of  physics  and  a 
theoretical  physicist  specializing  in  condensed  matter,  has  been 
doing  research  on  wind  power,  largely  through  several  student 
projects  exploring  one  of  the  oldest  forms  of  small-scale  power 
generation.  Fundamental  research  under  way  in  WPTs  Fuel 
Cell  Center,  a  university-industry  alliance  headed  by  Ravindra 
Datta,  professor  and  head  of  the  Chemical  Engineering 
Department,  is  putting  research  teams  of  graduate  students  and 
undergraduates  to  work  to  advance  the  state  of  the  art  in  fuel 
cells,  which  are  creating  quite  a  buzz  in  the  electric  arena. 

Pierson's  and  Datta's  separate  but  ultimately  related  research 
pursuits  typify  the  curiosity,  fundamental  research,  teamwork 
and  practicality — and  sense  of  social  responsibility — that  make 
special  the  WPI  brand  of  education.  Think  of  it  as  the  power 
of  curiosity. 

"Engineers,"  Datta  says,  "can  assist  society  in  improving 
the  standard  and  quality  of  life  here  and  in  the  rest  of  the 
world.  Energy  offers  special  opportunities  because  the  planet 
is  operating  on  a  course  that  will  eventually  deplete  the  known 
fossil  fuel  resources,  perhaps  even  in  the  next  50  years." 

As  living  conditions  improve  and  the  earth's  population 
burgeons,  the  result  will  be  ever-higher  energy  consumption. 
The  scenario  cries  out  for  a  reasoned  and  sustainable  plan  of 
action,  Datta  says. 

WPI  students  can  help  write  that  plan  through  graduate 
research  and,  at  the  undergraduate  level,  through  their  required 
projects.  The  Interactive  Project  thrusts  students  into  practical 
problems  that  lie  at  the  intersection  of  science  and  technology. 
In  typically  three-member  teams,  they  work  toward  solutions. 

"This  isn't  textbook  work,"  notes  Pierson,  who  has  advised 
28  Interactive  Projects  on  topics  ranging  from  Worcester  traffic 
to  the  Iraqi  missile  program.  "We  talk,  we  analyze, 

we  question,  we  test  the  quality  of  the  data, 
we  press  for  strong  spoken  and  written  com- 
munications. We  isolate  the  careless  general- 
ization, point  out  the  unsubstantiated  conclu- 
sion, and  expect  precision  in  each  project." 
Helping  students  achieve  those  outcomes  is  a  fine  art, 
Datta  says.  "We  must  know  when  to  provide  guidance  to  a  stu- 
dent and  when  to  hold  back.  Especially  with  graduate  students, 
we  find  that  after  they  finish  their  course  work  and  are  pursu- 
ing their  research,  they  soon  wind  up  knowing  more  about 
their  chosen  topics  than  we  do.  And  they  are  thinking  inde- 
pendently. This  is  good.  In  fact,  we  learn  along  with  them,  and 
the  relationship  blossoms  from  teacher-student  to  colleagues. 
To  be  a  good  teacher,  you  first  have  to  be  a  good  student." 


Blowing  in  the  Wind 

Acknowledging  that  a  sustained  investigation  of  wind  energy  as 
a  practical  energy  resource  lies  some  distance  from  his  work  in 
condensed  matter,  Pierson,  shrugging  contentedly,  explains  that 
he  hails  from  North  Dakota,  "the  windiest  state.  I've  long  had 
an  interest  in  energy  issues  and  challenges,  and  I've  been  look- 
ing to  make  my  research  more  socially  relevant." 

Wind  turbines  currently  generate  less  than  1  percent  of 
the  electricity  consumed  in  the  United  States  (compared  with 
about  80  percent  for  coal,  oil  and  natural  gas),  or  about  3,500 
megawatts  per  year.  That  output  has  been  steadily  rising  as  the 
cost  of  generating  electricity  with  the  wind  has  continued  to 
drop  and  as  utilities  have  come  to  see  this  once  fringe  energy 
source  as  a  viable  alternative  to  conventional  power  plants. 

"Wind,  under  the  right  circumstances,  can  be 
cheaper  than  coal,"  Pierson  explains,  "and 
wind  is  inexhaustible." 

He  says  that  there  are  three  central  factors  that  can  turn 
wind  generation  into  a  competitor  for  electricity  produced  with 
coal  and  natural  gas.  "The  wind  must  be  sufficiently  strong  and 
sustained,"  he  says.  "The  turbines  should  be  grouped  in  large 
farms  to  reap  the  benefits  of  the  economy  of  scale.  And  the 
developer  should  take  advantage  of  the  federal  governments' 
Production  Tax  Credit." 

While  wind  turbines  consume  no  fuel  and  produce  no 
pollutants,  they  are  not  without  environmental  impacts.  Some 
communities  have  objected  to  wind  farms  within  their  bound- 
aries because  of  the  visual  impact  of  the  tall  turbines  and 
because  of  the  noise  they  make.  Design  refinements  have 
reduced  the  noise  produced  by  turbine  blades  and  care  taken 
in  the  design  of  farms  can  often  reduce  aesthetic  concet ns. 
Wind  farms  also  need  to  be  close  to  transmission  lines 
and  power  grids.  The  need  for  more  transmission  line  capacity, 
he  noted,  has  made  odd  allies  of  coal  interests  and  the  wind 
farm  industry,  which  rallies  under  the  American  Wind 

Energy  Association. 

Not  yet  mainstream  in 
the  United  States,  wind  energy 
(the  fastest  growing  reusable 
energy  source  worldwide)  is 
meeting  less  than  1  percent 
of  the  electricity  needs  of 
Princeton,  Mass.,  several  miles 
north  of  the  WPI  campus. 
New  England's  largest  wind 
firm  is  situated  in  Vermont, 
and  by  die  scale  of  many 
European  installations  it  is 
modest  in  size  and  output. 
Stephen  Pierson 


2  6      Transfer  mat  ions    I    Winter   2  002 


WPI's  Interactive  Project  asks  students  to  work  in  teams  toward  a 
solution  for  a  defined  techno-social  problem.  Here  are  summaries 
of  three  such  projects  advised  by  Stephen  W.  Pierson,  associate 
professor  of  physics,  that  have  focused  on  alternative  energy. 

Breezing  Through  CleUU  Energy  Projects 


iting  Offshore  Wind  Farms  in  Nantucket  Sound 

Which  of  two  proposed  sites  in  Nantucket  Sound  is  better  for  an  offshore  wind  farm?  This  project,  funded  by 
the  Massachusetts  Division  of  Energy  Resources  and  the  Center  for  Energy  Efficiency  and  Renewable  Energy  at 
the  University  of  Massachusetts,  Amherst,  took  into  account  13  factors  in  its  conclusions.  The  technical, 
physical  and  social  factors  ranged  from  the  location  of  shipwrecks  and  undersea  cables  to  water  depths  and 
wind  speed,  to  the  effects  on  birds,  shipping  lanes  and  fishing  activities,  to  the  visual  impact.  The  project 
found  that  both  proposed  sites  are  adequate,  and  produced  detailed  maps  incorporating  many  of  the  factors 
investigated  using  GIS  (Geographical  Information  System)  software.  The  study  also  made  clear  that  the 
complex  matter  of  specific  siting  involves  balancing  and  integrating  the  benefits  and  disadvantages  intricately 
posed  by  the  1 3  interrelated  factors. 

Expanding  the  Princeton,  Mass.,  Wind  Farm 

Supported  by  the  U.S.  Department  of  Energy  and  WPI,  the  project  assessed  an  operating  wind  farm  and  its 
potential  for  expansion.  After  the  WPI  students  confirmed  that  the  wind  resource  was  adequate  for  commercial 
use,  they  found  the  best  layout  for  new  turbines,  determined  the  need  for  additional  study  on  the  effects  on  the 
bird  population,  and  saw  that  the  public  varies  in  its  support  and  opposition  owing  to  the  trade-offs  of  clean 
energy  and  visual  and  noise  impacts.  The  study,  co-advised  by  civil  engineering  Professor  Paul  Mathisen, 
concluded  that  the  Princeton  Municipal  Light  Department  can  step  up  its  wind  energy  electrical  output  from 
the  current  less  than  1  percent  of  the  town's  needs  to  at  least  1 0  percent  with  the  purchase  of  the  larger, 
more  efficient  wind  turbines  on  the  market  today. 


»T 


t       > 


haiidnd  With  Solar  Power 

The  Hill-tribe  villages  of  Thailand  are  isolated  from  the  rest  of  the  country, 

geographically  and  culturally.  Villagers  are  limited  in  their  ability 

to  interact  with  the  rest  of  the  nation  because  they  speak  a 

different  language  and  do  not  have  adequate  education 

to  learn  the  Thai  language.  A  WPI  student  project  team 

traveled  to  a  few  remote  villages  to  see  if  maintainable 

photovoltaic  systems  could  be  installed  there — with' 

unduly  impacting  the  tribes'  culture — to  power  TVs 

and  VCRs  that  could  augment  the  villagers'  ability 

to  learn  Thai.  The  students  lived  with  the  villagers 

and  learned  that  they  were  familiar  with  solar 

power  and  anxious  to  have  it  in  their  villages.  They 

assembled  a  solar  system  and  made  a  return  trek 

to  a  larger  village  to  install  it  on  the  roof  of  the 

school.  The  students  feel  confident  their  work  can 

allow  other  villages  to  install  solar  systems  to 

help  them  prepare  for  the  encroachment  *  ^t 

of  the  modern  v" ' 


/.*■-'" 


Pierson  will  soon  begins  a  year's  sabbatical  during  which 
he  expects  to  pursue  public  affairs  issues  for  the  prestigious 
American  Physical  Society.  The  direction  of  his  sabbatical  under- 
lines the  bedrock  WPI  idea  of  the  integration  of  technology 
and  social  consequences. 

Last  year,  in  an  op-ed  piece  published  in  the  Worcester 
Telegram  &  Gazette,  he  spelled  out  causes  for  concern,  as  he 
saw  them,  in  the  shape  of  the  proposed  federal  energy  policy 
and  direction  of  climate  change. 

Citing  conclusions  of  the  Union  of  Concerned  Scientists, 
in  Cambridge,  Mass.,  where  he  has  served  as  a  visiting  scientist, 
Pierson  listed  "the  gravest  consequences  of  global  warming  as 
more  extreme  weather  events,  a  faster  rise  of  sea  level,  and  more 
heat  waves  and  droughts  that  lead  to  more  heat-related  illnesses 
and  deaths." 

The  choice  is  clear.  He  wrote,  "With  options  that  could 
save  us  money,  reduce  carbon  dioxide  emissions,  and  address  the 
other  limitations  of  fossil  fuels,  why  wouldn't  we  pursue  them?" 


'Imagine  what  the  world 

would  be  like  without  widely 

shared  fundamental 

,i  research." 

Ravindra  Datta 

Making  Fuel  Cells  Practical 

Fuel  cells  convert  fuel  directly,  efficiently  and  continuously  into 
electricity  through  electrochemical  reactions.  Long  used  as  a 
power  source  in  spacecraft  and  military  vehicles,  they  are 
increasingly  being  eyed  as  a  future  source  of  clean  power  lor 
homes,  businesses  and  automobiles.  They  are  also  frequently 
cited  as  a  key  technology  for  realizing  the  vision  of  tomorrow's 
distributed  power  system.  It  has  been  estimated  that  the  market 
for  fuel  cells  could  reach  Si  billion  by  2006. 

Most  fuel  cells  use  hydrogen  as  a  fuel.  The  hydrogen  splits 
into  protons  and  electrons  on  the  anode  catalyst,  tvpicallv  plat- 
inum. The  protons  pass  through  a  membrane  and  combine 


with  electrons  from  oxygen  to  generate  electricity  and  water. 
Because  they  produce  extremely  clean  energy  and  are  twice  as 
fuel-efficient  as  conventional  internal  combustion  engines,  fuel 
cells  ate  of  great  interest  to  automobile  makers.  In  fact,  virtually 
every  major  car  producer  has  a  significant  research  program 
focused  on  fuel  cells,  and  forecasters  predict  that  cars  powered 
by  fuel  cells  could  be  available  to  consumers  by  the  end  of 
the  decade. 

Today's  fuel  cells  tend  to  be  bulky  and  expensive.  And 
until  there  are  hydrogen  filling  stations  in  every  town,  putting 
hydrogen-based  fuel  cells  in  cars  and  other  consumer  applica- 
tions may  not  be  ptactical.  That  is  why  a  number  of  researchers, 
including  Datta,  are  studying  fuel  cells  that  use  other  fuels  or 
that  can  locally  convert  more  conventional  fuels  into  hydrogen 
suitable  for  fuel  cells. 

It  is  possible  to  extract  hydrogen  from  gasoline  using 
catalysts,  but  the  resulting  hydrogen  stream  has  contaminants, 
including  carbon  monoxide,  that  can  poison  the  fuel  cell.  To 
make  fuel  cells  that  are  more  tolerant  of  carbon  monoxide, 
Datta  and  his  students  are  working  to  develop  more  robust 
electrode  catalysts  and  proton-exchange  membranes  for  fuel 
cells.  Nafion,  a  polymer  membrane  made  by  Dupont,  is  cur- 
rently the  most  widely  used  proton-exchange  membrane.  To 
work  effectively,  however,  it  must  be  soaked  in  water,  which 
limits  the  fuel  cell  temperature  to  80°  C. 

Datta  and  his  students  are  developing  proton-exchange 
membranes  that  can  operate  at  higher  temperatures,  which 
make  PEM  fuel  cells  better  able  to  deal  with  carbon  monoxide 
and  other  poisons.  They  have  also  found  that  they  can  main- 
tain the  membrane's  high  ionic  conductivity  at  reduced 
humidity  levels,  which  increases  power  output. 

The  WPI  researchers  are  looking  at  other  ways  to  take  on  the 
temperature-humidity  issue.  They  are  examining  higher-tempera- 
ture inorganic  membranes  and  composite  organic-inorganic  mem- 
branes. They  are  also  developing  new  catalytic  electrode  materials 
that  are  more  robust  than  the  conventional  platinum. 

Research  in  the  Fuel  Cell  Center  is  also  focusing  on  using 
watery  ethanol,  a  renewable  organic  fuel  made  from  biomass, 
as  a  fuel.  Watery  ethanol  is  less  expensive  to  produce  than  fuel- 
grade  ethanol,  and  can  produce  a  clean  stream  of  hydrogen  in 
a  reformer  heated  to  about  500°  C.  PEM  fuel  cells  powered  bv 
hydrogen  produced  from  ethanol  hold  the  promise  of  produc- 
ing electricity  in  a  highly  efficient,  sustainable  and  environ- 
mentally sensitive  manner. 

Datta  says  one  of  the  goals  of  the  Fuel  ("ell  Center  is  to 
see  the  breakthroughs  that  occur  in  the  laboratory  make  their 
way  as  soon  as  is  practical  into  socially  useful  applications. 
"We  don'i  hold  back  in  widely  disseminating  our  Litest  research 
Findings,    lie  says.   We  publish  oui  work  prompdy,  Imagine 
what  the  world  would  be  like  without  widely  shared  funda- 
mental research.   Ibis  basic  tenet  ol  universities  is  really  quite 
a  concept,  one  thai  has  a  profound  influence  on  humanity.    D 


2  8     Transformations   I   Winter  2002 


By  Laurance  S.  Morrison 
Photography  by  Patrick  O'Connor 


jm 


eneral  Motors,  where  he  rose  to  become 
airman,  Robert  Stempel  '55  developed  a  keen 
interest  in  electric  vehicles.  Today,  the  man  who 
invented  the  catalytic  converter  is  chairman  of 
another  company  that  is  helping  make  possible 
the  environmentally  friendly,  fuel-efficient 
vehicles  that  may  well  transform  the 
automotive  industry. 


Transformations    I    Winter   2002     29 


Like  a  shimmering  blue  mirage,  the  GM  Sunraycer  glided 
silently  across  the  Australian  desert  in  1987,  fueled  only  by 
photons  from  the  sun.  Powered  by  8,800  solar  cells,  the  experi- 
mental car  covered  nearly  2,000  miles  in  five  days  to  win  the 
first  World  Solar  Challenge. 

GM's  participation  in  the  race  was  a  turning  point  for 
advocates  for  solar  power  and  electric  vehicles.  It  was  also  a 
turning  point  in  the  life  and  career  of  Robert  C.  Stempel  '55, 
who,  three  years  later,  would  rise  as  high  as  a  self-described 
"car  guy"  can  go.  Having  worked  his  way  up  through  the  ranks 
at  GM,  he  would  become  chairman  and  chief  executive  officer 
of  the  world's  largest  manufacturing  company. 

His  experience  with  Sunraycer  led  Stempel  to  encourage 
the  development  by  General  Motors  of  a  production-model 
battery-powered  electric  vehicle,  the  EV-1.  It  also  introduced 
him  to  one  of  the  most  pressing  challenges  facing  designers  of 
electric  vehicles — the  need  fot  lightweight,  long-lasting  energy 
storage  systems. 

"The  only  battery  we  had  to  start  with,"  he  says,  "was  the 
conventional  lead-acid  battery.  We  used  26  to  produce  the 
voltage  and  energy  storage  capacity  we  needed  to  get  a  range 
of  80  miles." 


Ovshinsky,  who,  with  his  wife,  Iris  Ovshinski,  Ph.D.,  had 
founded  the  small  company  in  Troy,  Mich.,  in  1960.  ECD  had 
developed  a  rugged  nickel  metal  hydride  battery  that  looked  like 
it  might  be  exactly  what  Stempel  had  been  hunting  for.  It  offered 
high  energy,  high  power,  long  life  and  environmental  friendliness. 

A  growing  company,  ECD  holds  more  than  350  U.S. 
patents  and  more  than  800  corresponding  foreign  patents.  Its 
three  core  product  areas — information  technology,  energy  gen- 
eration and  utilization,  and  energy  storage  and  infrastructure — 
are  based  on  its  proprietary,  atomically  engineered  amorphous 
and  disordered  materials.  Its  products  include  optical  memory, 
electronic  memory  and  switches,  protective  coatings,  photo- 
voltaic systems,  a  solid  hydrogen  storage  system  for  automotive 
applications,  and  the  Ovonic  Regenerative  Fuel  Cell,  which  can 
be  used  in  vehicle  and  stationary  applications. 

Stempel  joined  ECD  in  1994  and  is  currently  chairman 
and  executive  director.  "At  ECD,  we  focus  on  consumer  free- 
dom and  mobility  because  many  of  our  products  provide 
energy  for  personal  transportation  and  home  uses,"  he  says. 
"People  need  and  want  environmentally  sensitive  energy." 


"At  WPI  I  discovered  the  fundamentals  of  plans  and  preparation. 

I  learned  to  work  in  a  team.  I  found  out  how  to  see  across  disciplines 

and  understand  the  roles  of  others  in  a  project.  At  the  same  time, 

I  learned  the  concepts  of  mechanical  engineering.  Over  the  years, 

these  lessons  have  been  the  foundation  of  my  work." 


Stempel  would  have  to  pursue  his  growing  interest  in 
electric  propulsion  outside  of  General  Motors.  Soon  after  his 
election  as  chairman,  problems  flared  in  the  Middle  East  over 
oil.  Auto  sales  slowed.  GM,  having  just  built  modern  facilities, 
needed  to  close  its  older  plants  to  reduce  excess  capacity  and 
expenses  and  align  capacity  with  market  demands.  The 
thoughtfully  organized  phase-out  plan  at  18  plants  resulted 
in  no  strikes,  but  the  GM  board  was  hoping  for  a  faster  transi- 
tion, Stempel  says.  Mindful  of  the  corporation's  interests,  he 
decided,  mutually  with  the  board,  to  step  down  in  1992. 

"Shortly  after  leaving  GM,"  he  says,  "I  was  contacted 
about  working  on  several  interesting  car  and  truck  products, 
and  was  asked  to  consider  several  university  assignments,  as 
dean  of  engineering  or  head  of  a  business  school.  But  I  wanted 
to  continue  working  on  alternate  power  trains  for  personal 
transportation.  I  really  wanted  to  see  electric  drive  have  a  role 
in  future  vehicle  transportation." 

Knowing  of  Stempel's  search  for  a  better  battery.  Waller 
McCarthy,  CEO  of  Detroit  Edison  and  a  director  ol  Energy 
Conversion  Devices  (ECD),  introduced  Stempel  to  Stanford 


Stempel  oversaw  the  installation  of  Texaco  Ovonic  nickel 
metal  hydride  batteries  in  the  EV-1,  which  can  travel  160  to 
180  miles  on  a  single  charge.  They're  also  in  Chevrolet's  electric 
pickup  trucks,  and  are  being  offered  tor  use  in  hybrids  (which 
use  a  small  gasoline  or  diesel  engine  in  conjunction  vvith  an 
electric  motor).  Honda  and   Toyota  hybrids  will  soon  be  joined 
by  vehicles  from  Ford,  Chrysler  and  General  Motors.  GM's 
Precept,  a  lull  si/c  livbrid,  achieves  more  than  80  miles  per 
gallon  using  the  (  honii  battery. 


30      Transformations    I    Winter   2002 


Stempel  says  his  role  at  ECD  is  a  natural  extension  of  the 
work  he  did  at  GM.  "Having  spent  a  great  deal  of  my  time  on 
emissions  and  pollution  teduction  or  elimination,  a  second 
career  with  ECD  is  right  in  line  with  my  own  views  on  the 
environment  and  clean  air  and  water.  Many  of  my  volunteer 
activities  include  clean  air  and  water  issues  here  in  the  Great 
Lakes  Basin." 

His  career  began  right  after  World  War  II,  when  technolo- 
gy, materials  and  talent  that  had  been  channeled  to  national 
defense  suddenly  came  face  to  face  with  pent-up  consumer 
demand.  Observing  this  practical  landscape  of  free  entetprise 
was  a  youngster  who  just  loved  cars.  Stempel  studied  and,  at 
6'4",  played  football  at  his  high  school  in  Bloomfield,  N.J., 
a  community  of  about  50,000.  He  also  worked  at  an  auto 
repair  garage. 

When  the  WPI  basketball  team  visited  nearby  Stevens 
Institute,  a  WPI  alumnus  invited  Stempel  to  attend  the  game. 
While  the  teams  grappled  on  the  court,  he  heard  about  life  at 
WPI.  He  had  been  considering  several  technically  oriented 
colleges.  In  this,  his  parents,  Eleanor,  a  secretary,  and  Carl, 
a  banker  who  spearheaded  the  development  of  the  leasing  of 
airplanes  in  the  post-war  years,  encouraged  him.  They  taught 
their  children  the  dignity  of  work  and  the  importance  of 
doing  a  job  well. 

Four  and  a  half  decades  after  he  graduated  with  a  bache- 
lors degree  in  mechanical  engineering  (he  also  holds  an  MBA 
from  Michigan  State  University),  Stempel  remembers  exactly 

why  he  chose  WPI.  "I  was  swayed  by  the  balance 
of  the  theoretical  and  the  hands  on,"  he  says. 
"The  Washburn  Shops,  the  Metallurgy  Labs, 
the  electrical  shops,  the  whole  focus  on  engi- 
neering. For  me,  it  was  all  there  at  WPI." 

To  keep  himself  in  pocket  money,  he  fixed  the  cars  of 
fellow  students.  "I  carried  a  box  of  tools  in  the  trunk  and  the 
word  got  around,"  he  says.  As  a  senior,  he  received  the 
Worcester  Chapter  of  the  American  Society  of  Mechanical 
Engineers  Award  for  his  paper,  "Practical  Fuel  Injection  for 
Automobiles." 

"At  WPI  I  discovered  the  fundamentals  of  plans  and 
preparation,"  he  says.  "I  learned  to  work  in  a  team.  I  found  out 
how  to  see  across  disciplines  and  understand  the  roles  of  others 
in  a  project.  Over  the  years,  these  lessons  have  been  the  foun- 
dation of  my  work." 

After  graduation,  he  worked  at  General  Electrics  Wife  and 
Cable  Division  and  did  two  years'  service  in  the  U.S.  Army 
Corps  of  Engineers.  But,  he  recalls,  "Car  makers  were  styling 
up  the  1950s  body  shape,  which  was  reminiscent  of  the  glory 
times,  and  I  saw  that.  I  was  deeply  interested  in  teamwork- 
based  engineering.  It  cemented  things  for  me.  I  belonged  in  the 
automobile  industry.  I  wanted  to  go  to  Detroit.' 

His  road  to  Detroit  began  in  1958  when  he  joined 
General  Motors  as  a  design  engineer  in  the  Oldsmobile  Divi- 
sion, in  Lansing,  Mich.  Over  the  next  13  years,  he  held  five 


jobs  there,  including  assistant  chief  engineer.  Chief  engineer 
John  Beltz  decided  to  give  Stempel  room  to  do  something  new. 
"He  was  an  inspiration,"  he  says. 

With  Beltz's  backing,  Stempel  proved  instrumental  in 
developing  the  front-wheel  drive  Toronado.  His  energy,  insight 
and  leadership  qualities  were  getting  noticed.  GM  president 
Edward  Cole  delivered  Stempel's  next  turning  point  when  he 
involved  him  in  the  creative  teamwork  that  produced  the  cat- 
alytic converter.  "I  wondered  if  this  was  such  a  good  idea  for 
me,"  Stempel  says,  "but  he  said  'trust  me,'  and  I  did.  It  proved 
beneficial  to  my  career;  I  was  promoted  to  Chevrolet's  chief 
engineer." 

He  would  also  play  a  pivotal  role  in  developing  the  1977 
Caprice  and  the  1 984  Pontiac  Fiero.  As  he  took  on  more 
responsibility,  his  decisions  grew  weightier.  As  president  and 
chief  operating  officer  and,  then,  chairman  and  chief  executive 
officer,  he  was  operating  at  the  center  of  global  commerce. 

"The  lightning  speed  of  communications  is  probably  the 
key  factor  to  contend  with  in  decision  making,"  he  says.  "But 
you  can't  allow  this  to  hurry  your  conclusions.  I  rely  on  experi- 
ence and  try  to  assess  the  impact  of  my  decisions  while  making 
course  corrections  according  to  new  information.  I  keep  a 
decision  checklist.  And  I  try  to  see  the  end  game." 

His  talent  for  leadership  and  his  technical  prowess  have 
won  him  much  recognition.  In  October,  his  name  joined  the 
ranks  of  Admiral  Hyman  Rickover,  James  Van  Allen,  David 
Packard,  William  Lear  and  Edwin  Land  when  he  received  the 
Golden  Omega  Awatd.  Given  to  "an  outstanding  person  of 
science,  engineering,  education  or  industry  who  has  made 
important  contributions  to  technical  progress,  often  related  to 
the  electrical,  electronics  field,"  the  award  is  jointly  sponsored 
by  the  Institute  of  Electrical  and  Electronics  Engineers,  the 
National  Electrical  Manufacturers  Association  and  the  Elec- 
trical Manufactuting  &  Coil  Winding  Association.  As  a 
mechanical  engineer,  Stempel  is  an  unusual  recipient. 
"I  think  it  underscores  the  multidisciplinary 
approach  to  solving  many  of  today's  tech- 
nological problems,"  he  says. 

Stempel  is  also  a  member  of  the  Society  of  Automotive 
Engineers  and  the  National  Academy  of  Engineering,  a  Life 
Fellow  of  the  Ametican  Society  of  Mechanical  Engineers,  and 
a  Fellow  of  the  Engineering  Society  of  Detroit.  A  trustee  emer- 
itus of  WPI,  he  received  the  university's  Robert  H.  Goddard 
Award  for  Outstanding  Professional  Achievement  in  1980. 

In  November,  he  received  the  ASME's  Soichiro  Honda 
Medal,  which  recognizes  significant  engineering  contributions 
in  the  field  of  personal  transportation.  At  ECD,  in  a  new  lead- 
ership role,  he  continues  a  career  that  has  placed  him  squarely 
at  the  front  edge  of  personal  automobile  transportation  for 
five  decades.  D 

—  Morrison  heads  a  full-service  communications  firm 

based  in  Sturbridge,  Mass. 


Transformations    I    Winter  2002    3  1 


Joseph  Gibson 

was  awarded 
'.    the  2000  DuPont 
Lavoisier  Medal  for  Technical 
Achievement  in  recognition 
of  discoveries  made  during  his 
45-year  career  with  DuPont. 
His  contributions  include  the 
discovery  of  a  high-temperature 
dry-dyeing  process  for  textiles 
and  improvements  to  synthetic 
fibers  used  for  hosiery  and 
pantyhose.  He  later  established 
a  method  for  finishing  photo- 
polymer  printing  plates. 

Gibson  retired  from 
DuPont  in  1991  with  numerous 
patents  and  awards.  The  Joseph 
W.  Gibson  Award  for  Technical 
Excellence  was  established  in 
his  honor. 

Dwight  Harris  writes  from 
his  home  fn  Woodstock,  N.Y., 
"No  news  is  good  news,  with 
only  occasional  recollections 
of  my  four  years  at  WPI." 

y^~   Joe  Alekshun  is 

^\  ■  "X    a  space  systems 
_^  \*J    engineer.  He  lives 
in  Redondo  Beach,  Calif. 

f^    y"V     Richard  Bourne 

^^  V- I    is  co-owner  of 
_^X   _S       Common  Sense 
Computing  Inc.,  in  Belgrade 
Lakes,  Maine,  where  he  has 
lived  year-round  since  1987. 
The  consulting  company, 
founded  in  1995,  helps  small 
businesses  with  IT  solutions 
and  advises  them  when 
technology  isn't  the  answer. 

Winthrop  Wassenar  retired 
from  Williams  College  as 
director  of  facilities  manage- 
ment in  June  2001.  He  started 
as  assistant  director  of  the  phys- 
ical plant  in  1964  and  became 
director  in  1983.  He  was  the 
recipient  of  a  Fulbright 
Fellowship  for  academic 
administration. 


f  -*     Richard  Vogel 

regrets  that  profes- 
V_-/  -1-    sional  obligations 
prohibited  him  from  attending 
the  40th  Class  Reunion.  He 
sends  regards  to  the  Class 
of  1961. 

/^^    Jesse  Erlich  con- 
■  "^     /      tinues  as  a  partner 
\*J  4mm  >     in  the  law  firm  of 
Perkins,  Smith  &  Cohen,  LLP 
of  Boston,  where  he  is  a  member 
of  the  firm's  e-Commerce  & 
Communications,  Intellectual 
Property  and  Government 
Relations  groups.  His  article 
"Mining  the  'Federal  Reserve' 
of  Technology"  appeared  in 
the  Febtuary  2001  issue  of 
Chemical  Engineering. 

Eric  Gulliksen 

is  a  MEMS 
\J  JL  analyst  at  Venture 
Development  Corp.  His  article 
"The  Killer  Application  That 
May  Eat  Its  Siblings"  appeared 
in  the  March  1,  2001,  issue  of 
Solid  State  Technology. 

Joe  LaCava  and  his  wife,  Beth, 
have  come  up  with  a  unique 
business — renting  out  sections 
of  their  10-acre  farm  to  eager 


gardeners,  who  pav  $300  for  a 
pre-mulched  plot.  The  LaCavas 
have  scaled  back  operations  at 
Flowering  Field  Farm  in  Colts 
Neck,  N.J.,  where  they  used 
to  grow  and  sell  produce  and 
flowers  from  their  farm  stand. 
Joe  continues  .is  .i  systems 
engineer  ai  Lucent  Technologies 
and  Beth  is  a  part-time 
llur.il  designer. 


Stan  Szymanski  retired  after  37 
years  with  Hooker/Occidental 
Chemical  and  started  his  own 
consulting  business,  Stan 
Szymanski  &  Associates,  in 
Addison,  Texas.  He  continues 
as  chairman  of  the  International 
Council  of  Chemical  Associa- 
tions' Responsible  Care 
Leadership  Group. 


65 


Phil  Baker  won 

San  Diego's  2001 
Ernst  &  Young 
Entrepreneur  of  the  Year  Award 
in  the  consumer  products  cate- 
gory. He  is  president  of  Think 
Outside  Inc.  and  inventor  of 
the  Stowaway  line  of  folding 
keyboards.  Read  more  about 
his  innovations  at  www.wpi.edu 
/Stories/Baker. 

Peter  Collette  was  awarded 
the  ASTM  Award  of  Merit — 

the  American 
Society  for 
Testing  and 
Materials' 
highesr 
honor.  He 
was  recog- 
nized for  his  work  on  national 
standards  for  plastic  piping 
systems  used  in  the  distribution 
of  fuel  gas.  Collette  is  manager 
of  Gas  Systems  and  Plants  for 
PSE&G  in  Newark,  N.J. 

Walter  Henry  joined  CRESA 
Partners  of  Boston,  a  corporate 
real  estate  advisory  firm,  as 
director  of  project  management. 
He  lives  in  Marshficld.  Mass. 


Phil  Baker  '65  won  a 
2001  Ernst  &  Young 
Entrepreneur  of  the 
Year  Award. 


I  am  qrateful  that  WPI  qave  me  the  chance 
to  finish  my  degree.  I  really  believe  that  it's 
never  too  late.  I  hope  my  story  shows  that 
perseverance  is  key  in  life. 


—  Mercedeh  Mirkazemi  Ward  '86, 

who  completed  her  WPI  degree  in  1  997 


66 


The  Benoit  family 
celebrated  the  60th 
anniversary  of 
Flame  Treating  and  Engineering 
Co.  (FTECO)  last  year.  Presi- 
dent Tom  Benoit  runs  the 
company  founded  in  1940  by 
his  father,  the  late  Leo  Benoit 
'36,  in  an  old  horse  barn. 
FTECO,  in  West  Hartford, 
Conn.,  does  localized  heat 
treating  of  metal  parts  for 
clients  in  the  automotive, 
printing  and  other  industries. 

Robert  Sinuc  was  appointed 
vice  president  of  engineering  at 
Plug  Power  Inc.,  a  designer  and 
developer  of  on-site  electricity 
generation  systems  that  use 
proton-exchange  membrane 
fuel  cells. 

Jack  McCabe 

was  picked  to 
V^/  \J     chair  Nypro  Inc.'s 
operations  in  Ireland  and  Wales. 
The  former  WRA  (Worcester 
Redevelopment  Authority) 
chairman  was  honored  by  the 
City  Council  for  his  1 7  years 
of  continuous  service.  He 
was  involved  in  development 
projects  totaling  $1  billion, 
including  the  Worcester 
Common  Outlets,  Medical 
City  and  Union  Station. 

Gregory  Sovas  became  vice 
president  of  governmental  affairs 
for  Spectra  Environmental 
Group  in  Latham,  N.Y.,  after 
retiring  as  director  of  New  York 
State's  Division  of  Mineral 
Resources  within  the  state's 
Department  of  Environmental 
Conservation. 


~  ,     Rick  Follett  and 
V-l     his  wife  of  32 
V^/  ^r      years,  Cheryl, 
moved  to  Tampa,  Fla.,  last 
year,  after  15  years  in  New 
Hampshire.  Rick  is  director  of 
applications  at  PLX  Technology, 
based  in  Sunnyvale,  Calif.  He 
spends  at  least  two  weeks  each 
month  in  California  and  the 
rest  of  his  working  time  in  St. 
Petersburg.  Fla.,  where  he  heads 
up  the  East  Coast  office.  Their 
daughter,  Heidi,  and  her  hus- 
band live  in  nearby  Lutz.  Their 
son,  Parrick,  is  a  college  srudent 
in  Charleston,  S.C. 

Dom  Forcella 

I    was  honored  as 
\J    Advisor  of  the 
Year  at  Central  Connecticut 
State  University.  He  advises 
the  student-run  radio  station, 
WFCS  107.7,  and  hosts  "The 
Road  Hog,"  a  two-hour  show 
"playing  blues  to  fatten  your 
spirit."  While  at  WPI,  he  was 
part  of  the  first  sports  broadcast 
team  on  W1CN,  reporting  on 
football  from  the  second  floor 
of  Alden  Memorial. 

Randolph  Sablich  is  director 
of  commercial  business  develop- 
ment for  General  Dynamics 
Interactive  in  Needham,  Mass. 


W  -*     George  Block  is 

president,  chief 
/       _I_    engineer  and 
corporation  clerk  of  Tibbetts 
Engineering  Corp.  in 
Taunton,  Mass. 

Mike  Grady  is  executive  vice 
president  of  engineering  at 
Chinook  Communications,  a 
startup  dedicated  to  developing 
and  com- 
mercializing 
spectrum 
enhancement 
technology 
initially 
developed 
in  the  labs  at  MIT.  Grady  was 
previously  CEO  and  co-founder 
of  Argon  Nerworks,  which  was 
later  acquired  by  Siemens  as 
part  of  the  formation  of 
Unisphere  Networks. 

Bill  Palmer  is  senior  vice  presi- 
dent for  industrial  marketing  at 
Pall  Corp.,  a  provider  of  filtra- 
tion and  separation  products  for 
scientific  and  industrial  markets. 

Edward  Gordon  is 

living  in  Ashburn, 
/        _1_    Va.,  and  working 
as  a  consultant  for  Cap  Gemini 
Telecom.  He  married  Linda 
Jayne  Richardson  of  Plantation, 
Fla.,  in  1998,  and  was  trans- 
ferred ro  Virginia  by  his  previous 
employer,  EIS  International.  A 
senior  member  of  IEEE,  he  is 
Partners'  Program  Chair  for  the 
2002  Sections  Congress.  Ed  also 
received  a  service  award  for  his 
work  as  associate  editor  for  the 
IEEE  NCAC  Scanner,  a  news 
bulletin  for  the  National 
Capital  Area  Council. 

Robert  Lindberg  was  named 
senior  vice  president  for  defense 
programs  at  Orbital  Sciences 
Corp. 


Vicki  Cowart, 

,     state  geologist 
and  director  of 
rhe  Colorado  Geologic  Survey, 
was  elected  president  of  the 
Association  of  American 
Srate  Geologists. 

Anne  McPartland  Dodd  was 

honored  with  a  Jefferson  Award 
from  her  hometown,  Mont 
Vernon,  N.H.,  for  her  dedica- 
tion to  outstanding  community 
and  public  service.  An  article 
in  rhe  Community  Messenger 
cited  her  public  work  on  com- 
mittees and  community  proj- 
ects, as  well  her  quiet  support 
for  neighbors  in  need.  Anne  has 
sent  weekly  notes  to  encourage 
those  struggling  with  serious 
illness  and  has  organized  every- 
thing from  casseroles  to  e-mail 
chains  to  assist  families  facing 
crises.  The  Jefferson  Award 
was  created  by  the  American 
Institute  for  Public  Service  to 
recognize  "ordinary  people  who 
do  extraordinary  things  without 
expectation  or  reward." 

David  Kingsbury  has  a  new 

grandchild.  Timothy  Richard 
Person,  born  Jan.  5,  2001,  is 
the  son  of  Richard  '76  and 
Elana  (Kingsbury)  Person  '98. 

Jeremy  Jones  is 

.    vice  president  of 
/     \^ /    new  business  at 
Cabot  Microelectronics  Corp. 
in  Aurora,  N.Y. 

Thomas  McNeice  was  promot- 
ed to  vice  presidenr  of  CDM 
Engineers  &  Constructors  Inc., 
a  subsidiary  of  Camp  Dresser  & 
McKee.  McNeice  previously 
managed  the  company's  North 
Performance  Center,  which 
encompasses  New  England  and 
the  Mid-Atlantic  states. 


Transformations    I   Winter  200^ 


33 


Farooq  Ansari  is 
/      president  and 
owner  of  Ansari 
Builders  in  Westboro,  Mass. 

Joseph  Calagione  and  his  wife, 
Lisa,  have  two  daughters.  They 
live  in  Milford,  Mass.,  where  Joe 
has  been  active  in  civic  affairs. 

Lindsay  Joachim  is  an  attorney 
with  Blatz,  Pyfrom  &  Assoc, 
in  Agowa,  Calif.  He  recently 
secured  a  $1.5  million  jury 
verdict  after  a  monthlong  trial 
involving  a  petroleum  consultant 
judged  negligent  in  supervising 
the  drilling  of  a  7,000-foot  oil 
well.  The  verdict  will  allow 
Joachim's  client  to  recover  an 
estimated  400,000  barrels  of  oil 
in  the  target  reservoir.  "After 
four  weeks,"  Joachim  writes, 
"the  jury  had  bonded.  When 
they  heard  that  the  judge  used 
to  wear  a  Hawaiian  shirt  under 
his  robes  on  Friday,  they  all 
wore  Hawaiian  shirts  on  the  last 
Friday  of  the  case,  then  all  of 
them  wore  black  for  the  closing 
argument.  That  was  a  little 
unsettling." 


78 


John  Bourassa 

joined  the  execu- 
tive board  of  the 
Quality  Assurance  Association 
of  Maryland  as  an  advisor.  He 
earned  the  professional  title  of 
Certified  Software  Engineer 
from  the  Quality  Assurance 
Institute  and  currently  works 
for  Lockheed  Martin's 
Management  &  Data  Systems 
as  a  staff  systems  engineer.  John 
and  his  wife  of  20  years,  Jane, 
live  in  Perry  Hall,  Md.,  with  their 
daughters,  Gillian  and  Alicia. 
Peter  Landry  works  for 
Diocesan  Health  Facilities  as 
director  of  facilities  develop- 
ment and  planning.  He  lives 
in  Little  Compton,  R.I. 


Michael  O'Hara,  president 
of  The  Mountain  Star  Group, 
a  Minneapolis-based  FPE  firm, 
received  the  Construction 
Specifications  Institute's 
Advancement  of  Construction 
Technology  Award.  The  award 
was  presented  June  21,  2001, 
at  a  ceremony  in  Dallas. 

J/~\    Tom  McClure  is 

/  V- I    operations  manager 
_S      ror  Techsolve  Inc.'s 
Machining  Xcellence  Division 
(formerly  IAMS — Institute 
of  Advanced  Manufacturing 
Sciences).  He  was  interviewed 
by  Modern  Applications  News 
for  a  "Management  Perspective" 
feature  in  the  February  2001 
issue. 

Don  Patten  holds  the  post  of 
director  of  .corporate  facilities, 
engineering  and  process  safety 
at  StockerYale  Inc.,  an  optical 
components  manufacturer  in 
Salem,  N.H. 

/"V    /""V     David  Drevinsky 

j    is  a  program/proj- 
\*J   V*/    ect  manager  with 
the  government's  General 
Services  Administration  office 
in  Boston.  He  writes  that  he 
enjoys  watching  Nancy 
Pimental  '87  on  Comedy 
Central's  "Win  Ben  Stein's 
Money." 

Thomas  Gellrich  was  named 
vice  president  of  Elemica's 
Advanced  Solutions  Center. 
Last  year,  he  helped  create 
Elemica,  a  global  e-marketplace 
for  the  chemical  industry. 
He  previously  spent  1 5  years 
with  ATOFINA  Chemicals  Inc., 
where  he  served  as  director 
of  e-business. 

Daniel  Itse  is  president  of 
Christolferson  Engineering 
in  Frcemont,  N.H.  His  article 
on  NOx  emissions  appeared 
in  the  June  2001  issue  of 
Hydrocarbon  Processing. 
Andrew  Pellcticr  works  for 
SeaChange  in  Greenville,  N.I  I. 


81 


Scott  Cloyd  joined 
the  Orlando,  Fla., 
office  of  R.W.  Beck 
as  a  management  consultant. 

Roger  Keilig  is  the  new 

executive  director  of  the  Lake 
Sunapee  (N.H.)  Protective 
Association,  a  nonprofit  devoted 
to  identifying  and  eliminating 
pollution  threats  to  the  Lake 
Sunapee  watershed. 

Noted  scientist  Olivia  Pereira- 

Smith  (Ph.D.)  left  Baylor 
University  to  join  the  University 
of  Texas  Health  Science  Center 
at  San  Antonio,  along  with  her 
co-worker  and  husband,  James 
Smith.  She  will  continue  her 
molecular  and  cytogenetic  stud- 
ies on  the  process  of  cell  aging, 
supported  by  a  grant  from  the 
National  Institute  on  Aging. 

Jeff  Trask  is  the  new  vice 
president,  government  relations, 
for  MEMA,  the  Motor  & 
Equipment  Manufacturers 
Association.  Based  in  Wash- 
ington, D.C.,  he  is  charged 
with  overseeing  federal  and  state 
legislative  and  regulatory  moni- 
toring, reporting  and  advocacy. 
He  will  also  direct  the  agency's 
newly  formed  Government 
Affairs  Committee.  Jeff,  who 
holds  a  law  degree  from 
Georgetown  University,  worked 
at  the  American  Petroleum 
Institute  since  1989. 

/~\  /^     Maureen  Seils 
Ashley  is  on  a 

'     family  leave  of 
absence  from  IBM,  where  she 
was  the  ASICS  synthesis  team 
leader  at  the  Burlington,  Vt., 
facility.  Maureen  and  her  hus- 
band, Carl,  enjoy  living  in 
Vermont  with  their  "TNT" 
(teens  'n'  toddler).  Daughter 
Maura  was  born  on  Jan.  13, 
1 999,  and  was  welcomed  home 
by  siblings  Amber,  Autumn 
and  Nathan  on  a  snowy, 
-20  degree  day. 


Michael  Bagley  was  promoted 
to  chief  strategist  of  UNIX 
Systems  at  Availant,  the 
Cambridge,  Mass.,  software 
firm  where  he  has  been 
employed  since  1992. 

David  Kelly,  vice  president 
of  e-services  for  esoftsolutions, 
was  appoint- 
ed to  the 
Accreditation 
Board  of 
Engineering 
(ABET)'s 
Computing 
Accreditation  Commission. 

/~\  /"^     Scott  Behan  joined 

^   *^fc    Xemod  Inc.  as 
\— f  ^_s     vlce  president  for 
product  development. 

David  D'Addario  works  for 
the  Mass  Turnpike  Authority 
and  lives  in  Holyoke,  where  he 
has  been  active  in  local  politics. 
He  and  his  wife,  Marjorie, 
have  two  children. 

Scott  Nacey  and  his  wife, 
Marybeth,  announce  the  birth 
of  their  son,  Michael  John,  born 
April  11,  2001,  in  Palo  Alto, 
Calif.,  at  a  healthy,  happy 
7  pounds  1 1  ounces. 

Rick  Vatcher  was  appointed 
vice  president  and  general  man- 
ager of  PRI  Automation,  head- 
quartered in  Billerica,  Mass. 

S~\       /     William  Abbott  is 

operations  manag- 
\^J      J.    er  for  Parkinson 
Technologies  in  Woonsocket,  R.I. 

Betsy  Barrows  (MM.)  retired 
from  Gateway  Regional  High 
School  in  Huntington,  Mass., 
in  June  2001.  She  spent  her 
entire  career  teaching  math 
t here,  along  with  her  husband. 

Ken,  a  science  teacher  who 

retired  two  years  ago.  They  live 
in  Huntington  and  have  two 
married  daughters  who  live 
out  ot  state. 

Laurie  Ortolano  lives  in 

I  it(  hlield.  Conn.,  with  her 
husband.  Michael,  .ind  sons 

\tk had  ami  Vincent. 


34      Irani  formations    I    Winter   2002 


Leslie  Schur  Pearson  is 
now  Leslie  Schur  Gottlieb 


following  her  marriage  to 
Mark  Gottlieb  on  May  20, 
2001.  Leslie  is  a  consultant 
for  Spherion,  specializing  in 
software  quality  management, 
and  Mark  is  a  marketing  and 
public  relations  consultant. 


85 


Attorney  Lori 
(Freeman)  Cuomo 

handles  patent, 
copyright  and  trademark  cases 
for  Greenblum  and  Bernstein, 
P.L.C.  of  Reston,  Va.  Her  new 
daughter,  Alexa  Madison, 
joined  sisters  Juliana,  8,  and 
Kylie,  5,  on  March  23,  2001. 

Mark  DiNapoli  directs  Suffolk 
Construction's  Special  Projects 
Division  from  his  office  in 
South  Boston's  waterfront 
district.  His  typical  day  was 
profiled  in  New  England  Real 
Estate  journal  recently. 

Carl  Sheeley  is  president  of 
Fontarome  Chemical  in  St. 
Francis,  Wis.  He  joined  the 
company  in  1991  and  was 
made  vice  president  in  1997. 

Scott  Favreau 

^   I  "^    directs  engineering 
\J  V_</    services  at  Cognex 
Corp.  He  is  completing  an 
MBA  at  Babson  College. 

Todd  Vigorito  chaired  the 
annual  Branford  Festival  and 
was  profiled  as  Person  of  the 
Week  in  his  hometown  paper. 
A  lifelong  resident  of  Branford, 
Conn.,  (except  for  his  years  at 
WPI  and  a  few  years  working 
in  Wisconsin),  he  began  helping 
with  the  weekend  festival  during 
his  college  days.  Todd  and  his 
wife,  Catherine,  have  two 
daughters,  Lauren  and  Gabriella. 


Since  she  left  WPI  for 
California  after  her  junior  year, 
Mercedeh  Mirkazemi  Ward 

has  married,  had  two  children, 
pursued  a  career  in  toy  design, 
and  finally  finished  her  WPI 
degree  in  1997,  only  11  years 
after  she  was  due  to  graduate! 
While  working  for  Mattel  toys 
and  raising  two  children,  she 
took  physics  and  calculus  courses 
at  Cal  State  to  satisfy  WPIs 
degree  requirements.  For  her 
MQP  (done  long-distance,  via 
phone  and  e-mail)  Mercedeh 
and  two  other  WPI  students  did 
an  analysis  of  Talking  Barbie's 
face  mechanism,  sponsored 
by  her  boss  at  Mattel. 

Mercedeh  is  now  director 
of  design  for  the  Dolls/Girls 
Products  division  of  JAKKS 
Pacific  Inc.  She  and  her 
husband,  Bruce  Ward,  have 
two  children,  Kyle  Alexander, 
and  Arianna  Nicole.  "I  am  so 
proud  to  be  a  WPI  graduate," 
she  writes.  "I  am  grateful  that 
WPI  gave  me  the  chance  to 
finish  my  degree,  and  I'm  proud 
that  my  family  stuck  by  me  and 
helped  me  accomplish  what  I 
set  out  to  do.  I  really  believe 
that  it's  never  too  late.  I  hope 
my  story  will  inspire  some 
and  teach  that  perseverance 
is  key  in  life." 

Carol  Wilder  is  working  in 
worldwide  business  develop- 
ment for  Intel  in  Sacramento, 
Calif.  On  Feb.  26,  2001,  she 
adopted  her  daughter,  Portia 
Elisabeth  Feng-Ting,  in 
Nanning,  GuangXi,  China. 

Dave  and  Jennifer 
(Adams)  Brunell 

announce  the 
arrival  of  Caterina  Elizabeth  on 
June  10,  2001,  and  Leia  Olivia 
on  June  11,  2001.  Caterina  was 
born  at  9:26  p.m.  at  the 
University  of  Massachusetts 
Medical  Center,  only  1 1  min- 
utes after  Dave  and  Jennifer 
pulled  up  to  the  ER,  and  her 
twin  was  born  at  UMass 
Memorial  Hospital  the  next 
day,  at  1 :30  in  the  morning. 


William  Carroll  has  returned 
from  the  Midwest  with  his 
family  to  become  the  director 
of  operations  for  Danaher  Tool 
Group  in  Springfield,  Mass., 
after  1 2  years  with  GE. 

Karyn  VanDeMark  Denker 

made  the  jump  from  academia 
to  industry  with  a  new  job  as 
associate  scientist  III  at  Biogen. 
She  was  a  senior  research 
technician  and  lab  manager 
at  Boston  University  Medical 
School's  Cancer  Research 
Center  for  almost  14  years. 
Her  new  job  in  Biogen's 
Molecular  Technologies  Group 
entails  pulling  out  whole  cDNA 
clones  of  genes  involved  in  vari- 
ous disease  models  to  provide 
researchers  with  necessary  tools 
for  developing  targeted  drug 
therapies.  "It  is  my  background 
in  retrovirology,  which  began 
with  my  MQP  at  the  Worcester 
Foundation  for  Experimental 
Biology,  that  got  me  this  job!" 
she  writes. 

Cheryl  (Delay)  Glanton  and 

her  husband,  George,  announce 
the  birth  of  Megan  Elizabeth 
on  Dec.  2,  2000.  "Our  four 
children,  Nathan,  Andrew, 
Katherine  and  Megan,  keep  us 
happy  and  active,"  she  writes. 


88 


Jeffrey  LaSalle 

(M.S.  FPE)  was 
appointed  a  share- 
holder at  Ewing  Cole  Cherry 
Brott,  where  he  leads  fire  pro- 
tection engineering  operations. 
He  lives  in  Hatboro,  Pa.  with 
his  wife  and  three  children. 

Rudolf  Minar  and  his  wife, 
Kara,  had  their  first  child 
on  Jan.  19,2001.  "Hayley 
Catherine  has  rapidly  changed 
our  cosmopolitan  lifestyle 
(and  one-bedroom  Manhattan 
apartment),  which  we  previ- 
ously shared  only  with  our  Jack 
Russell  terrier,  Topper,"  he 
writes.  Rudolf  works  for  CIBC 
World  Markets,  providing 
financial  advice  to  networking 
and  communications  equipment 


companies.  Kara  is  now  a  full- 
time  mom,  on  sabbatical  from 
her  career  as  a  White  House 
special  assistant  to  the  presi- 
dent, press  secretary  to  U.N. 
Ambassador  Madeleine  Albright 
and,  most  recently,  media  con- 
sultant to  Sen.  Hillary  Clinton 
and  others. 

Joe  Musmanno  lives  in 
Medway,  Mass.,  where  he  has 
been  active  in  local  politics.  In 
his  spare  time  he  enjoys  flying, 
designing  robots,  and  playing 
drums  in  a  local  band  called 
Electrum. 

David  Picard  and  his  wife, 
Christine,  are  living  happily 
in  Framingham,  Mass.,  with 
their  son,  Russell,  who  turned 
1  in  June. 

Herman  Purutyan  is  vice  presi- 
dent of  Jenike  &  Johanson  Inc. 
in  Westford,  Mass.  His  article 
on  pneumatic  conveying  systems 
for  chemical  process  plants 
appeared  in  the  April  2001 
issue  of  the  AICHE  journal 
Chemical  Engineering 
Progress. 

Joshua  Smith  holds  the  post  of 
chief  technology  officer  at  Kaon 
Interactive  in  Cambridge,  Mass. 
He  married  Cherie  Benoit  on 
April  28,  2001. 

Julie  (Peck)  Trevisan  writes 
that  she  and  her  husband,  Jay, 
welcomed  their  first  child, 
Zachary  James,  on  May  15, 
2001.  "I  also  made  a  career 
change  last  year  to  DataFlux, 
a  subsidiary  of  SAS  Institute, 
where  I  am  a  sales  executive," 
she  says.  "We  have  been  living 
in  the  Raleigh,  N.C.,  area  for 
six  years  now,  and  we  are  still 
loving  the  (almost)  snowless 
winters!" 

Greg  Woods  and  his  wife, 
Kim,  were  overjoyed  by  the 
arrival  of  their  son,  Nicholas 
Henry,  on  Feb.  8,  2001.  Greg 
is  co-founder  and  vice  president 
of  Silver  Oak  Partners  Inc. 
Kim  recently  left  her  job  at 
Oracle  Corp.  to  spend  time 
with  Nicholas. 


Transformations    I    Winter  2002    3  5 


CO 


(ft 
V) 

U 


89 


Rolf  Jensen  & 
Associates  pro- 
moted Joseph 


Cappuccio  to  engineering 
manager  for  the  Washington, 
D.C.,  office.  He  joined  the 
firm's  Fairfax,  Va.,  office  in 
1992  and  has  been  responsible 
for  project  management,  code 
review  and  hazard  analysis. 

Alison  (Gotkin)  Cotner  is  a 

product  manager  for  Turnkey 
Manufacturing  at  K&M 
Electronics,  a  subsidiary  of 
ITT  Industries,  in  West 
Springfield,  Mass. 

Jeffrey  Goldmeer  is  a  member 
of  the  Energy  and  Propulsion 
Technology  Laboratory  staff 
at  General  Electric's  Corporate 
Research  &  Development 
Center  in  Niskayuna,  N.Y., 
where  he  specializes  in  com- 
bustion research. 

Brian  Horgan  was  promoted 
to  process  leader  in  the  project 
management  area  of  The 
United  Illuminating  Co.,  where 
he  has  worked  for  12  years. 

William  Hwang  is  a  partner 
in  the  Roseland,  N.J.,  law  firm 
of  Goodwin  Procter,  where 
he  specializes  in  intellectual 
property  and  patent  litigation. 

Danielle  LaMarre  is  director 
of  development  for  Carney 
Hospiral  in  Dorchester,  Mass. 
She  has  held  similar  positions 
at  YouthBuild  USA  and  the 
Make-A-Wish  Foundation. 

Kenneth  Merrow  works  for 
Trumbull-Nelson  Construction 
in  Hanover,  N.H.,  where  his 
projects  have  included  work  on 
area  ski  lodges  and  resorts. 

Adam  Pease's  wedding  to  Agnes 
Ramos  took  place  on  the  beach 
in  Bodega  Bay,  Calif.,  in  August 
2000,  with  David  Rothkopf 
'90  as  best  man.  Adam  is  a 
program  manager  and  director 
of  Knowledge  Systems  at 
Tcknowledge  in  Palo  Alto,  and 
Agnes  is  a  physical  therapist. 


Tenor  Jean-Pierre  Trevisani 

returned  to  Worcester  last 
spring  to  perform  for  the  WPI 
President's  Advisory  Council 
and  to  sing  in  a  concert  with 
the  Salisbury  Lyric  Opera  in  All 
Saints  Episcopal  Church.  Since 
completing  his  training  in  Paris, 
he  has  been  appearing  with  the 
French  national  opera  company 
and  the  Bastille  Opera. 

David  Wright  spent  a  year  and 
a  half  on  the  startup  of  ccrd 
partners'  new  Richmond,  Va., 
office,  and  was  then  promoted 
to  associate  and  put  in  chatge 
of  the  office's  EE  Department. 
Ccrd  is  a  consulting  firm  that 
specializes  in  healthcare  design. 
David  and  his  wife,  Lisa,  had 
had  a  second  son,  Preston 
Lloyd,  on  May  22,  2001. 
His  older  brother,  Zachary,  is 
excited  about  having  someone 
to  play  with. 

Kevin  Bowen 

I    and  his  wife,  Janet, 
^/    \J    announce  the  birth 
of  Jessica  Lynn  on  May  13, 
2001.  "Big  brothet  Ryan,  now 
2,  continues  to  be  helpful  in 
caring  for  Baby  Jess,"  he  writes. 

Renee  Messier  Carroll  (M.S. 
CH)  is  manager  of  regulatory 
affairs  at  ViaCell  Inc.  in 
Worcester. 

Tom  Cummings  works  for 
Heidelberg  as  sales  representa- 
tive for  the  Northeast  region. 
He's  been  with  the  printing 
company  since  1989  and  previ- 
ously managed  its  South  region. 

Eric  Lindgren  was  promoted  to 
CIO  at  Honeywell  Automotive 
Products  Group  in  Danbury, 
Conn.  He  married  Ellen 
Waychowsky  last  fall. 

Stuart  Pearson  married  Sarah 
Vert/ on  Feb.  10,  2001.  They 
live  in  South  Portland.  Maine, 
and  he  works  ai  Harding  E.S.E. 

Ronald  Skoletsky  and  bis  wife, 
Marie  Morel-Seytoux,  announce 

the  birth  ot  a  daughter,  Frcya 
Shai,  on  Sept.  10,  2000. 


91 


Navy  Lt. 

Christopher 

Degregory 


92 


completed  a  six-month  deploy- 
ment to  the  Mediterranean  Sea 
and  the  Arabian  Gulf  aboard 
the  guided  missile  destroyer 
U.S.S.  Stethem. 

Anup  Ghosh  was  promoted 
to  vice  president  of  research  at 
Cigital,  a  software  risk  manage- 
ment company  in  Dulles,  Va. 
He  is  the  author  of  two  books 
on  e-commerce  security  and  a 
member  of  the  advisory  board 
of  Toravis:  The  Digital  Identity 
Company. 

Timothy  Kearney  joined 
LandMark  Design  as  an 
engineer. 

Jeffrey  Link  earned  a  doctorate 
in  organic  chemistry  last  year 
at  Montana  State  University, 
Bozeman,  where  he  was  named 
teaching  assistant  of  the  year. 
He  and  his  wife,  Christina,  have 
a  3-year-old  daughter,  Rebecca. 

David  Marshall  and  his  wife, 
Neha  Parekh,  had  a  daughter, 
Sareena,  on  June  27,  2001. 
She  is  their  first  child.  David 
is  an  information  specialist  at 
Electronic  Data  Systems. 
They  live  in  Houston. 

Eric  O'Connor  was  promoted 
to  software  architect  at  Avolent 
Inc.  in  San  Francisco,  where  he 
has  been  living  and  working  for 
two  years. 

George  Oulundsen  is  an  R&D 

scientist  at  Lucent  Technologies 
in  Sturbridge,  Mass.  He  married 
Carole  Sekreta  in  1995.  They 
have  two  sons — Ted,  born  in 
1997,  and  Owen,  born  in  2000. 
George  received  a  Ph.D.  in 
chemical  engineering  from  UMass 
Amherst  in  September  1999. 

Jim  Wilkinson  is  director  of 
product  support  engineering  at 
SolidWorks  Corp.  in  Concord, 
Mass.  I  le  spends  the  lest  of  his 
time  hiking,  skiing  and  working 
on  t.ns.  I  hi  the  latest  and  greatest 
on  Jim  and  Ins  v,  lie.  Pat,  check 
oui  people.ne.mediaone.net 
/pjwilkie/home.htm. 


Dorothea 
Carraway  graduat- 
ed from  Harvard 
Business  School  with  the  Class 
of  2000.  She  is  a  commodity 
manager  for  airfoils  at  Pratt  & 
Whitney. 

Edward  Connor  earned  an 
M.S.  in  administrative  studies 
at  Boston  College  and  is 
working  at  the  University  of 
Massachusetts  Lowell. 

Rich  Corley  (M.S.)  co-founded 
Pirus  Networks,  where  he  holds 
the  post  of  vice  president  of 
technology  and  vision.  The 
Acton,  Mass.,  company  creates 
carrier-class  storage  and  IP 
networking  systems. 

David  Cote  was  promoted  to 
vice  president  of  technology  and 
operations  at  Tandem  Financial 
Services.  He  has  been  with  the 
company  for  seven  years  and 
lives  in  Stoughton,  Mass. 

Gregory  Ghosh  transferred  to 
the  Raleigh,  N.C.,  office  of  Rolf 
Jensen  &  Associates,  where  he 
now  serves  as  associate  manager. 
He  worked  in  the  company's 
Atlanta  office  for  the  previous 
five  years. 

Valerie  (Kschinka)  Mason  and 

her  husband,  Michael,  had  a 
son,  Nicholas  Angelo,  on  Nov. 
13,  2000.  He  joins  his  brother, 
Michael,  who  is  two  years 
his  senior. 

Sean  Moore  married  Jennifer 
Claus,  a  Michigan  State  grad, 
on  Sept.  9,  2000.  Attending  the 
wedding  in  Falmouth,  Mass., 
were  classmates  Al  Casagrande. 
Keith  Picthall  and  Robert 
Tarr,  along  with  Sharon 
Savage  '91. 


3  6     Transformations   I   Winter  2002 


Loan  Ngo  married  in  August 
1998  and  switched  careers  in 
September  2000.  She  received 


■Ll_& 


her  MBA  from  the  University 
of  North  Carolina  Kenan- 
Flagler  Business  School  in 
Augusr  2001,  shortly  after 
earning  her  Six  Sigma  Black 
Belt  certification  through 
Honeywell  International  Inc. 
Her  current  position  is  after- 
market  business  manager  for 
the  company's  hydromechanical 
controls  product  line,  a  division 
of  the  Aerospace  Engine  & 
System  business  unit.  She  and 
her  husband,  John  Jones,  live 
in  New  York  City. 

Bill  White  married  Tonya 
Russillo,  a  co-worker  at  Hasbro, 
Sept.  30,  2000.  They  live  in 
Attleboro,  Mass. 

f"V    /^      Christopher 

l    Arsenault  works 
^/    %_/     at  Unisphere 
Networks  in  Westford,  Mass. 

Aimee  Brock  and  Rod  White 
announce  the  birth  of  Alesha 
Marie  White  on  Jan.  18,  2001. 

Tracy  Coifrnan  is  earning  an 
executive  global  MBA  through 
a  new  joint  program  of  the 
Columbia  Business  School  and 
the  London  Business  School. 
As  part  of  the  inaugural  class 
of  2003,  he  attends  one  week 
of  classes  each  month  for  20 
months,  alternating  between 
New  York  City  and  London. 
Tracy  resides  in  Puerro  Rico, 
where  he  is  vice  president  of 
Able  International/Tril  Export 
Corp.  of  P.R.  His  e-mail  address 
is  tcoifman@compuserve.com. 

Sherri  Curria  received  her  mas- 
ter's degree  in  civil  and  environ- 
mental engineering  from  Tufts 
in  February  2001. 


Shannon  Gallagher  and 
Daniel  Beauregard  '94  ('96 
M.S.)  were  married  Oct.  28, 
2000.  They  live  in  Acton,  Mass. 


Public  Eye 


1 

'■**  "3 

W  1m 

%■  m 

L''#lB 

)  ~m 

■    -flife! 

W  Bp 

■ , 

Alfred  Grasso  (M.S.C.S.)  was 
promoted  ro  senior  vice  presi- 
dent and 
general 
manager  of 
MITRE's 
Washington 
Center  for 
Command, 
Control,  and  Communications, 
also  known  as  C3.  He  was  for- 
merly chief  information  officer, 
in  charge  of  infrastructure  and 
informarion  resources. 

Eric  Keener  is  an  actuary 
for  Hewitt  Associates  of 
Norwalk,  Conn. 

Air  Force  Capt.  Eric  Koe 
has  been  assigned  to  the  7th 
Special  Operations  Squadron 
at  RAF  Mildenhall  in 
Cambridge,  England. 

John  Lauffer  married  Lisa 
Fontaine  on  Aug.  31,  2000, 
at  Les  Chapelles  de  Paris, 
Las  Vegas.  He  works  for 
AC  Technology  Corp.  in 
Uxbridge,  Mass. 

Philip  and  Rhonda  Ring 
Marks  had  a  daughrer,  Caroline 
Joy,  on  April  23,  2000. 

Kern  Narva  of  Shrewsbury, 
Mass.,  married  Heather 
Roubian  recently. 

Christopher  Supple  works  for 
G.H.  Bass  and  lives  in  South 
Portland,  Maine.  He  married 
Sherri  Curley  on  Sept.  30, 
2000. 


John  B.  Scalzi  '38  got  more  publicity  than  he  bargained  for  when 

confused  him  with  John  M.  Scalzi  II  (no  relation),  edi- 
tor of  Rough  Guide  to  Money  Online,  which  doubtless  got  more 
hits  than  Scalzi's  works  on  bridge  construction.  John  B.  Scalzi,  who 
goes  by  "Jack,"  also  wrote  Double  Talk,  a  self-published  quiz  book  of 
more  than  1,100  colloquial  American  expressions  .  .  .  Fred  Costello  '59 
appeared  on  the  WCVB  news  program  in  a  segment 

called  "Zoomers,"  which  celebrated  the  new  superactive  retirement 
generation  .  .  .  Aram  Mooradian  '59,  founder  of  Novalux,  was 
profiled  in  a  recent  article  called  "Beam  On:  Want  your  own 

private  fiber  node?  Has  Novalux  got  an  extended-cavity  surface- 
emitting  laser  for  you!"  ...  V  spotlighted  Nancy  Pimental  '87 
in  a  column  called  "10  Comics  to  Watch."  Nancy  made  a  name  for 
herself  as  a  writer  on  "South  Park"  and  as  co-host  of  "Win  Ben  Stein's 
Money"  on  the  Comedy  Central  cable  network.  She  also  has  a  movie  in 
the  works.  The  Sweetest  Thing  (her  screenplay),  a  romantic  comedy 
staring  Cameron  Diaz,  is  due  from  Sony  in  March  .  .  .  John  Lombardi 
'90  won  his  second  R&D  1 00  Award  from  magazine  for 
Aquacore,  a  water-soluble,  lightweight  and  environmentally  friendly 
mandrel  material  designed  for  use  in  the  manufacture  of  high-end 
composites.  His  2000  R&D  Award  (featured  in  the  Spring  2000 
WPI  Journal)  was  for  Aqua-Port,  a  polymer  blend  used  in  rapid 
prototyping  .  .  .  Nick  Walker  '95  had  a  hand  in  animating 
PDI-Dreamworks'  summer  2001  box  office  hit.  He's  working  on  an 
IMAX  version  of  the  movie  .  .  .  His  novel  job  title,  "First  Geek," 
earned  Jason  Wilson  '01  newspaper  coverage  in  the  (Worcester) 
te  and  a  TV  interview  with  N 
!  anchor  R.D.  Stahl  on  "New  England  This  Evening." 
Wilson  provides  IT  support  to  the  Brookline,  Mass.,  MATCH  School. 
He  is  funded  by  Geeks  for  America,  a  Cambridge-based 
philanthropic  organization. 


Transformations    I    Winter   2002     3  7 


I  WPI  Bookshelf 


0 


to* 


Electronic  Medical  Records: 
Optimizing  Use  in  the 
Medical  Practice 

by  John  J.  Janas  III,  M.D.  '79  and 

The  Coker  Group 

Coker  Publishing 


#r 


Janas  is  a  physician  with  Family  Care 
of  Concord  and  medical  director, 
physician  information  services,  for 
Capital  Region  Health  Care  in  Concord,  N.H. 
His  book  is  designed  to  help  physicians  improve  efficiency  through 
the  advanced  use  of  electronic  medical  records.  Topics  include 
choosing  a  system,  capturing  data  and  meeting  documentation- 
compliance  requirements. 


Digital  Watermarking 

by  Jeffrey  Bloom  '87  (M.S.E.E.  '90), 

Ingemar  Cox  and  Matthew  Miller 

Morgan  Kaufmann  Publishers 


DIGITAL 

WATERMARKING 


Digital  watermarking  technology  is  a  vital 
element  in  the  copyright  protection  of  digital 
materials.  It  can  be  used  to  prevent  illegal 
copying  of  images  and  video  or  audio  files, 
and  also  has  applications  in  broadcast  monitoring  and  the  recording 
of  electronic  transactions.  This  text  explains  the  theoretical  principles 
that  govern  diverse  applications  of  the  technology  and  reports  new 
research  findings  in  the  field.  Bloom,  who  earned  his  Ph.D.  at  the 
University  of  California,  Davis,  is  a  researcher  in  digital  watermarking 
at  Sarnoff  Corp.  in  Princeton,  N.J. 

Security  &  Privacy  for  E-Business 

by  Anup  K.  Ghosh  '91 

John  Wiley  &  Sons 

"When  it  comes  to  e-commerce  security,  it's 
all  about  the  software,"  says  Ghosh,  who 
also  wrote  E-Commerce  Security:  Weak 
Links,  Best  Defenses  (1  998).  "The  solutions 
for  privacy  and  security  lie  deeper  than 
the  perimeter — beyond  firewalls  and  encryptation  tools.  E-business 
systems  have  to  be  engineered  from  the  ground  up  with  security, 
reliability  and  privacy  in  mind."  Ghosh  is  Cigital's  director  of  security 
research  and  a  frequent  lecturer  and  consultant  on  e-security. 


3  8     Transformations   I   Winter  2002 


Tracy  Adamski 

joined  the  Pioneer 
JL    Valley  Planning 
Commission  in  West  Springfield, 
Mass.,  as  senior  planner,  envi- 
ronment and  land  use. 

Kurt  Asplund  married  Anne 
O'Sullivan  recently.  He  is  a 
structural  engineer  for  Frederic 
Harris  Inc.  in  Providence,  R.I. 

Bill  Blanc  hard  married  Kara 
Giove  on  Nov.  4,  2000.  They 
live  on  Long  Island's  south 
shore  in  the  village  of  Blue 
Point.  Kara  is  starting  a  career 
as  a  high  school  math  and 
physics  teacher.  Bill  continues 
as  a  highway  designer  at  Dunn 
Engineeting  Associates. 

Brian  Card  works  for  Allied 
Waste  Industries  as  a  regional 
engineer. 

Jaret  Christopher  married 
Tracey  Hare  recently.  He  contin- 
ues as  CEO  of  True  Advantage 
Inc.,  in  Westboro,  Mass. 

Kenneth  Cordio  is  a  process 
engineer  at  BD  Opthalmic 
Systems  in  Waltham,  Mass. 

Peter  Demarest  earned  his 
Ph.D.  in  aerospace  engineering 
at  the  University  of  Texas  at 
Austin.  He  works  for  A.I. 
Solutions  in  Lanham,  Md., 
as  a  mission  analyst. 

Roberto  Diaz  was  married  to 
Megan  Argue  recently.  He  is 
an  outside  plant  engineer  for 
Verizon  in  Manchester,  N.H. 

Ted  Dysart  was  named  princi- 
pal at  the  Greenwich,  Conn., 
office  of  the  executive  search 
firm  Heidrick  &  Struggles 
International.  His  commentaries 
on  corporate  governance  have 
appeared  in  The  New  York 
Times  and  The  Wall  Street 
Journal,  and  on  CNN  and 
CNNfn. 

Brandon  Emanuel  informed 

us  in  August  ot  his  upcoming 
marriage  to  Jennifer  Harper. 

Following  the  Oct.  20,  2001, 
wedding,  they  were  planning 
a  honeymoon  in  Prague  and 
I  dinburgh,  Brandon  is  .i  U.S. 
Navy  flight  officer. 
Joseph  (.ilTorcl  is  ,i  develop- 
ment cngineei  with  I   si  ilter. 
I  le  is  working  on  an  M.S  in 


chemical  engineering  at  the 
University  of  Massachusetts. 

Steven  Johnson  works  for  the 
George  B.H.  Macomber  Co., 
where  he  was  recently  promoted 
to  assistant  project  manager. 
He  joined  the  Boston-based 
construction  company  in  1997. 

Brion  Keagle  and  Pamela 
Parenteau  of  Leominster, 
Mass.,  were  married  in  1996. 
They  celebrated  the  birth  of 
their  first  child,  Abigail  Mary, 
on  March  25,  2001.  Brion  is 
NT  server  manager  at  Concord 
Communications  and  Pamela  is 
taking  some  time  off  to  be  a 
full-time  mom  after  enjoying 
several  years  as  a  biotech  scien- 
tist at  Aventis  Pharmaceuticals. 
Their  e-mail  addresses  are 
bkeagle@concord.com  and 
pjkeagle@hotmail.com. 

Jean  (Henault)  Kennamer  and 

her  husband,  David,  announce 
the  birth  of  their  first  child, 
Christina  Elise,  on  April  16, 
2001.  Jean  is  employed  as  a 
public  works  engineer  for  the 
town  of  Derry,  N.H. 

Christopher  Newell  is  a 

mechanical  engineer  at  Smith  & 
Nephew  Inc.,  in  Andover,  Mass. 

Yvonne  (Bergstrom)  Proulx 

is  a  senior  quality  engineer  at 
Abbott  Bioresearch  Center. 
She  and  her  husband,  Jeffrey, 
were  married  Feb.  12,  2000, 
and  live  in  Grafton,  Mass. 

Chuck  Scholpp  and  Elaine 
Matson  were  wed  April  28, 
200 1 .  After  an  "awesome 
101-day  round-the-world 
honeymoon."  which  included 
stops  in  Australia,  Asia  and 
Europe,  Chuck  began  his  first 
year  at  the  Kellogg  School  ot 
Management,  where  he  is  pur- 
suing an  MBA  and  an  MEM 
(master's  in  engineering  man- 
agement). Elaine  works  from 
their  Evanston.  III.,  home  as 
.1  senior  project  manager  lor 
(  IkkJIearn. 

Todd  Sullivan  became  an  asso- 
ciate .ii  the  Manchester,  N.H., 
law  firm  ol  Devine,  Millimet 
&  Branch,  in  the  <  orpoi  ii 
I  )epartment,  specializing  in 
intellectual  property,  e-com 
mi  n  e,  patent  prosecution  and 

u.itlem.irk  ic-i'isti.ninn. 


James  Beardsley 

V-  I  married  Michelle 

^}     Dutremble,  Oct.  8, 
2000.  He  graduated  from  the 
University  of  Maine  School  of 
Law  and  is  serving  in  the  U.S. 
Marine  Corps  in  North 
Carolina. 

Kevin  Callery  is  associate 
manager  of  the  Boston  office 
of  Rolf  Jensen  &  Associates. 

Jennifer  (Anderson)  Crock 

and  her  husband,  Kail, 
announce  the  birth  of  Nathan 
James,  June  6,  2001. 

Nathaniel  Fairbanks  of 

Worcester  wed  Heathet 
Adamiak  recently. 

Scott  Lewis  is  an  immunology 
production  control  supetvisor 
at  Biosource/QCB  in  Hop- 
kinton,  Mass. 

Charlie  McTague  works  at 
Enterasys  Networks  in 
Rochester,  N.H.  He  and  his 
wife,  Shana,  live  in  Plaistow. 

Katherine  Mello  married  Jesse 
Tuomisto  on  Aug.  19,  2000. 
She  works  at  Camp  Dresser  & 
McKee  and  lives  in  Cumber- 
land, R.I. 

Dominic  Meringolo  works  for 
Aquatic  Control  Technology.  He 
married  Kelli  Mahoney  recently. 

Eric  Pearson  was  promoted 
to  eCommerce  officer  at 
Enterprise  Bank  and  Trust  Co. 
in  Chelmsford,  Mass. 

John  Pelliccio  married 
Laura  Lasko  on  Oct.  8,  2000. 
He  works  for  Raytheon  in 
Marlboro,  Mass.,  as  a  senior 
engineer. 

Obadiah  Plante  is  a  graduate 
student  at  MIT  doing  research 
on  a  new  method  of  oligosac- 
charide synthesis.  He  received 
a  fellowship  from  the  American 
Chemical  Society's  Division  of 
Organic  Chemistry,  sponsored 
by  Pfizer. 

Stephanie  Richard  works  for 
BICCGeneral  Cable  Industries 
in  Lincoln,  R.I. 

Cory  Shimer  works  for  Quan- 
tum Bridge  Communications 
in  Andover,  Mass. 


Pamela  Simmons  and 
Bryant  Obando  were  married 
in  Acton,  Mass.,  whete  they 
now  reside.  She  is  a  validation 
engineer  at  Genetics  Institute, 
and  he  is  a  software  developer 
at  Battelle  Memorial  Institute. 

Scott  Stoddard  joined 
Columbia  Construction  Co. 
in  North  Reading,  Mass.,  as 
an  assistant  project  manager. 

Matthew  Tessier  works  for 
MDR  Construction  in 
Tewksbury,  Mass. 

%2nd  Lt.  Jason 
Armstrong  is  a 
robotics  engineer  at 
the  Air  Force  Research  Labora- 
tory at  Tyndall  AFB  in  Panama 
City,  Fla. 

Keith  Barrett  was  promoted 
to  vice  president  of  technology 
and  chief  technology  officer 
at  Shareholder.com,  an  invest- 
ment software  company  in 
Maynard,  Mass. 

Joseph  Batcha  is  a  financial 
analyst  for  Pequot  Capital 
Management  in  Westport, 
Conn.  He  and  his  wife,  Kelly, 
had  a  daughter,  Grace 
Catherine,  on  April  30,  2001. 

Lorie  (Guay)  Bender  and  her 

husband,  Sandy,  had  a  son, 
Travis  Ryan,  on  June  19,  2001. 
Lorie  left  her  job  at  Pratt  & 
Whitney  after  five  years  of 
employment  to  be  a  stay-at- 
home  mother.  They  live  in 
Lebanon,  Conn. 

Joshua  Bennett  graduated  with 
high  distinction  from  Ohio 
Northern  University's  Pettit 
College  of  Law,  earning  his 
Juris  Doctor. 

Jason  Berube  runs  the 
Somerset  Creamery  in  Bourne, 
Mass.,  a  branch  of  the  Swansea 
ice  cream  parlor  founded  by  his 
grandfather  in  1937.  His  parents 
took  over  in  1981  and  have 
continued  making  some  40 
homemade  flavors — including 
the  cranberry/chocolate/walnut 
combination  that  Jason  created 
for  the  Cape  Cod  store. 


After  23  yeats,  Douglas 
Borden  (MME)  left  the  Coast 
Guard,  which  he  most  recently 
served  as  a  physics  instructor  at 
the  Coast  Guard  Academy. 
Before  the  ink  on  his  retirement 
cettificate  was  dry,  he  was  asked 
to  become  the  first  member  of  a 
new  team  assigned  to  the  Coast 
Guard's  Future  Force  21  effort, 
to  redesign  the  Coast  Guard's 
human  resources  systems  to 
meet  the  needs  of  the  21st  cen- 
tury. He  is  now  employed  by 
DynCorp  Information  and 
Enterprise  Technology  Inc. 

Greta  Boynton  graduated  from 
the  Univetsity  of  Massachusetts 
Medical  School  in  June.  She  is 
now  serving  a  three-year  resi- 
dency in  internal  medicine  at 
Baystate  Medical  Center  in 
Springfield,  Mass. 

Dr.  Teri  (Burrows)  Brehio 

joined  the  medical  practice  at 
Hillsborough  Family  Health  in 
Hillsborough,  N.H.  She  is  a 
graduate  of  the  University  of 
Massachusetts  Medical  School. 

Frederick  Coleman  joined  the 
family  construction  business 
founded  by  his  father,  Fred  Sr., 
in  1979.  Coleman  Construction, 
based  in  Pelham,  N.H.,  was 
profiled  in  New  England 
Constructions,  July  9,  2001 
issue. 

Eric  Dubois  works  at  Promega 
Corp.  in  Madison,  Wis. 

Kimberlie  Heath  works  at 
Medtronic  Inc.,  in  Danvers, 
Mass. 

Daniel  Horgan  works  for 
Unerectors  Inc.,  in  Dorchester, 
Mass.  He  is  working  on  an 
MBA  at  Nottheastern. 

Laurie  LeBlanc  works  for 
Haartz  Corp.  in  Acton,  Mass. 

Todd  Marks  and  Sara 
Truscinski  were  married  Oct. 
21,  2000.  He  is  a  project 
engineer  at  Barton  Malow 
in  Charlottesville,  Va. 


New  Novel 


Who: 

Gerry  Axelrod  '69  and  Patton 
Abbe  '70  (with  help  from 
Dick  Schwartz  '70) 

Cabinetparts.com,  an  online 
catalog  of  more  than  1 0,000 
hard-to-find  hinges  and  cabinet 
hardware,  specializing  in  European 
cup  hinges.  Unique  locator  forms  to 
help  users  match  existing  designs. 

Deerfield  Beach,  Fla. 

Why: 

"To  set  to  rest  the  age-old  question, 
'Honey?  When  are  you  going  to  fix 
that  *#!@~*  door?'" 

Web  site: 
www.cabinetparts.com 


Who: 

Michael  Savage  '86  (MS  '88)  and 

wife,  Donna  Savage 

What: 

Savage  Fitness  Inc.  Unique  products 
for  weightlifters  and  aerobic  exercis- 
ers, including  water  holders,  reading 
racks  and  mats.  A  new  line  called 
"Go  Figure"  features  weightlifting 
equipment  ergonomically  designed 
for  women . 

Sutton,  Mass. 

Why: 

"Virtually  all  strength  equipment  is 
designed  for  MEN!!!  We  don't  need 
to  lift  as  much  weight  as  men,  we 
don't  want  to  get  'bulky,'  and  we 
DON'T  want  to  exercise  in  a  cold, 
damp  basement  on  a  7  ft.  contrap- 
tion that  takes  up  an  entire  room." 

Web  site: 
www.SavageFitness.com 


Who: 

Steve  Hocurscak  '00 

Blue  Pumpkin  Recording  Studios 

An  offshoot  of  Blue  Pumpkin 
Productions,  the  theatrical  pro- 
duction company  run  by  Marc 
and  Susan  Smith. 

Where: 

Lower  level,  Worcester  Common 
Outlets 

Why: 

Originally  designed  to  cater  to  the 
special  needs  of  a  capella  groups, 
the  16-track  studio  has  since  expand- 
ed to  handle  every  other  imaginable 
recording  need.  Equipment  rentals 
are  available. 

Web  site: 

www.gweep.net/~honeysmk 

/studio/ 


CD 

o 


O 


Marie  Murphy  married  David 
Cuneo  recently.  She  works  for 
QCB,  a  division  of  Biosource 
International.  After  a  honey- 
moon in  Greece,  the  couple 
lives  in  Minneapolis. 
Richard  Person  and  Elana 
(Kingsbury)  Person  '98  had 
a  son,  Timothy  Richard,  on 
Jan.  5,  2001.  His  grandfather, 
David  Kingsbury,  is  an  alum 
from  the  Class  of  1975. 

John  Reynolds  was  appointed 
product  manager  at  Riverdale 
Mills  Corp.,  a  manufacturer 
of  wire  mesh  products  for  the 
marine,  agriculture  and  con- 
struction markets.  He  lives  in 
Sterling,  Mass. 

Sarah  Mcllhenny  White  is 

team  leader  of  the  nondestruc- 
tive testing  team  at  Los  Alamos 
National  Laboratory.  Her  group 
specializes  in  radiography. 


97 


Thomas  Burns 

joined  Consigli 
Construction  as  a 
project  manager  to  manage  con- 
struction on  the  East  Brookfield 
(Mass.)  Elementary  School. 

Michael  DeU'Orfano  (M.S. 
FPE)  married  Shelley  Weinand, 
May  27,  2000.  He  works  for 
the  fire  department  in 
Thornton,  Colo. 

Joshua  Gaucher  joined  Cutler 
Associates  as  an  assistant  project 
manager. 

Katherine  Horning  is  a  design 
drafter  at  Cutler  Associates.  She 
lives  in  Worcester. 

Jennifer  Kelly  and  Matthew 
Wingate  were  married  in  2000. 
She  is  a  CVS  pharmacist;  he 
works  for  Epic  Therapeutics. 
They  live  in  Marlboro,  Mass. 

Robert  King  married  Jennifer 
Costa,  Jan.  1 ,  2000.  He  works 
for  Roller  Bearing  Company 
of  America. 

Jeffrey  Kulesza  works  at 
Allegro  MicroSystems  in 
Concord,  N.H.  He  married 
Erin  Krupski,  a  Bcntley  College 
grad.  recently. 


Gary  Leanna  (G)  married 
Shelley  Desroches  recently.  He 
works  for  Boston  Scientific  and 
lives  in  Holden,  Mass. 

Sean  O'Hearn  is  a  design  engi- 
neer at  Garrett  Engine  Boosting 
Systems  in  Torrance,  Calif. 

Philip  Roy  is  a  mechanical 
design  engineer  at  US  Surgical 
Corp.  in  North  Haven,  Conn. 

Bill  Spratt  is  director  of  public 
works  in  Clinton,  Mass.,  where 
he  lives  with  his  wife,  Dawn, 
and  their  daughter,  Alison. 

The  Navy  promoted  Nicole 
Treeman  to  lieutenant  and 
assigned  her  to  the  Surface 
Officer  School  at  Naval 
Education  and  Training 
Command  in  Newport,  R.I.,  as 
an  instructor  for  the  Division 
Officer  Course.  After  a  six- 
month  deployment  to  the 
Middle  East  aboard  the  USS 
Laboon  last  year,  she  brought 
her  mother  aboard  for  a  "tiger 
cruise" — a  Navy  tradition. 
Crew  members  returning  from 
overseas  deployments  invite 
relatives  to  sail  with  them  on 
an  overnight  cruise. 

Jayson  Wilbur  earned  a  mas- 
ter's degree  in  mathematical 
sciences  at  Purdue,  where  he  is 
now  working  on  a  doctorate  in 
statistics.  He  married  Stephanie 
Nuland  recently. 

John  Woodsmall  works  for 
Sampson  Engineers  Inc.  in 
Peabody,  Mass.  He  married 
Amy  Flynn  recently. 

W  /""\     Sherry  Lynn 

Ashby  is  a  chemi- 
^/    V-J     cal  engineer  at 
Millipore  in  Bedford,  Mass. 

Air  Force  2nd  Lt.  Matthew 
Craig  is  stationed  at  Columbus 
AFB  in  Mississippi. 

Lisa  Giassi  married  Wayne 
Butler  last  year.  She  is  pursuing 
a  doctorate  in  chemical  engi- 
neering at  the  University  of 
Virginia  in  Charlottesville;  he  is 
a  chef.tt  the  Bii.u  ,  I  le.ul  Inn. 


David  Melton  earned  a  master's 
degree  in  civil  engineering  from 
Tufts  in  May 
2001  and 
began  his 
medical 
studies  at 
the  Tulane 
University 
School  of  Medicine  in  July. 
He  spent  the  two  months  in 
between  as  a  Paul  Alexander 
Memorial  Fellow  with  the  inter- 
national nonprofit  organization 
Management  Sciences  for 
Health.  His  fellowship  involved 
designing  a  system  for  collecting 
and  reporting  health  data  in  the 
Eastern  Cape  Province  of  South 
Africa.  As  part  of  his  master's 
degree,  he  completed  a  research 
project  for  the  Massachusetts 
Department  of  Public  Health 
Bureau  of  Communicable 
Disease  Control  and  authored 
a  report  on  the  epidemiology 
of  childhood  pneumococcal 
infection. 

Constance  Pappagianopoulos 

designs  air  conditioning  systems 
for  aerospace  manufacturer 
Hamilton  Sunstrand. 

David  Smiley  married  Karen 
Mady,  Sept.  16,  2001.  They  live 
in  Herndon,  Va. 


99 


Nicole  Boosahda 
and  Algis  Norke- 
vicius  '96  of 

Plymouth,  Mass.,  were  married 
June  9,  2001.  She  works  for 
Brooktrout  Technology,  and 
he  works  for  Titleist  Foot  Joy 
Worldwide. 

Brendan  FitzPatrick  earned  a 
master's  degree  in  civil  engineer- 
ing at  Virginia  Tech  in  February 
200 1 .  He  is  now  a  staff  engi- 
neer at  Geopier  Foundation  Co. 
in  Blacksburg,  Va. 

Patricia  Gray  ('01  MBA) 
joined  Cenc  Machines  as  vice 
president  ol  development. 


Misha  Katz  left  3Plex.com  to 
finish  his  degree  in  computer 
science  at  WPI. 

Jennifer  Kimball  and  Justin 
Robbins  '00  were  married  last 
year.  She  is  a  chemical  engineer 
at  IBM  Micro  Electronics;  he  is 
a  member  of  the  bioengineering 
department  at  the  Univetsity  of 
Vermont  in  Burlington,  where 
he  specializes  in  toxicology 
research. 

Mark  Manasas  (M.S.  ME)  is 
a  team  leader  of  spinal  device 
development  at  Tensegra  Inc., 
a  medical  device  startup  in 
Norwood,  Mass.  He  and  his 
wife,  Sarah  Felton,  were  married 
on  June  23,  2001. 

/"V  /"\    Jennifer  Cobb 

j  works  for  Teradyne 
\J  \J  as  a  planner  in  the 
Nashua,  N.H.,  office. 

Carla  Corrado  continues  at 
Sun  Microsystems,  where  she 
graduated  from  its  Best  of  the 
Best  training  program  and  was 
promoted  from  product  support 
engineer  to  high-availability 
suppott  engineer. 

Greg  Halloran  is  a  mechanical 
engineer  in  the  Nashua,  N.H., 
office  of  Tetadyne. 

Joseph  Hausmann  lives  in 
West  Bath,  Maine,  and  works 
for  Wright-Pierce  as  an  environ- 
mental engineer. 

Efthemios  Kotsiopoulos  joined 
George  B.H.  Macomber  Co.  as 
a  project  engineer. 

Jesse  Mattern  works  at  Eprise 
in  Framingham,  Mass.  He  mar- 
ried Sarah  Haynes  last  year. 

Jason  Tomforde  (M.S.  CS)  of 
Billcric.i.  Mass..  works  for  Cisco 
Systems. 


40     Transformations   I   Winter  2002 


Our  daughter's  birth  has  rapidly 
changed  our  cosmopolitan  lifestyle 

(and  one-bedroom  Manhattan  apartment), 
which  we  previously  shared  only  with  our 
Jack  Russell  terrier,  Topper. 

—  Rudolf  Minar  '88 


Graduate  Management 
Program 

Retired  U.S.  Army  Corps  of 
Engineers  Lt.  Col.  Dennis 
Webster  '83  (MBA)  lives  in 
Jamestown,  R.I.  Since  retiring 
from  the  COE  in  1991,  he 
has  been  active  in  local  and 
civic  affairs. 

Donna  Akiyoshi  '97  (MBA) 
is  a  research  assistant  professor 
in  the  Division  of  Infectious 
Diseases  at  Tufts  School  of 
Veterinary  Medicine.  She  is 
working  on  two  projects  funded 
by  the  EPA  and  the  NIH. 

Master  of  Natural 
Science 

Jerry  Jasinski  '68,  chemistrv 
professor  at  Keene  State 
College,  was  the  first  recipient 
of  the  KSC  Award  for  Faculty 
Distinction  in  Research  and 
Scholarship.  A  faculty  member 
since  1979,  he  also  coaches  the 
track  team. 

Judith  Kiernan  Sweeny  '81 

joined  the  faculty  of  Illinois 
Institute  of  Technology  as  a 
senior  lecturer  in  the  newly 
formed  department  of  math 
and  science  education.  She 
collaborates  with  the  Chicago 
Public  Schools  to  create  a 
model  program  for  secondary 
math  and  science  education  in 
urban  public  schools  and  works 
closely  with  the  Young  Women's 
Leadership  Academy,  a  newly 
formed  charter  school  on  the 
ITT  campus. 


Mark  Siemaszko  '90  chairs 
the  science  department  at 
Leominster  High  School.  His    - 
efforts  to  keep  his  classes  enter- 
taining, and  the  countless  hours 
he  dedicates  to  the  FIRST 
robotics  competition,  led  his 
principal  to  dub  him  a  "Pied 
Piper"  when  it  comes  to  kids. 
The  Worcester  Telegram  & 
Gazette  reported  on  some  of 
his  unusual  teaching  tactics  in 
a  May  7,  2001,  profile. 

School  of  Industrial 
Management 

Earl  Berry  '67  of  Holden, 
Mass.,  was  elected  chair  of 
the  Service  Corps  of  Retired 
Executives,  Worcester  Chapter 
173.  He  is  the  retired  treasurer 
of  Woodbury  &  Co.  of 
Worcester. 

Barry  Huston  '81  is  vice  presi- 
dent and  director  of  field  opera- 
tions for  National  Grid  USA's 
Distribution  Group. 

James  Rouse  '97  was  appointed 
president  of  Micron  Products, 
a  subsidiary  of  Arrhythmia 
Research  Technology.  He  joined 
the  company  from  Jarvis 
Surgical  in  1996  and  previously 
served  as  plant  manager. 

Douglas  Johnson  '00  is  chief 
operating  officer  and  managing 
director  of  Newcare  Inc.,  a 
disposable  medical  products 
company  in  Cheshire,  Conn. 


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1/02 


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Treading    Lightly    at    Ground    Zer 


o 


On  the  morning  of  Sept.  1 1 ,  Tom  Carr  '96,  a  volunteer  with 
the  Urban  Search  and  Rescue  Team  of  Massachusetts  Task  Force  1 
(MATF-1 ),  was  summoned  to  the  unit's  Beverly,  Mass.,  post  to  await 

orders  from  FEMA. 
By  afternoon,  he 
was  on  his  way  to 
New  York  City  for  a 
weeklong  deployment 
at  Ground  Zero. 
From  the  eerie  quiet 
of  the  bus  ride  into 
the  city,  under  police 
escort,  to  his  first 
glimpse  of  the  now 
unrecognizable  remains  of  the  World  Trade  Center,  the  experience 
changed  him  to  the  core  of  his  being — in  ways  he  is  still  discovering. 

MATF-1  trainee  Chad  Council  '96,  who  was  recruited  by  Carr,  stayed 
behind  to  maintain  24-hour  telephone  and  e-mail  contact  between 
families  and  task  force  members.  Dave  Andrade  '92,  a  paramedic 
with  American  Medical  Response,  treated  injured  civilians  and  rescue 
workers  from  a  makeshift  field  hospital  at  the  Staten  Island  Ferry's 
Manhattan  terminal.  (Read  his  story  at  www.sikorsky.com/news 
/2001091  3g.html.)  Others  waited  on  standby  to  treat  casualties  at 
their  local  hospitals.  "As  the  day  unfolded,"  says  Dr.  Bruce  Minsky  '77 , 
"we  realized  that  we  would  not  be  receiving  any  patients  and  we 
understood  what  that  meant.  Nothing  is  more  difficult  for  a 
physician  than  to  not  be  able  to  offer  assistance." 


Rather  then  digging  through  the  rubble,  Carr,  who  is  trained  as  a  tech- 
nical information  specialist,  was  assigned  to  observe  and  document 
operations  at  Ground  Zero  in  a  detailed  record.  "My  job  can  breed  a 
sense  of  helplessness  at  times,"  he  admits.  'There  isn't  a  person  on  the 
crew  who  didn't  want  to  get  in  there  and  make  a  find."  As  he  stood 
by  taking  notes,  Carr  struggled  to  remember  the  importance  of  his 
role.  "I  exist  to  make  sure  that  we  learn  as  much  as  possible  from  this 
operation,"  he  explains.  "By  doing  my  job,  I'm  going  to  enable  us 
to  do  things  better  later  on." 

Carr  quickly  realized  that  it  takes  great  sensitivity  to  be  pointing  a 
camera  around  so  much  death  and  destruction.  'Those  on  the  scene 
needed  to  know  that  we  were  doing  this  as  documentation  for  the 
permanent  record — not  as  a  bunch  of  tourists  snapping  pictures," 
he  says.  Only  during  breaks  and  downtime  did  the  emotional  impact 
of  the  tragedy  creep  in.  "You  reach  a  certain  point  when  you  stop 
consciously  thinking  about  it,  because  it's  so  overwhelming,"  says  Carr. 
'Training  and  autopilot  kick  in,  and  you  just  go  and  do  what  you  have 
to  do.  After  a  few  hours  of  downtime,  things  would  flash  back,  like 
the  stench  and  char  and  chaos.  None  of  us  really  slept  well  the  first 
part  of  the  week." 

Back  home  in  Massachusetts,  Carr  first  took  a  long  shower — after  a 
week  of  washing  in  a  forest  service  trailer.  Next,  he  spent  some  quiet 
time  alone.  His  weekend  plans — to  attend  Homecoming  with  his 
WPI  friends — seemed  as  if  they'd  been  made  years  ago.  Instead, 
he  attended  a  Critical  Incident  Stress  Debriefing  on  the  weekend  after 
his  return.  The  less-glamorous  task  of  filling  out  paperwork  and 
putting  together  an  incident  report  followed. 


For  more  information  on  MATF-1 ,  go  to  www.maff.org   The  site  includes  an  online  application,  but  cautions  that  there  is  already  a  waiting  list  for  many  positions. 
FEMA's  Web  site  is  www.femo.gov. 


A  case  of  star-crossed  lovers  .  .  . 


Bob  Beliveau  '91  m 


•vhen  Bob  jumped  over  a 
leg  while  getting  the  house  ready  for  a  gathering  of  close  friends  foiled 
wedding  recc; 

.  .  .  and  mistaken  identity 

i  abovl  Chris  Mello  '9c 
■  was  aboard  Amc 

.'ooWe  The  two  were  etc*-  in  090.  hod 
Soiton  area.  Oddly  enow 
been  on  one  of 

I  been  postponed  by  two  v.  - 


learned 


«*ould  have 

.  ■  I 


_jks  following  the 
between  President  Edward  Alton  I 
Washington,  Denmark,  Hong  Kong,  Guatemala,  < 
to  report  how  they  and  their  loved  ones  fared  di 
roommates  and  classmates,  then  relayed  their  status  to  i 
Leonard  Taylor  '79 — was  reported.  His  obituary  appears  in 

Along  with  eyewitness  accounts,  many  close  calls,  and  some  losses,  » 
of  the  WPI  family.  We  are  proud  to  share  a  sampling  on  these  pages. 

More  responses,  along  with  the  text  ofParrish's  original  letters  and  coverage  of  the  campus  response  to  the  events  of  Sept.  1 1,  may  be  read 
at  www.  Yfpi.edu/-i-Transformations.  If  you  would  like  your  e-mail  address  added  to  WPI's  database,  notify  alumni-office@wpi.edu. 
Your  comments  and  reactions  are  always  welcome  at  alumni-hotline@wpi.edu. 


//-rhn 


nk  yon  for  sending  out  n  letter 


of  deep  comfort  and  deep  concern. 


vr 


"As  one  of  the  first  few  women  on  campus  back  in  the  '70s, 
I  had  a  wonderful  experience  at  WPI  and  will  never  forget  it. 
I  chose  WPI  over  other  engineering  schools  because  the  spirit 
on  the  campus  was  'wholistic.'  By  that,  I  mean  that  the  students 
I  met  seemed  to  have  a  complete  life  perspective  .  .  .  they  were 
involved  in  all  levels  of  society,  not  just  their  books  and  technical 
interests.  Your  note  and  follow-up  make  me  believe  that  my 
initial  impression  still  stands." 


After  the  Worcester  warehouse  fire  in  1 999,  I  was  proud  to 
call  myself  a  WPI  alumnus  in  light  of  all  the  actions  taken  by 
Worcester's  educational  community  on  behalf  of  the  fallen 
firefighters.  Once  again,  I  ask  what  we  (WPI)  could  do  for 
the  families  and  children  of  the  victims  as  well  as  fallen 
emergency  personnel  in  the  NYC  attack? 

—  Paul  Paulino  '94 


"On  Homecoming  Day,  I  stood  on 
the  quad,  thinking  back  on  how 
many  classes  have  been  touched 
by  war,  and  wondering  how 
many  more  classes  will  be.  WPI 
is  truly  a  role  model,  with  people 
from  all  countries,  religions  and 
socioeconomic  standings  living 
together  in  harmony.  It  gives  me 
hope  to  know  it  can  exist  on 


—  Sang  Ki  Lee  '60 

"I  am  deeply  saddened  by  the  loss  of  my  classmate 

and  friend  Lenny  Taylor.  Even  though  it's  been 

20  years  or  so  since  we  were  housemates  down 

on  Trowbridge  Road,  I  remember  it  like  it  was 

yesterday.  The  world  will  miss  Lenny  because 

he  was  a  genuinely  nice  person.  The  tears  are 

bouncing  off  the  keys.  Lenny,  you  are  in 

our  thoughts,  and  your  loved  ones  are 

in  our  prayers." 

—  Sidney  Afonso  '79 

"My  husband  received  the  e-mail  today  from  President 
Parrish.  I  work  as  an  educational  consultant  helping  high 
school  juniors  and  seniors  with  the  college  search  process. 
I  have  forwarded  the  letter  to  all  my  students  who  are 
considering  WPI  to  let  them  get  a  sense  of  the  caring 
and  concerned  nature  of  your  university." 

—  Susan  Piqueira,  wife  of  Philip  Piquera  '72 


"I've  been  expecting  an  attack  like  this  for  years  now.  It  was  just  a  question 
of  when,  where  and  how  bad.  Perhaps  if  history  was  better  taught  by  our 
schools,  including  WPI,  then  people,  our  government  included,  would  not  have 
been  caught  by  surprise  by  this  attack.  The  fundamental  lesson  of  history  is 
that  the  world  is  full  of  desperate,  hateful,  deluded  people  who  cannot  or  will 
not  be  helped  or  reasoned  with.  We  need  to  admit  that  reality  now  and  take 
the  serious  steps  needed  to  make  these  atrocities  less  likely  in  the  future." 

—  Jeff  Barry  '74 


—  Karen  Chesney  Honold  '78 

"Please  don't  forget 
those  alumni  who  are 
in  the  military  gearing 
up  to  defend  and  protect 
our  country.  They  need 
prayers  and  support  also. 
WPI  was  and  continues 
to  be  a  very  close, 
special  family." 


—  Jennifer  Atkins  '93 


II 


a  small  scale 


—  Sherri  Curria  '93 


Transformations    I    Winter  2002    4  3 


Trustee  emeritus  Chandler  W. 
"Jigger"  Jones  '26  of  Sharon, 
Mass.,  died  June  3,  2000.  He 
was  the  oldest  member  of  the 
board  at  the  time  of  his  death, 
according  to  a  resolution  of 
sympathy  passed  by  WPI 
trustees,  and  a  1970  recipient  of 
the  Herbert  F.  Taylor  Award  for 
Outstanding  Service  to  WPI. 
Jones  worked  for  New  England 
Electric  System  for  40  years, 
retiring  as  vice  president  of 
engineering  and  operations  for 
the  New  England  Power  Co. 
Husband  of  the  late  Dorothy 
(Minnick)  Jones,  he  was  prede- 
ceased by  a  son  and  is  survived 
by  a  grandson,  a  granddaughter 
and  four  great-grandchildren. 

William  A.  Russell  '26  of 

North  Branford,  Conn.,  died 
Sept.  6,  2000.  Predeceased  by 
his  wife,  Elvie  (Need),  he  leaves 
a  son,  two  daughters,  1 1  grand- 
children and  1 8  great-grandchil- 
dren. Russell  began  his  career 
with  the  New  Haven  Railroad 
and  retired  as  a  consultant  to 
the  Connecticut  Department  of 
Transportation  in  1988.  He 
belonged  to  Lambda  Chi  Alpha 
and  Tau  Beta  Pi. 

Victor  E.  Hill  '27  of  Sun  City, 
Fla.,  died  Aug.  31,2000.  He 
was  the  husband  of  the  late  Lois 
Hill  and  the  father  of  two  chil- 
dren. Hill  was  retired  from 
Duquesne  Light  Co.  He 
belonged  to  Sigma  Xi  and  Tau 
Beta  Pi. 

Francis  E.  R.  Johnson  '29  of 
Keene,  N.H.,  died  Oct.  29, 
2000.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Mary 
(Love),  a  daughter  and  a  son. 
Johnson  was  retired  from  Allied 
Corp.,  where  he  held  a  number 
of  administrative  positions.  He 
belonged  to  Sigma  Xi  and  Tau 
Beta  Pi. 

Raymond  V.  Pollard  '29  of 
Tampa,  Fla.,  died  July  20, 
2000.  He  is  survived  by  his 
wife,  Elizabeth  "Bette" 
(Hoffman).  An  Army  veteran. 
Pollard  was  an  assistant  state 
service  officer  in  the  Florida 


Alumni  who  wish  to  make  contributions  in  memory 

of  classmates  and  friends  may  contact  the  office  of 

Development  and  University  Relations  at  WPI. 


Department  of  Veterans'  Affairs 
and  a  member  of  American 
Legion  Post  5  of  Tampa.  He 
belonged  to  Phi  Sigma  Kappa. 

Raymond  H.  Guenther  '31 

of  Longmeadow,  Mass.,  died 
April  2,  2001.  He  leaves  his 

wife,  Hilda 
(Poehlman), 
two  daugh- 
ters, three 
grandchil- 
dren and 
three  great- 
grandchildren. He  was  the 
grandfather  of  Deborah  Murphy 
Allen  '88.  Guenther  was  the 
retired  owner  and  president  of 
the  former  Guenther  &  Handel 
German  Delicatessen  in 
Springfield;  he  later  worked  at 
The  Deli  in  East  Longmeadow. 
He  belonged  to  Sigma  Alpha 
Epsilon. 

Howard  P.  Lekberg  '32  of 
Douglas,  Mass.,  died  Oct.  3, 
2000.  Widower  of  the  late 
Helen  (Carlson),  he  leaves  a 
daughter,  two  grandchildren 
and  a  great-grandson.  Lekberg 
earned  a  master's  degree  in 
education  from  Worcester  State 
College  in  1967.  He  taught 
mechanical  engineering  at  the 
University  of  Maine  and 
Central  New  England  College, 
and  later  retired  from  Worcester 
Junior  College  as  an  assistant 
professor.  He  was  also  president 
of  Mumford  Motor  Sales  in 
Whitinsville.  He  belonged  to 
Lambda  Chi  Alpha. 

Francis  C.  Moore  '33  of 

Portsmouth,  N.H.,  died  June 
18,  2000.  Predeceased  by  his 
wife,  Lillian 
(Wolfe),  and 
a  daughter, 
he  is  survived 
by  .1  son. 
a  daughter, 
five  grand- 


children and  a  great-grandchild. 
After  retiring  from  the  New 
Hampshire  Water  Resources 
Board  as  a  civil  engineer,  Moore 
kept  active  with  surveying  and 
septic  design  projects. 
James  B.  Rafter  '33  of  Boca 
Raton,  Fla.,  died  May  16,  2000. 
Predeceased  by  his  first  wife, 
Julia  (Meleski),  he  leaves  two 
sons,  two  grandchildren  and 
two  great-grandchildren.  In 
1980  Rafter  married  Virginia 
Roundy,  who  survives,  along 
with  a  stepdaughter,  a  stepson 
and  three  step-grandchildren. 
Rafter  was  retired  as  divisional 
managing  executive  of  Armco 
Steel  Co.  A  member  of  Pi 
Kappa  Theta,  he  served  WPI 
as  a  Class  Agent  and  as  vice 
president  of  the  Northern 
New  Jersey  Regional  Club. 
Warren  C.  Saltmarsh  '33  of 
Hampton,  N.H.,  died  July  1, 
2000.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Doris  (Shubert),  a  son,  two 
daughters  and  two  grandchil- 
dren. Saltmatsh  was  a  retired 
insurance  executive  who  worked 
for  Johnson  &  Higgins  and 
Factory  Insurance  Association. 

Clarence  R.  Streeter  Jr.  '33 

of  Newnan,  Ga.,  died  June  28, 
2000.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Margaret,  two  sons  and  two 
daughters.  Streeter  retired  as 
president  of  Dunco  Mines  Inc., 
and  later  ran  Mount  Whitney 
Collectables.  He  held  an  MBA 
from  the  Amos  Tuck  School  of 
Business  Administration. 

Warren  H.  Davenport  '34  of 

Worcester  died  Feb.  25,  2001. 
I  le  is  survived  by  his  wife, 

I  Men  (Thiderman).  Davenport 
received  .1  master's  degree  in 
electrical  engineering  from  \\  PI 
in  1935  and  worked  for  Nnii.ni 
Co.  until  he  retired  in  1974  as 
chief  product  engineer,  abrasive 
materials.  He  was  a  World  War 

II  veteran  and  .1  member  ot 
k\li  Old  Timers. 


Luther  C.  "Luke"  Leavitt  Jr. 

'34  of  Cleveland  Heights,  Ohio, 
died  April  22,  2001.  He  leaves 
his  wife,  Alma,  three  daughters 
and  eight  grandchildren.  Leavitt 
joined  the  Otto  Konigslow 
Manufacturing  Co.  in  1946, 
became  ptesident  in  1961,  and 


■By  ■■■                   '^^i* 

1 

retired  as  chairman  in  1977. 
He  later  became  vice  chairman 
of  Melinz  Industries.  A  PAC 
member  and  a  1 974  recipient 
of  the  Hetbert  F.  Taylor  Award 
for  Outstanding  Service  to 
WPI,  Leavitt  was  active  in  the 
Cleveland  Regional  Club,  the 
Alumni  Council  and  the 
Alumni  Fund. 

John  B.  Coyle  '35  of  Wesdand, 
Mich.,  died  Jan.  18,  2001.  His 
wife,  Edna  (McGee),  died  in 
1961.  Survivors  include  two 
sons,  two  daughters  and  seven 
grandchildren.  Coyle  was  an 
aeronautical  engineer  who 
worked  for  the  federal  govern- 
ment and  United  Technologies. 

Carl  F.  Benson  '36  of 

Waterford,  Conn.,  died  Dec. 
13,  2000. 
He  leaves  his 
wife,  Doris 
(Peterson), 
two  daugh- 
ters and 
three  grand- 
children. Benson  worked  tor 
The  Torrington  Company  tor 
43  years  and  retired  in  1979  as 
director  of  research.  A  skilled 
woodworker,  he  learned  to 
build  violins  in  retirement  and 
used  bis  talents  to  repair  and 
maintain  the  local  senior  center. 


44     Transformations    I   Winter  2002 


Walter  G.  Dahlstrom  '36 

of  Worcester  died  Dec.  21, 
2000.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Greta 
(Lindahl),  a 
son,  Rodney 
Dahlstrom 
'69,  a  daugh- 
ter, a  step- 
daughter and 
seven  grand- 
children. His  first  wife,  Muriel 
(Johnson)  died  in  1967. 
Dahlstrom  earned  a  master's 
degree  in  chemistry  at  WPI  in 
1938  and  graduated  from  the 
School  of  Industrial  Manage- 
ment in  1954.  He  retired  from 
U.S.  Steel  Cable  Works  as  chief 
development  engineer  after  33 
years  of  service  with  several 
patents  in  his  name.  A  recipient 
of  the  1986  Herbert  F.  Taylor 
Awatd  for  Distinguished  Service 
to  WPI,  Dahlstrom  was  a  former 
president  of  Tech  Old  Timers 
and  received  its  Distinguished 
Service  Award.  He  belonged 
to  Sigma  Xi  and  Lambda 
Chi  Alpha. 

Richard  S.  Howes  Sr.  '36  of 

Sharon,  Conn.,  died  Oct.  18, 
2000.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Bettina,  a  son,  and  two  grand- 
children. He  was  predeceased 
by  a  daughter.  Howes  retired 
from  Lunkenheimer  Co.  in 
1973  after  27  years  in  the  valve 
business.  He  belonged  to  Sigma 
Phi  Epsilon  and  Skull. 

John  T.  McGrath  '36  of  Mesa, 
Ariz.,  died  June  23,  2000. 
Predeceased  by  his  wife, 
Katherine  (Raftery),  in  1991, 
he  leaves  a  daughter,  two  sons, 
seven  grandchildren  and  four 
great-grandchildren.  McGrath 
was  a  teacher,  principal  and 
superintendent  in  Arizona 
public  schools  for  more  than 
25  years.  He  earned  a  B.S.  in 
education  at  Arizona  State 
College  and  an  MA.  and  Ph.D. 
from  Arizona  State  University. 
In  1959,  ASU  awarded  him  its 
fitst  education  specialist  degree 
in  public  school  administration. 
He  belonged  to  Sigma  Alpha 
Epsilon  and  Skull. 


Dana  W.  Woodward  '37  of 

Marblehead,  Mass.,  died  Oct. 
20,  2000.  Widower  of  the  late 
I    Catherine 
I    (Hopkins) 
<t~.  I    and  husband 

of  Helen 
(Morgan 
Sttatton),  he 
also  leaves  a 
son,  tout  daughters,  nine  grand- 
children and  a  great-grandchild. 
A  former  vice  president  of 
marketing  for  United  Shoe 
Machinery  Corp.,  he  was  the 
retited  president  and  director 
of  American  Shoe  Machinery 
Corp.  He  belonged  to  Phi 
Gamma  Delta  and  Skull. 

J.  Harper  Blaisdell  Jr.  '38  of 

Lexington,  Mass.,  died  Aug.  22, 
2000.  His  wife,  Marjorie, 
survives.  Blaisdell  was  a  former 
Class  Agent  and  a  member  of 
Phi  Sigma  Kappa. 

Eric  L.  Mager  '38  of  Beverly, 
Mass.,  died  July  1,  2000.  He 
leaves  his  wife,  Irma  (Gourley), 
three  daughtets,  and  a  grand- 
daughter. Mager  earned  a 
mastet's  degree  in  chemistry  at 
WPI  in  1940.  His  43  years  of 
research  and  development  work 
at  GTE  Sylvania  Lighting 
resulted  in  12  patents.  He 
belonged  to  Sigma  Xi. 

Paul  M.  "Mike"  Murphy  '38 

of  Atascadeto,  Calif,  died  Nov. 
23,  2000.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
the  former  Margaret  "Juddie" 
Judd,  two  daughters  and  a 
grandson.  Murphy  earned  a 
master's  degree  in  electrical 
engineering  at  MIT  and  worked 
at  the  U.S.  Naval  Ordnance 
Laboratory  during  World  War 
II.  He  then  joined  General 
Electric,  where  he  specialized  in 
nuclear  design  projects.  Murphy 
retired  from  G.E.  Nuclear 
Energy  Division  in  1978  as 
manager  of  advanced  engineer- 
ing in  the  Fast  Breeder  Reactor 
Department.  A  Presidential 
Founder,  he  established  the  Paul 
M.  and  Margaret  J.  Murphy 
Scholarship  Fund. 


Leonard  Taylor  '79 

Victim  of  Pentagon  plane  era 

Leonard  E.  Taylor,  44,  of  Reston,  Va.,  was  a  passenger  on  American 

Airlines  Flight  77 ,  bound  for  Los  Angeles  from  Washington,  D.C., 

on  the  morning  of  Sept.  1  1 ,  2001 ,  when  the  hijacked  plane  was 

crashed  into  the  Pentagon.  He  was  a  technical  group  manager  in 

the  Washington-area  office  of  XonTech  Inc.,  a 

California-based  contract  firm  that  specializes 

in  the  design  of  radar,  optics  and  acoustics 

sensors  for  defense  and  industrial  applications. 

Taylor  leaves  his  wife,  Karyn  (Orman),  two 

daughters,  Jessica  and  Colette,  his  mother, 

his  father,  two  sisters  and  two  brothers. 

Born  in  Pasadena,  Calif.,  Taylor  was  a  gradu- 
ate of  Andover  (Mass.)  High  School.  After 
receiving  a  bachelor's  degree  in  physics  from 
WPI,  he  joined  XonTech  as  an  analyst  in  the 
Special  Studies  Division  in  Van  Nuys,  Calif. 
"He  was  the  only  one  who  mentored  individuals  who  had  been 
forsaken  by  everyone  else  because  they  either  had  little  motivation 
or  just  never  got  it.  He  was  able  to  get  productive  work  out  of  many 
of  these  languishing  lost  souls,"  recalled  a  colleague  in  his  eulogy. 
Taylor  later  transferred  to  the  company's  Arlington,  Va.,  office.  An  avid 
bicyclist  who  rode  in  charity  events,  he  formed  close  friendships  with 
co-workers  who  enjoyed  after-hours  sports  and  commuting  to  work 
by  bicycle  over  distances  ranging  from  1  5  to  20  miles  each  way. 


George  E.  Feiker  '39  of 

Niskayuna,  N.Y.,  died  July  24, 
2000.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Hazel, 
rwo  daughters,  a  son  and  five 
grandchildren.  Feiker  earned  a 
master's  degree  in  electrical 
engineering  at  Harvard 
University.  He  spent  most  of 
his  career  with  GE's  Advanced 
Technology  Laboratories,  where 
he  managed  the  electromagnetic 
radiation  and  microwave  engi- 
neering sections.  A  member  of 
Sigma  Alpha  Epsilon,  Tau  Beta 
Pi  and  Sigma  Xi,  he  received 
the  Robert  H.  Goddard  Award 
for  Outstanding  Professional 
Achievement  in  1964. 


Robert  J.  O'Malley  '39  of 

Davis,  Calif,  died  Jan.  8,  2001. 
He  is  survived  by  his  wife,  Edna 
(Moran),  two  sons,  a  daughter 
and  four  grandchildren. 
O'Malley  joined  the  Army 
during  World  War  II  and  com- 
pleted his  bachelor's  degree  at 
Syracuse  University  in  1954. 
He  went  on  to  earn  a  master's 
degree  at  George  Washington 
University  in  1962.  In  1968  he 
retired  from  the  U.S.  Air  Force 
as  a  colonel  after  27  years  of 
service.  He  then  became  hospi- 
tal administrator  of  the  Cowell 
Student  Health  Center  at  the 
University  of  California,  Davis, 
where  he  served  until  1978. 
He  belonged  to  Sigma  Alpha 
Epsilon. 


Transformations    I    Winter  2002    4  5 


Frederick  J.  Benn  Jr.  '41  of 

Piano,  Texas,  died  Feb.  4,  2001. 
He  is  sur- 
vived by  his 
wife,  Lelia 
(Buaas), 
a  son,  a 
daughter 
and  three 
grandchildren.  Benn  received 
an  MBA  from  Case  Institute 
of  Technology  and  worked 
for  Norton  Co.  for  36  years. 
A  former  drummer  with  the 
Boyntonians,  he  contributed 
photographs  and  anecdotes 
from  his  student  years  to 
recent  WPI  publications. 
He  belonged  to  Theta  Chi. 

Arthur  L.  Sullivan  Jr.  '41  of 

Monroe,  Wis.,  died  June  14, 
2000.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Lorna 
(Marchant),  three  sons,  four 
grandchildren  and  five  step- 
great-grandchildren.  Sullivan 
began  his  career  as  a  chemist 
in  the  radiation  department 
of  Arthur  D.  Little  Research 
Development  Co.  at  MIT.  He 
worked  for  Atwell  Autograph 
Co.  for  33  years  and  later 
became  a  district  manager  for 
Dictaphone  Corp.  He  belonged 
to  Theta  Chi. 

Robert  D.  Wood  '42  of  Vestal, 
N.Y.,  died  March  6,  2000. 
He  left  WPI  in  1941  to  earn 
his  bachelor's  degree  at 
Northeastern  University  and 
also  attended  the  University 
of  Chicago.  Wood  spent  four 
years  as  a  meteorologist  in  the 
Army  Air  Force.  A  former  sales 
engineer  for  Westinghouse 
Electric  Corp.,  he  belonged 
to  Sigma  Alpha  Epsilon. 

Warren  H.  Chaffee  '43  of 

Longwood,  Fla.,  died  May  5, 
2000.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Barbara  (Smith),  two  sons,  a 
daughter,  his  mother  and  four 
grandchildren.  Chaffee  was  a 
vice  president  ol  Chaffee  Bros. 
and  the  owner  of  Cameron 
Lumber  Co.  He  belonged  to 
Sigm.l    \lph.l   Ipsil  in. 


William  S.C.  Henry  '43  of 

Venice,  Fla.,  died  Oct.  12, 
2000.  He 
leaves  his 
wife,  Nancy 
(Barrows), 
three  daugh- 
ters and  five 
grandchil- 
dren. Henry  was  a  senior  elec- 
trical engineer  at  New  England 
Electric  Systems'  subsidiaries 
Massachusetts  Electric  Co.  and 
New  England  Power  Service  Co., 
where  he  worked  since  1965. 
A  senior  member  and  former 
committee  chair  of  the  Institute 
of  Electrical  and  Electronics 
Engineers,  he  authored  papers 
and  lectured  in  his  field.  He 
belonged  to  Alpha  Tau  Omega. 

Samuel  H.  Coes  '44  of 

Hampton,- N.H.,  died  Nov.  11, 
2000.  He 
leaves  his 
wife,  Nancy 
(Smith), 
four  sons, 
five  grand- 
children 
and  six  great-grandchildren. 
A  longtime  research  engineer  for 
Norton  Co.,  he  held  12  patents 
with  the  company.  He  was  also 
a  retired  lieutenant  commander 
in  the  U.S.  Naval  Reserve. 

Robert  A.  Stengard  Sr.  '45  of 

Rocky  Face,  Ga.,  died  Nov.  30, 
2000.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Gwendolyn,  three  sons,  two 
daughters,  several  grandchildren 
and  a  great-gtandchild.  Stengard 
was  a  technical  supervisor  at 
Shaw  Industries.  He  earned  a 
master's  degree  in  chemical 
engineering  at  WPI  in  1950  and 
belonged  to  Lambda  Chi  Alpha. 

Alvin  Y.  Broverman  '46  ol 

Knoxville,  Tenn.,  died  Dec.  8, 

2000.  Family  members  include 
his  wife,  Ann,  and  a  daughter. 
Broverman  was  a  transformer 
design  specialist  who  retired 
from  Martin  Marietta  and 
continued  working  as  a  self- 
employed  consultant. 
Garabcd  Hovhanesian  '46  of 
Worcester,  Mass.,  died  May  2~, 

2001.  He  is  survived  by  his 


4  6      Transformations    I    Winter  J Dd.1 


wife,  Nancy  (Sahagian),  his  son, 
Jeffrey  '78,  and  a  daughter, 
Nancy.  Hovhanesian  graduated 
from  the  U.S.  Navy's  V-12 
program  at  WPI,  and  earned  an 
MBA  at  Northeastern  University 
in  1954.  He  retired  from 
General  Electric  Co.  in  1984, 
after  a  management  career  that 
included  establishing  GE 
Housewares  in  Singapore  and 
serving  as  the  division's  presi- 
dent and  managing  director.  He 
was  a  former  Class  Agent  and  a 
member  of  Lambda  Chi  Alpha. 

Jack  H.  Shank  '46  of  Berea, 
Ohio,  died  on  Feb.  18,  1999.  A 
NASA  aerospace  engineer  and  a 
member  of  Lambda  Chi  Alpha, 
Tau  Beta  Pi  and  Sigma  Chi,  he 
leaves  his  wife,  Jeanne.  Trans- 
formations recently  received 
notification  of  his  death. 

Edward  R.  Stokel  '46  of 

Birmingham,  Mich.,  died  Aug. 
18,  2000.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Barbara,  two  sons,  three  daugh- 
ters and  1 1  grandchildren.  Stokel 
was  known  as  "Mr.  Bus,"  for  his 
longtime  career  with  General 
Motors  Corp.,  which  began  on 
a  bus  assembly  line  in  the  early 
1940s.  He  latet  became  an 
advocate  for  public  transporta- 
tion, lobbying  for  more  federal 
funding  to  support  quality  buses. 
Stokel  retired  in  1986  as  direc- 
tor of  public  transportation  and 
was  inducted  into  the  American 
Public  Transit  Association  Hall 
of  Fame  in  1991. 

Irwin  T.  Vanderhoof  '48  ol 

Towaco,  N.J.,  died  Sept.  24, 
2000.  He  leaves  his  wile,  Ruth 
(Green),  a  son,  a  daughter  and  a 
granddaughter.  Vanderhoof  was 
a  clinical  professor  ol  finance  at 
New  York  University.  He  was 
best  known  for  his  application 
of  the  quasi-Montc  Carlo 
method  (a  modification  ol  the 
standard  calculation)  in  figuring 
the  worth  ot  financial  deriva- 
tives. VanderhooPs  adaptation 
of  Monte  Carlo  methodology, 
since  used  in  physics,  earned 
him  a  patent.  He  also  served  .is 
an  actuary  and  a  consultant  and 
was  the  author  and  editor  of 

numerous  publications,  includ- 
ing finance  bonks  ,m{\  actuarial 
and  scientific  journals.  1  le 

Inlonecd  to  Alpha  T.tu  Omega. 


Harvey  L.  Pastan  '49  of 

Chestnut  Hill,  Mass.,  died  Sept. 
12,  2000.  Survivors  include  his 
wife,  Barbara  B.  Pastan,  two 
daughters,  and  two  grandchil- 
dren. Pastan  was  predeceased 
by  his  first  wife,  also  named 
Barbara.  He  was  a  vice  president 
at  Arthur  D.  Little  Inc.  and  a 
member  of  Alpha  Epsilon  Phi 
and  Sigma  Xi. 

Donald  R.  Skeffington  '49 

of  Ipswich,  Mass.,  died  Feb.  21, 
2001,  after  a  six-month  battle 
with  cancer.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Barbara  (Farquhar),  a  son,  a 
daughter  and  two  grandchil- 
dren. Skeffington  worked  for 
United  Shoe  Machinery  Corp. 
and  MacMillan  Labs,  and  later 
retired  from  GTE/Sylvania. 
He  belonged  to  Theta  Chi. 

Jeremy 
Welts  '50  of 

Waltham, 
Mass.,  died 
Oct.  31, 
2000. 

He  leaves  his 
wife,  Eve  (Primpas  Harriman), 
four  sons,  two  daughters  and  1 1 
grandchildren.  Welts  was  an 
electrical  engineer  at  Raytheon 
Research  Division  for  40  years. 
A  trombone  player,  he  founded 
the  Middlesex  Brass  Quintet 
and  a  family  group  called  The 
Weltswinds.  He  belonged  to 
Phi  Sigma  Kappa. 

Rafael  R.  Gabarro  '51  of 

Lowell,  Mass.,  died  March  1, 
2000.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Teresa 
(Skorupski),  two  sons,  four 
daughters  and  12  grandchildren. 
Gabarro  was  retired  Irom  Union 
Carbide  Corp.  as  manager  ot 
site  operations  and  technology. 

Albert  H.  Lorent7.cn  '51  ol 
Natick,  Mass.,  died  on  Feb.  21, 
1999.  He  was  retired  from  the 
U.S.  Air  Force  as  an  electrical 
engineer.  Transformations 
recently  received  notification 
ol  his  death. 

Carl  J.  Lu/.  Jr.  '51  ol  Bedmin- 
ster,  N.J.,  dud  Aug.  2(>.  2000. 
1  lc  is  sum  ived  b\  .i  daughter 
anil  two  grandchildren.  I  112 
was  president  ot  I  sen  Plastics. 

which  he  (bunded  in  1975.  He 
In  li mged  to  Sigma  Pin  1  psilon. 


Joseph  S.  Vitalis  Jr.  '51  of 

Manassas,  Va.,  died  May  24, 
2000.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Janet, 
three  sons  and  two  grandchil- 
dren. Vitalis  was  a  chemical 
engineer  with  the  Environmental 
Protection  Agency.  A  former 
mayor  of  Crestwood,  Mo.,  he 
earned  an  MBA  at  Washington 
University  and  belonged  to 
Sigma  Alpha  Epsilon. 

Warren  A.  Ellsworth  Jr.  '52 

of  Panama  City,  Fla.,  died  June 
16,  2000. 
He  leaves  his 
wife,  Edith, 
two  daugh- 
ters, a  step- 
son, two 
stepdaugh- 
ters, 12  grandchildren  and  a 
great-granddaughter.  Ellsworth 
worked  for  M.B.  Electronics, 
where  he  managed  projects 
involving  underwater  sonar 
equipment  for  the  Navy. 

Roland  E.  Walker  '52  died  on 
Nov.  8,  1999.  A  member  of 
Lambda  Chi  Alpha,  he  worked 
for  Polaroid  Corp.  He  and  his 
wife,  Constance,  had  three  sons. 
Transformations  recently 
received  notification  of  his  death. 

R.  Taylor  Holmes  Jr.  '53 

of  Holden,  Mass.,  died  Dec.  7, 

2000.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Helen 
(Gustafson),  four  daughters 
and  six  grandchildren.  Holmes 
was  a  mechanical  engineer  for 
Baystate  Abrasives.  He  belonged 
to  Sigma  Alpha  Epsilon. 

Kenneth  W.  Shiatte  '53  of 

Glenmont,  N.Y.,  died  July  22, 

2001.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Norma  (Jewell),  a  daughter 
and  two  grandchildren.  He  was 
predeceased  by  a  son,  Wayne 
Shiatte  '78,  and  established  a 
scholarship  in  his  name  in 
1979.  Kenneth  Shiatte  began 
his  career  in  transportation 
engineering  with  the  California 
Division  of  Highways  in  1953. 
He  joined  the  New  York  State 
Department  of  Transportation 
in  1962  and  retired  in  1998 

as  assistant  commissioner  for 
engineering  and  chief  engineer. 
Shiatte  belonged  to  the 
Ptesident's  Advisory  Council 
and  Lambda  Chi  Alpha. 


Dennis  F.  Sullivan  Jr.  '53 

of  Sutton,  Mass.,  died  July  5, 
2000.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Jean 
(Davidson),  and  a  son.  Sullivan 
graduated  from  WPI's  School 
of  Industrial  Management  in 
1974.  He  worked  at  the  Heald 
Machine  division  of  Cincinnati 
Milacron  for  38  years. 

Forrest  E.  Marcy  '54  of 

Bedford,  N.H.,  died  Aug.  1, 
2000.  Survivors  include  three 
nieces,  a  grandniece  and  nine 
grandnephews.  A  member  of 
Sigma  Xi  and  Eta  Kappa  Nu, 
Marcy  held  a  master's  degree 
from  Yale  University.  He 
worked  for  IBM  as  a  software 
engineer  for  30  years. 

Roy  E.  Peterson  '54  (SIM)  of 
Worcester  died  Nov.  22,  2000. 
He  was  90  years  old.  He  leaves 
his  wife,  Vera  (Holger),  a  son 
and  three  grandchildren. 
Peterson,  a  retired  industrial 
engineer,  was  a  graduate  of  the 
Mechanical  Arts  School  of 
Boston. 

Warren  T.  Munroe  '60  of 

Windham,  N.H.,  died  Oct.  14, 
2000.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Ruth 
(Wiezel),  a  son,  two  daughters 
and  two  grandchildren.  Munroe 
was  a  computer  programmer  at 
Libetty  Mutual  Insurance  and  a 
former  employee  of  Lucent 
Technologies.  He  belonged  to 
Alpha  Tau  Omega 

Peter  J.  Piecuch  '60  of 

Bethesda,  Md.,  died  Oct.  31, 
2000.  He  was  the  retired  execu- 
tive editor  of  Water  Environ- 
ment Research,  a  professional 
journal  for  the  water  quality 
industry,  published  by  the  Water 
Environment  Federation.  Piecuch 
also  held  a  master's  degree  from 
Stevens  Institute  of  Technology 
and  a  bachelor's  degree  from 
Columbia  University.  He  began 
his  career  as  a  chemical  engineer 
for  E.I.  duPont  de  Nemours  & 
Co.,  and  also  served  as  a  corre- 
spondent for  the  American 
Chemical  Society  and  the  editor 
of  Environmental  Science  and 
Technology.  Survivors  include 
his  wife,  Kathleen,  a  son,  two 
daughters  and  eight  grand- 
children. 


Richard  H.  Tremper  '61  ot 

Lewiston,  Calif.,  died  on  March 
25,  1999.  A  former  marketing 
researcher,  he  married  Susan 
Grady  in  1960.  Transformations 
recently  received  notification  of 
his  death. 

Nishan  Teshoian  '63  of 

Charlotte,  N.C.,  died  Aug.  28, 
2001.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Anna, 
a  son  and  two  daughters.  Tesh- 
oian was  the  retired  president 
and  chief  operating  officer  of 
Coltec  Industries.  A  graduate 
of  General  Electric  Co.'s  Manu- 
facturing Management  Program 
and  Stanford  University's 
Executive  Program,  he  was 
honored  with  WPI's  Robert  H. 
Goddard  Award  for  Outstanding 
Professional  Achievement 
in  1998. 

William  M.  Lawler  '65  (SIM) 
of  Paxton,  Mass.,  died  March 
21,  2001,  at  the  age  of  81.  He 
is  survived  by  his  wife,  Virginia 
(Finneran),  a  son,  two  daughters, 
six  grandchildren  and  a  great- 
grandchild. A  graduate  of 
Worcester  Junior  College, 
Lawler  was  an  industrial  man- 
ager who  worked  for  George  J. 
Meyer  and  several  other  area 
companies  before  retiring 
in  1989. 

Michael  R.  Mauro  '66  of  Old 
Saybrook,  Conn.,  died  Oct.  22, 
2000.  He  is 
survived  by 
I   his  wife, 
S    Elaine 


(Shepard), 
a  son  and  a 
daughter. 
Mauro  worked  at  Electric  Boat 
for  34  years.  He  belonged  to 
Phi  Kappa  Theta. 

Jack  L.  Cristy  '71  of  San  Jose, 
Calif.,  died  May  8,  2000. 
Husband  of  Mary  Ann  Cristy 
and  founder  of  Christy  Associ- 
ates, he  was  also  a  quality  engi- 
neer for  Litton-Amecom  and  a 
senior  industrial  engineer  for 
Fairchild  Industries. 

Charles  "Ray"  Chase  '72  of 

Thomaston,  Maine,  died  June 
3,2001.  Son  of  Charles  C. 
Chase  '49,  he  also  leaves  his 


wife,  Jeannine  (Boudoin)  and 
two  daughters.  Chase's  career 
included  posts  as  superintend- 
ent of  the  Brewster,  Mass.,  and 
Camden,  Maine,  water  depart- 
ments. He  later  worked  at 
Consumers  Maine  Water  Co., 
Maine  Sport  and  Summit 
Geo-Engineering. 

James  D.  Hall  Jr.  '72  of 

Lincoln,  R.I.,  died  Jan.  21, 
2001,  after  a  battle  with 
leukemia.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Lori  (Hebert),  two  daughters 
and  two  stepdaughtets.  Hall 
was  senior  vice  president  for 
product  development  and  chief 
marketing  officer  of  Aero  Co. 
He  held  an  MBA  from  Harvard 
University  and  belonged  to 
Alpha  Epsilon  Pi  and  Skull. 

Montri  Viriyayuthakorn  '72 

of  Norcross,  Ga.,  died  Oct.  28, 
2000.  He  received  a  master's 
degree  in  mechanical  engineer- 
ing from  WPI  in  1975  and 
worked  for  Norton  Co.  for  21 
years.  An  expert  in  the  field  of 
fiber  optics,  he  held  1 1  patents 
and  had  three  more  pending  at 
the  time  of  his  death. 

Donald  E.  Gilman  76  (SIM) 
of  Warren,  Mass.,  died  June  12, 
2000,  at  the  age  of  65.  He  leaves 
his  wife,  Alice  (Mallon),  three 
sons  and  a  grandson.  Gilman 
worked  at  Warren  Pumps  as  a 
systems  analyst  for  35  years. 

Raymond  A.  Beauvais  '78 

(MNS)  of  Taunton,  Mass.,  died 
Nov.  15,  2000,  at  the  age  of  56. 
He  is  sutvived  by  his  wife, 
Sandra  (Benoit),  two  daughters 
and  a  grandson.  A  graduate  of 
Southeastern  Massachusetts 
Technical  School,  he  taught 
physics  at  Attleboro  High 
School  for  30  years. 

William  E.  Penniman  '78 

(SIM)  of  Acton,  Mass.,  died 
Sept.  15,  2000.  A  graduate  of 
Boston  University,  he  spent  45 
years  with  Lund  International, 
most  recently  as  a  marketing 
manager.  Surviving  family 
members  include  his  wife, 
Shirley  (Olsen),  six  sons,  a 
daughter,  and  17  grandchildren. 


Transformations    I    "Winter  20  02 


47 


Time  Machine 


I 


Forty  Years  of  Lighting  the  Lights 


By  Amy  Marr  '96 


Hundreds  of  student  organizations  have  come  and  gone  since  WPI's 
founding.  Only  a  few  can  measure  their  histories  in  decades.  Among 
them  is  Lens  and  Lights,  which  hit  the  40-year  mark  in  2001. 

The  Worcester  Tech  Lens  and  Lights  Club  was  formed  in  1961 
by  James  A.  Day  '62,  who  borrowed  the  organization's  name  from  his 
high-school  AV  club.  With  Robert  Gardner  '62,  Stephen  Noble  '64, 


Lens  and  Lights  head  projectionist  Zac  Mouneimneh  '01  shows  off  the  club's  modern-day 
projection  facilities  in  Fuller  Laboratories. 


The  club's  early  projects  focused  on  making  improvements  to 
the  performance  and  film  projection  facilities  in  Aden  Memorial. 
A  1961  document  outlines  more  than  a  dozen  projects  in  progress, 
including  repairs  to  permanent  lighting  fixtures,  ways  to  address  fire 
protection  issues  in  the  main  hall,  and  a  complete  overhaul  of  Aden's 
16mm  projection  system. 

By  April  1962,  the  club  had  assumed  respon- 
sibility for  the  Alden  projection  booth,  which  at 
that  time  housed  a  pair  of  35mm  Simplex  projec- 
tors left  to  WPI  in  the  1940s  by  the  U.S.  Navy, 
which  had  used  them  to  show  recruitment  films. 
The  club  cleaned  and  repaired  the  projectors  and 
returned  them  to  service.  It  also  started  a  weekly 
film  series  and  a  program  for  projecrionists. 

Some  things  have  changed  since  those  early 
days.  About  a  decade  ago,  the  projection  booth 
moved  to  Fuller  Laboratories,  and  the  Alden 
booth  was  closed  permanently.  The  Simplex  pro- 
jectors have  been  taken  out  of  service;  one  is  on 
permanent  display  on  the  main  floor  of  Gordon 
Library,  part  of  an  exhibit  celebrating  the  club's 
history.  The  WPI  Social  Committee  now  spon- 
sors the  film  series  started  by  Lens  and  Lights, 
but  club  members  man  the  projectors  behind  the 
scenes.  In  2001,  the  club  moved  its  base  of  oper- 
ations from  Alden  to  the  new  Campus  Center. 

But  Lens  and  Lights  still  provides  lighting, 
audio  and  projection  services  to  the  community, 
as  it  did  40  years  ago.  What's  the  secret  of  its 
success?  In  a  letter  to  the  club  some  years  ago, 
Kent  Multer  '75  summed  it  up:  "I  have  many 
fond  memories  of  the  time  I  spent  with  L  &:  L. 
It  had  (and  I  imagine  it  still  has)  the  distinction 
of  being  more  than  a  typical  student  club;  it's 
more  like  a  business  that  takes  responsibility  for 
serving  the  community,  as  well  as  providing  its 
members  with  a  lot  ol  good  times  and  neai 
techno-toys  to  play  with." 

With  the  advent  of  DVDs  and  digital 
projection  technologies,  the  club  should  have 
no  shortage  ot  neat  toys  to  play  with  or  new 
services  to  oiler  the  community.  Though  the 
technology  may  change,  the  club  will  Likely 
remain  true  to  the  vision  thai  has  kept  it 
going  strong  for  lour  decades. 


John  Schmidt  '64  and  William  Swiger  '64,  Day  founded  the  club  on 
the  model  ot  an  audio-visual  services  business,  providing  lighting, 
audio  and  film  projection  services  to  the  campus  community,  and 

funding  repairs  and  equipment  purchases  by  collecting  lees. 


Man.  who  holdi  a  bachelor'i  degree  in  technical  communication* 
,/>///, i  master's  in  marketing  from  WPI,  is  manager  of  Web 
development  for  the  university  and  advisor  to  Lens  and  Lights. 
You  can  reach  her  .it  trek@wpi.edu. 


4  8      Transformation*    I   Winter  _' 00 J 


Come  back  to  WPI 

WITHOUT  LEAVING  HOME 


Faded  sweatshirts  look  great  as  they  get  older,  but  eventually  they  do 
fade  away.  That  WPI  mug  won't  last  forever,  and  eventually  you  will 
lose  your  cap. ..but  you  don't  have  to  lose  faith. 

This  is  not  a  problem  of  engineering  proportions... not  when  your  WPI 
bookstore  has  all  those  things  and  a  whole  lot  more. 

wpibooks.com 


Jackets,  diploma  frames,  alumni  chairs,  even  afghans  and  stadium 
blankets  are  just  a  click  away  at  wpibooks.com. 

If  it's  easier  for  you  to  call,  our  toll-free  number  is  i-888-wpi-books.. 
and  if  you  happen  to  be  nearby,  come  visit  us  at  our  new  location  in 
the  Campus  Center. 


508-831-5247    •    1- 888- wpi -books    •    Fax:  508-459*6298 
HOURS:  Monday-Thursday  8-7  •  Friday  8-5  •  Saturday  11-5 


I 


Sir  Arthur  C.  Clarke, 

science  fiction  author  and  scree 
for  the  1 968  film  2001:  A  Space 
Odyssey,  made  his  second  visit  to 
campus  on  Nov.  30.  He  first  came  to 
n  1 969  to  deliver  a  lecture  to  an 
audience  that  included  Esther  Goddard, 
widow  of  rocket  pioneer  Robert 
Goddard  '08.  His  latest  visit  was  a 
virtual  one.  He  appeared  in  a  videotap 
(seen  here)  offering  his  predictions  for 
the  next  century,  and  then  answered 
questions  by  telephone  from  his  home 
in  Sri  Lanka  as  part  of  "Imagining  the 
Future:  Visions  of  the  World  to  Come," 
a  multimedia  voyage  into  the  future  held 
in  the  Campus  Center  Odeum.  The  event 
also  featured  a  wide-ranging  discussion 
by  three  panelists:  best-selling  author 
and  artificial  intelligence  pioneer  Ray 
Kurzweil,  Alison  Taunton-Rigby,  o  leader 
in  the  biotechnology  industry,  and 
David  Cyganski  '75,  professor  of 
electrical  and  computer  engineering  at 
WPI.  ScoH  Kirsner,  columnist  for  The 
Boston  Globe,  moderated.  Streaming 
video  of  the  event  can  be  viewed  at 
www.wpi.edu/Newj/Esvents/Fulure/ 
To  request  o  copy  of  the  complete  video, 
contact  Transformations  (see  the  mast- 
head on  page  2  for  contact  information). 
A  report  on  me  event  will  appear  in  the 
Spring  2002  issue. 


r 


^j 


^ 


A    Journal    of    People    and    Change 


Profiles  in  Giving 


Sherri  Curria  '93 

Gift  Arrangement:  Planned  Bequest/Individual  Retirement 
Account  (IRA)  or  other  Qualified  Retirement  Plan 


On  Planning  for  the  Future 

Individual  retirement  accounts  and  other  qualified  retirement 
plans  are  great  ways  to  put  money  aside  for  retirement  and 
save  on  taxes  at  the  same  time.  But  while  they  make  excellent 
vehicles  for  retirement  planning,  these  investments  have  a 
significant  drawback  when  it  comes  to  estate  planning.  The 
fact  is,  retirement  funds  are  typically  one  of  the  most  heavily 
taxed  assets  in  any  estate.  However,  by  making  a  charitable 
institution  the  ultimate  beneficiary,  it's  possible  to  avoid  the 
substantial  taxes  typically  incurred  when  passing  qualified 
retirement  plans  on  to  one's  heirs.  It's  easy  to  do,  it  can  be 
done  at  any  age,  and  the  decision  can  be  reversed,  if  so 
desired,  at  anv  time. 


On  Gift  Planning  at  WPI 

That's  what  Sherri  Curria  discovered  recently  when,  in  the 
process  of  changing  jobs,  she  realized  that  she  would  have  to 
roll  her  401  (k)  plan  into  an  IRA.  Though  it  hadn't  accumu- 
lated a  great  deal  of  value,  she  thought  it  would  be  a  great 
way  to  give  something  back  to  the  university.  "It's  conven- 
ient," she  says.  "Can  I  give  WPI  $100,000  now?  I  wish! 
But  can  I  give  the  $100,000  in  the  future?  Sure!  And  the 
funds  are  already  separate  from  my  other  retirement  assets, 
so  it  won't  take  anything  away  from  my  family.  It's  a  great 
way  to  support  WPI  in  the  long  term." 


For  more  information  on  how  to  make  WPI  the  ultimate  beneficiary  of  an  IRA  or  other  qualified  retirement  plan, 
call  1-888-974-4438  or  e-mail  planned-giving@wpi.edu. 


Action! 

The  sun  was  sinking  in  the  March  sky  as  the  film  crew  began 
setting  up  in  Reunion  Plaza.  A  small  army  of  technicians  and 
production  assistants  quickly  assembled  a  track  for  the  camera 
to  glide  along,  set  up  lights  and  microphones,  ran  cables, 
and  swept  melting  snow  from  the  brick  walkway. 

While  the  director  lined  up  the  shot  through  his  view- 
finder,  a  growing  crowd  of  students,  faculty  and  staff  gathered 
to  watch.  Finally,  there  was  a  call  for  quiet.  The  camera  and 
tape  recorder  were  set  in  motion,  the  clapper  was  clapped, 
and  the  assistant  director  called,  "Action!" 

As  several  student  "extras"  ambled  across  the  plaza,  Lauren 
Beaumont  '03  addressed  the  camera.  "When  tomorrow's  inno- 
vations are  made,"  she  said,  "I'll  be  there."  She  turned  to  walk 
into  the  distance,  but  quickly  bumped  shoulders  with  another 
student.  "Cut!"  cried  the  director.  "Let's  try  it  again." 

Several  takes  later,  the  final  scene  for  WPI's  first  television 
commercial  was  in  the  can.  The  30-second  spot,  known  as 
"WPI  Was  There,"  paints  a  portrait  of  a  university  with  a 
heritage  of  innovation  that  takes  a  different  approach  to 
technological  education.  It  is  the  most  widely  visible  element 
in  WPI's  new  marketing  program,  a  multifaceted  initiative 
aimed  at  making  more  people  aware  of  this  institution  and 
the  remarkable  education  it  offers. 

The  brochure  bound  into  this  issue  of  Transformations 
tells  the  story  of  the  planning  behind  this  new  endeavor,  outlines 
its  various  elements,  and  explains  its  goals.  One  of  the  most 
important  of  those  goals  is  helping  every  member  of  the  WPI 
family  understand  that  they  have  a  role  to  play  in  enhancing 
the  university's  reputation,  and  much  to  gain  as  more  people 
come  to  appreciate  the  qualities  that  make  WPI  distinctive. 


As  you'll  see  in  the  message  from  WPI  Alumni  Association 
president  Dusty  Klauber  '67  on  page  30,  the  association  has 
made  supporting  the  university's  new  marketing  program  one 
of  its  two  priorities  for  the  upcoming  year.  As  Klauber  put  it 
in  his  message  to  alumni  at  Reunion,  "Given  the  urgency  we 
have  placed  on  the  need  to  become  recognized  as  the  leader 
in  undergraduate  technological  education,  we  must  find  a  way 
to  leverage  the  power  of  our  26,000  alumni.  We  must  engage 
them  in  our  marketing  effort  and  create  an  army  of  WPI 
missionaries  determined  to  make  WPI  a  household  name." 

Armies  live  or  die  on  good  intelligence.  Through 
Transformations,  we  will  continue  to  do  our  best  to  keep  you 
informed  about  what's  new  and  exciting  here  on  the  home 
front.  But  that's  just  a  start.  I  encourage  you  to  do  some 
reconnaissance  of  your  own.  Wade  into  the  sea  of  information 
available  on  the  WPI  Web  site,  www.wpi.edu.  The  new  home 
page  and  News  pages  are  good  starting  points.  Get  back  to 
campus,  if  you  can,  to  see  what  a  remarkable  place  your  alma 
mater  is  today. 

And  once  you  have  all  that  good  information,  don't  keep 
it  to  yourself.  Share  it  with  friends,  colleagues,  young  people. 
Marketers  know  that  there's  no  communication  vehicle  quite  so 
effective  as  word  of  mouth.  Your  26,000  voices,  all  telling  our 
story,  can  do  much  to  advance  the  mission  of  WPI — as  much, 
perhaps,  as  the  best  television  commercial. 

Michael  W.  Dorsey 

Editor 


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Scenes  from  a  shoot:  Lauren  Beaumont  '03  was  chosen  to 
deliver  the  opening  and  closing  lines  in  WPI's  new  television 
commercial.  In  the  first  photo,  she  watches  director  Michael  Grasso 
line  up  the  opening  shot  in  front  ofBoynton  Hall.  In  the  next  two, 
Kristin  Wobbe,  associate  professor  of  chemistry  and  biochemistry,  keeps 
a  wary  eye  out  as  a  camera  dolly  is  wheeled  through  her  laboratory. 
Finally,  Beaumont  waits  patiently  as  the  film  crew  prepares  to  capture 
her  reading  of  the  final  line  near  the  end  of  a  long  day  of  shooting. 


Ud  Ahead 


Sept 

20-21 

Nov. 

6-9 

Dec. 

2 

Dec. 

4 

Homecoming 

Frontiers  in  Education  2002 
(Boston  Park  Plaza  Hotel;  hosted  by  WPI) 

Manufacturing  Our  Future:  The  Summit 

President's  IQP  Awards  Ceremony 

All  events  take  place  on  the  WPI  campus,  unless  otherwise  noted. 


Features 


12    Hearing  Voices 

Aviation  accidents  raise  two  big  questions:  what  happened,  and  can 
we  stop  it  from  happening  again?  Cockpit  voice  recorder  analyst 
Anna  Cushman  '91  helps  find  the  answers.  By  Ray  Bert  '93 

1 6    After  the  Fall 

Jonathan  Barnett's  expertise  in  building  fire  safety  earned  him  a  place 
on  an  elite  team  of  engineers  chosen  to  study  the  collapse  of  the 
World  Trade  Center.  By  Joan  Killough-Miller 


Volume  102,  No.  2,  Spring  2002 


More  Than  a  Face  in  the  Crowd 

Facial  recognition  technology  made  by  Viisage  Technology,  a 
company  led  by  Denis  Berube  '65,  is  helping  make  the  world  safer 
and  more  secure.  By  Laurance  S.  Morrison 


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27    The  Unseen  City 

Whether  it's  a  fog-shrouded  bridge  in  Elm  Park  late  at  night  or  debris 
in  a  deserted  field,  Kirk  Jalbert  '98  finds  beauty  and  mystery  in  the 
Worcester  we  rarely  see.  By  Joan  Killough-Miller 


On  the  Covers 

Front:  In  the  blink  of  an  eye,  facial  recognition  technology  can  find  one  face  in  a  million. 

Photo  illustration  by  Patrick  O'Connor,  Steven  Pascal  and  Michael  Sherman. 

Back:  Photography  by  Patrick  O'Connor. 


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A      JOURNAL      OF      PEOPLE      AND      CHANGE 


Inside  WPI    7 


Departments 


Hearing  Voices    1 2 


Letters 

Campus  Buzz      4/6 

A  Few  Words      5 

Inside  WPI 

Investigations 

Explorations 

Class  Notes 

Time  Machine     48 


www.wpi.eduA  Transformations 


The  online  edition  of  the  Spring  2002  Transformations  has  a  host  of  features  and  links  related  to  the 
stories  in  this  issue.  You  will  find  a  link  to  the  full  report  of  the  World  Trade  Center  Building 
Performance  Assessment  Team,  along  with  details  about  the  extensive  news  coverage  the  study  earned 
for  WPI.  You'll  also  read  about  Anna  Cushman's  analysis  of  the  cockpit  voice  recording  that  helped 
crack  the  mystery  of  the  plane  crash  that  killed  golfer  Payne  Stewart,  and  coverage  of  last  November's 
forward-looking  symposium,  "Imagining  the  Future."  While  you're  online,  send  us  your  news,  write  a 
letter  to  the  editor,  or  chat  with  fellow  readers  in  the  Transformations  forum  in  the  Alumni  Cafe. 


Transformations    \   Spring  2002     3 


Letters  to  the  Editor 


Dean  Kamen,  center,  was  the 
speaker  at  WPI's  first  indoor 
graduation  since  1 989. 


To  the  Editor 

I  just  wanted  to  let  you 
know  how  much  I  enjoyed 
the  new  WPI  magazine. 
I  never  read  a  WPI 
magazine  before,  unless 
it  included  an  article  on 
someone  I  knew.  You  have 
now  produced  a  really 
worthwhile  publication. 
Congratulations.  It  is  an  enormous 
improvement  over  anything  WPI 
has  produced  previously. 

Andrew  Montelli  '82 

Weston,  Conn. 


To  the  Editor 

I  was  delighted  to  receive  the  Winter 
2002  issue  of  Transformations.  WPI 
needs  to  get  its  educational  story 
told.  I  have  been  getting  letters  from 
some  of  my  recent  students,  now  in 
various  colleges  across  the  country, 
and  from  my  former  WPI  students, 
whose  children  are  now  in  college. 

What  intrigues  me  is  the  increased 
interest  in  emphasis  on  the  kind  of 
hands-on  courses  and  the  number 
of  project-type  programs  these 
young  people  are  now  taking. 
While  few  institutions  would  want 
to  acknowledge  that  their  programs 
had  their  genesis  in  some  other 
institution,  I  wish  there  was  a  way  to 
let  other  people  know  of  the  source. 

I  have  been  gone  long  enough  so  that  most 
of  the  names  mentioned  in  your  articles  are 
unknown  to  me.  Still,  I  am  delighted  that 
WPI  people  are  still  making  a  difference  in 
the  lives  of  other  people,  and  it  is  always  a 
pleasure  to  find  a  name  or  two  in  the  class 
notes  that  bring  back  memories  of  those  I 
once  knew  while  I  was  there. 

John  van  Alstyne 

Ashville,  N.G 

Former  Dean  of  Academic  Advising  and 

Professor  of  Mathematics 


(Continued  on  page  46) 


4      Tr  a  n  sfo  r  m  at  ions    j    Sp  ring   2  002 


\ 


Dean  Kamen  Addresses  Graduates 

Technological  visionary  Dean  Kamen  '73  addressed  graduates  at  WPI's 
1  34th  Commencement  exercises  on  May  1 8.  A  master  at  turning  "what  ifs"  into 
lucrative  products,  he  has  received  numerous  awards  and  honors,  including  the 
National  Medal  of  Technology,  for  such  innovations  as  the  first  portable  drug 
infusion  pump,  the  IBOT  (see  Transformations,  Winter  2002)  and  the  Segway 
Human  Transporter  (Kamen  rode  a  Segway  in  the  procession). 


Founder  and  CEO  of  DEKA  Research  &  Development  Corp.,  Kamen  entered 
WPI  in  1 969,  but  left  before  completing  his  degree.  The  university  awarded 
him  an  honorary  doctorate  in  1  992  and  its  first  Presidential  Medal  in  2001 .  His  passion  for 
inspiring  American  youth  to  pursue  careers  in  science  and  engineering  led  him  to  found 
FIRST  (For  Inspiration  and  Recognition  of  Science  and  Technology),  which  sponsors  a  national 
robotics  competition  that  teams  professional  engineers  with  high  school  students  from  around 
the  country. 

Honorary  degrees  were  presented  to  George  A.  Cowan  '41,  participant  in  the  Manhattan 
Project  and  a  leading  authority  on  nuclear  weapons  diagnostics,  David  M.  Lederman, 

founder  of  ABIOMED  Inc.,  developer  of  the  first  self-contained,  implantable  artificial  heart, 
and  Sheila  Tobias,  leading  authority  and  author  on  mathematics  and  science  education. 


Fisler,  Kazantzis  Join  a  Growing  Constellation  of  Stars 

The  CAREER  Award  is  the  National  Science  Foundation's  most  prestigious  research  award  for 
new  faculty  members.  WPI's  most  recent  winners  are  Kathryn  Fisler,  assistant  professor  of 
computer  science,  and  Nikolaos  Kazantzis,  assistant  professor  of  chemical  engineering. 
The  grant,  which  typically  includes  five  years  of  funding  for  a  major  research  project, 
recognizes  young  faculty  members  who  show  unusual  promise  as  researchers  and  educators. 
The  award  supports  those  teacher-scholars  who  are  most  likely  to  become  the  academic 
leaders  of  the  21st  century,  according  to  the  NSF. 

Over  the  past  eight  years,  1 4  WPI  professors  have  received  CAREER  Awards,  an  impressive 
number  for  a  small  university,  and  a  reflection  of  the  university's  success  in  attracting  out- 
standing educators  and  researchers  to  its  faculty,  notes  William  Durgin,  associate  provost 
for  academic  affairs.  'This  would  be  an  enviable  record  for  a  major  university,"  he  says. 
"For  WPI,  it  is  testimony  to  the  quality  of  new  faculty  members  who  have  joined  us  and  their 
commitment  to  establish  solid  research  programs." 

Fisler  received  her  award  for  the  project  "A  Computational  Infrastructure  for  Timing  Diagrams 
in  Computer-Aided  Verification."  Kazantzis  received  his  award  for  "Digital  Model-based  Fault 
Detection  and  Isolation  for  Nonlinear  Processes." 


now  wnen  i  rninK  anour  me  won 

is  possible,  about  simple,  fundament! 

the  building  blocks  of  f  he-ideas. 


Curtis  R.  Carlson  ?67 

President  and  CEO,  SRI  International 


An  Interview  by  Laurance  S.  Morrison 


I' 


T? 


A  member  of  two  Emmy-winning  teams  and 
a  professional  violinist,  Curtis  R.  Carlson 
heads  a  56-year-old  organization  that  has 
been  called  "the  soul  of  Silicon  Valley." 
SRI  innovations  range  from  household 
detergents  to  the  siting  of  Disneyland  to 
the  computer  mouse  to  high-definition  TV. 
Carlson  spoke  with  Transformations  about 
the  interplay  of  the  dynamic  global  land- 
scape and  the  SRI  passionate  turn  of  mind. 

When  you  look  at  the  rate  of 
progress  around  the  world, 
what  do  you  see? 

In  this  knowledge-based  global  economy, 
where  moving  ever  faster  only  allows  us 
to  keep  up,  we  see  the  broader  truth  of 
Moore's  Law:  price-performance  relation- 
ship improves  by  100  percent  every  18  to 
24  months.  Internet  speed  doubles  in  a 
year  and  content  doubles  in  half  that  time. 
The  way  to  thrive  is  to  rethink  and  innovate, 
always  faster,  and  to  foster  commercial 
investment  in  fundamental  developments 
and  discoveries  at  a  significant  scale  so 
people  everywhere  can  live  improved  lives. 

What  makes  a  good 
SRI  project? 

Our  thoughtfully  assembled  multidiscipli- 
nary  project  teams  devote  their  energy  to 
important  problems,  not  just  interesting 
concerns.  Our  projects  pose  a  fundamental 
need,  present  a  sense  of  utgency,  call  for 
existing  resources  and,  often,  affect  large 
numbers  of  people.  Because  we  aim  to 
change  for  the  better  the  way  life  is  lived, 
we  strive  to  achieve  not  just  cancer  cures,  but 
illiteracy  cures.  For  a  sizable  subpar  K-12 
public  school  system,  we  developed  for  stu- 
dents a  cheap,  light,  hand-held,  interactive 
wireless  device  that  works  as  a  teacher's  aide. 
We  want  our  innovative  solutions  to  advance 
the  goals  of  our  clients  and  partners  because 
their  consumers,  in  turn,  can  adopt  and 
literally  live  with  the  resulting  products  and 
services  for  the  benefits  they  bring.  Much 
of  our  work  has  military  applications  and, 
now,  homeland  security  applications. 


How  do  SRI  project  teams 
function? 

The  SRI  approach  and  the  essence  of  the 
WPI  Plan  overlap.  Important  questions 
animate  passionate  people  here  24/7.  We 
propose  and  critique  a  short,  tight,  catchy, 
compelling  picture  of  what  we  want  to 
achieve.  We  call  it  our  value  proposition.  It 
enables  us  to  put  our  finger  on  exponential 
opportunity  to  serve  basic  human  values, 
which  is  good  business.  We  brainstorm,  feel 
the  tingle  of  a  powerful  idea,  test  its  practi- 
cality, pigeonhole  risk,  and  readily  shuck 
such  undesirable  outcomes  as  unwanted 
drug  side  effects.  We  then  position  the 
innovation  so  its  particular  publics  can 
embrace  its  value.  Sometimes  we  spin  out 
a  company  to  lead  a  newborn  industry  in  a 
marketplace  where  needs  await  satisfaction. 
We're  engaged  in  large  and  comprehensive 
work,  because  it  is  fundamental.  This 
springboards  innovation.  Innovation  isn't 
luck.  We  see  it  as  a  managed  process. 

In  big  science,  what  is  the 
government's  role? 

It  can  serve  in  its  traditional  role  as  a  signifi- 
cant funder,  and  as  a  referee  on  ethics, 
alrhough  at  SRI  our  process  of  innovation 
and  value  creation  naturally  tends  to  resolve 
many  such  matters.  Science  is  embarked 
upon  'species  evolution'  and  artificial  intelli- 
gence. With  the  decoding  of  the  human 
genome,  scientists  understand  more  fully 
the  interaction  of  proteins.  Biology  can  be 
employed  at  the  information  level.  A  family 
doctor  may  view  DNA  analysis  as  if  it  were 
a  software  program.  We  have  gene  therapy 
and  cloning,  and  we  now  look  seriously  at 
producing  embedded  computer  chips  to 
monitor  our  health  arid  dispense  medica- 
tions as  needed.  Government  can  help  work 
out  standards  and  procedures.  All  of  us 
must  be  concerned  with  the  consequences 
of  our  work  and  debate  the  emerging  issues 
in  depth  so  that  we  proceed  with  our  eyes 
wide  open. 


Do  you  distinguish  between 
the  artist's  intuition  and  the 
scientist's  insight? 

They  come  from  the  same  thing.  It  isn't  one 
"Ah-ha!'  experience,  but  a  series  of  incre- 
mental steps,  little  discoveries,  a  couple  of 
bigger  ones  and  lots  of  hard  work  in  finding, 
or  fashioning,  order  and  coherence.  When 
one  is  on  to  a  really  good  experience  in 
music  or  science,  there  is  the  same  sense  of 
joy  and  euphoria.  I  have  played  a  Mozart 
quintet  in  synchrony  with  other  musicians 
such  rhat  we  were  fused  together.  I  had  chills. 
At  the  end  of  the  piece,  we  were  silent,  then 
we  hugged  each  other.  I  see  that  in  our  SRI 
project  teams.  It  is  intensely  satisfying  to 
watch  as  others  reach  their  dreams. 

So  what  is  your  job? 

I  get  to  work  with  champions.  Passionate 
people  who  prize  their  work  and  their  goals. 
I  champion  champions.  That's  my  passion. 

Has  your  WPI  degree  in 
physics  proven  useful? 

Physics  was  the  perfect  subject  to  study 
because  it  involves  the  basics  for  how  the 
world  works.  Now  when  I  think  about  the 
world  I  think  about  what  is  possible,  about 
simple,  fundamental  ideas,  about  the  build- 
ing blocks  of  the  ideas.  I  just  wish  the  WPI 
Plan  had  been  in  place  when  I  was  a  stu- 
dent. I  would  have  loved  it.  I  still  look  at 
the  theoretical  and  the  practical.  In  this, 
WPI  offers  a  perfect  balance.  I'm  drawn 
to  fundamentals  and  how  to  apply  them 
deliberately  to  make  genuine  contributions. 
That's  why  I'm  here  at  SRI. 

— Morrison  heads  a  full-service  communica- 
tions firm  based  in  Sturbridge,  Mass. 


Transformations    I   Spring  2002     5 


.   ■:     ■ 


News  From  the 
Playing  Fields  of  WPI 

Kerri  Coleman  (above),  a  junior 
majoring  in  biochemistry,  became 
WPl's  first  female  Ail-American  in 
track  and  field  in  March.  She 
secured  her  place  in  sports  history 
by  hurling  the  shot  45  feet,  9  1  /4 
inches  (a  personal  best)  at  the 
NCAA  Division  III  National  Indoor 
Track  Meet  at  Ohio  Northern 
University.  The  toss  also  earned 
her  4th  place  in  the  event. 

Melvin  G.  Massucco,  who  during 
his  29  years  at  WPI  served  as  director  of 
intramurals,  physical  education  instructor, 
head  football  coach  and  head  golf  coach, 
died  in  March  at  the  age  of  76.  He 
retired  from  WPI  in  1  996. 

Whit  Griffith  is  retiring  from  his  post  of 
more  than  20  years  as  men's  and  women's 
swimming  and  diving  coach,  director  of 
aquatics  and  assistant  to  the  athletic 
director  for  club  sports. 

Merl  Norcross,  professor  emeritus  of 
physical  education  and  athletics,  won't  be 
hanging  up  his  track  shoes  any  time  soon. 
He  recently  completed  his  50th  year  of 
involvement  with  WPl's  track  and  field 
program;  he  has  been  assistant  coach  of 
the  men's  and  women's  teams  since  his 
retirement  in  1 994.  A  member  of  the  WPI 
Athletic  Hall  of  Fame,  he  was  named 
Division  III  New  England  Coach  of  the 
Year  in  1 987. 


•      Transformat  ions    \    Spring   2002 


FIRST  LEGO  League  challenges  middle-school  students 
to  discover  the  fun  of  engineering  and  science. 
Thousands  of  teams  across  the  U.S.  compete  in 
tournaments  like  RoboNautica,  held  at  WPI  in  March. 


Robot  Contest  Makes  Engineering  Fun 

How  do  you  get  boys  and  girls  excited  about  science  and  engineering?  For  the  organizers  of 
RoboNautica,  the  answer  is:  brick  by  brick.  LEGO  bricks,  to  be  exact.  The  event,  billed  as  a 
"tech-know-logical  voyage,"  brought  teams  of  middle  schoolers  from  Massachusetts,  Rhode 
Island,  Connecticut  and  Pennsylvania  to  campus  in  March  to  pit  their  robots,  made  from  LEGO 
bricks,  sensors,  motors  and  gears,  against  one  another  in  a  friendly  competition. 

The  event,  sponsored  by  Intel,  was  modeled  on  the  events  of  the  FIRST  LEGO  League,  a  junior 
version  of  the  national  FIRST  robotics  competition  organized  by  Dean  Kamen  '73.  "During  a 
1 0-week  season,  each  LEGO  League  team  develops  its  own  strategy  to  solve  the  year's 
challenge,  then  builds  robots  based  on  that  strategy,"  notes  Michael  Sherman,  WPl's  design 
director  and  organizer  of  the  event.  "They  then  compete  in  tournaments  that  let  them  see  how 
different  and  clever  their  solutions  can  be." 

"Programs  like  RoboNautica  are  a  great  step  toward  helping  middle  school  students  enjoy  the 
world  of  engineering,"  says  Robert  W.  Richardson,  East  Coast  education  program  manager 
for  the  FIRST  LEGO  League.  "It  underscores  the  message  that  math  and  science  are  important 
subjects  in  which  to  excel." 


Speakers  at  the  molecular  engineering  workshop  included,  standing,  from  left,  Joel  M.  Schnur,  director  of  the 
Naval  Research  Laboratory  Center  for  Bio/Molecular  Science  and  Engineering,  Leonard  Polizzotto  '70,  vice 
president  of  international  business  development  at  SRI  International,  Richard  S.  Quimby,  associate  professor 
of  physics  at  WPI,  and  sitting,  from  left,  John  L.  LaMattina,  president  of  Pfizer  Worldwide  Research,  Richard 
A.  DeMillo,  vice  president  and  chief  technology  officer  at  Hewlett-Packard,  W.  Grant  McGimpsey,  professor 
of  chemistry  and  biochemistry  at  WPI,  and  Nancy  Burnham,  associate  professor  of  physics. 

A  Big  Event  in  the  Science  of  the  Very  Small 

Once  the  stuff  of  science  fiction,  nanotechnology,  the  ability  to  construct  and  control  materials 
at  the  molecular  level,  "has  already  resulted  in  important  breakthroughs  that  will  have  a  direct 
impact  on  almost  every  aspect  of  life,"  says  William  Durgin,  WPl's  associate  provost  for 
academic  affairs. 

In  March,  corporate,  government  and  academic  leaders  gathered  at  WPI  to  discuss  what  the 
next  five  years  might  bring  in  nanotechnology,  also  called  molecular  engineering,  during  WPl's 
second  annual  International  Corporate/ Academic  Roundtable  on  Emerging  Technologies.  Topics 
of  the  more  than  10  presentations  included  biological  sensors,  ethics,  leveraging  biomechanics, 
and  leveraging  the  genome.  The  experts  included  three  WPI  faculty  members:  Grant 
McGimpsey,  Richard  Quimby  and  Thomas  Shannon 

Durgin  says  the  roundtable  was  designed  to  serve  the  diverse  interests  of  its  various  audiences. 
"As  scientists  and  engineers,  we  want  to  increase  our  understanding  and  improve  our  ability  to 
use  that  new  knowledge.  As  policy  makers,  we  want  to  make  sure  developments  are  ethically 
and  morally  responsible  as  well  as  useful.  As  academics,  we  want  to  make  sure  we  have  the 
creativity  and  structure  to  teach  newfound  knowledge  and  give  our  students  the  tools  and 
resources  to  expand  on  these  fundamental  developments." 


Writing  the  Boolc(s) 
on  American 
Literature 

By  Bonnie  Gelbwasser 


t    i 


■ft) 


X 


Want  to  know  something — anything — about  American  literature  published  in  the  mid-  19th  century? 
Chances  are,  what  you're  looking  for  is  somewhere  in  the  pages  of  10  reference  works  edited  in  less 
than  seven  years  by  Kent  P.  Ljungquist  (above,  left)  and  Wesley  T.  Mott,  professors  of  English  at  WPI. 


"The  literary  answer  to  an  encyclopedia, 
these  1 0  volumes  comprise  the  standard 
reference  sources  on  the  period  for  public 
and  private  libraries,"  Ljungquist  says.  Adds 
Mott,  "Our  audience  includes  high  school 
students,  college  students  and  college  pro- 
fessors, and  we  know  that  these  books  are 
standard  reading  for  doctoral  exams  in 
American  and  European  universities." 
Mott  and  Ljungquist  selected  the 
more  than  1,200  writers,  theologians, 
philosophers,  educators,  scholars,  politicians, 
scientists,  artists  and  reformers  to  profile  in 
the  10  volumes  and  handpicked  the  scholars 
(including  several  WPI  faculty  members) 
to  write  the  essays.  "Most  important," 
Ljungquist  says,  "we  provided  a  substantial 
introductory  essay  for  each  volume  that 
synthesizes  the  historical  and  intellectual 
background  of  the  period." 


The  professors  brought  impressive 
credentials  as  "Americanists"  to  their  task. 
Ljungquist  is  one  of  the  world  s  leading 
authorities  on  the  life  and  writings  of  Edgar 
Allan  Poe.  Known  for  his  critical  analyses 
of  Poe's  writings,  in  1991  he  determined 
that  an  unsigned  review  of  Poe's  series  on 
"Autography"  that  appeared  in  1841  was, 
in  fact,  written  by  Poe  himself.  Three  of 
his  volumes  were  part  of  the  Dictionary 
of  Literary  Biography  (DLB)  series, 
published  by  Bruccoli  Clark  Laymen.  The 
publisher  chose  his  Antebellum  Writers 
in  the  South  as  the  most  distinguished 
DLB  volume  published  in  2001. 

Mott,  an  expert  on  Henry  David 
Thoreau,  Ralph  Waldo  Emerson  and  other 
Transcendentalists,  is  vice  president  of 
publications  and  a  member  of  the  editorial 
advisory  board  for  the  1 ,800-member 


Thoreau  Society.  He  is  also  president  of 
the  Ralph  Waldo  Emerson  Society  and 
publisher  of  its  WPI-based  newsletter, 
Emerson  Society  Papers. 

Mott  and  Ljungquist  are  part  of  a 
group  within  WPI's  Department  of 
Humanities  and  Arts  that  has  published 
volumes  in  the  standard  edition  of  works 
of  several  19th  century  giants.  The  group 
includes  Joel  Brattin,  recognized  authority 
on  Charles  Dickens,  and  Assistant  Provost 
Lance  Schachterle,  known  for  his  textual 
editing  of  the  works  of  James  Fenimore 
Cooper.  "This  body  of  work  is  remarkable 
not  only  for  its  scope,  but  for  the  fact  that 
these  works  were  produced  by  professors 
at  a  technological  university,"  Mott  says. 
"They  have  created  a  reputation  for  a  certain 
kind  of  hard-nosed  scholarship  emanating 
from  the  English  group  at  WPI." 


Transformations    \    Spring  2002     7 


Helping  Diabetics  Keep  Their  Sight 


Below:  the  photo  on  the  left  is  a  phosphorescence- 
intensity  image  of  the  blood  vessels  in  the 
retina  of  a  mouse,  which  radiate  out  from  the 
optic  nerve  at  the  center.  The  image  on  the 
right,  of  the  same  retina,  is  a  two-dimensional 
map  of  oxygen  tension.  Maps  like  this  are 
helping  Ross  Shonat  gain  a  better 
understanding  of  how  oxygen  is  delivered 
to  the  retina  and  the  role  that  oxygen 
metabolism  and  delivery  play  in  the  early 
phases  of  diabetic  retinopathy. 


Between  25  and  45  percent  of  the  16  million  diabetics  in  the  United  States  will  likely 
develop  some  degree  of  diabetic  retinopathy,  the  leading  cause  of  blindness.  Ross  Shonat, 
assistant  professor  of  biomedical  engineering  at  WPI,  hopes  his  research  on  the  role  of 
oxygen  in  vascular  diseases  may  help  point  the  way  to  new  ways  to  tteat  and  prevent 
this  condition. 

As  diabetes  progresses,  and  retinopathy  begins  to  develop, 
blood  vessels  lose  their  shape  and  leak,  and  new  vessels  may  start 
to  grow.  Shonat,  whose  research  focuses  on  metabolic  function  and 
oxygenation  in  neural  tissues,  such  as  the  eye  and  brain,  believes 
that  hypoxia,  or  low  levels  of  oxygen  in  the  eye,  may  cause  these 
changes.  He  hopes  to  confirm  this  hypothesis  by  creating  two- 
and  three-dimensional  maps  of  oxygen  tension  in  the  eye.  He  is 
developing  the  technology  to  create  these  maps  with  funding  from 
the  Diabetes-Endocrinology  Research  Center  at  the  University  of 
Massachusetts  Medical  School  and  the  Whitaker  Foundation. 
In  his  laboratory,  Shonat  uses  his  new  mapping  technology  to  measure  the  oxygen  tension 
in  diabetic  and  normal  mice  as  they  age.  The  measurements  are  helping  him  gain  a  better 
understanding  of  how  oxygen  is  delivered  to  the  retina  and  the  role  that  oxygen  metabolism 
and  delivery  play  in  the  eatly  phases  of  diabetic  retinopathy.  This  research  is  also  helping  to 
uncover  the  relationship  between  oxygenation  and  very  early,  sub-clinical  damage  to  the 
tissues  of  the  eye. 

"If  we  can  correlate  abnormalities  in  the  oxygen  levels  with  the  progression  of  diabetic 
retinopathy  in  the  animal  models,"  he  says,  "we  can  give  ophthalmologists  clinically  relevant 
information  they  can  use  to  better  assess  when  and  how  to  treat  this  disease.  They'll  also  have 

a  much  better  chance  of  detecting  diabetic 
retinopathy  early  enough  to  prevent  it 
from  progressing." 

Shonat  says  he  hopes  to  one  day  see  his 
technology  become  the  basis  for  a  routine 
screening  tool  for  this  and  other  eye  diseases, 
including  age-related  macular  degeneration. 
He  says  the  technology  may  also  be  useful  for 
assessing  the  efficacy  of  certain  drugs  that 
may  be  used  to  treat  and  even  reverse  the 
symptoms  of  diabetic  retinopathy. 


8      I  Tit  ni  for  mat  i  on  i    I    Spring   2002 


UHH=- 


Uv 


Curbing  Highway  Fatalities 


Each  year,  about  300  people  die  as  a  result  of  collisions  with  guardrails.  According  to 
Malcolm  Ray,  the  culprits  in  many  of  these  fatalities  are  not  the  guardrails,  themselves, 
but  adjacent  curbs  that  can  cause  drivers  to  lose  control  of  their  vehicles,  and  cause  vehicles 
to  roll  over  or  even  vault  over  the  guardrails. 

Since  the  curbs  are  necessary  to  channel  rainwater  and  prevent  erosion,  the  solution  is 
not  to  remove  them,  but  to  find  ways  to  make  them  work  in  harmony  with  guardrails 
and  other  highway  barriers,  notes  Ray,  Ralph  H.  White  Family  Distinguished 
Professor  in  WPFs  Civil  and  Environmental  Engineering  Department. 

In  research  sponsored  by  the  National  Cooperative  Highway  Research  Program, 
the  research  arm  of  the  American  Association  of  State  Highway  and  Transportation 
Officials  (AASHTO),  with  additional  supporr  from  the  Federal  Highway  Admin- 
istration, Ray  is  determining  the  optimal  combination  of  curb  and  guardrail  designs 
and  configurations,  so  each  can  do  its  intended  job  without  endangering  motorists. 

Traditionally,  research  on  highway  barriers  has  required  full-scale  crash  testing, 
which  can  be  expensive  (about  $35,000  for  a  single  test).  Ray  and  his  research  team 
complete  most  of  their  testing  with  sophisticated  computer  models.  Using  a  nonlinear 
dynamic  finite-element  program  called  LS-DYNA,  the  team  models  vehicles,  curbs 
and  guardrails  and  performs  virtual  crash  tests.  In  a  fracrion  of  rhe  time  it  takes  to  do 
real  tests,  they  can  study  multiple  combinarions  of  curbs,  guardrails,  impact  angles 
and  speeds. 

WPI  is  a  leader  among  the  handful  of  laboratories  around  rhe  world  that  can 
conduct  this  type  of  analysis.  In  fact,  the  university  is  one  of  just  three  sites  in  the 
United  States  designated  by  the  Federal  Highway  Administration  as  centers  of  excellence 
in  finite-element  analysis  modeling.  Ray  says  WPI  will  also  become  a  leader  in  educarion 
in  this  field  this  fall  when  it  inaugurates  the  interdisciplinary  Master  of  Science  in  Impact 
Engineering  program,  the  first  of  its  kind  in  the  world. 

The  results  of  Ray's  research  will  be  included  in  futute  updates  of  AASHTO  s  Policy 
on  Geometric  Design  of  Highways  and  Streets  and  The  Roadside  Design  Guide.  These  guide- 
lines for  designing  safe  highways  are  the  basis  for  design  standards  in  use  in  all  50  states. 
Ray  says  it  is  gratifying  to  see  his  work  put  to  use  so  quickly  to  have  a  real  impacr  on  safety. 

"We  take  real  problems  and  come  up  with  real  solurions  that  are  needed  right  away," 
he  says.  "For  instance,  the  state  of  Pennsylvania  came  to  us  when  it  found  that  it  had  a  system 
of  guardrails  rhat  no  longer  met  federal  guidelines.  Within  a  year  of  our  first  involvement, 
an  improved  guardrail  was  being  installed  on  the  Pennsylvania  highways.  Not  only  do  those 
guardrails  meet  federal  standards,  bur  as  a  result  of  their  installation,  there  will  be  fewer 
fatal  crashes." 


In  the  sequence  below,  from  a 
computer  simulation,  a  2000- 
kilogram  pickup  truck  traveling 
at  1 00  kilometers  per  hour 
collides  with  a  guardrail  and 
a  100-millimeter  curb  at  a  25- 
degree  angle.  Through  studies 
like  this,  completed  with 
sophisticated  finite-element 
analysis  software,  Malcolm  Ray 
and  his  team  are  searching  for 
combinations  of  guardrail  and 
curb  designs  that  will  lower  the 
incidence  of  fatal  accidents  on 
America's  highways. 


"Using  a  nonlinear  dynamic  finite-element  program,  the  team  models 
vehicles,  curbs  and  guardrails  and  performs  virtual  crash  tests/' 


1 

5     Explorations 

By  Michael  Dorsey 

«WJ                                                I 

s 

f  JuSSm 

• 

What  is  a  city's  most  precious  asset?  For 
Fabio  Carrera  '84  ('95  M.S.),  faculty 
member  in  the  Interdisciplinary  and  Global 
Studies  Division,  the  answer  is  simple: 
information.  Dispersed  among  dozens  of 
agencies  and  government  bodies  are  the 
facts  and  figures  that  make  a  city  work  and 
help  it  grow.  To  make  the  best  decisions 
about  a  city's  future,  one  needs  to  see  the 
connections  between  those  bits  of  informa- 
tion, but  in  most  cities,  that's  easier  said 
than  done. 

Carrera  is  an  expert  on  how  cities 
manage  information  and  how  they  can 
do  it  better.  A  Ph.D.  candidate  in  MIT's 
Department  of  Urban  Studies  and  Planning, 
he  has  developed  techniques  for  employing 
technology  to  pull  information  together  and 
make  it  easier  to  access.  I  le  has  developed 
these  techniques  over  more  than  a  decade 
as  director  of  WPI's  student  project  center 
in  his  hometown  of  Venice,  Italy. 


During  that  time,  hundreds  of  WPI 
students  have  completed  what  a  recent 
documentary  on  the  National  Geographic 
Channel  called  "an  epic  survey  of  the 
Venetian  infrastructute."  In  dozens  of 
science,  technology  and  society  projects, 
the  students  have  studied  and  carefully 
cataloged  everything  from  the  city's  canal 
system,  to  its  btidges,  to  its  boat  traffic, 
to  its  ubiquitous  but  neglected  public  art. 

For  example,  under  Carrera's  direction, 
students  have  conducted  an  exhaustive 
study  of  the  city's  canals,  work  that  led  to 
the  creation  of  a  city  agency  to  repair  and 
maintain  these  byways.  Another  series  of 
projects  focused  on  the  damage  done  to 
canal  walls  by  the  wakes  of  cargo  boats. 
I  hose  projects  may  lead  to  an  overhaul  of 
(he  city's  Cargo  delivery  system  thai  could 
remove  ')()  percent  of  the  cargo  traffic 
from  the  canals. 


10    Transformations   |  Spring  200 


Photography  by  Patrick  O'Connor 


'By  bringing  all  of  these  interests  together  into  one 
computerized  system,  we  can  get  departments  to 
work  together  to  make  better  decisions." 


Central  to  the  success  of  those  projects 
was  the  use  of  geographic  information  sys- 
tems (GIS),  sophisticated  spatial  databases 
that  enable  researchers  to  overlay  data  from 
many  sources  to  create  maps  that  make  it 
easy  to  see  how  various  types  of  information 
interrelate  and  interact  in  the  real  world. 

When  Carrera  became  director  of 
WPI's  Boston  Project  Center  a  few  years  ago, 
he  brought  with  him  the  methods  and  ideas 
that  have  played  a  major  role  in  Venice's 
efforts  to  overcome  its  environmental  prob- 
lems and  preserve  its  cultural  heritage. 

This  winter,  six  student  teams  com- 
pleted projects  for  Boston's  Fire  and 
Environment  departments,  the  Boston 
Redevelopment  Authority  (BRA),  the  cities 
of  Cambridge  and  Newton,  the  U.S. 
Environmental  Protection  Agency,  and  the 
Boston  Museum  of  Science  (see  the  online 
Transformations  for  summaries  of  these 
projects).  A  number  of  these  projects 
planted  seeds  that  may  result  in  important 
benefits  for  greater  Boston  in  years  to  come. 

Two  in  particular,  both  conducted 
in  South  Boston,  took  important  steps 
toward  demonstrating  the  power  of  geo- 
graphic information  systems  to  inform 
and  streamline  the  decision-making  process. 
The  first  was  sponsored  by  the  BRA  and 
the  Boston  Landmarks  Commission  (part  of 
the  Environment  Department).  The  BRA 
helps  developers  find  properties  that  match 
their  needs;  the  Landmarks  Commission 
works  to  make  sure  that  redevelopment 
doesn't  destroy  or  alter  historically  signifi- 
cant sites.  The  students  created  an  infor- 
mation system  that  not  only  catalogs  the 
available  properties  in  South  Boston,  but 
identifies  characteristics,  such  as  landmark 
status,  that  can  impact  the  desirability  of  the 
properties  to  developers. 


Beneath  some  of  these  properties  are 
underground  storage  tanks  for  fuel  and 
other  chemicals.  Leakage  from  the  tanks 
can  cause  environmental  problems,  and  the 
tanks  pose  hazards  for  anyone  who  digs  or 
blasts  in  the  vicinity.  It  is  the  responsibility 
of  the  Fire  Department  to  know  where  the 
tanks  are  and  to  periodically  inspect  them, 
but  the  department's  methods  for  collecting 
and  storing  information  about  the  tanks 
are  antiquated. 

A  second  student  team  began  the 
process  of  developing  a  computer  cataloging 
and  mapping  system  for  the  tanks.  The 
system  will  ultimately  be  integrated  with 
the  system  developed  by  the  first  South 
Boston  team  and  with  other  geographic 
information  systems  to  create  a  powerful 
tool  for  managing  the  city  more  holistically. 

"The  interests  of  many  city  departments 
intersect,  and  the  connections  are  usually 
about  space,"  Carrera  says.  "One  agency 
worries  about  storage  tanks,  another  about 
historic  preservation,  another  about  parking 
resources.  By  bringing  all  of  these  interests 
together  into  one  computerized  system,  we 
can  get  departments  to  work  together  to 
make  better  decisions,  which  will  ultimately 
benefit  the  city  as  a  whole." 


WPI  undergraduates  working  at  the  Boston  Project  Center 

this  spring  collected,  compiled  and  analyzed  data  to  help 

state  and  local  agencies  improve  the  city.  In  the  field  were 

(from  top,  left  to  right):  Malinda  O'Donnell,  Turin  Pollard  and 

Marvin  Savain,  who  developed  a  system  to  inventory  and 

track  underground  Fuel  storage  tanks;  Brenda  Desmond, 

Vikram  Kheny  and  Christopher  Fitzhugh,  who  studied  how 

traffic  impacts  the  quality  and  accessibility  of  open  space 

in  Chelsea  and  East  Boston;  and  Michael  Moriarity, 

Christopher  Cullen  and  Chirag  Patel,  who  studied  ways 

for  the  City  of  Cambridge  to  better  manage  and 

monitor  its  parking  resources. 


JE.  /      ,i 


Sv   x- 


Transformations    I    Spring  2002     1  1 


J^f 


"The  first  thing  that  struck  me  was  the 
devastation,"  says  Anna  Cushman  '91  of  her  first  look 
at  the  Pentagon  on  the  afternoon  of  Sept.  11.  "The  TV  shots 
I'd  seen  really  didn't  give  you  a  sense  of  the  magnitude  of 
the  destruction. 

"The  Pentagon  is  a  massive,  solid  building,  and  the  gaping 
hole  where  the  roof  had  collapsed  was  mind-boggling.  The 
building  was  completely  disintegrated  inside.  There  were  piles 
of  debris  several  feet  deep  on  the  ground  floor,  and  where  there 
wasn't  debris,  there  was  about  half  a  foot  of  water  or  sludge." 

Somewhere  in  that  massive  pile  of  rubble  lay  two  mangled 
metal  containers  that  might  reveal  what  happened  aboard 
American  Airlines  Flight  77  in  the  minutes  before  terrorists 
crashed  it  into  America's  military  headquarters.  As  a  cockpit 
voice  recorder  analyst  for  the  National  Transportation  Safety 
Board  (NTSB),  it  was  Cushman's  job  to  help  locate  the  air- 
plane's black  boxes,  as  the  voice  and  data  recorders  that  all 
airliners  carry  are  known  informally.  It  was  the  first  crash 
site  she'd  visited. 

Over  the  next  few  days,  working  the  3  p.m.  to  morning 
shift,  she  and  several  other  NTSB  experts  struggled  to  separate 
airplane  parts  from  office  parts.  Early  on  the  morning  of 
Sept.  14,  while  Cushman  was  at  the  site,  the  cockpit  voice 
recorder,  or  CVR,  was  found.  It  was  quickly  transported  across 
the  Potomac  to  the  NTSB  lab  in  Washington,  D.C.,  where 
Cushman  works  with  three  other  analysts,  and  its  data 
was  downloaded. 

Ordinarily,  that  would  have  been  just  the  start  of 
Cushman's  association  with  the  device,  but  this  time,  it  was 
the  end.  The  events  of  Sept.  1 1  had  already  been  classified  as 
criminal  acts,  rather  than  accidents,  so  the  FBI,  which  has  its 
own  forensic  audio  lab,  took  charge  of  the  box  and  its  data. 


Part  science,  part  art  and  part 

human  relations,  Anna  Cushman's 

job  as  a  cockpit  voice  recorder 

analyst  is  to  help  find  out  what  went 

wrong,  and,  maybe,  keep  it  from 

happening  again. 


Photography  by  Patrick  O'Conn 


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That's  also  why  Cushman  can't  say  much  more  about  her 
role  in  that  investigation,  or  about  the  work  she  did  on  the 
recorders  recovered  from  Flight  93,  which  plowed  into  a  field 
in  Pennsylvania  after  passengers  apparently  thwarted  another 
hijacking.  Like  the  Pentagon  CVR,  the  black  box  from  that 
plane  came  to  NTSB  only  for  the  extraction  of  its  data  before 
being  turned  over  to  the  FBI.  The  recorders  from  the  two 
planes  that  struck  the  World  Trade  Center  have  yet  to  be  found. 

Incidents  and  Accidents 

The  air  disasters  of  Sept.  1 1  were  anomalies.  Ordinarily,  the 
cause  of  a  crash  or  other  aviation  incident  remains  at  least 
something  of  a  mystery  until  the  NTSB  conducts  its  investiga- 
tion. And  for  most  of  the  4,000  aviation  incidents  and  acci- 
dents the  agency  investigates  in  a  typical  year,  the  mystery  can 
be  solved  without  consulting  the  CVR.  "The  investigator  in 
charge  determines  whether  it's  necessary  to  download  the  infor- 
mation," Cushman  says.  "If  you  have  a  good  pilot  interview 
and  it's  obvious  what  happened,  you  might  not  need  to." 
Cushman's  group  sees  an  average  of  one  recorder  per 
week,  "though  they  always  seem  to  come  in  five  at  a  time," 
she  says.  Most  come  from  smaller  commercial,  corporate  and 
private  jets,  typically  involved  in  relatively  minor  events  like 
runway  overruns.  "Most  of  the 
incidents  we  get  don't  make  the 
front  page  of  The  Washington  Post — 
they  don't  make  the  Post  at  all," 
Cushman  says. 

"The  CVR  might  point  the 

investigation  in  a  particular 

direction,  but  it  might  turn  out  to  be 

the  wrong  direction.  Because  of  that, 

what's  on  the  recorder  is  considered 

secondary  supporting  evidence 

in  an  investigation." 

Once  a  CVR  has  been  delivered 
to  NTSB,  Cushman  begins  work 
immediately,  day  or  night.  Depen- 
ding on  how  badly  the  unit  has  been 
damaged,  she  may  have  to  cut  the 
box  open  to  get  at  the  tape  or  the 
memory  chip.  She  downloads  the 

audio  information  and  prepares  a  sound  spectrum  analysis  and 
a  transcript.  The  transcript,  in  whole  or  in  part,  may  be  released 
at  public  hearings  and  in  NTSB  reports,  but  because  of  the  sen- 
sitive nature  of  the  sounds  they  contain,  Congress  prohibits  the 
NTSB  from  releasing  the  actual  tapes,  themselves. 

The  transcript  is  prepared  by  a  group,  led  by  Cushman, 
that  includes  representatives  from  the  Federal  Aviation 
Administration,  the  airline  involved,  the  airplane  and  engine 
manufacturers,  and  the  pilots  union.  The  process  can  In- 


tedious:  Cushman  says  a  30-minute  recording  can  take  a  day 
or  more  to  transcribe,  due  to  constant  rechecking  and  the 
subjective  nature  of  trying  to  discern  words  spoken  in  the  loud 
cockpit  environment.  For  a  serious  accident,  "just  the  last  30 
seconds  of  the  recording  can  take  an  hour  to  do,"  she  says. 

Running  a  CVR  meeting  is  an  exercise  in  group  dynamics, 
which  is  why  all  CVR  analysts  must  also  be  pilots.  "It's  hard  to 
get  a  group  of  pilots  to  work  together  when  they  think  you 
don't  know  anything  about  flying,"  she  says.  "For  instance,  if 
you've  never  experienced  it,  you'll  have  a  hard  time  understand- 
ing how  a  pilot  can  be  upside  down  in  the  clouds  and  not  'feel' 
upside  down.  Someone  without  pilot  experience  is  at  risk  of 
being  run  by  the  group,  instead  of  running  the  group." 

Cushman's  technical  expertise  comes  into  play  during 
the  sound  spectrum  analysis,  which  creates  a  set  of  computer- 
generated  waveforms  (amplitude  vs.  time)  and  spectrograms 
(frequency  vs.  time  vs.  amplitude)  that  turn  the  audio  informa- 
tion into  three-dimensional  pictures  and  help  her  identify  the 
likely  source  of  individual  noises.  There's  still  as  much  art  as 
science  to  the  process,  she  says.  "You  may  identify  the  sound  of 
a  hydraulic  pump  amid  the  noise  on  a  Learjet.  But  on  the  next 
Learjet  you  do,  even  if  it's  a  sister  ship,  that  sound  might  not 
record  the  same  way  because  the  mike  might  be  older." 


From  left,  Cushman  holds  a  cockpit  area  microphone.  The  battered,  bright 
orange  case  of  a  cockpit  voice  recorder  recovered  from  a  crashed  airliner. 
The  data  recorders  and  other  mechanisms  of  the  CVR. 


Learning  to  Fly 

"I've  always  been  interested  in  airplanes,  and  I'd  always  wanted 
to  learn  how  to  fly,"  Cushman  says.  Despite  her  interest  in 
aviation,  Cushman  passed  up  the  Air  Force  Academy,  where 
she  was  also  accepted,  to  attend  W'PI.  "1  chose  \\  PI  because 
of  the  projects.  And  all  of  my  projects  were  really  cool.  I  ended 
up  doing  two  projects  lor  NASA,  and  my  Sufficiency  was  on 
photograph)'  in  flight.  Those  projects  got  me  co-op  jobs  at 
I  ex t run  I  vanning." 


I  A     Transformations    |   Spring  2002 


She  played  on  the  tennis  team  ("I  probably  hold  the 
losingest  tecotd  at  WPT,"  she  says.  "I  can  count  on  one  hand 
the  numbet  of  times  I  won  in  fout  years.")  and  was  a  member 
of  Alpha  Gamma  Delta  sorority.  With  a  degree  in  mechanical 
engineering,  she  graduated  in  1991,  a  low  point  for  the  aero- 
space industry.  Facing  a  dismal  job  market,  she  opted  to  accept 
a  scholarship  and  earn  a  master's  degree  at  Tufts  University.  In 
1993,  she  found  a  job  at  Sikorsky  Aircraft  in  Stratford,  Conn., 
teaching  helicopter  ground  school  hopefuls  about  hydraulic 
and  electrical  systems.  She  moved  on  to  do  engineering  work, 
including  waveform  analysis  in  radar  cross-section  studies, 
similar  to  her  current  sound  specttum  work  at  NTSB. 

Sikotsky  had  one  especially  enticing  perk:  an  education 
benefit  that  enabled  her  to  realize  her  longstanding  ambition  to 
earn  her  pilots  license.  The  program  produced  an  unexpected 
bonus:  Cushman  met  her  husband,  Jan  Fredrik  Wold,  while  at 
flight  school.  Actually,  she  admits  somewhat  sheepishly,  he  was 
her  instructor.  "We  didn't  start  dating  until  he  was  no  longer  my 
instructor — that  should  be  made  clear!"  she  adds  with  a  laugh. 

As  a  pilot  in  training,  and  one  whose  husband  flies  planes 
for  a  living,  Cushman  found  herself  developing  an  interest  in 
flight  safety.  Checking  out  the  NTSB  Web  site  one  day,  she 
saw  a  posting  for  a  CVR  analyst,  and  after  some  internal 


Black  Box 


The  first  thing  you  notice  about  a  "black  box"  is  that  it  is  neither 
black  nor  a  box.  Modern  flight  data  and  cockpit  voice  recorders 
tend  to  be  flat  plates,  roughly  the  size  of  a  shoebox,  with  cylin- 
drical and  squarish  protuberances  that  contain  the  units'  digital 
memory  modules.  To  make  them  easy  to  spot  at  a  crash  scene 
(or,  sometimes,  well  removed  from  the  wreckage),  they're  painted 
bright  orange.  They're  also  equipped  with  radio  beacons  to 
make  them  easier  to  locate  under  water. 

_— —  Typically  attached  to  an  airplane's  rearmost  bulkhead,  where 

„  |  they  are  most  likely  to  survive  a  crash,  the  recorders  are  designed 

to  withstand  intense  heat  and  extreme  G  forces.  Still,  some  arrive  at 
the  NTSB  looking  like  defeated  Robot  Wars  combatants.  "When  we  started  getting  the 
older  recorders  back  with  [extensive]  damage,  we  issued  a  recommendation  to  the  FAA 
to  change  the  law  and  increase  the  structural  and  heat  requirements,"  Anna  Cushman 
says.  Most  airlines  will  switch  to  newer,  tougher  digital  units  by  2005. 

The  data  recorder  tracks  an  airplane's  altitude,  airspeed  and  other  vital  flight 
parameters.  The  voice  recorder  stores  four  separate  channels  of  audio.  Three  capture 
the  feed  from  the  pilot's  and  copilot's  headsets  and  a  cockpit  area  microphone  usually 
mounted  above  the  instrument  panel.  The  fourth  channel,  originally  designated  for  a 
flight  engineer,  now  often  records  the  announcements  made  over  the  plane's  public 
address  system.  The  microphones  pick  up  engine  noises,  the  sounds  of  mechanical 
devices  (like  landing  gear  deploying),  warning  signals,  conversations  with  air  traffic 
control  or  other  pilots,  automated  weather  briefings,  and  other  noises  that  can 
provide  clues  about  the  causes  of  a  crash  or  other  incident.   — RB 


debate,  she  applied  just  before  the  closing  date.  "When  the 
offer  came  my  way,  I  couldn't  tefuse  it,"  she  says. 

Ironically,  her  husband's  occupation,  which  was  one  of 
the  reasons  she  ended  up  at  NTSB,  now  determines  which 
incidents  she  can  investigate.  Because  he  flies  for  American 
Eagle,  the  NTSB  requires  that  Cushman  tecuse  herself  from 
any  incident  involving  American  Airlines  (including  last 
November's  crash  of  American  Airlines  flight  587  in  New  York) 
because  of  the  potential  for  a  conflict  of  interest. 

The  Human  Aspect 

Concerns  of  a  different  type  spring  to  mind  when  many  people 
contemplate  what  Cushman  does  for  a  living.  "Isn't  it  depressing?" 
they  ask. 

"Most  of  the  stuff  we  do  isn't  as  morbid  as  it  sounds," 
she  says.  "But,  yes,  on  occasion,  it  can  be  what  you'd  expect, 
what  the  general  public  thinks  that  we  do  all  the  time,  which 
is  listening  to  people  die. 

"There  really  isn't  any  way  to  tt ain  for  that  part  of  the 
job,"  she  continues.  "I've  done  several  fatal  accidents,  and  I 
can't  say  that  you  get  immune  to  them,  because  that's  not  how 
it  works.  But  most  of  the  time,  because  of  the  actions  of  the 
crew,  you're  able  to  do  your  job  because  they  were  doing  theirs." 
The  human  aspect  of  voices  recorded  on  tape, 
along  with  the  potential  for  those  tapes  to  hold 
clues  that  may  help  solve  an  aviation  mystery, 
makes  the  cockpit  voice  recorder  a  sensational 
part  of  any  accident  investigation,  even  within  the 
NTSB.  Cushman  says  of  co-workers,  "If  they're  not 
looking  over  your  shoulder,  they're  poking  their 
heads  in  the  lab  every  two  seconds,  wondering 
where  you're  at." 

Though  it's  not  uncommon  for  the  media  to 
camp  out  at  the  NTSB  when  they  know  a  CVR 
has  arrived,  Cushman  says  it's  important  to  under- 
stand that  the  in-flight  tecording  is  not  the  last 
word  in  most  accident  investigations.  That's  largely 
due,  she  says,  to  the  subjective  natute  of  her  job. 
"The  CVR  might  point  the  investigation  in  a  par- 
ticular direction,"  she  says,  "but  it  might  turn  out 
to  be  the  wrong  direction.  Because  of  that,  what's 
on  the  recorder  is  considered  secondary  supporting 
evidence  in  an  investigation." 

Still,  she  says  she  never  loses  sight  of  the 
importance  of  the  wotk  she  does,  and  its  capacity 
to  provide  answers  and,  possibly,  prevent  future 
accidents.  Nor,  she  says,  can  she  rid  herself  of  the 
memoties  of  those  haunting  voices  and  telltale 
sounds  contained  on  the  tapes  of  those  rare  and 
ttagic  accidents.  "That  doesn't  go  away,"  she  says. 
"Not  ever,  I  think."  D 


-Bert  is  a  freelance  writer  living  in  Virginia. 
Transformations    I    Spring  2002     15 


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The  collapse  of  the  World  Trade 
Center  towers  left  thousands  dead 
and  a  mountain  of  debris  to  clean 
up.  For  engineers,  it  also  left 
behind  a  troubling  mystery: 

the  fall 


what  caused  two  of  the  world's 
tallest  steel-framed  buildings  to  fall? 
Jonathan  Barnett  '74  and  a  team 
of  researchers  from  WPI  played 
a  central  role  in  helping  to 
find  the  answers  ... 


Professor  Jonathan  Barnett  is  an  expert  in 

structural  and  fire  protection  engineering,  whose  research  has 
focused  on  building  performance  in  fires  and  failure  analysis. 
But  that  expertise  didn't  prepare  him  for  the  images  that 
flashed  across  his  television  screen  on  Sept.  1 1 ,  200 1 . 

He  knew  that  the  world  had  never  seen  the  collapse  of  a 
protected  steel-framed  building.  And  yet,  there  were  two  of  the 
world's  tallest  steel-framed  towers  crumbling  into  piles  of  rub- 
ble. Barnett's  extensive  research  left  him  uniquely  qualified  to 
understand  what  was  happening  inside  the  blazing  structures 
from  the  moment  they  were  struck  by  speeding  jetliners  to  the 
horrifying  seconds  when  they  dropped  onto  the  streets  of  lower 
Manhattan,  but,  in  truth,  he  was  as  surprised  as  anyone. 


Transformations    I    Spring  2002     17 


In  the  days  following  the  terrotist  attacks,  the  American 
Society  of  Civil  Engineets  (ASCE),  in  coopetation  with  the 
Federal  Emergency  Management  Agency  (FEMA),  began 
assembling  a  "dream  team"  of  engineers  to  investigate  the 
causes  of  the  destruction,  not  only  of  the  main  towers  of  the 
Trade  Center,  but  of  Building  7,  the  47-story  structure  that 
collapsed  in  flames  seven  hours  after  the  loss  of  the  towers,  and 
of  Buildings  3,  4  and  5,  which  suffered  extensive  damage  and 
partial  collapse  as  a  result  of  fire  and  impacts  from  falling  debris. 

Barnett  was  approached  early  on,  but  was  unprepared 
when  his  cell  phone  rang  on  Oct.  5,  in  the  middle  of  a  meet- 
ing, summoning  him  to  join  the  World  Trade  Center  Building 
Performance  Assessment  Team  (BPAT)  in  New  York  City  the 
next  day  for  a  week  of  fieldwork.  "It  was  5  o'clock  on  a 
Ftiday,"  Barnett  recalls,  "and  I  had  no  steel-toed  boots." 

Not  one  to  let  a  pair  of  boots  stand  between  him  and  the 
professional  service  opportunity  of  a  lifetime,  he  scoured  the 
attic  of  the  Aubut n  Fife  Department  and  found  a  usable  pair. 
The  next  day  he  met  up  with  the  24  other  team  members — 
the  country's  foremost  structural,  seismic  and  fire  protection 
engineers.  One  was  an  alumnus,  Christopher  Marrion,  who 
holds  a  master's  degree  in  fire  protection  engineering  from 
WPI.  (See  page  35  for  a  profile  of  Marrion,  who  leads  a 
group  of  fellow  fire  protection  engineering  alumni  at  Arup  Fire 
in  New  York  City.) 

Barnett's  credentials  to  serve  as  one  of  the  two  BPAT  core 
members  in  fire  protection  engineering  include  three  WPI 
engineering  degrees  (his  master's  thesis  in  civil  engineering 
focused  on  seismic  design  of  buildings;  his  doctoral  disserta- 
tion in  mechanical  engineering,  completed  before  WPI  began 
granting  Ph.D.s  in  FPE,  explored  the  effect  of  fire  on  steel 
structures).  Barnett  joined  WPI  in  1979  as  the  first  assistant 
director  of  the  Center  for  Firesafery  Studies,  and  in  1989 
became  a  tenure-track  assistant  professor  in  the  discipline  he 
helped  create.  Today  he  is  a  full  professor  of  fire  protection 
engineering  and  co-founder  and  co-director  of  the  Melbourne 
(Australia)  Project  Center. 


At  Ground  Zero,  almost  a  month  after  the 
attacks,  the  stench  of  destruction  and  death  was  still  strong. 
Across  the  bay  at  the  Fresh  Kills  Landfill  on  Staten  Island, 
recovery  teams  were  at  work  screening  debris  down  to  a  quarter 
of  an  inch — the  size  of  the  smallest  human  bone.  "As  an  engi- 
neer," Barnett  says,  "you  tell  yourself,  OK,  I  have  to  be  profes- 
sional, I  have  to  take  notes,  I  have  to  ignore  the  death  around 
me.  At  the  same  time,  as  a  human  being,  that's  not  easy  to  do." 

Team  members  toured  what  was  left  of  the  16-acre  World 
Trade  Center  Plaza,  interviewed  officials  and  eyewitnesses,  and 
examined  remnants  of  fallen  structures  at  the  Staten  Island 
landfill  and  at  salvage  yards.  Steel  samples  were  cut  and  cata- 
loged for  further  study,  and  some  were  taken  back  to  WPI 
for  analysis  (see  story,  page  20). 

Besides  asbestos  dust  and  bio-contamination,  the  investi- 
gators faced  physical  dangers  in  the  unstable  buildings.  On  a 
walk-through  of  Building  5,  Barnett's  group  noticed  that  the 
floor  slab  beneath  them  was  severed.  When  they  checked  from 
below,  they  discovered  that  they  had  been  standing  on  unsup- 
ported rubble.  Later,  while  taking  measurements  in  the  build- 
ing's subterranean  parking  garage,  the  roof  started  to  collapse, 
and  they  fled  to  safety. 

In  addition  to  his  work  at  Ground  Zero,  Barnett  drove 
to  the  Fresh  Kills  Landfill  with  teammates  Marrion,  Venkatesh 
Kbdur  and  Saw-Teen  See  (wife  of  the  towers'  designer,  Leslie  E. 
Roberston,  and  a  partner  in  Robertson's  firm)  to  see  the  steel 
recovered  from  the  Trade  Center.  After  showing  his  pass  to  the 
guard  at  the  gatehouse,  Barnett  was  directed  to  the  appropriate 
area,  where  he  parked  his  two-week-old  Acura. 

"I've  been  to  landfills,"  he  says,  "and  this  one  didn't  smell 
right  to  me."  Knowing  that  the  rubble  brought  to  the  site  con- 
tained human  remains,  he  quickly  urged  See  back  into  the  car, 
and  when  Marrion  and  Kodur  resisted,  Barnett  insisted  that  he 
was  getting  his  car  and  his  teammates  out  of  there,  right  away. 
As  they  closed  the  doors,  a  dozen  workers  in  full  Tyvek  biohaz- 
ard  gear  walked  by.  "See  that?"  said  Barnett,  feeling  vindicated. 
"I  think  maybe  we're  underdressed  for  the  occasion." 


'New  Yorkers  were  just  so  friendly  and  willing  to  support  our  efforts 
in  any  way  they  could,  even  if  it  was  just  with  a  smile." 


18     Transformations   I  S firing 





™^^~  k 


I 


He  drove  to  New 
Jersey  as  quickly  as  he 
could.  "We  took  out  the 
floor  mats  and  wiped  them 
on  the  grass,  and  we  ail 
wiped  our  feet.  Then  we 
took  the  car  to  a  carwash."       ^ 

Despite  the  grim 
nature  of  its  task,  the  BPAT  members  were  warmly  welcomed. 
Barnett  was  thanked  by  strangers  in  the  street,  and  ushered  to 
a  seat  on  a  packed  subway  car  when  his  ID  badge  slipped  out 
from  under  his  shirt.  At  the  upscale  Tribeca  Grille,  the  grimy 
engineers,  still  in  their  work  clothes,  were  escorted  to  a  center 
table,  once  the  maitre  d'  learned  who  they  were. 

"New  Yorkers  were  just  so  friendly  and  willing  to  support 
our  efforts  in  any  way  they  could,  even  if  it  was  just  with  a 
smile,"  Barnett  says. 

The  complex  science  of  fire  modeling  can  be 

reduced  to  two  questions:  "How  hot?"  and  "Where?" 

Those  were  the  questions  facing  Barnett  and  his  team 
back  at  WPI  when  he  returned  to  campus  to  begin  analysis 
of  the  data — which  included  two  cartons  of  videotapes,  thou- 
sands of  photographs  and  detailed  construction  documents. 
While  other  members  of  the  BPAT  looked  at  seismic  data, 
emergency  response  and  evacuation,  Barnett  simulated  the 
fires,  focusing  on  the  floors  of  impact. 

"To  understand  the  collapse,  we  needed  to  know  how 
the  structural  elements  of  the  towers  stood  up  to  the  stresses 
inflicted  on  the  morning  of  Sept.  1 1,"  explains  doctoral  candi- 
date James  A.  (Jay)  Ierardi  '97  ('99  M.S.),  who  previously 
worked  with  Barnett  on  the  analysis  of  the  1999  Worcester 
Cold  Storage  warehouse  fire.  As  the  FEMA  report  indicates, 
the  twin  towers  withstood  the  mechanical  insult  of  the  planes' 
impact,  but  were  then  subjected  to  interior  fires,  with  tempera- 
tures ranging  from  200  to  2,000  degtees  Fahrenheit. 

The  WTC  fires  were  remarkable  in  two  ways:  first,  for 
their  sheer  size,  and  second,  for  the  fact  that  such  a  large  area 
was  ignited  instantaneously.  (Typical  office  fires  start  small  and 
spread  slowly,  Ierardi  says.)  The  towers  were  penetrated  by 
planes  canted  at  a  30-degree  angle  and  a  45-degree  angle, 


» 


m 


S9 


Barnett,  at  left,  with  other  members 
of  the  building  performance  team  at 
the  Fresh  Kills  Landfill,  where  piles 
of  steel  from  the  World  Trade  Center 
towers  were  stored. 


which  immediately  set  four  or 
five  floors — each  about  an  acre 
in  area — ablaze.  Barnett  com- 
pares the  jet  fuel  that  doused 
those  floots  and  flowed  down 
elevator  shafts  to  charcoal  lighter 
fluid.  With  rapid  flashover  on  so 
many  floors,  sprinkler  pressure 
would  have  been  inadequate,  even  if  the  water  supply  lines  had 
not  been  severed  by  the  aircraft.  Ierardi  speculates  that  the  hijackers 
knowingly  calculated  the  angle  of  their  hits  to  overwhelm  the 
buildings'  fire-suppression  mechanisms. 

To  compute  the  size  of  the  fires,  Barnett  needed  to  know 
how  much  oxygen  was  available  to  burn  the  10,000-gallon  fuel 
load  in  each  767.  His  calculations  included  the  enormous  holes 
ripped  open  by  the  planes,  and  the  dimensions  and  location  of 
every  window,  stairwell,  and  elevator  or  utility  shaft.  He  also 
plotted  the  layout  of  offices,  the  location  of  partitions  and  fur- 
nishings, and  flammability  specification  of  the  building  materials, 
furnishings  and  other  contents. 

To  determine  which  windows  were  open  during  the  fire, 
Barnett  examined  more  than  120  hours  of  videotape  to  see 
where  smoke  was  venting.  WPI  undetgraduates  pitched  in, 
taking  home  tapes  to  screen  over  the  Thanksgiving  break.  One 
of  these  students  was  Patrick  T  Spencer  '05,  son  of  fallen  fire- 
fighter Thomas  E.  Spencer;  Pattick  came  to  WPI  on  a  scholar- 
ship set  up  for  children  of  victims  of  the  Worcestet  warehouse 
fire.  Ironically,  he  was  the  one  who  first  informed  Barnett  of 
the  terrorist  strikes  on  the  morning  of  Sept.  1 1 .  Graduate 
students  in  Barnett's  failure  analysis  class  helped  calculate 
how  much  jet  fuel  the  initial  fireballs  consumed. 

To  quantify  and  compute  all  of  these  variables  in  such 
a  large,  complex  space — a  space  that  no  longer  exists — is  a 
mammoth  task  that  tequires  painstaking  research  and  a  certain 
amount  of  informed  speculation.  The  size  and  complexity  of 
the  problem  challenged  even  WPI's  fastest  computers.  Barnett 
says  it  took  one  week  to  simulate  10  minutes'  worth  of  the  fire. 
During  the  three  weeks  of  report  writing,  only  40  minutes  of 
the  fire  event  could  be  modeled.  The  complete  simulations 
won't  be  available  until  fall. 

(Continued  on  page  21) 


Transformations    I   Spring  2002     19 


Biederman,  standing,  and  Siss 
and  other  tools  to  uncover  the 
the  collapsed  World  Trade  Cen 


There  is  no  indication  that  any 
of  the  fires  in  the  World  Trade 
Center  buildings  were  hot 
enough  to  melt  the  steel 
framework.  Jonathan  Barnett, 
professor  of  fire  protection 
engineering,  has  repeatedly 
reminded  the  public  that  steel — 
which  has  a  melting  point  of 
2,800  degrees  Fahrenheit — may 
weaken  and  bend,  but  does  not 
melt  during  an  ordinary  office 
fire.  Yet  metallurgical  studies  on 
WTC  steel  brought  back  to  WPI 
reveal  that  a  novel  phenomenon — 
called  a  eutectic  reaction — 
occurred  at  the  surface,  causing 
intergranular  melting  capable  of 
turning  a  solid  steel  girder  into 
Swiss  cheese. 

Materials  science  professors 
Ronald  R.  Biederman  and  Richard  D.  Sisson  Jr. 
confirmed  the  presence  of  eutectic  formations  by  examining 
steel  samples  under  optical  and  scanning  electron  microscopes. 
A  preliminary  report  was  published  in  JOM,  the  journal  of  the 
Minerals,  Metals  &  Materials  Society.  A  more  detailed  analysis 
comprises  Appendix  C  of  the  FEMA  report.  The  New  York  Times 
called  these  findings  "perhaps  the  deepest  mystery  uncovered  in 
the  investigation." 

The  significance  of  the  work  on  a  sample  from  Building  7  and 
a  structural  column  from  one  of  the  twin  towers  becomes  apparent 
only  when  one  sees  these  heavy  chunks  of  damaged  metal. 
A  one-inch  column  has  been  reduced  to  half-inch  thickness.  Its 
edges — which  are  curled  like  a  paper  scroll — have  been  thinned 
to  almost  razor  sharpness.  Gaping  holes — some  larger  than  a 
silver  dollar — let  light  shine  through  a  formerly  solid  steel  flange. 
This  Swiss  cheese  appearance  shocked  all  of  the  fire-wise 
professors,  who  expected  to  see  distortion  and  bending — but 
not  holes. 

A  eutectic  compound  is  a  mixture  of  two  or  more  substances  that 
melts  at  the  lowest  temperature  of  any  mixture  of  its  components. 
Blacksmiths  took  advantage  of  this  property  by  welding  over  fires 
of  sulfur-rich  charcoal,  which  lowers  the  melting  point  of  iron. 
In  the  World  Trade  Center  fire,  the  presence  of  oxygen,  sulfur 
and  heat  caused  iron  oxide  and  iron  sulfide  to  form  at  the  surface 
of  structural  steel  members.  This  liquid  slag  corroded  through 
intergranular  channels  into  the  body  of  the  metal,  causing  severe 
erosion  and  a  loss  of  structural  integrity. 


on  used  this  electron  microscope 
unusual  properties  of  steel  from 
ter. 


"The  important  questions," 
says  Biederman,  "are  how 
much  sulfur  do  you  need,  and 
where  did  it  come  from? 
The  answer  could  be  as 
simple — and  this  is  scary — 
as  acid  rain." 

Have  environmental 
pollutants  increased  the 
potential  for  eutectic 
reactions?  "We  may  have  just 
the  inherent  conditions  in  the 
atmosphere  so  that  a  lot  of 
water  on  a  burning  building 
will  form  sulfuric  acid, 
hydrogen  sulfide  or 
hydroxides,  and  start  the 
eutectic  process  as  the  steel 
heats  up,"  Biederman  says. 
He  notes  that  the  sulfur  could 
also  have  come  from  contents 
of  the  burning  buildings,  such  as  rubber  or  plastics.  Another 
possible  culprit  is  ocean  salts,  such  as  sodium  sulfate,  which  is 
known  to  catalyze  sulfidation  reactions  on  turbine  blades  of  jet 
engines.  "All  of  these  things  have  to  be  explored,"  he  says. 

From  a  building-safety  point  of  view,  the  critical  question  is: 
Did  the  eutectic  mixture  form  before  the  buildings  collapsed,  or 
later,  as  the  remains  smoldered  on  the  ground.  "We  have  no  idea," 
admits  Sisson.  "To  answer  that,  we  would  need  to  recreate  those 
fires  in  the  FPE  labs,  and  burn  fresh  steel  of  known  composition 
for  the  right  time  period,  with  the  right  environment."  He  hopes  to 
have  the  opportunity  to  collaborate  on  thermodynamically  controlled 
studies,  and  to  observe  the  effects  of  adding  sulfur,  copper  and 
other  elements.  The  most  important  lesson,  Sisson  and  Biederman 
stress,  is  that  fail-safe  sprinkler  systems  are  essential  to  prevent 
steel  from  reaching  even  1 ,000  degrees  Fahrenheit,  because 
phase  changes  at  the  1 ,300-degree  mark  compromise  a 
structure's  load-bearing  capacity. 

The  FEMA  report  calls  for  further  metallurgic  investigations, 
and  Barnett,  Biederman  and  Sisson  hope  that  WPI  will  obtain 
NIST  funding  and  access  to  more  samples.  They  are  continuing 
their  microscopic  studies  on  the  samples  prepared  by  graduate 
student  Jeremy  Bernier  and  Marco  Fontecchio,  the  2001-02 
Helen  E.  Stoddard  Materials  Science  and  Engineering  Fellow. 
(Next  year's  Stoddard  Fellow,  Erin  Sullivan,  will  take  up  this 
work  as  part  of  her  graduate  studies.)  Publication  of  their 
results  may  clear  up  some  mysteries  that  have  confounded 
the  scientific  community.    — JKM 


........... .».,/, 


01  ni  m  1  001  110101101 01 001 


(Continued  from  page  19) 

Barnett  estimates  that  on  top  of  his  academic  and 
civic  activities,  he's  put  mote  than  600  hours  into  the  BPAT 
investigation.  In  the  months  between  the  October  fieldwork 
and  the  May  1  release  of  the  FEMA  report,  he  made  one  or 
two  trips  per  week,  sometimes  flying  back  and  forth  between 
WPI  and  Washington  in  a  single  day  to  teach  classes  and  attend 
meetings. 

He  is  the  lead  author  on  the  section  of  the  report  that 
describes  the  metallurgy  work  done  by  WPI  professors  Ronald 
Biederman  and  Richard  Sisson,  as  well  as  the  chapters  about 
Buildings  4,  5  and  6.  He  is  a  co-author  on  the  chapters  about 
the  collapse  of  Buildings  1  and  2  (the  twin  towers).  "I  think 
the  most  important  outcome  of  the  FEMA  report  is  that  we've 
identified  areas  that  need  to  be  studied,"  Barnett  says.  "Before 
you  spend  millions  of  dollars  [on  further  investigations],  you 
need  to  know  what  to  spend  it  on." 

A  bigger  budget,  more  time  and  earlier  access  to  the  scrap 
vards,  where  steel  was  being  cut  up  and  sold,  would  have 
enhanced  the  investigation,  he  says.  "You  do  the  best  you  can, 
with  the  available  resources.  I  think  we  did  a  very  credible  job." 
Efforts  are  under  way  to  address  factors  that  hindered  FEMA's 
BPAT  investigation.  The  proposed  "National  Construction 
Safety  Team  Act  of  2002"  outlines  procedures  to  ensure  that 
evidence  is  preserved  in  the  event  of  another  attack  of  this 
magnitude. 

In  interviews,  Barnett  has  repeatedly  stressed  that  the  pub- 
lic does  not  need  to  worry  about  living  and  working  in  high- 
rise  buildings.  "Our  buildings  are  generally  safe,"  he  reiterates. 
"If  we  were  doing  filings  that  were  unsafe,  then  periodically  we 
would  have  had  failures.  In  fact,  I  would  suggest,  because  we've 
never  had  failures,  we  probably  over-design." 

On  May  1,  Barnett  accompanied  BPAT  leader  Gene 
Corley  to  Washington  to  respond  to  questions  as  Corley  pre- 
sented the  team's  findings  to  Congress.  FEMA  has  proposed  a 
S 1 6-million,  multiyear  follow-up  investigation,  to  be  headed 
by  the  National  Institute  of  Standards  and  Technology  (NIST). 
Two  areas  earmarked  in  the  FEMA  report  for  further  study  are 
the  metallurgical  examinations  performed  by  Biederman  and 
Sisson,  and  the  fire  modeling  computations  done  by  Barnett. 
WPI  hopes  to  obtain  NIST  funding  to  pursue  these  investiga- 
tions. The  report  also  calls  for  further  examination  of  the 
building  and  fire  codes,  but  recommends  against  considering 
aircraft  impact  as  a  design  parameter  for  every  structure.  "I 
think  the  lessons  for  ordinary  buildings  are  few  and  far 
between,"  says  Barnett. 

The  terrorist  artacks  and  their  aftermarh  highlight  the 
importance  of  fire  protection  engineering  as  a  discipline,  and 
the  need  for  closer  ties  with  the  field  of  structural  engineering, 
Barnett  says.  The  FEMA  report  specifically  recommends  cross 
training  between  the  disciplines,  to  ensure  that  the  impact  of 
fire  is  adequately  addressed  in  the  design  process. 


Barnett  says  he  is  grateful  to  have  had  the  chance  to  par- 
ticipate in  an  important  national  study,  working  with  a  team 
of  professionals  to  tackle  questions  that  are  important  to  his 
profession  and  the  country  (and  that  provide  a  real-world  case 
study  to  bring  into  the  classroom).  "In  my  career,"  he  says, 
"I've  never  had  the  privilege  of  working  with  so  many  awesome 
practitioners."  D 

Editor's  Note:  The  online  Transformations  has  links  to 
the  full  ASCE/FEMA  report  to  Congress  and  to  much  of 
the  news  coverage  Barnett  and  the  WPI  team  has  garnered, 
including  the  comprehensive  hour-long  documentary, 
"Why  the  Towers  Fell,"  that  aired  on  NOVA  in  April. 


Why  the  World  Trade  Center  Towers  Fell 
Highlights  of  the  building  performance  study: 

■  It  was  the  simultaneous  fires,  on  multiple  floors,  rather 
than  burning  jet  fuel  (much  of  which  was  consumed  in 
the  initial  fireballs),  that  weakened  the  structural  steel 
elements  enough  to  precipitate  the  collapse. 

■  Robust  and  redundant  steel  framing,  adequate  and  well- 
lighted  stairways,  and  emergency  training  contributed  to 
the  towers'  resilience  and  the  safe  egress  of  occupants. 

■  Lightweight  fireproofing,  probably  blown  off  of  the 
structural  steel,  sprinkler  supply  pipes  severed  by  flying 
debris,  gypsum  wallboard  around  the  stairwells,  which 
collapsed  and  blocked  access,  and  the  grouping  of 
stairwells  in  the  buildings'  core,  which  increased  their 
vulnerability  to  a  single  impact,  may  have  contributed  to 
the  collapse  or  hindered  the  escape  of  occupants  above 
the  impact  zones. 


■ctural  Lessons  Learn 

.  Terrorist  Targets 

Need  redundancy 

Need  robustness 

nsiderfire  resistance  re 
irtance  of  member    I 


W.  Gene  Corley,  left,  of  the  American  Society  of  Civil  Engineers,  and 
Jonathan  Barnett  present  the  findings  of  the  World  Trade  Center  building 
performance  study  to  the  House  Committee  on  Science  on  May  1 . 


Transformations    I    Spring  2002     21 


On  a  rainy  night,  a  small-town  police  officer  brings 
in  a  haggard  drunk-and-disorderly  suspect.  He  takes  his 
picture  and  enters  it  into  the  department's  image  database. 
Out  comes  a  photo  of  a  curly  haired,  skinny,  smooth-faced 
teenager.  But  the  prisoner  is  bald,  with  a  bushy  mustache, 
and  100  pounds  heavier  than  the  youth  in  the  photo. 
Eyeing  the  image,  the  prisoner  blurts  out,  "Where  did 
you  get  my  high  school  picture?" 

Uganda,  eager  to  protect  the  integrity  of  its  first  demo- 
cratic election,  uses  a  similar  image  database  to  ferret  out 
irregularities.  The  system  catches  30  people  as  they  try  to 
vote  a  second  time — a  success  that  helps  persuade  the 
European  Union  of  the  merit  of  providing  economic  aid 
to  help  stabilize  this  emerging  nation. 

At  the  Super  Bowl,  in  more  than  150  casinos  worldwide, 
in  the  motor  vehicle  registration  departments  of  1 5  states, 
and  in  Boston's  hitherto  porous  Logan  International  Airport, 
facial  recognition  technology  developed  by  one  Massachusetts 
company  is  improving  security,  aiding  law  enforcement  and 
helping  build  public  confidence. 

Viisage  Technology  in  Littleton  is  a  leading  developer  of 
facial  biometric  systems.  Its  "face-in-the-crowd"  applications 
convert  anybody's  picture  (even  a  composite  sketch)  to  128 
coefficients,  compare  these  with  a  database  of  more  than  a 
million  facial  images  (the  world's  largest),  and  in  under  one 
second,  either  make  a  match  or  prove  there  is  no  match 
(see  sidebar,  page  25). 


22      Transformations    I   Spring  2002 


Cro 


The  events  of  Sept. 
fundamental  issues  of  security  into  sharp 
focus.  How  can  we  be  sure  that  pe 
who  they  say  they  are?  How  can  w. 
terrorists  and  others  intent  on  doing  harm 


before  they  act?  The 


cognition 


technology  developed  by  Denis  Berube's 
company  may  provide  one  answer. 


23 


According  to  Denis  K.  Berube  '65,  the  company's  chair- 
man, Viisage's  emphasis  on  facial  recognition  stems  from  its 
belief  that  our  faces  are  our  most  reliable  and  efficient  means  of 
identification.  Code  words  and  PINs  can  be  lost,  forgotten  or 
stolen.  Fingerprints  are  alterable  through  surgery.  Retinal  scans 
require  cooperation,  and  the  intrusive  procedure  must  be  done 
one  person  at  a  time. 

Someone  whose  aim  is  to  move  unnoticed  on  the  way  to 
doing  harm  will  hardly  undergo 
such  checks.  But  someone  in  a 
crowd  can't  avoid  his  own  face. 
Even  modest  plastic  surgery  won't 
help.  In  fact,  the  proprietary  algo- 
rithms underlying  Viisage's  security 
and  protection  products  are  so  sen- 
sitive that  they  can  distinguish 
between  identical  twins. 

Viisage  products  offer  private 
verification  for  point-of-sale  trans- 
actions, secure  authentication  for 
computet,  Internet  and  e-commerce 
connections,  and  keyless  entry  to 
secure  facilities,  such  as  offices,  dor- 
mitories and  government  facilities. 
Annually,  they  deliver  more  than 
25  million  high-quality  and  high- 
security  digital-identification  docu- 
ments for  government  agencies 
responsible  for  issuing  driver's 
licenses,  social  services  cards  and 
law  enforcement  credentials. 

They  have  helped  detect  ATM 
fraud,  identify  missing  persons, 
spot  deadbeat  dads,  and  pick  out 
fugitives  for  the  U.S.  Marshals. 
Recently,  they  helped  National 
Geographic  verify  the  identity  of  the 
"Afgan  Girl,"  Sharbut  Gula,  by 
comparing  recent  photos  of  her  with 
the  famous  image  that  graced  the 
cover  of  the  magazine  17  years  ago. 

The  company  is  best  known 
for  FaceFINDER,  the  system  that 
provides  security  at  casinos,  sport- 
ing events  and  airports.  Acclaimed  for  its  fast  processing  speed, 
it  has  become  the  industry's  most  widely  implemented  surveil- 
lance and  ident- 
ification system.  The  U.S.  Patent  &  Trademark  Office  recently 
acknowledged  Viisage's  real-time  face  recognition  technology 
as  one  of  the  10  most  important  inventions  to  improve  home- 
land security. 


Viisage's  emphasis  on 
facial  recognition  stems 
from  its  belief  that  our 
faces  are  our  most  reliable 
and  efficient  means  of 
identification. 


Standing  shirtsleeved  in  a  busy  bullpen  of 

offices,  Denis  Berube  sweeps  his  right  arm  to  take  in  Viisage's 
buzzing  142,000-square-foot  premises.  "The  people  of  Viisage 
could  work  anywhere  in  the  world  they  choose  to,"  he  says. 
"They  need  the  highest  level  of  intellectual  stimulation,  the 
excitement  of  doing  important  work,  and  the  comfort  of 
knowing  they  can  make  a  difference  for  the  safety  of  our  coun- 
try. They're  here." 

Berube  manages  on  the  move. 
He  roams.  He  listens.  He  talks.  He 
waves.  He  questions.  His  eyes  rove. 
He's  casual,  yet  concentrated.  "It's 
no  mystery,  this  walking  around," 
he  says.  "I  can't  be  much  of  a  leader 
if  I  can't  influence  our  culture,  and  I 
can't  influence  our  culture  unless 
I'm  right  in  the  middle  of  it." 

For  more  than  three  decades, 
Berube  has  found  himself  in  the 
middle  of  a  constantly  changing 
panorama  of  leading-edge  technol- 
ogy. Born  in  Holyoke,  Mass.,  he 
attended  Williston  Academy  in 
nearby  Northampton,  where  he  is 
now  a  trustee.  He  quarterbacked  the 
football  team,  played  shortstop  on 
the  baseball  team,  and  led  the  ski 
team  to  two  undefeated  seasons. 
One  day,  without  explanation,  the 
headmaster  informed  him  that  he 
must  apply  to  WPI.  "He  just  told 
me,"  he  says  with  a  shrug. 

"WPI  put  me  in  touch  with  the 
physical  world  at  the  same  time  that 
it  taught  me  how  to  build  relation- 
ships," says  Berube,  who  majored  in 
electrical  engineering.  "And  my 
work  ethic  comes  from  my  WPI 
davs.  I  remember  dying  over  those 
motor  lab  reports! 

"But  for  all  of  the  knowledge 
1  came  awav  with,  it  was  my  approach 
to  life,  my  appreciation  tor  the 
diversity  of  physical  experiences, 
the  hands-on  philosophy,  and  the  ability  to  network  that  make 
me  truly  grateful  to  WPI.  I'm  proud  of  the  university's  high 
ranking  among  the  world's  technology  schools. 

Recruited  out  of  college  to  work  I'm  General  F.lcctric's 
Ordnance  Systems  unit  in  Pittsfield,  Mass..  he  did  field  service 
engineering  on  the  missile  guidance  and  fire  control  systems  for 
the  Navy's  fleei  of  ballistic  submarines.  "Working  closel)  with 


24     Tram  for  mat  ions    I   Spring  200^ 


Who  Goes  There? 

A  Facial  Recognition  Primer  ^ 

How  does  Viisage  perform  its  nearly  instantaneous  feats  of  facial 
recognition?  The  process  begins  by  reducing  the  variability  of  the 
human  face  to  a  set  of  numbers. 

Using  a  mathematical  technique  called  principal  components  analy- 
sis, one  can  examine  a  large  group  of  faces  and  extract  the  most  effi- 
cient building  blocks  required  to  describe  them.  It  turns  out  that  any 
human  face  can  be  represented  as  the  weighted  sum  of  1 28  of  these 
building  blocks,  known  as  EigenFaces.  With  this  technique,  the  essence 
of  a  human  face  can  be  reduced  to  just  256  bytes  of  information. 

The  recognition  process  involves  comparing  the  EigenFace  weights 
for  two  faces  using  a  proprietary  algorithm  that  generates  a  match 
score.  Different  faces  will  produce  a  poor  match  score;  images  of  the 
same  face  will  produce  a  good  match  score. 

In  systems  that  require  one-to-one  comparison  (for  example, 
verifying  that  you  are  the  person  pictured  on  your  driver's  license  or 
passport),  the  EigenFace  weights  of  authorized  personnel  are  recorded 
in  a  central  database.  When  someone  steps  before  a  camera,  his  or 
her  face  is  quickly  compared  to  all  of  the  faces  in  the  database  to  see 
if  it  generates  a  match. 

In  a  one-to-many  search,  a  database  is  created  containing  faces 
of  individuals  whose  presence  would  warrant  action:  known  terrorists, 
most-wanted  criminals,  or  missing  persons,  for  example.  Cameras, 
overtly  or  covertly  deployed  at  strategic  locations,  capture,  in  real 
time,  each  face  in  the  field  of  view  and  compare  it  with  all  records 
in  the  database. 

With  the  computational  power  of  a  standard  personal  computer, 
the  Viisage  technology  can  complete  the  entire  facial  recognition 
process  in  as  little  as  one  tenth  of  a  second,  with  a  high  degree  of 
accuracy.  Independent  biometric  testing  has  disclosed  that  the  system 
has  a  miniscule  error  rate.    — LM 


■>  S«Hti  Gdtor  Sm»i  R™fc  at  *i*r>  f™ 


Q«Q£ 


OMro  WcWxte .tatgn  mt  centred  m  rgJ  to  •■ 


weapons  officers,  some  of  whom  I  would  later  meet  as  admirals, 
I  discovered  how  to  stay  in  touch  with  the  customer,  to  under- 
stand customer  needs  and  even  to  anticipate  them,"  he  says. 

The  components  of  Berube's  career  were  assembling  them- 
selves. In  the  1970s,  he  was  directly  responsible  for  a  large 
project  involving  ticklish  requirements  and  improvements  for 
accuracy,  launch  rate,  inertial  guidance,  and  the  coordination 
of  databases  with  the  Defense  Mapping  Agency.  It  was  complex 
in  scope,  even  by  today's  standards,  he  says.  He  later  managed 
advanced  engineering,  including  fault  tolerant  flight  and  fire 
control  design,  for  a  one-of-a-kind  "black  operations"  project 
involving  the  B-2  bomber.  Meanwhile,  in  1971,  he  earned  a 
masters  degree  in  electrical  engineering  at  Union  College. 


"Thanks  to  WPI  and  Union  College,  I  had  a  rock  solid 
engineering  education,"  Berube  says.  "My  GE  assignments 
immersed  me  in  some  of  the  worlds  most  advanced  engineer- 
ing opportunities,  and  I  came  to  appreciate  the  vital  center  of 
customer  relationships." 

In  1985,  Berube  was  recruited  as  vice  president  for  mar- 
keting at  Elbit  Computers  Limited,  an  Israeli  firm  headed  by 
Gen.  Benny  Peled,  the  pilot  in  the  famous  Entebbe  rescue 
operation.  In  just  30  months,  the  company,  which  produced 
thermal  imaging  and  tank  fire  control  systems,  sprang  from 
zero  revenue  to  $50  million.  By  then  Berube  had  married 
Joanna  T  Lau,  whom  he'd  met  while  both  worked  at  GE. 
They  shared  a  dream  of  someday  working  for  themselves. 


Transformations    I    Spring  2002     2  5 


Born  in  Hong  Hong,  Lau  is  the  daughter  of  the  late  Gen. 
Joseph  Lau,  who  served  in  Chiang  Kai-shek's  army.  She  came 
to  the  United  States  in  1976,  with  her  mothet  and  five  of  her 
seven  brothers  and  sisters,  and  got  busy.  She  earned  a  bachelor's 
degree  in  computer  science  and  applied  mathematics  at  the 
State  University  of  New  York  at  Stony  Brook,  a  master's  in 
computer  engineering  from  Old  Dominion  University,  a  cer- 
tificate from  GE's  prestigious  ABC  Program  at  Syracuse 
University,  and  an  MBA  from  Boston  University. 

While  still  a  student  at  BU,  she  organized  the  purchase 
of  a  defense  industry  subcontractor  in  Acton,  Mass.,  a  unit 
of  an  Arizona  company  called  Bowmar.  In  1990,  Joanna 
and  Denis  and  23  Bowmar  employees  turned  the  buyout 
into  Lau  Technologies. 

Then  came  Operation  Desert  Storm.  Lau  Technologies 
garnered  a  contract  to  supply  circuit  boards  to  upgrade 
malfunctioning  Bradley  Fighting  Vehicles,  which  were  being 
marshaled  in  large  numbers  to  roll  into  Kuwait.  In  just  45 
days,  the  company  shipped  8,000  circuit  boards  to  Riyadh, 
an  assignment  that  would  normally  take  270  days.  Knowing 
the  company's  reputation  for  quality,  the  U.S.  Army  bypassed 
the  test-and-check  stage  and  installed  the  circuit  boards  for 
combat;  they  worked  perfectly. 

In  recognition  of  this  achievement,  Lt.  Gen.  Paul 
Gteenberg,  head  of  the  Army  Materiel  Command,  awarded 
Lau  Technologies  one  of  1 1  Desert  Storm  Battle  Ribbons 
conferred  nationally.  Subsequently,  Joanna  Lau  received 
the  esteemed  Nunn-Perry  Award  for  the  company's  excellent 
performance  in  the  nation's  defense. 

Joanna  and  Denis  saw  four  possible  directions  for  Lau 
Technologies.  "We  focused  on  facial  recognition  in 


verifying  driver's  licenses,  which  we  expanded  into  Viisage,"  he 
says,  "but  any  one  of  those  possibilities  could  have  succeeded  as 
we  diversified  from  strictly  military  work." 

Taking  on  the  legendary  Polaroid  Corporation,  Viisage 
acquired  from  MIT  a  technology  dubbed  EigenFace.  The 
young  company  developed  algorithms  and  spent  millions  of 
dollars  and  more  than  a  hundred  person-years  in  constructing 
its  face-in-the-crowd  technology  and  family  of  products. 

Viisage  continues  to  evolve.  Through  acquisitions  in 
concert  with  its  own  research  and  development,  the  company 
is  now  marketing  three  new  products  that  support  its  facial 
recognition  product  lines.  Berube  sees  significant  consolidation 
coming  in  the  biometric  and  security  systems  integration 
industry,  a  trend  that  should  be  a  boon  to  Viisage,  currently 
the  world's  largest  face  recognition  company,  with  a  revenue 
market  share  of  47  percent. 

Lau  Technologies  departed  the  military  marketplace  last 
fall  with  the  sale  of  Lau  Defense  Systems  Inc.  to  Curtis-Wright. 
The  parent  company  of  Viisage  now  stares  startups  straight  in 
the  face  and  ushers  them  through  their  growing  pains,  Berube 
says.  The  engineer-businessman  declares  Viisage  different  from 
the  oft-maligned  venture  capitalists  who,  in  the  view  of  some, 
care  only  about  profit.  "Sometimes,"  he  notes,  "even  without 
investing  in  a  company  or  sitting  on  its  board,  we  provide 
friendly  assistance,  just  for  the  love  of  it."  D 

— Morrison  leads  a  full-service  communications  firm  based  in 
Sturbridge,  Mass. 


^^ 


26 


Technology  that  can  identify 
individuals  surreptitiously  as  they  walk 
down  the  street  or  through  an  airport  concourse  naturally 
raises  questions.  For  example,  is  the  way  a  culprit  is 
caught  as  important  as  the  apprehension  itself?  In  a  nation 
made  nervous  by  terrorism,  must  individual  privacy  be 
sacrificed?  And,  perhaps  most  important,  who  is  watching 
and  what  are  they  doing  with  what  they  see? 

Denis  Berube  understands  these  deep-seated  concerns 
and  points  out  that  Viisage's  products  respond  to  them. 
"The  Viisage  facial  recognition  technology  can  only  match 
a  bad  guy's  face  because  it  automatically  and  ins, 

throws  away  any  non- 
Cllrity    VS.    PrilfaCy     matching  picture."  he  says. 

"There  is  no  ethnic  bias,  no 
nationality  bias,  no  racial  or  gender  bias.  The  system  looks 
only  for  people  who  are  known  threats  to  society;  every- 
body else  gets  ignored. 

"The  system  is  positioned  in  public  places  where  no  one 
expects  to  receive  privacy,  or  in  workplaces,  for  example, 
where  innocents  go  ignored  by  the  system  and  only 
those  who  don't  belong  gain  notice.  These  are,  at  bottom, 
peace-of-mind  and  quality-of-lif e  issue*.  We're  working 
with  Congress  to  make  sure  this  tool  stays  in  good 
hands.  We  can't  stand  by  as  those  who  are  determined 
to  break  or  evade  the  norms  of  a  civilised  society  scheme 
to  convert  our  strengths  of  openness  into  a  devastating 
weakness.  We  can  make  a  difference." 


In  his  haunting  photographs, 
Kirk  Jalbert  '97  shows  us  a 
Worcester  we  seldom  see. 
Through  his  artistry,  we  take 
in  the  beauty  of  the  city  in 
the  dark  recesses  of  night, 
and  search  for  answers  amid 
the  discarded  remains  of  our 
lives. 


An  upended  wheelchair  rests  on  a  hillside,  weeds  growing 

between  the  spokes.  A  heap  of  books  slowly  decomposes  into  dust.  Who  left 
behind  the  books?  Where  is  the  wheelchair's  owner?  These  unresolved  stories, 
about  nameless,  absent  people,  are  the  subject  of  Kirk  Jalbert's  photographs. 

After  earning  a  computer  science  degree  at  WPI  in  1997,  Jalbert  began  to 
explore  the  unseen  corners  of  Worcester  with  his  large  format  camera.  His 
haunting  black-and-white  images  do  not  editorialize  about  development  or 
urban  decay,  nor  do  they  pit  the  manmade  environment  against  the  beauty  of 
nature.  His  goal  is  to  render  the  "everyday  landscape"  that  can  be  seen  when 
we  drop  our  preconceptions. 

"Worcester  by  Night,"  his  show  two  years  ago  in  WPTs  Gordon  Library, 
revealed  a  realm  of  surprising  beauty,  full  of  light  and  motion.  Captured 
through  long  exposures  (up  to  an  hour  for  a  single  photograph),  familiar 
landmarks  took  on  a  surreal  quality:  trees  in  Elm  Park  shrouded  in  luminous 
fog  (above);  neon-lit  storefronts  ablaze  in  a  sea  of  darkness. 

"I  was  trying  to  encourage  people  to  change  their  opinion  of  what  it 
means  to  be  out  at  night  in  the  city — to  become  more  comfortable  and  realize 
that  it's  beautiful,"  says  Jalbert. 

If  "Worcester  by  Night"  celebrated  a  city  few  are  brave  enough  to  wit- 
ness, Jalbert's  most  recent  show,  "Urban  Remains,"  zeros  in  on  things  we  don't 


Transformations    I    Spring  2002     27 


take  the  time  to  see.  The  focus  is  the  relationship  between  the 
city's  landscape  and  its  inhabitants,  as  evidenced  by  places 
"void  of  their  presence  yet  marked  by  their  passing." 

Like  an  urban  archeologist,  Jalbert  searches  for  answers 
in  the  detritus  of  abandoned  buildings  and  trash  heaps,  and 
in  graffiti,  which  he  says  is  the  ultimate  example  of  learning 
about  people  based  on  what  they  leave  behind.  "You're  on  the 
trail  of  an  unknown  person,  looking  at  their  wake  and  trying 
to  figure  out  who  they  are." 

Jalbert  took  his  first  photography  course  at  the  Worcester 
Center  for  Crafts  in  1997  as  a  diversion,  while  recovering  from 
months  of  hospitalization  and  illness.  "It  was  like  a  door  opened. 


and  all  of  a  sudden  my  creative  energies  came  pouring  out,    he 
says,  in  his  quiet  baritone  voice.  "It  was  almost  like  therapy." 

Today,  he  teaches  photography  at  Clark  University  (he  also 
teaches  at  the  craft  center  and  has  taught  at  Atlantic  Union 
College)  and  sees  the  same  catharsis  in  students  lacing  difficult 
family  or  personal  issues.  "The)'  pour  themselves  into  their 
work,  because  it's  the  onlv  thing  thev  do  where  they  reel  like 
they  have  complete  control." 

At  WPI,  Jalbert  took  every  art  history  class  the  universit} 
offered,  though  he  had  no  idea  of  how  he  would  use  them. 
After  graduation,  he  wrote  software  im  computet  and  phar- 
maceutical companies!  but  was  disappointed  because  the  work 


28     Transformations    I  Spring  200  ' 


The  photography.  Page  27:  Elm  Park  Fog  (1999).  Page  28:  Clockwise  from  top,  The  Gateway  Bridge  (2000),  Bus  Slop  Booth 
(2000),  Number  5  (coffee-tinted  gelatin  silver  print,  2000);  Norton,  Ararat  Street  (2000).  Page  29:  Clockwise  from  top,  left,  Left 
(2000),  Cloud  and  Fence  (2000),  Morning  Light  in  a  Studio  (coffee-tinted  gelatin  silver  print,  2000),  Gold  Street  Garage  (2000), 
Brite,  Webster  Square  (2000).  All  photos  ©  Kirk  Jalbert.  To  see  more  photos  and  order  prints,  visit  www.kirkjalbert.com. 


didn't  have  the  creative  element  he'd  hoped  for.  "Don't  get  me 
wrong,"  he  says.  "At  WPI,  I  knew  people  who  could  make  code 
float  on  air.  They  were  really  artists  with  what  they  were  doing. 
But  it  wasn't  my  art. 

"The  whole  logical  thinking  process  stressed  at  WPI 
is  completely  applicable  to  everything  I  do,"  he  continues. 
"Photography  is  a  technical  art.  It's  really  like  one  big  equation. 
I  have  to  worry  about  the  concentrations  of  my  solutions  and 
the  life  spans  of  my  chemicals.  I  have  to  know  something 
about  the  science  of  optics  and  how  film  works.  When  you 
can  really  understand  that,  I  think,  you  have  the  ability  to 
use  your  equipment  to  a  higher  level." 


For  now,  Jalbert  is  firmly  rooted  in  Worcester,  energized 
by  its  lively  arts  community  and  fascinated  by  its  varied  land- 
scapes. (  He's  also  pursuing  a  master  of  fine  arts  degree  at  the 
Museum  of  Fine  Arts  School  in  Boston.)  To  those  who  wonder 
why  he  doesn't  go  after  more  exotic  or  pristine  settings,  he 
responds,  "I  don't  live  in  the  woods.  I  live  in  a  city.  I  photo- 
graph the  things  I  encounter  on  a  daily  basis. 

"There  are  beautiful  and  ugly  parts  of  anywhere," 
he  contends.  "I've  always  felt  that  you  can  spend  a  lifetime 
photographing  things  that  are  within  an  hour  of  your 
house  and  not  run  out  of  material.  "D 


Transformations    I   Spring  2002    29 


From  Your  Alumni  Association  President 


fs 


^ 


WPI  has  been  transforming  the  academic  world's  concept  of  higher 
technical  education  for  over  three  decades.  Our  competitors  are 
paying  us  the  ultimate  compliment — they'te  embracing  and  mim- 
icking the  fundamentals  of  our  approach  to  teaching  and  learning. 
The  impact  of  what  WPI  has  accomplished  is  finally  getting  the 
recognition  it  deserves.  The  problem  is,  WPI  is  not. 

As  President  Parrish  pointed  out  in  the  first  issue  of  Transformations,  WPI  has  embarked 
on  a  comprehensive  program  to  market  WPFs  unique  educational  offering.  One  goal  is  to  make 
WPI  a  "household  word"  in  the  homes  of  high  school  juniors  and  seniors  who  are  seeking  a 
technical  education. 

To  continue  attracting  the  best  and  the  brightest,  we  must  become  better  known — in 
Massachusetts,  California  and  Beijing.  With  greater  name  recognition  will  come  many  benefits: 
greater  selectivity,  more  financial  aid  for  students  who  need  it,  easier  access  to  federal  and  foun- 
dation grant  money,  improved  job  placement  opportunities,  improved  networking  opportunities 
for  alumni,  and  WPFs  survival  as  a  private  university. 

The  WPI  Alumni  Association,  and  all  alumni,  will  have  a  role  to  play  in  this  marketing  effort. 
In  this  and  future  issues  of  Transformations,  I  will  communicate  information  about  your  asso- 
ciation, the  role  of  the  association  in  supporting  the  marketing  plan,  and  the  role  you  can  play 
in  making  the  world  more  aware  of  WPI. 

In  this  message,  I'm  happy  to  report  that  Elizabeth  Howland,  who  has  worked  as  a  development 
officer  at  WPI  since  1998,  has  become  WPFs  new  director  of  alumni  affairs.  Beth  holds  an  asso- 
ciate's degree  in  medical  technology  and  a  bachelor's  degree  in  health  education  from  the 
University  of  Vermont,  and  a  master's  in  professional  higher  education  administration  from  the 
University  of  Connecticut.  Before  coming  to  WPI,  she  was  director  of  development  for  UConn's 
School  of  Nursing  and  School  of  Pharmacy. 

She  says  she  is  looking  forward  to  continuing  to  build  and  expand  WPFs  connections  to  its 
graduates  through  programs,  events  and  personal  interaction.  On  behalf  or  the  association  and  its 
leadership,  I'd  like  to  add  that  we're  looking  forward  to  helping  her  succeed  at  that  important  goal. 


Dusty  Klauber  '67 


2002  Alumni  Association  Awards 

The  following  awards  were  presented  at  Reunion  2002.  Text  of  the  citations  may  be  read  at 
www.wpi.edu/Admin/Alumni/Awards/ 

Robert  H.  Goddard  Award  for  Outstanding  Professional  Achievement 

Daniel  A.  Funk  '77 Orthopedic  Surgeon,  Peak  Performance  Orthopedics 

Curtis  R.  Carlson  '67 President  &  CEO,  SRI  International 

Paul  A.  Lacouture  '72 President,  Network  Services  Croup,  Verizon  Communications 

Bruce  D.  Minsky  '77 Professor  of  Radiation  &  Oncology,  Memorial  Sloan-Kettering 

Herbert  F.  Taylor  Award  for  Distinguished  Service  to  WPI 

John  M.  Tracy  '52  Joseph  J.  Maggi  '67  Paul  S.  Kennedy  '67 

Charles  M.  Stasey  '57  Robert  H.  Beckett  '57 

Ichabod  Washburn  Young  Alumni  Award  for  Professional  Achievement 

George  R.  Oliver  '82    President,  GE  Aircraft  Engines 

Nancy  M.  Pimental  '87 Script  Writer,  Comedy  Central 

Donald  P.  Zereski  '87     President,  Strcelmail 

John  Boynton  Young  Alumni  Award  for  Service  to  WPI 

Joyce  S.  Kline  '87 

Albert  J.  Schwieger  School  of  Industrial  Management  Award  IPrasenh 
Preston  W.  Hall  '61  SIM  Retired  Chairman,  Woll  Coach 


49 


49ers  with  e-mail 
addresses  that 
need  posting  or 


updating  may  contact  me  at 
wajulian@alum.wpi,  or  1-804- 
744-3654.  Good  stuff  can  then 
be  sent  to  you  much  faster  than 
by  pony  express,  so  crank  up 
your  PC  pronto! 

— Bill  Julian 


55 


Robert  Stempel 

was  presented  with 
the  IEEE's  2001 
Golden  Omega  Award  at  the 
organization's  Electric  Insularion 
Conference  (EIC)'s  Electric 
Manufacturing  Coil  Winding 
Association  Expo  in  Cincinnati, 
Ohio. 

Norman  Ristaino 

^N       /      is  retired  from 

the  U.S.  Army's 
Natick  Labs.  A  lifelong  resident 
of  Franklin,  R.I.,  he  has  served 
on  many  town  boards. 

Windle  Priem 

V-  I    was  elected  to  the 
^f    ^     board  of  direcrors 
of  EMC  Corp.  He  is  currently 
vice  chairman  and  director  of 
Korn/Ferry  Inrernational. 

Robert  Condrate, 

professor  emerirus 
\*J  \_/     of  spectroscopy  at 
the  New  York  State  College  of 
Ceramics  at  Alfred  University, 
was  made  a  fellow  of  the 
Canadian  Ceramic  Society.  He 
is  also  a  fellow  of  the  American 
Ceramic  Society,  Royal  Society 
of  Chemistry  and  American 
Institute  of  Chemists. 


Larry  Israel  has 

accepted  a  part- 
\>J    JL      time  appointment 
as  executive  director  of  the 
Assistive  Technology  Industry 
Association  (www.ATIA.org). 
He  had  been  the  organization's 
founding  president  since  1998, 
and  continues  to  provide  legal 
counsel  and  serve  on  the  board 
of  directors.  Larry  adds  that 
although  he  does  not  practice 
disability  law  as  such,  he 
would  be  pleased  to  provide 
information  and  referrals  to 
the  WPI  community  based  on 
his  30  years  of  experience  in 
the  industry. 

Bill  Brutsch  '62 

('81  MSM) 
retired  this  spring 
as  chief  operating  officer  of  the 
Massachusetts  Water  Resources 
Authority.  In  more  than  30 
years  of  service  to  the  state, 
he  has  overseen  significant 
changes  to  the  region's  water 
and  sewer  infrastructure, 
including  the  Boston  Harbor 
Project,  the  Integrated  Water 
Supply  Improvement  Program, 
and  the  Metro  West  Tunnel. 
Among  the  agency's  success 
stories,  he  values  rhe  Demand 
Managemenr  Program,  a 
rehabilitation  and  conservation 
effort  that  averted  the  need  to 
divert  the  Connecticut  River 
to  supply  Grearer  Boston. 


1 

H  km 

YIPPEE!  YAHOO!  I  now  do  ONLY 
what  I  enjoy!  I  watch/attend  basketball, 
baseball  and  football  games,  lift  weights, 
run,  drink,  and  travel — and  I've  become 
GREAT  at  napping! 


63 


Mike  Littizzio 

has  retired  from 
Jamesbury  Corp., 

bur  continues  as  a  consultant 

to  the  company. 

Ted  Zoli's  Critical  Lift  offshore 
racing  team  competed  in  the 
APBA  Offshore  Races  in 
Marathon,  Fla.,  in  May.  The 
team's  complete  schedule  is 
posted  at  www.crirical-lift.com. 
Ted  lives  in  Glens  Falls,  N.Y., 
and  works  for  Torrington 
Industries. 

Leo  Pluswick 

(M.S.  PH)  is  a 
V_y      jL    wireless  security 
expert  with  22  years  of  experi- 
ence at  the  National  Security 
Agency.  He  currently  serves  as 
technology  program  manager 
for  TruSecure's  ICSA  Labs 
division  in  Herndon,  Va. 


65 


Thomas  Arcari 

lives  in  Plainville, 
Conn.,  where  he 

has  been  active  on  the  town 

council. 

Steve  Sutker  retired  as  of 
Dec.  31,  2000.  "YIPPEE! 
YAHOO!  I  now  do  ONLY 
what  I  enjoy!  I  watch/attend 
basketball,  baseball  and  football 
games,  lift  weights,  run,  drink, 
and  rravel — and  I've  become 
GREAT  ar  napping!  Every 
day  I  wake  up  and  ask  myself 
"What  am  I  going  to  do  today 
to  make  myself  smile???!!!" 


—  Steve  Sutker   '65 

on  his  retirement 


Robert  Sinuc  is 
i    vice  president  of 

\*J  V»-/    engineering  at 
Power  Plug  Inc.  in  Latham,  N.Y. 

Rene  LaPierre 

is  vice  president, 
V_/  /         research  and 
engineering,  for  Precision 
Combustion  Inc.  of  Norrh 
Haven,  Conn.,  specializing 
in  catalytic  combustors  for 
power  generation. 


6K 


R.  Omur  Akyuz 

(M.S.)  joined 
the  faculty  of 
the  newly  formed  Yedi  Tepe 
("Seven  Hills")  University  in 
hilly  Istanbul,  Turkey,  as  pro- 
fessor of  physics  and  founding 
dean  of  rhe  School  of  Pharmacy. 
He  also  serves  as  a  planning 
advisor  to  the  university's 
president.  Akyuz  brings  29 
years  of  experience  from  his 
prior  position  in  the  physics 
department  of  Bogazici 
University  in  Isranbul. 

Fran  Barton  was  named  chief 
financial  officer  of  BroadVision 
Inc.  in  Redwood  City,  Calif. 

A  profile  on  Ed  Cannon's 

career  as  men's  soccer  coach 
at  St.  Anselm  College  in  New  __ 
Hampshire  appeared  in  The 
Union  Leader  recently.  The 
former  All-American  recalled 
his  baskerball  and  soccer  days 
at  WPI,  and  reflected  on  his 
27  years  with  St.  Anselm. 
Robert  de  Flesco  was  promot- 
ed to  vice  president  for  facility 
operations  and  property  devel- 
opment in  the  Engineering 
Department  of  New  Jersey 
Manufacturers  Insurance  Co. 


Transformations    \   Spring  2002 


31 


Kenneth  Gminski  retired  from 
FM  Global  (formerly  Factory 
Mutual)  after  30  years,  includ- 
ing 28  as  senior  resident  loss 
control  consultant.  He's  now 
an  independent  consultant  in 
the  P.C.  (property/casualty) 
insurance  business.  "Recently 
celebrated  29  years  of  marriage 
to  Ruthanne  (Hazelton).  Our 
daughter,  Sarah  Beth,  is  a  junior 
at  UNH,  majoring  in  Spanish. 
Our  son,  Stephen,  is  a  high 
school  freshman.  I'm  also  on 
our  35th  Class  Reunion 
Committee." 

Thomas  Kiely  joined  Gannett 
Fleming,  an  engineering  and 

construction 


a-  (**>; 


«4 


management 
firm,  as  a 
project  man- 
ager. He 
oversees 
design  of 
water  systems  for  municipal 
and  private  clients  in  southeast 
Pennsylvania. 

/~V     Paul  Wolf  took 

I  "^  V- I    early  retirement 
V_x  ^/     after  16M  years 
as  chief  traffic  engineer  for 
Cuyahoga  County,  Ohio,  and 
16  years  in  other  public  traffic 
and  planning  offices  in  Cleveland 
and  Washington,  D.C.  Not  one 
to  sit  around  idle,  he  is  now 
a  senior  traffic  engineer  with 
Traff-Pro  Consultants  Inc.  He 
also  served  at  the  Traffic  Safety 
Merit  Badge  booth  at  the 
Boy  Scouts'  2001  National 
Jamboree,  and  has  been  active 
in  local  recruitment  and 
national  service  projects. 

f  y^y    Peter  Blackford 

lives  in  Naples, 
v-/     Fla.,  and  works  for 
Cable  USA,  a  manufacturer  of 
industrial  cable,  as  director  of 
engineering.  His  experience  on 
the  hybrid  car  at  WP1  gave  him 
the  confidence  to  buy  a  2001 
Toyota  Prius,  which  runs  on 
gasoline  and  electricity.  "It's  a 
good  thing  to  do  environmentally 
and  it's  something  that  needs 


to  be  done  more,"  he  said  in 
a  local  newspaper  article  on 
the  lack  ot  commercial 
promotion  of  "green"  cars. 

Bill  Hillner  writes  from  West 
Africa,  where  he  is  managing 
construction  of  the  Kizomba  "A" 
Tension  Leg  Surface  Well  Head 
Platform  Project  in  Lobito, 
Angola.  The  platform  will  be 
installed  in  the  deep  waters  off 
the  shore  of  Angola,  with  oil 
production  scheduled  to  begin 
in  the  first  quarrer  of  2004. 

^  T   ■<       Jay  Linden  joined 
the  Englewood 
J_      (Fla.)  Water 
District  as  technical  support 
manager.  He  and  his  wife, 
Diana,  have  three  children. 

Donald  Peterson  was  named 
chairman  of  Avaya  Inc.  in 
January.  The  company  states  that 
two  of  his  previous  positions, 
vice  chairman  and  president, 
will  be  eliminated.  He  will  con- 
tinue to  serve  as  chief  executive. 

Thomas  Weil  was  named  a 
fellow  of 
the  American 
Concrete 
Institute. 
He  manages 
the  Technical 
Services 

group  of  Grace  Construction 

Products'  Specialty  Construction 

Chemical  Unit. 

"^     Howard  Levine 

/     is  senior  manager 
'    for  the  East  Coast 
Division  of  Newport  Cotp.,  a 
semiconductor  equipment  firm 
in  Irvine,  Calif. 

Richard  Wallace  was  named 
chairman  of  ASTM  Committee 
D08  on 
Roofing, 
J  _»    *        Waterproof- 

ing and 
Bituminous 
Materials. 
Since  1979 
he  has  been  employed  as  tech- 
nical director  ol  Fluor  Corp. 
Fie  lives  in  Greer.  S.(   . 


73 


Edward  D'Alba, 

president  and  CEO 
of  Philadelphia- 
based  Urban  Engineers,  was 
named  Engineer  of  the  Year  for 
2002  by  the  Delaware  Valley 
(Pa.)  Engineers  Week  Council. 
He  and  his  wife,  Karen,  live  in 
Berwyn,  Pa.,  and  have  two  sons. 

Glen  Johnson,  dean  of  the 
College  of  Engineering  at 
Tennessee  Technological 
University,  was  named  a  fellow 
of  ASME  International. 

Richard  Zepp  is  superintendent 
of  Cyprian  Keyes  Golf  Course 
in  Boylsron,  Mass.  He  was 
profiled  in  MassGolfer  in  an 
article  on  IPM  (inregrated 
pest  management). 

^■^      /     Steve  Dacri  was 

inducted  into  the 
-1.    Inner  Circle  of 
The  Magic  Circle,  the  worlds 
mosr  prestigious  organization 
for  magicians.  He  lectured  at 
the  organization's  London  head- 
quarters in  June  2000  and 
returned  in  April  2002  wirh  his 
wife,  Jan,  who  gave  an  address 
on  "Memory  Magic,"  as  part 
of  a  nine-week  lecture  and 
show  tour  of  the  British  Isles. 

Richard  Peterson  married  Jo 
Ann  Schumacher  on  Sept.  30, 
2000.  A  member  of  the  techni- 
cal staff  of  Sarnoff  Corp.,  he 
lives  in  East  Windsor,  N.J. 

Peter  Schwartz 

^     joined  United 
__^/     Electric  Controls 
as  vice  president  of  sales. 

David  White  received  the 
Miles-Lincoln  Award  from 
Children's  Friend  inc.  He  is  a 
longtime  volunteer  and  board 
member  of  the  Worcester-based 
agency  lor  children  and  families 
in  Central  Massachusetts. 

^^  f    Jay  Cruickshank 
/    I  ~X     received  a  law 
\^S     degree  from 
Quinnipiac  University  in  1999 
and  was  recently  named  vice 

president  ol  The  1  ane  Construc- 
tion ( 'or|i.  in  Meriden,  (  iinn. 


Tom  McAloon  is  in  Prishtina, 
Kosovo,  working  on  a  USAID 
training  program  for  water  and 
electric  utility  management. 

r^^f  ^•^   George  Whitwell 
/      is  manager,  tech- 
nology networks, 
at  Akzo  Nobel  Chemicals 
Research  in  Dobbs  Ferry,  N.Y., 
where  he  serves  as  a  liaison  for 
knowledge  management  and 
competitive  intelligence. 

^■^  /~\     Dr.  Raymond 
Dunn  was 

V_«J     awarded  a  Godina 
Fellowship  from  the  American 
Society  for  Reconsrructive 
Microsurgery.  The  fellowship 
will  allow  him  to  spend  a  year 
visiting  cen- 
ters of  excel- 
lence in  his 
field,  which 
involves 
microscope- 
guided  repair 
of  tiny  nerves  and  blood  vessels 
to  testore  rhe  funcrion  and 
appearance  of  damaged 
tissue.  Dunn's  work  focuses  on 
microsurgical  repair  of  wounds 
of  the  lower  legs.  He  is  chief  of 
rhe  Division  of  Plastic  Surgery 
at  UMass-Memorial  Health 
Care  and  associate  professor 
of  surgery  at  rhe  University  of 
Massachusetts  Medical  School. 

Mark  Freitas  was  elected  to  the 
board  of  directors  of  Zone  Labs 
Inc.,  an  Internet  security  firm. 

Michael  Kenniston  has  moved 
back  to  academia,  after  a  15- 
year  career  in  industry.  He  is 
now  a  visiting  assistant  profes- 
sor of  computer  science  at 
DePaul  University  in  Chicago. 

r^^J  y~V     Kevin  Halloran 
/    V.I    works  for  Control 
_S     Technology  Corp. 

and  lives  in  Franklin.  Mass., 
W  iih  his  wife,  Kimberly. 


3  2     Transformation!    |   Spring  2002 


Dr.  Verne  Backus 

is  medical  director 
\^J  V^/     for  Vermont 
Occupational  &  Acute  Care, 
based  in  Chittenden  Count}'. 

Fotmer  Chess  Club  President 
David  Drevinsky  has  advanced 
to  the  rank  of  chess  master  and 
was  recognized  by  the  USCF 
in  April.  "All  the  Friday  night 
tournaments  have  contributed 
to  my  success,"  he  writes. 

Bill  Gascoyne  married  Kristin 
Kieser  of  Mountain  View, 
Calif.,  on  April  13,  2002. 

David  Lesser  is  director  of 
strategic  planning  for  The 
Simon  Group  Inc.  He  lives 
in  Exeter  Township,  Pa. 


81 


Brian  Caslis  works 
for  Synplicity  Inc. 
as  marketing  direc- 
tor for  the  company's  Certify™ 
products.  He  presented  a  paper 
at  DesignCon  2001. 

Glenn  Gerecke  is  vice  president 
and  site  director  for  DuPont 
Pharmaceuticals  Co.,  which  has 
been  acquired  by  Bristol-Myers 
Squibb  Co. 

Benson  Gould  joined  Marin 
Environmental  Inc.,  an  environ- 
mental-management firm  based 
in  Haddam,  Conn.  He  serves  as 
remediation  section  manager  of 
the  company's  Southbridge, 
Mass.,  office. 

Fred  Rucker  was  appointed 
presidenr  and  COO  of  Network 
Mantra.  He  lives  in  Oakton, 
Va.,  with  his  wife,  Kirsten,  and 
their  five  children. 

fv   /"^     Toma  Duhani 

is  town  engineer- 
\*J  ^Lm  '  highway  superin- 
tendent for  Charlton,  Mass. 

Richard  Welch  joined  ATG 
(Art  Technology  Group)  in 
Cambridge,  Mass.,  as  vice 
president  of  customet  services 
and  support. 

Chris  Wraight  holds  the  post 
of  director  of  North  American 
marketing  at  Sophos  Inc.,  devel- 
opers of  anti-virus  software. 


Well  provide  the 
conversation 


(You  provide  the  coffee) 


There's  a  great  new  place  to  go  to  stay  in  touch  with  your  classmates  and  chat  about  your 
alma  mater.  It's  called  the  WPI  Aluitllli  Cdf  6  and  it's  as  close  as  your 
computer  screen.  The  Cafe  is  an  online  community  with  dedicated  forums  for  classes, 
events,  news  and  more.  If  there's  something  special  you'd  like  to  talk  about,  you  can 
even  start  your  own  forum.  So,  take  a  break  from  the  hustle  and  bustle  of  everyday 
life  and  join  your  friends  at  the  coziest  little  spot  on  the  Internet.  Drop  by  whenever 
you  like — we  never  close! Just  visit  the  WPI  Alumni  home  page,  www.wpi.edu/-i-Alumni, 
and  click  on  the  Cafe  icon. 


ALUMNI      CAFE 


OPEN       24/7 


Sujal  Dave  has 

■    »*^     two  sons:  Roshan, 
\J  ^y     4,  and  Akhil,  born 
Jan.  23,  2001.  He  is  a  program 
manager  at  The  Math  Wotks, 
in  Natick,  Mass. 

Barbara  Haller  works  for 
National  Grid  in  Westborough, 
Mass.  Last  year  she  ran  for  City 
Council  in  Worcester's  4th 
District  and  received  a  Girl 
Scout  Gold  Award  Young 
Women  of  Distinction. 

Stephen  LaFrance  was  pro- 
moted to  president  of  the 
engineering  and  planning  firm 
Provan  &  Lorber  Inc.,  where 
he  has  worked  for  13  years. 
He  and  his  wife  live  in  North 
Stratford,  N.H. 

Bruce  Myers  (M.S.  EE)  joined 
Systemonics  as  general  manager 
of  the  company's  Marlborough, 
Mass.,  organization,  and  direc- 
tor of  RF  Engineering.  Myers 
was  the  founder  and  director  of 
Raytheon's  RF  Networking 
business,  which  was  recently 
acquired  by  Systemonics. 

John  Bibinski  and 

his  wife,  Kathryn, 
\±J      _I_     proudly  announce 
the  birth  of  Diana  Kathryn  on 
Nov.  1,  2001.  She  joins  her  big 
sister,  Christina  Rose,  born  in 
2000.  "We  truly  feel  quite 
blessed!" 


Ophthalmologist  Kathleen 
Cronin  joined  the  staff  of  Eye 
Heath  Vision  Centers  in  North 
Dartmouth,  Mass.  A  specialist 
in  the  treatment  of  glaucoma 
and  diabetes,  she  is  a  graduate 
of  Hahnemann  University 
School  of  Medicine  in 
Philadelphia  and  had  a  fellow- 
ship with  Project  ORBIS 
International,  an  organization 
devoted  to  saving  sight  and  pro- 
moting education  worldwide. 

Robert  Korku k  married 
Martha  Coughlin  on  June  23, 
2001.  He  works  for  BAE 
Systems  in  Merrimack,  N.H. 

Shortly  after  Sept.  1 1,  Marie 
McClintock  returned  to 
North  Africa,  where  she  has 
been  working  as  a  linguist. 
She  developed  an  alphabet  for 
KO  (a  highly  complicated  tonal 
Burkinabe  language)  and  has 
trained  a  local  to  teach  his 
people  to  read.  An  advocate  for 
oppressed  women,  she  has  been 
searching  for  startup  funds  to 
help  them  launch  home-based 
businesses,  such  as  making 
peanut  butter. 

Joseph  Parisi  is  public  works 
director  for  the  city  of 
Gloucester,  Mass.,  where  he 
has  worked  for  nine  years. 


85 


William  Cass  is 

a  partner  in  the 
Bloomfield, 


Conn.,  law  firm  of  Cantor 
Colbutn,  specializing  in 
intellectual  property  law. 

David  Connolly  married  Lori 
Miller  recently.  He  is  general 
manager  of  the  Ninety  Nine 
Restaurant  in  Springfield,  Mass. 

Craig  Falkenham  recently  cele- 
brated his  10th  anniversary  with 
Maxim  Integrated  Products, 
based  in  Sunnyvale,  Calif.  He 
currently  serves  as  area  director 
for  U.S.  field  applications, 
Eastern  Region.  Craig  still  lives 
in  Derry,  N.H.,  with  his  wife, 
Lisa,  and  their  three  children, 
Ryan,  Matthew  and  Kerri. 

Gerard  Guillemette  works 
for  Mixed  Signals  Technologies 
in  Culver  City,  Calif,  as  a 
software  engineer. 

Jon  Kaplan  spent  five  years  in 
Salem,  Ore.,  before  returning  to 
Vermont  in  1995  to  work  for 
the  state's  transportation  agency. 
His  passion  for  road  and  moun- 
tain biking  serves  him  well  in 
his  work  on  bicycle  and  pedes- 
trian projects,  such  as  setting 
design  standards  for  sidewalks, 
bike  lanes  and  multi-use  paths. 


Transformations    \   Spring  2002    33 


He  and  his  wife,  Anne  (Ford), 
have  been  married  for  1 0  years 
and  have  rwo  children — Jacob, 
4,  and  Isaac,  1 14.  "We  love  to 
get  outside  for  any  kind  of 
activity — especially  bicycling, 
hiking,  cross-country  skiing, 
snow  shoeing  and  sledding," 
he  writes. 

Virginia  (Noddin)  Knowles 
lives  in  Beacon,  N.Y.,  with  her 
husband,  Steven,  and  their  four 
children,  ages  5—11-  She  recendy 
started  VTEK,  a  home-based 
CE  consulting  business,  prima- 
rily in  research  and  software 
development.  She  also  volun- 
teers in  the  local  school,  the 
PTA  and  her  church. 

Joan  Landry  married  Robert 
Caponi.  She  is  a  senior 
software  engineer  with 
Aspect  Communications 
in  Chelmsford,  Mass. 

Jim  Mirabile  was  promoted  to 
director  of  optical  network  solu- 
tion sales  at  Acterna.  He  joined 
the  company  in  1992,  after 
seven  years  as  a  Navy  surface 
warfare  officer.  Jim  lives  in 
Hopkinton,  Mass.,  with  his 
wife,  Brenda,  their  daughter, 
Brianna,  and  their  son,  Nicholas. 

Frederick  Moseley  was  pro- 
moted to  associate  with  the 
engineering  firm  Fay,  Spofford 
and  Thorndike  in  January. 
He  is  based  in  rhe  company's 
main  office  in  Burlington, 
Mass.,  where  he  manages  a 
team  of  12  engineers  specializ- 
ing in  traffic  engineering. 
"I  have  also  developed  expertise 
in  the  growing  field  of  planning 
and  designing  bicycle/pedestrian 
facilities.  My  projects  range 
from  the  South  Fork  Bikeway 
in  South  Hampton,  N.Y.,  to 
portions  of  the  East  Coast 
Greenway  in  Maine.  Outside 
the  office,  I  am  busy  with  mv 
wife.  Lynn,  raising  our  three 
children,  Patrick,  Brandon 
and  Elizabeth." 

Cmdr.  Jim  Shea  serves  in  the 
U.S.  Naval  Reserve  at  Dobbins 
Air  Reserve  Base  and  continues 
to  enjoy  his  job  piloting  the 


MD-1 1  for  FedEx.  In  his  spare 
rime,  he  loves  being  with  his 
wife,  Sandy,  and  their  two 
"kids" — black  labs  Duke  and 
Duchess. 

Jody  (Bobbitt)  Zolli  is  a 

principal  technical  wrirer  at 
SeaChange  International  in 
Maynard,  Mass.  She  lives  with 
her  husband,  Pete,  stepdaughters 
Emily  and  Erica,  and  one-year- 
old  son,  Leo.  In  her  spare  rime, 
Jody  enjoys  making  stained  glass, 
reading  and  sleeping. 

Todd  Becker 

■  "^    was  appointed 
\*J  \-J    managing  director, 
investments,  of  Next  Generation 
Ventures,  LCC,  a  joint  venture 
between  The  Phoenix  Cos.  and 
Connecticut  Innovations.  He 
lives  in  Ridgefield,  Conn., 
where  he  previously  founded 
and  managed  a  venture  capital 
firm  called  PomeGranate. 

Robert  Gremley  was  promoted 
to  vice  president,  CAD  software 
development  ar  Parametric 
Technology,  where  he  has 
worked  since  1989. 

Michael  MacMillan  holds  the 
tide  of  epitaxy  scientist  and  pro- 
gram administrator  for  Stetling 
Semiconductor's  Tampa,  Fla., 
facility.  His  specialty  is  silicon 
carbide  epitaxial  film  growth 
for  power  and  radio  frequency 
device  structures. 

Gary  and  Debbie 
Murphy  Allen  '88 

\*J    /        had  their  fourth 
child,  Grace  Alyssa,  on  Sept.  28, 
2001.  She  was  met  with  a  hearty 
welcome  from  her  siblings, 
Zach,  8,  Tess,  4,  and  Ben.  2. 
Gan.-  is  still  working  at  Intel 
and  Debbie  is  enjoying  life  as 
a  stay-at-home  mom.  "Life  has 
never  been  busier  or  better. 
she  writes. 

Lisa  Barton  joined  the  law  firm 
of  Ransmeier  and  Spellman  in 
Concord.  N.H.  A  former  coun- 
sel to  Northeast  Utilities,  she 
will  focus  on  energy  and 
corporate  matters. 


Curt  Duffy  worked  as  a  con- 
sultant on  Paramount  Pictures' 
Y2K  and  Spelling  Merger  proj- 
ects. He  joined  the  movie  stu- 
dio last  year  as  a  payroll  analyst. 
Curt  also  completed  an  MFA 
in  creative  writing  at  Antioch 
University  and  now  teaches 
composition  part  time  at  Los 
Angeles  Pierce  College.  His 
poetry  and  shott  fiction  have 
appeared  in  literary  magazines, 
including  Crux,  4th  Street 
and  51  %.  He  lives  in 
Hollywood  with  his  red-nosed 
American  pit  bull  terrier,  Lucy. 

Stephen  Madaus  is  an  associate 
in  the  Business  Group  of  the 
law  firm  Mirick  O'Connell, 
with  offices  in  Boston, 
Westborough  and  Worcester. 

Michael  Skowron  married 
Ellen  Ferland  on  Sept.  1,  2001. 
They  live  in  Dover,  N.H. 

Maj.  Kenneth  Viall  graduated 
from  die  Army's  School  of 
Advanced  Military  Studies  with 
a  master's  degree  in  military  arts 
and  science. 


88 


34      Transformations    \   Spring   2002 


Allen  Bonde 

recendy  started 
a  research  and 
management  consulting  firm. 
The  Allen  Bonde  Group,  in 
Wellesley  Mass.,  after  working 
in  various  management  and 
consulting  roles  at  McKinsey. 
Extraprise  and  The  Yankee 
Group.  He  writes,  "Would  love 
to  hear  from  other  alumni 
working  in  the  CRM  software 
or  e-business  space.  When  I'm 
not  traveling,  my  wife  and  I 
continue  to  enjoy  life  in  the 
suburbs  with  our  three  (!)  kids 
and  our  old,  but  still-untrained 
black  lab. 

J.  Michael  Garvin  and  his  wife. 
Patrice,  welcomed  their  first 
child,  Andrew  John,  born  Jan. 
29,  2002.  They  live  in 
Chelmsford,  Mass. 

Doug  Smith  works  for 
Massachusetts  Electric  in 
Brimfield.  He  was  a  guest 
speaker  at  the  town's  Brown 
Bagger  program,  where  he 
fielded  questions  from  residents 
on  light  bills,  power  outages 
and  energy  conservation. 


Jim  Works  and  his  wife,  Karen, 
announce  the  birth  of  a  daugh- 
ter, Helen  Frances,  on  Dec.  20, 
2001.  Her  brother,  Colin,  is 
two  years  older.  Jim  works  for 
rhe  Department  of  Defense  as 
an  aerospace  engineer  for  the 
Defense  Contract  Management 
Agency.  He  is  still  serving  in 
the  Connecticut  Air  National 
Guard,  and  was  recendy  pro- 
moted to  lieutenant  colonel. 

Patrick  Brennan 
V^  V,  I    married  Alyssa 
V_»/  _y/     Shutack,  a  gradu- 
are  of  UMass/Boston  and  a 
product  manager  for  BrassRing 
Sysrems.  Patrick  works  for 
Adobe  Systems  as  a  computer 
scientist.  They  live  in 
Arlington,  Mass. 

"I  have  come  full  circle,"  writes 
Ciro  DiMeglio,  who  returned 
to  Worcester  when  his  company, 
BioValve  Technologies,  moved 
to  the  Biotechnology  Research 
Park.  He  was  previously  based 
in  Watertown,  Mass.,  after 
earning  a  master's  degree  and  a 
doctorate  in  Oregon  and  doing 
postdoctoral  work  at  Purdue. 

David  Hatch  is  director  of 
technical  archirecture  for 
Peoples  treet. 

Kern*  and  Karen  (Krikorian) 
Hennessey  announce  the  birth 
of  their  son,  Timothy  Patrick, 
on  July  12,  2001.  He  joins  his 
brothers,  John.  7,  and  Zachary. 
6.  and  sister.  Rachel.  2.  "Tim  is 
a  very  happy  kid  who  smiles 
and  pukes  a  lot,"  writes  Kern,-. 

Scon  Orzell  is  a  senior  manag- 
er with  Cap  Gemini  Ernst  & 
Young,  working  with  hospitals 
and  health  care  systems  on 
turnaround  and  strategic  busi- 
ness transformation  efforts.  He 
has  been  with  the  company  for 
more  than  tour  years.  Scott  lives 
in  Coventry,  Conn.,  with  his 
wile,  Karen,  and  (heir  children, 
Nicholas  and  Alyssa. 

Erin  Ryan  and  Donald  Gale 
announce  the  birth  of  Connor 
Jack  Gale  on  Dec.  1.  2001. 
"He's  healthy,  happy,  and  loves 
his  Australian  cattle  dogs.  Skv 
and  Blaze."  thev  write. 


Marrion  at  the  Controls 


Heads  Ne        : 

Christopher  Marrion  "89 

.  S.  FPE^  leads  rhe  New  Yodk 
rfEzci     "  -_•  _ .       " .       '" : : .     - 
\irj\txes.  a  group  or  ftFl  fire 
protection  engineering  gradu- 
ares  thai  includes  Jarxod  Alston 
'99,  David  Jacor      ;     W  MS. 
FPE  -James  Lord  "00   "II  M.S. 
FPE   =ndBobTffl'94  liLS. 
FPE  "01  Ph.D.).  On  Sept.  11, 
---.-       L-.L~.iL  ■■.:.-.  ". : :_: "  ii  :"; 
TV i  ~~---T-  llltzzZ  ~Z-~   r.  ::.-:.- 
=    --■-.'.-."■--•  l.~  _-_:  r. ::  :: 

—  :-<     -  :_-.:    —  7:  -  ;-  —  e  - :. .: 
r.L.-    -■  ■  lt.l  s.i  :ll---l7.-.: 
abilitv  to  evacuate,  as  well  as 

-  :-_■--:■      _    _";_:  "i  ~llz 
load-bearing  capadrr  ot  the 
srrucmral  dements,'  he  says. 

Marrion  was  chosen  to  represent 
his  Seld  and  the  Society  of  Fire 
Protection  Engineers  (SEPE) 
:■=  :~;  5uildlr-z  ?err rrm  lll:z 
Analysis  Team  (BPAT).  Ffis  role 
included  work  on  W  1 C  1, 
WlC  2,  and  the  performance  of 
Tarious  fire  protection  systems 

LL\LLL\ZLZ--Z   iTT-Z-v     t~:.7.:-.::   ILL' 

comparnnentarion.  Fie  spent  a 


=  rrrr.r.e".  r_  :  ;  .~.l:  was  a>  er- 
shadowed  by  rhe  drama  or  the 
Twin  Towers.  He  also  helped 
write  Appendix  A — a  primer  on 
the  fire  er_Emeering  concepts 
discussed  in  rhe  report- 
Lessons  have  been  learned  from 
rhe  tragic  events  or  Sept.  1 1, 
savs  Marrion.  and  \\  PI  s  fire 
protection  engineering  gradu- 
ates will  plav  a  significant  role 
in  the  future  dpsign  oi  buildings 
and  Arir  fire-  and  life-safety 
performance.  He  believes  this 
includes  ntw^rralring  perform- 
ance-based  designs  to  help 
stakeholders  understand  the 
anticipated  performance  or 
buildings  when  exposed  to 
various  rh rears,  including  fire, 
impact,  explosion,  and  chemical 
or  biological  agents,  as  well  as 
:.::  -£  ;::_::_:j.   engineer- 
understand  the  interaction  of 
:  re  l~  l  -ree. 

Marrion  and  his  colleagues  have 
been  asked  to  make  numerous 
presentations  to  pdrlress  these 
concerns.  Others  at  Arup  have 


From  \~h,  Sow-Teen  See  (Les  Robertson  s  wife  and  partner  at  Leslie  E. 
~::^— on  Associates),  Venkate;  .  -d  Marrion  examine  steel 

-:- — =      :    :  "  ::;  Z;_ ■■ 


been  instrumental  in  forming 
the  company's  Extreme  Events 
Mitigation  Task  Force,  which 
includes  Richard  Custer,  former 
associate  professor  of  Eire 
Prcrerrfor.  Engines:     ;  i~d 
former  assistant  director  of  the 
Center  for  Firesafety  Studies 
at  \\  PI  (now  technical  director 
for  Arup  Fire  L"SA\  and  Brian 
Meacham'84   '91  M.S.  FPE), 
who  leads  Amps  Risk  Consulting 
Group  in  Westborough.  Mass. 


For  Chris  and  his  colleagues 
in  New  York,  a  quick  glance 
downtown  to  rhe  void  left  in 
the  skyline  serves  as  a  daily 
reminder  of  the  tragedy  and 
of  lie  opportunities  they  have 
in  helping  shape  the  future 
for  fire  engineering  and 
building  design. 


Z:ll~.z  -:-..-     Liz  execs  John 
Roughneen  "89   .err   =r_c 
Glenn  Butler  "89  have  a  lot  to 
smile  about.  The  companv  thev 
founded  in  1991  was  acquired 
by  Crane  Co.,  a  S2.4  billion 
publidy  traded  Fortune  300 
company.  Streamwares  flagship 
products  include  YendMAX 
management  systems  for  vending 


machines,  and  InroYend,  a 
market-data  research  and  analysis 
service.  After  almost  a  decade 
of  the  company  s  growth, 
Roughneen  says  he  is  thrilled 
to  be  aligned  with  Crane,  a 
global  powerhouse  with  a 
long-term  commitment  to 
the  vending  industry. 


^v    y"v     AI  Alonzi  married 
V^j  |    Susan  Welch  of 

J    \J     Augusta,  Ga.,  on 
June  9,  2001.  His  brother  Roland 
was  best  man,  and  classmates 
Ken  Comey  and  Kevin  Owen 
were  groomsmen.  Al  and  Susan 
both  work  in  Washington, 
D.C..  and  live  in  Mrginia. 

Ken  Comey  married  Julie 
Giunroli  on  Jan.  2,  2002. 
Classmate  Al  Alonzi  was 
best  man,  and  Kens  brothers 
Thomas  '96  and  Michael 
were  groomsmen.  Ken  and 
Julie  currently  reside  in 
Bakersfield,  Calif. 


Jeff  Hebert  and  his  wife, 
Catherine,  announce  the  birth 
of  a  son,  Daniel  Bruce,  on  Sept. 
14.  2001.  -Additionally,  Jeff 
gave  birth  to  a  195-page  disser- 
tation," he  writes,  "earning  a 
Ph.D.  in  electrical  engineering 
from  the  Air  Force  Institute  of 
Technology  in  Dayton,  Ohio.  I 
pinned  on  major  last  December 
and  reported  to  Kirtland  AFB  in 
February  to  begin  work  on  test- 
ing the  USAF's  airborne  laser." 
Ron-  Welch,  his  wife,  Nancy, 
and  their  two  children,  Ryan 
and  Lauren,  are  living  in 
Harrogate,  England.  Recendy 
promoted  to  major  in  the  Air 
Force,  Ron'  is  assigned  to 
R\F  Menwith  Hill. 


Transformations    \   Spring  2002 


35 


CD 


WPI  Bookshelf 


TAX   M\N  \Gf'Mr,M 

PORTFOLIOS 

-aassas. 

S 

Employee  Benelits  for 
the  Contingent  Workforce 

by  Alden  J.  Bianchi  '74 

Bureau  of  National  Affairs  Inc. 


This  detailed  analysis  addresses  employment 
issues  that  arise  with  contingent  or  alternative 
workers,  such  as  independent  contractors, 
leased  employees,  free-lancers  and  part-time, 
seasonal  or  temporary  employees.  "As  globalization  and  e-commerce 
have  changed  the  employment  landscape,  employers  have  increasingly 
relied  upon  temporary,  contract  or  other  contingent  employees,  and 
have  been  faced  with  the  question  of  how  to  compensate  these 
contingent  workers,"  says  Bianchi.  "Our  current  employment  laws 
were  never  designed  to  cover  employment  issues  of  this  nature." 
Bianchi  is  a  partner  and  chair  of  the  Employee  Benefits  practice 
at  Mirick  O'Connell.  He  holds  a  J.D.  from  Suffolk  University  Law 
School,  an  LL.M.  from  Georgetown  Law  Center  and  an  LL.M  in 
taxation  from  Boston  University's  Graduate  Tax  Program. 

Sex,  Death  and  Travel 

by  Morgan  Rosenberg  '95 

iUniverse  Inc. 

"From  a  one-act  play  I  wrote  in  college, 
to  a  (soon  to  be)  major  motion  picture, 
SEX  DEATH  AND  TRAVEL  has  come  a 
long  way,"  says  Rosenberg,  who  is  at 
work  on  the  screenplay.  His  Web  site, 

www.morganrosenberg.com  has  a  link  back  to  the  New  Voices 

drama  festival  site,  where  it  all  began. 

Lean  Enterprise  Value: 
Insights  from  MIT's  Lean 
Aerospace  Initiative 

Myles  Walton  '97  and  1  2  co-authors 
from  MIT's  LAI 

Palgrave  Publishers 

Members  of  MIT's  Lean  Aerospace  Initiative 
share  their  vision  for  the  future  of  the  aero- 
space industry.  The  book  offers  a  close 
look  at  the  history,  values  and  culture  of 

aerospace,  and  formulates  a  new  vision,  with  the  concept  of  "lean" 

as  a  framework  for  transformation. 

Walton  earned  an  S.M.  and  a  Ph.D.  in  aeronautics  and  astronautics 
from  MIT.  He  currently  covers  the  aerospace  and  defense  sectors  for 
Morgan  Stanley. 


3  6      Trans  for  mat  ions    |    Spring    2002 


.   -<      Bob  Beliveau  is 

a  product  market- 
_^     JL     ing  manager  at 
Jetstream  Communications, 
manufacturers  of  voice-over 
broadband  systems.  Bob  mar- 
ried Italian-born  Deborah 
Armstrong  on  June  9,  2001,  at 
St.  Simon  Catholic  Church  in 
Los  Altos,  Calif.  The  reception 
at  Los  Altos  Golf  and  Country 
Club  included  fellow  Phi  Sigs 
Christopher  Manton  '90, 
Rick  Drulard  '92  and  Andrew 
Stern  '92.  "And  yes,  the  story 
of  'Star  Crossed  Lovers'  in 
Transformations'  premier  issue 
is  true,"  he  notes,  "though  the 
full  story  is  a  bit  more  interest- 
ing than  that." 

Peter  Breton  and  his  wife, 
Jenny,  announce  the  birth  of 
their  daughter,  Nicole  Monteiro 
Breton,  on  March  30,  2002. 
They  live  Westborough,  Mass., 
where  Peter  works  for  CTDI. 

Michelle  Burke  is  now  an  asso- 
ciate in  the 
Intellectual 
Property 
Group  of 
Perkins, 
Smith  & 
Cohen,  LLP. 

The  firm  joined  forces  with  her 

former  employer,  Ricklefs  & 

Co.,  PC.  in  January. 

James  Fortin  was  elected 
treasurer  of  the  Structural 
Engineering  Society  of  Maine. 
He  works  for  Harriman 
Associates  and  lives  in  Gray, 
Maine,  with  his  wife,  Julie, 
and  their  son,  Joshua. 

Rexel  Gallamoza  received  a 
masters  degree  in  electrical 
engineering  from  Drexel 
University.  He  and  his  wife, 
Lunarose  Abad.  live  in  Newark. 
Del.,  with  their  sons.  Ryan 
and  Brenn.in. 

Karl  GofF  lit  Brunswick, 
Maine,  joined  Wright-Pierce, 
located  in  Topsham,  as  an 
environmental  engineer. 

Troy  Nielsen  is  working  on 
a  CD  of  jazz  for  children, 
scheduled  tor  release  this  fall. 
1  [e  continues  playing  jazz  gigs 
and  working  for  Philips  Medical 
Systems.  Inn  and  his  wile. 


Lucy,  live  in  Andover,  Mass., 
with  their  son,  Myles.  The 
two-year-old  already  enjoys 
music  and  likes  playing  ukulele, 
drums  and  piano,  according  to 
a  profile  of  Troy  in  the  North 
Andover  paper  Break  Time. 

Daniel  Whelan  was  promoted 
to  product  line  engineer  at  OFS 
Fitel  Specialty  Fiber  (formerly 
Lucent  Technologies  Specialty 
Fiber)  in  Avon,  Conn.  Dan, 
who  moved  to  Avon  last 
November,  provides  technical 
sales  support  and  develops 
new  markets  for  the  company's 
multimode  optical  fiber,  cables 
and  assemblies. 

/"V  /*^     The  last  issue  of 
Transformations 
^f    ^ml    erroneously  report- 
ed the  whereabouts  of  Loan 
Ngo  and  her  husband,  John 
Jones.  They  were  previously 
living  in  N.C.,  not  NYC. 
They  have  since  moved  to 
Connecticut,  where  Loan  is  an 
executive  consultant  for  Pratt 
&  Whitney  in  East  Hartford. 

Marc  Paquette  married 
Kimberly  Norfleet  on  Sept.  16, 
2001.  He  is  a  software  consult- 
ant for  SAP  America  Inc.  in 
Waltham,  Mass. 

y"V    /^      Christopher 

"^    Arsenault  is  a  soft- 
^/    ^^/    ware  engineer  at 
Unisphere  Networks.  He  and 
his  wife,  Jennifer  (Dellagala), 
live  in  Burlington.  Mass. 

Jeffrey  Jorczak  married  Joan 
Daignault  on  June  9,  2001.  He 
is  a  self-employed  Web  designer 
based  in  Hartford,  Conn. 

Michael  Rzeznik  (M.S.  FPE) 
was  promoted  to  principal  and 
office  man- 
ager of  the 
Armonk, 
N.Y.,  office 
ol  ( lage- 
Babcock 
&  Assoc, 
specializing  in  tire  protection, 
life  safely  and  security  con- 
sulting, His  work  on  the  Stai 
Spangled  Banner  Conservation 
Laboratory  at  the  Smithsonian 
was  featured  in  the  Summer 

1999  issue  of  WPI  Journal 


Kate  (Ranum)  and  Joseph 
Wenc  announce  the  birth  of 
their  second  child,  Isaac,  on 
March  12,  2002.  Big  brother 
Stefan,  age  2,  looks  forward 
to  having  a  playmate. 

Ross  Weyman  is  living  in 
Evanston,  111.,  and  working  as 
a  senior  project  manager  for 
Bovis  Lend  Lease.  He  married 
Karol  Muehleis  in  May  2000 
on  Grand  Cayman  Island,  and 
welcomed  into  the  world  a 
daughter,  Anna  Marley,  on 
Feb.  12,2002. 

Mary  Auger  and 
James  Uhrich  '98 

.     of  Milford,  Mass., 
were  married  recently.  She  is  a 
product  development  engineer 
for  Depuy  AcroMed/Johnson 
&  Johnson.  He  is  a  design 
engineer  for  Carroll  Design 
and  a  student  in  the  mechanical 
engineering  master's  degree 
program  at  WPI. 

Andrew  Bowman  (M.S.  FPE) 
was  named 
principal 
and  office 
manager 
for  the 
Chicago 
office  of 

Gage-Babcock  &  Assoc. 

Chris  Cogliandro  was  promor- 
ed  to  product  line  manager,  X- 
ray,  at  Timken  Super  Precision 
(MPB)  in  Keene,  N.H. 

Brandon  Emanuel  was  joined 
in  marriage  with  Jennifer 
Harper  by  Brandon's  dad  on 
Oct.  20,  2001,  in  Bedford,  Va. 
Dan  Mac  kin,  Bob  Thomas 
and  James  McElroy  '95  took 
part  in  the  ceremony.  The 
couple  honeymooned  in  Prague, 
Czech  Republic,  and  Edinburgh, 
Scorland,  before  returning  to 
Jacksonville,  Fla. 

Sean  O'Connor  and  his  wife, 
Kerrie,  had  a  son,  Jared 
Michael,  on  Oct.  3,  2001. 
Both  parenrs  work  in  the 
CCC  at  WPI. 

Jon  Osborn  and  his  wife,  Sue, 
had  their  first  child,  Andrew,  in 
Augusr  2001.  Jon  is  working  as 
a  software  consultant  for  S.E.I, 
in  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 


Kyle  Oudaw  and  his  wife, 
Maureen,  announce  the  birth 
of  Peighton  Nabeha,  April  23, 
2001.  "As  a  first  child,  she  is 
getting  plenty  of  attention.  I 
think  my  cameta  is  wearing 
out,"  writes  Kyle.  They  are  liv- 
ing in  New  Jersey,  after  lour 
years  at  Penn  State,  where  Mo 
got  her  Ph.D.  in  criminology 
and  Kyle  got  his  master's  in 
manufacturing  management. 


95 


Thomas 
Berthiaume  is 


a  project  superin- 
tendent with  Whiting  Turner 
Contracting.  He  and  his  wife, 
Lisa,  live  in  Worcester. 

Kevin  Dowty  and  his  wife, 
Stacie,  announce  the  birth  of 
a  son,  Connor  William,  on 
Oct.  9,  2001.  He  was  born  at 
5:41  p.m.  in  Sturdy  Memorial 
Hospital,  Attleboro,  Mass. 

Greg  Marr  ('96  M.S.  ME,  '02 
M.S.  CS)  completed  his  second 
WPI  mastet's  degree,  this  one  in 
computer  science,  in  December. 
He  is  currently  employed  as  a 
senior  software  developer  and 
core  team  leadet  at  CAD  KEY 
Corp.  in  Marlborough,  Mass. 
He  and  his  wife,  Amy  (Plack) 
'96  (M.S.  '00),  live  in  South 
Grafton,  Mass.,  where  Greg 
serves  as  scoutmaster  for  Boy 
Scout  Troop  107. 

Kathleen  Paulauskas  married 
Gavin  Moore  on  April  28,  2001. 
Katie  Daly  '96  was  a  brides- 
maid. Wedding  guests  included 
Wendy  Butkus  Kelly,  Chad 
Council  '94,  Amy  Nelson 
Barker  '96,  Ian  Quinn  '96 
and  Angela  Wonsey  '96. 

Amy  Rich  continues  as 
president  of  Boston-based 
Oceanwave  Consulting.  Her 
Q&A  columns  appear  regularly 
in  Sys  Admin  magazine. 

George  Roberts  and  his  wife, 
Laura  Gregory  Roberts  '93, 

announce  the  birth  of  their 
daughter,  Anna  Claire,  on 
Oct.  24,  2001. 

Cory  Shimer  is  a  hardware 
engineer  wirh  Quantam  Bridge. 
He  and  his  wife,  Jennifer,  live 
in  Marlborough,  Mass. 


Help  your  alma  mater  .  .  . 
and  your  employer 

Tap  into  the  student  resources  available  at  WPI  by  recruiting 
on  campus  or  by  posting  full-time,  summer  internship  and 
co-op  job  opportunities  on  the  WPI  Web  site.  Learn  how  the 
knowledge  of  cutting-edge  technology  and  global  experi- 
ence provides  our  students  with  an  edge  as  they  enter 
the  workplace. 

Let  WPI's  "intellectual  capital"  be  your  company's 
competitive  advantage  in  today's  marketplace. 


For  more  information,  contact  the  WPI  Career  Development 
Center  at  508-831-5260  or  cdc@wpi.edu 


96 


Jessica  (Soucy) 
and  Jeffrey  Barnes 

announce  the 
birth  of  Summet  Grace  on 
April  9,  2001. 

Antonio  Delgado  from 
Maracay,  Venezuela,  has  left 
his  post  at  Maersk  Drilling  Co. 
in  Maracaibo  to  patticipate 
in  the  Maersk  Contractors 
International  Drilling  Program 
in  Svendborg,  Denmark. 

Eric  Denoncourt  is  a  junior 
civil  engineer  for  the  town  of 
Shrewsbury,  Mass. 

Anne  Marie  Fayan  (MM)  is 
alumni  director  for  Bishop 
Connolly  High  School  in 
Somerset,  Mass.,  where  she  has 
been  on  the  faculty  since  1981. 

Yi-Chih  Huang  (M.S.  BE)  is  a 
medical  system  engineer  with 
InMedica  Development  Corp. 
of  Salt  Lake  City.  His  work  on 
the  company's  non-invasive 
hematocrit  system  includes 
design  of  the  pressure  control 
mechanism  and  the  data 
display  unit. 

Jesse  Parent  and  his  wife,  Julia, 
were  blessed  with  the  birth  of 
their  daughtet,  Jasmine  Denise, 
born  at  home  on  Dec.  1,  2001. 
Jesse  changed  jobs  and  is  now 
principal  engineer  at  Sorenson 
Media  in  Salt  Lake  City.  This 
spring  he  performed  with  an 
improv  comedy  group  called 
Knock  Your  Socks  Off 


(or  KYSOff)  at  rhe  5th  annual 
Chicago  Improv  Festival. 

Brian  Pestana  married  Terri 
Lewis  on  July  21,  2001.  He  is 
working  on  an  MBA  at  Bryant 
College  and  is  employed  by 
V.R.  Industries  in  Warwick,  R.I. 

Pam  Sluter  and  her  husband, 
Steve,  announce  the  birth  of 
their  first  child,  Isabelle  Rose, 
on  March  17,  2002  (a  St. 
Patrick's  Day  baby!). 

Mark  Suennen  received  his  PE 
license  after  passing  the  October 
2001  exam  in  Maryland.  ("The 
first  time!")  He  is  working  on  his 
master's  thesis  at  the  University 
of  Maryland,  which  he  expects 
to  complete  by  May  2003. 

9f    Melissa  (Allen) 
and  Matthew 
Leahy  '95  are 

the  proud  parents  of  a  son, 
Nathaniel  Howatd,  born  on 
Oct.  10,  2001.  Melissa  is  assis- 
tant director  of  admissions  at 
WPI,  and  Matt  is  vice  presi- 
dent of  lab  services  at  Secon 
of  New  England. 

Dr.  Nicole  Manjerovic  works 
at  Abbott  Animal  Hospital  in 
Worcester.  She  and  her  hus- 
band, Brian  Metcalf,  live  in 
Auburn,  Mass. 

Sean  O'Hearn  is  a  technical 
consultant  for  Visragy  in 
Waltham,  Mass.  He  married 
Cortney  Cope  last  year. 


Transformations    \   Spring  2002     37 


CO 

0 


(A 


Heather  St.  Martin  is  working 
on  a  doctorate  in  organic  chem- 
istry at  Boston  College.  She  and 
her  husband,  Jonathan  Davis, 
live  in  Waltham,  Mass. 


I  98 


David  Deacon 

married  Kerri 
Lanni  on  June  2, 
2001.  He  is  an  actuary  at 
Allmerica  Financial  in  Worcester. 

Kerry  Ann  Dubrule  wed  Paul 
Verdini,  recently.  She  works  for 
Norac  Inc.,  in  Azusa,  Calif. 

David  Giroux  married 
Christine  Greenleaf  on  Sept.  1 , 
2001.  He  works  for  Raytheon 
and  lives  in  Warwick,  R.I. 

Kristen  Gongoleski  and 
Jonathan  Fairbanks  are 

engaged.  She  is  a  laboratory 
technician  at  Wyeth 
Pharmaceuticals  in  West 
Greenwich,  R.I.,  and  he  is  a 
product  engineer  at  Stanley 
Bostich  in  East  Greenwich. 

Jill  Ann  Johnson  ('00  M.S. 
FPE)  and  Aaron  Korthas  '99 

are  engaged  to  be  married  on 
Sept.  7,  2002.  Jill  is  an  associate 
fire  protection  engineer  at  RJA 


Group  in  Framingham,  Mass., 
and  Aaron  works  as  an  actuarial 
analyst  at  Watson  Wyatt 
Worldwide  in  Wellesley. 

Rory  Kelleher  received  an 
MBA  from  Georgia  Institute  of 
Technology  and  was  inducted 
into  the  Beta  Gamma  Sigma 
honor  society.  He  works  for  his 
family's  business,  Emerald 
Excavating  Co.  Inc. 

John  Markow  married  Aino 
Rentola  on  Jan.  12,  2002,  in 
Helsinki,  Finland.  Best  man 
was  Ryan  McDaniel,  and  Al 
Navarro  was  an  usher.  John, 
who  works  at  the  Nokia 
Research  Center  in  Helsinki, 
may  be  contacted  at 
john.markow@ieee.org. 

Roger  Mazzella  (M.Engr.)  is 
East  Coast,  strategic  account 
manager  for  Onix  Microsystems 
of  South  Plainfield,  N.J. 

Molly  McCabe  and  Brian 
Gagnon  '97  were  married  on 
Sept.  15,  2001,  with  Amy 
Sinyei  as  maid  of  honor  and 
Scott  McDermott  '97  as  best 
man.  Classmates  Wendy 
Jobling,  Jenn  Sapochetti  and 
Justin  Urban  were  there,  along 


with  Isaiah  Plante  '97,  Cory 
Wajda  '97,  and  Katie  Gagnon 
'01.  After  a  honeymoon  in 
Tahiti,  they  returned  home  to 
Fremont,  Calif,  where  Molly 
is  a  quality  engineer  for  Cool 
Systems  Inc.,  and  Brian  is  a  fire 
protection  engineer  with  Rolf 
Jenson  Assoc. 

Josh  Mellinger  works  for 
Teradyne.  He  and  his  wife  have 
been  living  in  Newbury  Park, 
Calif,  for  the  last  four  years. 

Guy  Miller  is  an  applications 
engineer  with  Accusonic 
Technologies  Inc.  He  lives  in 
Pocasset,  Mass.,  with  his  wife, 
Heather  Marie  (Lanoue). 

U.S.  Army  Capt.  Frank 
Townsend  has  been  stationed  in 
Hawaii  with  his  wife,  Kaya 
Brown,  and  their  two  children, 
Sydney,  3,  and  Frank  IV,  born 
in  February  2002.  He  is  leaving 
his  post  as  civil  engineer  for  the 
84th  Engineer  Battalion  to 
return  to  the  States  and  get  his 
master's  degree  before  he  ships 
out  to  his  next  assignment. 
Frank's  previous  deployments 
have  included  Thailand, 
Kwajalein  (an  atoll  in  the 


Marshall  Islands)  and  other 
Pacific  duty  stations. 

Chris  Wieczorek  (M.S.  FPE)  is 
a  doctoral  candidate  at  Virginia 
Tech.  His  research  on  carbon 
monoxide  production  and 
transmission  during  house  fires 
was  described  in  the  Roanoke 
Times  in  an  article  called 
"Hunting  the  silent  killer." 

Keith  Wilkinson  is  a  mechan- 
ical design  engineer  with  Pratt 
&  Whitney.  He  lives  in 
Portsmouth,  N.H.,  with  his 
wife,  Christina  (Butler). 

Tara  Carrie  and 
vl  vl    Scott  Hammond 

^    ^S      planned  to  marry 
on  June  8,  2002.  Tara  is  a 
fourth-year  veterinary  student 
at  Tufts,  and  Scott  works  as 
a  structural  engineer  at 
Odeh  Engineers  in  North 
Providence,  R.I. 

Tim  Miranda  married  Liz 
Stewart  on  Aug.  19,  2001,  in 
New  Rochelle,  N.Y.  Classmates 
Willy  Nunn  and  Matt  Sartin 
were  ushers.  Tim  works  for 
Pegasystems  Inc.  and  lives  in 
Medford,  Mass. 


Nick  Carparelli  '90:  Patriots  point  person 


From  left.  Quarterback 
Drew  Bledsoe,  Carparelli 
and  Coach  Bill  Belichick. 


"I  think  the  average  male  in  New 
England  would  do  my  job  for 
free,"  says  Nick  Carparelli, 
director  of  operations  for  the 
New  England  Patriots.  "I'd  be 
lying  if  I  didn't  say  that  I  enjoy 
watching  the  games  from  the 
sidelines  and  being  right  there 
among  the  players  and 
the  coaches." 

Those  are  the  perks.  The  head- 
aches can  include  airport  delays, 
no-show  ground  transportation, 
and  hotel  lobbies  jammed  with 
expectant  fans.  Crunch  time 
begins  the  Friday  before  an 
away  game,  when  Carparelli 
flies  out  to  prepare  for  the  team's 
arrival,  and  doesn't  end  until  he's 
seen  everyone  safely  back  to 
Foxboro.  "When  we  land  at  the 
airport  in  Providence,  and  I  look 
out  the  window  and  see  the  team 
buses,  then  I  relax,"  he  says. 


On  game  day,  it's  up  to  Carparelli 
to  make  sure  that  everything 
works,  from  the  coaches'  head- 
sets to  the  players'  parking  to  the 
post-game  party  tent.  Between 
games  he  works  with  many  other 
managers  and  departments  and, 
of  course,  with  Coach  Bill 
Belichick.  "He's  tremendous," 
says  Carparelli.  "He's  very,  very 
organized  and  specific  about 
what  he  wants,  which  makes  my 
job  a  lot  easier."  During  the  off- 
season Carparelli  spends  months 
planning  and  overseeing  the 
Patriots'  pre-season  training 
camp  at  Bryant  College. 

In  a  nutshell,  operations  man- 
agement of  a  professional  sports 
franchise  entails  everything  it 
takes  to  keep  the  players  and 
coaching  staff  happy.  'This  is  a 
pretty  high-pressure  business," 
Carparelli  reminds  fans. 


"Coaches  and  players  get  hired 
and  fired  all  the  time.  Their 
careers  are  very  short.  They 
work  hard  all  year  long,  but  it  all 
comes  down  to  just  1  6  days."  To 
minimize  the  stress  surrounding 
those  days,  he  runs  interference 
to  deflect  the  many  distractions 
that  could  affect  the  team's 
performance  on  the  field. 

Carparelli,  who  describes  him- 
self as  a  "fanatical  sports  fan," 
captained  the  WPI  basketball 
team  as  a  senior  and  played 
basketball  and  golf.  Before 
joining  the  Patriots  last  year,  he 
handled  football  operations  for 
Syracuse  University  and  Notre 
Dame.  A  native  of  Cheshire, 
Conn.,  he  grew  up  with  split 
loyalties,  following  the  Giants, 
the  Yankees  and  the  Celtics. 
Nick  and  his  wife,  Rene,  live 
in  Cumberland,  R.I. 


3  8      Transformations    \   Spring  2002 


Laura  Pare  and  Christopher 
Milici  were  married  at 
Diamond  Hill  Vineyards  in 
Rhode  Island.  Laura  is  a  process 
engineer/supervisor  at  H.C. 
Starck.  Christopher  is  a  pro- 
duction engineer  and  health, 
environment  and  safety  manag- 
er at  Technics  Inc.  They  live  in 
Wrentham,  Mass. 

Christina  Caverly  Wicks  was 

promoted  to  instigator  at  the 
integrated  marketing  communi- 
cation firm  Smith  &  Jones, 
where  she  coordinates  talent, 
casting  and  props  for  the 
agency's  marketing  and  public 
relations  clients.  Her  other 
responsibilities  include  coordi- 
nating production  schedules 
and  budgets  for  audio  and 
film  projects. 

Andrew  Cook 

is  an  applications 
V»/  V-/     engineer  in  the 
Dehumidification  Division  of 
Munters  Corp.  in  Amesbury, 
Mass. 

Matthew  Driscoll  married 
Beth  Grissom,  a  fourth  grade 
teacher,  on  Oct.  13,  2001. 
He  is  an  engineer  at  Telica  Inc. 
in  Marlborough,  Mass. 

Kristina  Goesch  works 
for  Zaiq  Technologies  in 
Marlborough,  Mass. 

Steve  Hocurscak  joined  Ball 
in  the  House,  an  all-a  cappella 
touring  band  from  Boston.  He 
serves  as  sound  engineer,  tour 
manager  and  Web  master  of  the 
site  he  created  for  the  band  at 
www.ballinthehouse.com. 

Tim  LaRose  is  an  FPE  grad 
student  at  WPI.  He  has  contin- 
ued his  charity  work  for  Why 
Me  Inc.  with  a  six-state  bicycle 
ride  through  New  England  to 
raise  funds  for  Sherry's  House,  a 
home  for  children  who  are  being 
treated  for  cancer  at  UMass- 
Memorial  Medical  Center. 

Michael  Lavoie  works  in  the 
engineering  department  of 
UPS  in  Shrewsbury,  Mass. 

Christopher  Shoemaker 
and  Crystal  Robert  '01  were 
married  last  year.  They  took  a 
honeymoon  in  Europe  and 
now  live  in  Middletown,  R.I. 


01 


Brooke  LeClair 
and  Matthew 
Daniels  are 

engaged.  She  is  an  analyst  at 
Accenture  Corp.;  he  is  an 
engineer  with  The  Foxboro  Co. 
At  press  time  they  were  plan- 
ning a  May  25  wedding. 


Graduate  ManagemerfF~ 
Program 

Brian  Johnson  '00  (MBA)  was 
named  managing  director  and 
chief  financial  officer  for  Zero 
State  Capital  of  Providence, 
R.I.  He  has  been  with  the 
firm  for  five  years. 

Vincent  DeGiacomo  '01 

(MBA)  was  appointed  vice 
president  of  business  develop- 
ment for  Sonexis  Inc.,  a 
Boston-based  voice  technology 
company.  He  previously 
worked  at  Artel  Video  Systems. 

Master  of  Natural 
Science 

George  Satellite  '86  left  his 
position  as  chair  of  the  mathe- 
matics and  science  department 
at  the  Tilton  School  after  24 
years  of  teaching.  He  is  now 
self-employed  as  a  light-con- 
struction/maintenance person 
in  the  Squam  Lake  area.  He 
keeps  his  hand  in  education 
as  an  adjunct  professor  of 
chemistry  at  New  Hampshire 
Technical  Institute  in 
Concord,  N.H. 

School  of  Industrial 
Management 

Paul  Mitchell  '57  has  moved 
from  California  to  Chagrin 
Falls,  Ohio. 

James  Rouse  '97  was  appoint- 
ed president  and  CEO  of 
Arrhythmia  Research  Technol- 
ogy Inc.,  a  company  that  sells 
and  licenses  equipment  for  ana- 
lyzing heart  impulses  through 
signal-averaging  software. 
He  has  worked  for  Micron 
Products,  a  subsidiary  of 
Arrhythmia,  since  1996,  and 
was  previously  its  president. 


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'iZ 

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D 


Merwin  L.  Hathaway  '25  of 

Lexington,  Mass.,  died  June  12, 
2000.  He  married  Burdette 
Couts  in  1930,  and  had  three 
sons  and  a  daughter.  Hathaway 
was  retired  from  Raytheon  Co., 
where  he  served  as  a  product 
design  engineer.  He  belonged 
to  Theta  Chi. 

Arnold  P.  Hayward  '26  of 

Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  died  Nov.  28, 

2000.  He  was  predeceased  by 
his  wife,  Alice.  Hayward  was 
retired  from  Duquesne  Light 
Co.  He  belonged  to  Lambda 
Chi  Alpha  and  Skull. 

Ejnar  Carl  Hoglund  '27  of 

Belfast,  Maine,  died  July  11, 

2001.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Barbara  (Rogers),  and  a  son. 
Another  son  predeceased  him. 
Hoglund  was  a  World  War  II 
Navy  veteran  and  a  1930  gradu- 
ate of  the  Harvard  Business 
School.  He  held  management 
positions  at  New  England 
Telephone  Co.  until  his  retire- 
ment in  1970.  An  active  mem- 
ber of  the  Alumni  Association, 
he  served  as  president  of  the 
Boston  regional  club  and 
chaired  his  50th  Reunion 

Gift  Committee. 

Joseph  G.  Ardwin  '28  of 

Southbury,  Conn.,  died  April 
29,  2001.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Christine  (Sargent),  a  son,  a 
daughter,  four  grandchildren 
and  a  great-grandchild.  Ardwin 
earned  an  MBA  at  Harvard 
University.  He  served  as  vice 
president  of  plant  location  for 
Sperry  Gyroscope  and  later 
retired  as  secretary  and  treasurer 
of  the  Pension  Fund  for  Savings 
and  Loan  Associations  at  Pentagra 
Corp.  in  New  York  City. 

Frank  Fleming  '28  of  Sharon, 
Mass.,  died  Aug.  4,  2001. 
He  leaves  his  wife,  Pauline 
(Goodale),  a  son,  two  daugh- 
ters, eight  grandchildren 
and  two  great-grandchildren. 
Fleming  managed  the  patent 
department  ofThe  Foxboro 
Company  and  continued  as  a 
consultant  after  he  retired  in 
1974.  He  belonged  to  Sigma 
Phi  Epsilon. 


Alumni  who  wish  to  make  contributions  in  memory 

of  classmates  and  friends  may  contact  the  office  of 

Development  and  University  Relations  at  WPI. 


Holbrook  L.  Horton  '29  of 

Farmington,  Conn.,  died  March 
17,2001. 
His  wife, 
Julia 

(Witherell), 
died  in  1992. 
Two  sons 
and  four 
grandchildren  survive.  Horton 
was  the  longtime  editor  and 
vice  president  of  The  Industrial 
Press  and  chief  editor  of 
Machinery's  Handbook,  a 
respected  manual  for  the  tool- 
and-die  industry.  He  was  also 
author  of  several  books,  includ- 
ing Mathematics  at  Work, 
now  in  its  fourth  printing.  At 
WPI,  Holbrook  edited  campus 
publications,  played  in  the 
mandolin  band  and  belonged  to 
Theta  Chi.  Memorial  donations 
may  be  made  to  WPI's  Arthur 
Knight  Scholarship  Fund. 

Arthur  R.  Barnes  Jr.  '30  of 

Plymouth,  Mass.,  died  Oct.  22, 

2000.  Predeceased  by  his  wife, 
Jane  (Potter),  he  leaves  three 
sons,  two  daughters,  10  grand- 
children and  six  great-grandchil- 
dren. Barnes  was  president  and 
co-founder  of  Barnes  and  Jarvis 
Inc.  of  Boston.  He  retired  in 
1982  and  continued  as  a  con- 
sulting engineer.  He  belonged 
to  Sigma  Phi  Epsilon. 

Francis  J.  Burgoyne  '31  of 

Lancaster,  Mass.,  died  Jan.  15, 

2001.  His  wife,  Alice  (Langen), 
predeceased  him  by  five  years. 
Survivors  include  two  sons,  a 
daughter,  nine  grandchildren 
and  four  great-grandchildren. 
Burgoyne  retired  in  1972  as 
chief  construction  and  project 
engineer  for  Norton  Co.  He 
was  active  in  town  government 
and  served  as  clerk  of  the  works 
for  the  Lancaster  Middle  School 
and  other  municipal  construc- 
tion projects. 


Frederic  C.  Holmes  '31  of 

Elkhart,  Ind.,  died  Oct.  2, 

2000.  Widower  of  the  former 
Katherine  Spinney,  who  died  in 
1953,  he  leaves  two  sons,  five 
grandchildren  and  four  great- 
grandchildren. Holmes  joined 
Bird  Machine  Co.  as  a  sales 
engineer  in  1950  and  worked  in 
its  Chicago  facility  until  he 
retired  in  1972.  He  belonged  in 
Phi  Sigma  Kappa. 

Edward  J.  Odium  '31  of 

Groton,  Conn.,  died  June  5, 

2001.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Mary 
Fay,  two  sons,  three  daughters 
and  1 1  grandchildren.  Odium 
earned  a  master's  degree  in  elec- 
trical engineer  at  WPI  in  1932. 
He  was  president  of  The 
Edward  J.  Odium  Co.  and  vice 
president  of  Kaman  Aircraft.  He 
belonged  to  Phi  Kappa  Theta. 

John  O.  Charles  '32  of  Dallas, 
Texas,  died  Nov.  9,  2000. 
I   Charles 
I   earned  a 
I  I    masters 

I  A  ^1   degree  in 

^L  _^J^t"\   mechanical 
hfs^^fl  I    engineering 
^LjH    at  WPI  in 
1 933  and  was  retired  from 
American  Steel  &  Wire  Co. 
A  member  of  Sigma  Alpha 
Epsilon,  he  also  belonged  to 
Tau  Beta  Pi,  Skull  and  Sigma  Xi. 

Henry  B.  Pratt  '32  of  Lynden, 
Wash.,  died  Oct.  3.  2001. 
Predeceased  by  his  wife,  Lois 
(Hatch),  who  died  in  1994,  he- 
leaves  a  son,  three  grandchil- 
dren and  three  great-grandchil- 
dren. Pratt  designed  bridges  lot 
the  New  Hampshire  I  lighwav 
Department.  I  le  designed  a 
modern  prototype  to  replace  an 
18^2  wooden  covered  bridge. 
which  is  now  listed  on  the 
National  Register  of  1  listoric 
Places.  1  le  latei  worked  in  the 
pulp  and  paper  industry  .is  ,i 


consulting  engineer.  A  charter 
member  of  the  Alden  Society 
and  a  Presidential  Founder,  he 
belonged  to  Theta  Chi. 

Lawrence  J.  Sarkozy  '32  of 

West  Hartford,  Conn.,  died 
May  9, 
2001.  He 
leaves  his 
wife,  Clara 
(Cerqui),  a 
son,  a  daugh- 
ter and  three 
grandchildren.  Sarkozy  served  as 
a  mechanical  engineer  at  Fenn 
Manufacturing  for  many  years 
before  he  retired.  In  the  late 
1930s  he  played  for  the 
Torrington  Red  Wings  AAU 
Hockey  team. 

John  J.  Dwyer  '33  of 

Shrewsbury,  Mass.,  died  Oct. 
14,  2000.  His  first  wife,  Marie 
(Carey)  died  in  1978,  and  his 
second  wife,  Grace  (LaVallee) 
Petit  Dwyer,  died  in  1995.  He 
leaves  two  sons,  a  daughter, 
nine  grandchildren  and  18 
great-grandchildren.  Dwyer 
retired  in  1976  as  director  of 
Worcester  Boys  Trade  School, 
now  Worcester  Vocational 
High  School.  He  previously 
taught  calculus  and  physics  at 
Worcester  Junior  College  and 
worked  summers  as  a  civil 
engineer  for  Massachusetts 
Department  of  Public  Works 
road  construction  projects.  He- 
belonged  to  Phi  Kappa  Theta. 

Alden  H.  Fuller  '33  of  East 
Providence,  R.I.,  died  July  2}. 
2001.  He 
leaves  his 
wile.  Jean 
(Stoddard), 
three  daugh- 
ters and  tour 
grandchil- 
dren. Fuller  was  retired  from 
Mobil  Oil  Corp..  where  he 
served  .is  a  superintendent.  He 
belonged  to  Lambda  Chi  Alpha. 


4  0      Tram  for  mat  ions    \   Spring   J  00  J 


Leighton  Jackson  '33  of 

Elsmere,  Del.,  died  Aug.  16, 
2001.  Predeceased  by  his  first 
wife,  Margaret,  he  leaves  his 
wife,  Sadie  (Fell),  two  daugh- 
ters, six  grandchildren,  six  great- 
grandchildren and  a  great-great- 
grandchild. Jackson  spent  his 
career  with  DuPont  Co.  and 
retired  as  a  technical  investiga- 
tor. He  belonged  to  Phi 
Gamma  Delta,  Tau  Beta  Pi  and 
Sigma  Xi. 

Willard  P.  Greenwood  '34  of 

Scarborough,  Maine,  died 
March  1,  2001.  He  leaves  his 
wife,  Nancy,  two  children,  four 
grandchildren  and  one  great- 
grandchild. Greenwood  worked 
for  Forbes  Lithography  Co.  for 
almost  30  years.  He  joined  the 
S.D.  Warren  Division  of  Scott 
Paper  Co.  in  1963  and  retired 
as  manager  of  printing  research 
in  1977.  A  graduate  of  MIT,  he 
belonged  to  Theta  Chi. 

Walter  A.  Blau  Jr. '35  of 

Middletown,  Conn.,  died  Feb. 
14,  2001.  Predeceased  by  his 
wife,  Arline  (Connery),  he  is 
survived  by  a  brother  and  his 
family.  Blau  was  formerly  presi- 
dent of  Blau  Building  Corp. 
and  a  co-owner  of  Blau  Electric 
and  Furniture.  He  also  served  as 
plant  engineer  for  Wallace 
Silversmiths.  He  belonged  to 
Sigma  Phi  Epsilon. 

Roger  Bliven  '35  of  Taylors, 
S.C.,  died  Feb.  24,  2001.  He 
leaves  his  wife,  Ella,  a  son,  three 
daughters  and  a  grandson.  He 
was  a  chemical  engineer  for 
Draper/Rockwell  and  also 
worked  for  Steel  Heddle  Co.  A 
graduate  of  Rutgers  University, 
he  belonged  to  Lambda  Chi 
Alpha. 

Herbert  N.  Hoffinan  '35  of 

Sterling,  Mass.,  died  April  23, 
2001.  His  wife,  Ruth  (Peinert), 
died  in  1992.  Survivors  include 
a  son,  a  daughter  and  three 
grandchildren.  Hoffman  was  a 
retired  senior  systems  engineer 
for  General  Electric  Co.,  where 
he  worked  for  42  years.  He  held 
22  patents. 


Theodore  R.  Latour  '35  of 

Las  Vegas  died  April  4,  2001. 

He  leaves  his 
wife,  Irene, 
six  sons,  nine 
grandchil- 
dren and 
seven  great- 
grandchil- 
dren. Latour  was  retired  from 
DuPont  Co.,  where  he  served 
as  a  chemical  engineer.  He 
belonged  to  Tau  Beta  Pi  and 
Sigma  Xi. 

Harry  T.  Anderson  Jr.  '36  of 

Reston,  Va.,  died  Jan.  28,  2001. 
Predeceased  by  his  wife, 
Marjorie,  he  is  survived  by  two 
daughters  and  six  grandchil- 
dren. Anderson  served  in  the 
Navy  Civil  Engineering  Corps 
during  World  War  II  and  later 
worked  for  Factory  Insurance 
Association  of  Hartford,  Conn., 
and  Philadelphia.  He  belonged 
to  Sigma  Phi  Epsilon. 

Perry  P.  Clark  '36  of  Summit, 
N.J.,  died  May  13,2000.  He 
leaves  his  wife,  Louise,  a  son 
and  two  grandsons.  Clark  was  a 
plant  and  production  manager 
who  worked  for  American  Book 
Co.  and  the  Reuben  H. 
Donnelley  Corp.  Division  of 
Dun  &  Bradstreet  Corp.  He 
also  owned  Perry  Clark  Realty 
in  St.  Croix,  and  served  as  a 
reserve  officer  in  the  U.S.  Army 
Corps  of  Engineers  with  the 
rank  of  colonel. 

Robert  Fowler  Jr.  '36  of 

Worcester  died  March  1 1, 
2001.  His  wife,  Grace 
(Kahrman)  died  in  1984.  He 
leaves  a  son,  a  daughter  and 
three  grandchildren.  Fowler  was 
an  electrical  engineer  with  New 
England  Electric  Co.  for  40 
years.  A  member  of  Tech  Old 
Timers,  he  received  the  group's 
Distinguished  Service  Award  in 
1984,  the  same  year  he  was 
honored  with  the  Herbert  F. 
Taylor  Alumni  Award  for 
Distinguished  Service  to  WPI. 


John  H.  "Jack"  Covell  Jr.  '37 

of  Winston-Salem,  N.C.,  died 
Feb.  25, 
2001.  He 
leaves  his 
wife,  Yvette, 
two  daugh- 
ters and  two 
grandchil- 
dren. Covell  retired  from 
Western  Electric  as  a  depart- 
ment chief  in  1978. 

Richard  R.  Leonard  '37  of  Eau 

Claire,  Wis.,  died  Dec.  25, 
2000.  Predeceased  by  his  wife, 
Betty,  he  leaves  two  children. 
Leonard  graduated  from  the 
School  of  Industrial 
Management  in  1954.  He  was 
retired  from  Riley  Stoker  Corp. 
as  a  proposal  manager. 

Frederick  B.  Banan  '38 

(M.S. '47)  of  Sun  City,  Ariz., 
died  July  5, 
2001.  He 
leaves  his 
wife,  Betty,  a 
son  and  a 
grandson. 
Banan  began 
his  career  as  chemical  engineer 
and  spent  25  years  as  a  comput- 
er specialist  with  General 
Electric  Co.  He  belonged  to 
Alpha  Tau  Omega. 

John  G.  Despo  '38  of 

Westlake,  Ohio,  died  Aug.  25, 

2000.  He  is  survived  by  his 
wife,  Catherine,  and  three  chil- 
dren. Despo  was  the  retired  vice 
president  of  National  Steel  and 
Granite  City  Steel.  He  belonged 
to  Sigma  Alpha  Epsilon. 

Willam  E.  Eaton  '38  of 

Eugene,  Ore.,  died  June  8, 

2001.  He  is  survived  by  his 
wife,  Marjorie  (Wilkinson),  and 
a  son.  Eaton  worked  for  the 
Eugene  Water  &  Electric  Board 
from  1946  to  1978.  After  retire- 
ment, he  donated  his  collection 
of  vintage  electrical  equipment 
to  the  utility  and  continued  to 
augment  and  curate  the  public 
display  until  his  death. 


Former  class  president  and  foot- 
ball captain  John  E.  "Jack" 
Germain  '38  of  West  Hartford, 
Conn.,  died  Aug.  12,  2001. 
Predeceased  by  his  wife  of  50 
years,  Isabel  (Danskin),  he 
leaves  a  son  and  three  grand- 
children. Germain  attended 
WPI  for  three  years  and  gradu- 
ated from  the  University  of 
Missouri  in  1939.  He  began  his 
career  at  Heald  Machine  Co., 
joined  New  Britain  Machine 
Tool  Co.  in  1960,  and  retired  in 
1981  as  vice  president  of  sales 
and  marketing.  He  belonged  to 
Sigma  Alpha  Epsilon  and  Skull. 

Stephen  P.  Stafford  '38  of 

Hayes,  Va.,  died  April  22,  2001. 
He  leaves  his  wife,  Clara  Fisher 
Stafford,  two  sons  and  a  daugh- 
ter. Stafford  worked  at  Newport 
News  Shipbuilding  and  Drydock 
Co.  for  40  years  and  retired  as  a 
design  engineer  consultant.  He 
belonged  to  Sigma  Phi  Epsilon. 

Former  Junior  Class  President 
Robert  E.  Dunklee  Jr.  '40 

of  West  Brattleboro,  Vt.,  died 
April  14, 
2001.  He 
leaves  his 
wife,  Esther 
(Miller),  two 
sons,  three 
daughters, 
1 1  grandchildren  and  4  great- 
grandchildren. Dunklee  was  the 
founder  and  retired  president 
of  Dunklee  Engineering,  a 
residential  septic  design  firm. 
A  letterman  in  tennis  and  cross- 
country, he  founded  the  Tech 
Outing  Club  and  wrote  for 
Tech  News.  He  belonged  to 
Lambda  Chi  Alpha,  Sigma  Xi, 
Tau  Beta  Pi,  the  Poly  Club 
and  Tech  Old  Timers. 

Edward  R.  Fox  Sr.  '40  of 

Shrewsbury,  Mass.,  died  June 
2,  2001.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Marilyn  (Cowland),  three  sons 
and  six  grand  children.  Fox 
attended  WPI  and  later  earned 
his  bachelor's  and  master's 
degrees  at  Michigan  State 
College.  He  was  retired  from 
Simplex  Time  Recorder  Co. 
as  district  credit  manager. 


Trans fo 


r mat  ions 


Spring  2002     4  1 


o 

3 


Franklin  D.  Hayes  '40,  a 

lifelong  resident  of  North 

Brookfield, 
Mass.,  died 
June  10, 
2001.  He 
leaves  his 
wife,  Norma 
(Hopkins), 
a  son,  a  daughtet  and  three 
grandchildren.  Hayes  was  the 
owner  of  Hayes  Farm  and  a 
former  chairman  of  the  board 
of  trustees  of  North  Brookfield 
Savings  Bank. 

Joseph  V.  Smolinski  '40  of 

Worcester  died  May  20,  2001 . 
He  is  survived  by  a  niece. 
Smolinski  was  a  retired  manu- 
facturing engineer  whose  career 
included  positions  at  Honeywell 
Manufacturing,  Sylvania 
Electronics  Co.,  Raytheon 
Manufacturing  Co.,  Whitin 
Machine  Works  and  Scoville 
Manufacturing  Co.  He  also 
studied  violin  at  the  New 
England  Conservatory  of  Music. 

Harry  Terkanian  '40  of 

Lewisburg,  W  Va.,  died  May 
29,  2001.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Mildred,  three  sons,  two  daugh- 
ters, six  grandchildren  and  two 
great-grandchildren.  Terkanian 
was  retired  as  a  senior  electrical 
engineer  for  Raytheon  Co. 

Retired  U.S.  Navy  Cmdr. 
William  G.  Thatcher  '40  of 

Virginia 
Beach,  Va., 
died  April 
10,  2001. 
His  wife, 
Bernice 
(Clark) 
predeceased  him.  Two  sons, 
four  grandchildren  and  a  great- 
grandson  survive.  Thatcher 
was  commissioned  by  the  Navy 
in  1940.  He  commanded  sever- 
al ships  and  retired  in  1961  as 
assistant  chief  of  staff,  COM- 
SERVLANT.  After  retiring  from 
active  military  service,  he  was 
owner  of  Seaboard  Iron  Works. 
He  belonged  to  Alpha  Tau 
Omega. 


James  C.  Ferguson  Sr.  '41  of 

Brattleboro,  Vt.,  died  March  8, 
2001.  He 
leaves  his 
wife,  Ruth 
(Gordon), 
a  son,  a 
daughter, 
three  grand- 
children and  two  great-grand- 
children. A  veteran  of  World 
War  II,  Ferguson  retired  from 
the  U.S.  Navy  as  a  commander 
after  30  years  of  service.  He 
later  worked  as  a  self-employed 
surveyor  and  civil  engineer 
until  his  retirement  in  1998.  He 
belonged  to  Theta  Chi. 

N.  Aaron  "Butch"  Naboicheck 

'41  of  Hartford,  Conn.,  died 
Feb.  18, 
2001.  He  is 
survived  by 
his  wife,  Lois 
(Salvin),  two 
sons  and 
three  grand- 
children. Naboicheck  was  presi- 
dent of  Gold  Bond  Mattress 
Co.  from  1950  to  1992,  and 
served  as  CEO  emeritus  until 
his  death.  He  belonged  to  Phi 
Gamma  Delta. 

Douglas  A.  Reid  '41  of 

Chelmsford,  Mass.,  died  May 
31,  2001.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Phyllis  (Welch),  a  son  and  six 
grandchildren.  Reid  was  a  retired 
letter  carrier.  Before  joining  the 
U.S.  Postal  Service  he  worked 
for  the  former  Schrafft  Candy 
Co.  in  Boston  for  25  years.  He 
belonged  to  Lambda  Chi  Alpha. 

E.  Curtis  Ambler  '42  of 

Newington,  Conn.,  died  July 

'     17,  2001.  He 
was  married 
to  the  late 
Jacqueline 
(Palmer) 
from  1942 
to  1970  and 
the  late  Mary  Louise  (Wilkins) 
from  1970  to  1986.  Surviving 
family  members  include  two 
sons,  a  daughter,  two  step-chil- 
dren, twelve  grandchildren  and 
live  great-grandchildren.  I  le 
also  leaves  his  deal  companion, 


»  «- 


Florence  Augustus.  Ambler  was 
retired  from  Stanley  Tool  Works 
as  vice  president  of  engineering 
for  the  Industrial  Hardware 
Division.  He  held  19  patents. 
He  belonged  Sigma  Phi  Epsilon 
and  the  AJden  Society. 

William  L.  Ames  '42  of 

Mystic,  Conn.,  died  Dec.  27, 
2001.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Eileen  (Etherington).  A  Navy 
veteran  of 
World  War 
II  and  the 
Korean  war, 
he  designed 
submarines 
and  remained 
in  the  Naval  Reserves  for  22 
years,  retiring  as  a  commander. 
Ames  joined  Electric  Boat  (now 
a  division  of  the  General 
Dynamics  Corp.)  and  retired 
as  a  chief  engineer  with  30 
years  of  service.  A  Presidential 
Founder,  he  served  on  his  class's 
50th  Reunion  Committee  and 
belonged  to  Phi  Gamma  Delta, 
Skull,  Tau  Beta  Pi  and  Sigma  Xi. 

Frederick  W.  Lindblad  '42 

Aurora,  111.,  died  April  10, 

2000.  Predeceased  by  his  wife, 
Vera,  he  leaves  two  sons. 
Lindblad  started  his  career 
with  Norton  Co.  and  founded 
U.S.  Diamond  Wheel  Co.  in 
1945,  and  Ultra  Diamond  Co. 
in  1978.  He  belonged  to 
Theta  Chi. 

Russell  C.  Proctor  Jr.  '42  of 

Houston,  Texas,  died  June  1 5, 

2001.  He  leaves  his  wife,  De  Ja, 
his  two  daughters,  three  grand- 
children and  two  great-grand- 
children, as  well  as  Deja's  two 
sons,  daughter  and  five  grand- 
children. Proctor  was  the 
founder  and  manager  of  Proctor 
Engineering  Co.  and  was  retired 
from  Plant  Process  Equipment 
Co.  He  belonged  to  Sigma  Phi 
Epsilon. 

L.  Howard  Reagan  '44  of 

Williamsburg,  Va.,  died  Sept. 
I1),  2(100.  Predeceased  In   his 

wile,  [anice  1 1  )eVoe),  he  leaves  .i 
son,  a  daughter,  a  grandson  and 

two  great-granddaughters.  After 
working  for  Sylvania  and  *  ITE, 


42     Transformations   \  Spring  2002 


Bill  Ames  and  I  first  met 
when  we  pledged  to  the 
Phi  Gamma  Delta  House 
at  WPI  in  1 939.  We 
met  again  during  our 
membership  in  the  Sailing 
Club  Bill's  life  and 
my  life  were  locked 
together  through 
the  love  of  water, 
Worcester  Tech, 
Phi  Gamma  Delta 
and  the  love  of 
our  country. 

—  from  A  Celebration  of  the  Life 
of  William  Lewis  Ames  '42, 

by  Robert  Pettibone  Seaton  '43. 

The  full  text  is  posted  on  the  Alumni 

Cafe  at  www.wpi.edu/+Alumni. 


Reagan  joined  Communications 
Satellite  Corp.  (COMSAT),  in 
1963  and  retired  in  1983  as 
manager  of  documentation. 

George  D.  Williams  '44  of 

East  Sandwich,  Mass.,  died 
March  24,  2001.  He  leaves  his 
wife,  Mary  (Hoey),  two  sons, 
two  daughters  and  eight  grand- 
daughters. Williams  retired  in 
1973  from  Bailey  Meter  Co.  as 
Boston  district  manager.  He 
later  worked  for  New  England 
Gas  and  Electric  Co.,  which 
later  became  ComElectric,  until 
he  retired  in  1987  as  manager 
of  fuels  in  Wareham. 

George  T.  "Bud"  Brown  '45 

of  Tiverton,  R.I.,  died  Dec.  1  1, 
2000.  He  leaves  two  sons,  a 
daughter,  his  former  wife,  Lucy 
Brown,  and  nine  grandchildren. 
Brown  was  president  ol  the  for- 
mer \X  hitinsville  Spinning  Ring 

Co.  before  he  retired  in  1984. 

He  was  also  active  in  a  number 
of  civic  and  athletic  organiza- 
tions and  served  as  editor  ol 

Old  Rhode  hi, nid  magazine. 
1  le  belonged  n>  I'hi  Sigma 

Kappa. 

Olavi  H.  Halttuncn  '45  of 

I    inn  .ml.  \l.iss     dii  .I'  >>  I     13. 
2000.  1  le  is  survived  by  '"" 

daughters.  I  lalttunen  was  a 

retired  sales  manager  fbl  I  uriei.il 

I  In  in.  <  ii.  I  le  belonged  to 

I  lieu  (  111  .md  Skull. 


Theodore  A.  Balaska  '46  of 

Bradenton,  Fla.,  died  Jan.  15, 
200 1 .  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Barbara,  a  son,  a  daughter,  and 
several  grandchildren.  Balaska 
was  president  of  Insulated 
Power  Cable  Services  Inc., 
which  he  founded  in  1986. 
A  senior  life  member  of  the 
IEEE,  he  was  a  past  chair  of 
the  Insulated  Conductors 
Committee,  which  honored  him 
with  its  1990  Distinguished 
Service  Award.  He  belonged 
to  Lambda  Chi  Alpha. 

William  M.  Hovenesian  '46  of 

Worcester  died  Jan.  5,  2000.  He 
leaves  his  wife,  Mary  (Ryan), 
and  a  daughter.  Hovenesian  was 
a  die  draftsman  for  Vellumoid 
Corp.  and  later  drove  a  taxi  for 
the  IOTA  and  Yellow  Cab  com- 
panies. He  belonged  to  Lambda 
Chi  Alpha. 

William  P.  Jaegle  '46  of  Santa 
Clarita,  Calif.,  died  July  28, 
2001.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Shelley  (Doran),  two  sons,  two 
daughters  and  six  grandchil- 
dren. Jaegle  was  a  regional  sales 
manager  for  Wyman-Gordon 
Co.  and  the  owner  of  William 
Jaegle  Assoc,  an  aerospace 
industry  sales  agency. 

Carroll  E.  Burtner  '47  died 
March  1,  2001,  at  his  home 
in  Lake  of  the  Woods,  Va.  His 
wife,  Susan  (Burns),  survives. 
He  also  leaves  two  daughters 
and  two  grandchildren  from 
his  first  marriage  to  Patricia 
Jackman,  which  ended  in 
divorce.  Burtner  held  a  master's 
degree  in  engineering  adminis- 
tration from  George 
Washington  University.  His 
career  included  work  on  Boeing 
Corp.  fire  protection  projects 
for  NASA  and  government  serv- 
ice with  the  General  Services 
Administration  and  OSHA.  He 
belonged  to  Alpha  Chi  Lambda. 

Malcolm  S.  Hinckley  '48  of 

West  Hartford,  Conn.,  died 
April  16,  2001.  Predeceased  by 
his  wife,  Evelyn,  he  is  survived 
by  a  son  and  a  daughter.  He 
also  leaves  Christine  Ntate,  who 
cared  for  him  after  Evelyn's 
death.  Hinckley  worked  for  the 
Connecricut  State  Highway 


Department  for  36  years  and 
retired  in  1983.  After  retire- 
ment he  continued  to  work  as 
a  surveyor.  He  belonged  to 
Phi  Gamma  Delta. 

Russell  D.  Turner  '48  of 

Pueblo  West,  Colo.,  died  May 
10,  2001.  Survivors  include  his 
wife,  Evelyn,  and  two  daugh- 
ters. Turner  was  retired  from 
Miller  Brewing  Co.  as  manager 
of  environmenral  and  energy 
engineering.  He  belonged  to 
Theta  Chi. 

Robert  W.  Batchelder  '49  of 

Hampton  Falls,  N.H.,  died  Jan. 
26,  2001.  His  wife,  Jeanne 
(Colt),  survives  him.  Batchelder 
was  a  rerired  sales  represenrative 
for  Aetna  Insurance  Co.,  where 
he  worked  for  more  than 
20  years. 

Former  track  and  soccer  team 
captain  Albert  R.  DeLoid  '49 

of  Carver,  Mass.,  died  June  22, 
200 1 .  He  leaves  his  wife,  Claire 
(Nava),  two  sons,  two  daughters 
and  nine  grandchildren.  DeLoid 
was  the  retired  president  and 
owner  of  DeLoid  Associates 
Inc.,  a  construction  business 
he  operated  for  40  years.  He 
belonged  to  Lambda  Chi  Alpha, 
Tau  Beta  Pi  and  Skull. 

Russell  P.  Larson  '49,  a  life- 
long resident  of  Worcester, 
died  June  12,2001.  His  wife, 
Dolores  V.  (Pearson),  died  in 
1996.  Survivors  include  his  for- 
mer wife,  Charlotte  (Field) 
Larson,  two  sons,  a  daughter,  a 
stepdaughter,  10  grandchildren 
and  a  great-grandchild.  Larson 
retired  from  Perini  International 
as  a  project  manager  with  1 5 
years  of  service  and  later  served 
as  a  consulrant  to  Douglas  G. 
Peterson  Assoc.  He  belonged 
to  Lambda  Chi  Alpha. 

Charles  Theodore  "Ted" 
Layton  '49  of  Media,  Pa., 
died  May  20,  2001.  He  leaves 
his  wife,  Carol  (Graham),  two 
sons  and  four  grandchildren. 
Layton  was  retired  from  Bell 
Atlantic  Corp.  (now  Verizon 
Communications)  with  36 
years  of  service.  He  belonged 
to  Theta  Chi. 


John  H.  Tomalonis  '49  of 

North  Hampton,  N.H.,  died 
Nov.  15,  2000.  He  leaves  his 
wife,  Joanne  (McCann),  and 
four  children.  Tomalonis  was  a 
retired  American  Airlines  pilot 
with  30  years  of  service. 

Russell  Norris  '50  of  Shelton, 
Conn.,  died  Nov.  21,  2000.  He 
leaves  his  wife,  Dorothy,  and 
one  son.  Norris  was  the  retired 
president  of  Brodsky  &  Norris 
Inc.,  manufacturers  representa- 
tives. He  belonged  to  Sigma 
Phi  Epsilon. 

Edward  J.  Sydor  '50  of 

Logansport,  Ind.,  and  Venice, 
Fla.,  died 
April  11, 
2002.  He 
leaves  his 
wife, 
Mildred 
(Nideur), 
a  son  and  a  grandson,  and  was 
predeceased  by  a  son.  Sydor 
joined  National  Friction 
Products  as  vice  president  and 
general  manager  in  1969  and 
retired  as  president  and  CEO. 
A  Presidential  Founder  and  life- 
time member  of  the  President's 
Advisor  Council,  he  and  Milly 
established  the  Edward  J.  and 
Mildred  P.  Sydor  Scholarship 
Fund.  Sydor  was  a  2000  recipi- 
ent of  the  Robert  H.  Goddard 
Alumni  Award  for  Professional 
Achievement. 

Lexton  H.  Carroll  '51  of  Fort 
Myers  Beach,  Fla.,  died  Aug.  11, 
200 1 .  He  leaves  his  wife,  Jane,  a 
son,  a  daughter  and  five  grand- 
children. Carroll  was  owner  and 
president  of  Carroll  Chevrolet 
in  West  Brookfield,  Mass.,  until 
he  retired  in  1980.  A  1993 
recipient  of  the  American  Warer 
Ski  Educational  Foundation's 
Award  of  Disrinction,  Carroll 
was  appointed  president  for  life 
by  the  American  Water  Ski 
Association  (now  USA  Water 
Ski).  He  belonged  to  Alpha 
Tau  Omega. 

Arthur  H.  Gerald  Jr.  '51  of 

Bellevue,  Wash.,  died  April  6, 
200 1 .  He  leaves  his  wife  of  four 
years,  Alice  (Messier),  a  son, 


four  stepdaughters  and  two 
stepsons.  He  firsr  wife,  Jean 
Yosuko  (Matsumura),  prede- 
ceased him,  as  did  his  father, 
Arthur  H.  Gerald  '15,  and  a 
brother,  Clyde  Gerald  '40. 
Arthur  Gerald  Jr.  joined  Boeing 
Co.  in  1952  as  a  tool  engineer 
and  spent  his  entire  career 
there,  retiring  as  a  manufactur- 
ing engineering  manager.  He 
belonged  to  Theta  Chi. 

W.  Evans  Johnson  '51  of 

Jacksonville,  Fla.,  died  Dec.  19, 
2001.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Jean 
"Pinky"  Johnson,  a  son,  three 
daughters  and  seven  grandchil- 
dren. Johnson  was  the  retired 
chairman  and  CEO  of  St.  Johns 
Chemical  Corp.,  which  he 
cofounded  in  1971  and  sold  to 
Westvaco  Corp.  in  1984.  He 
belonged  to  the  President's 
Advisory  Council  and  Sigma 
Phi  Epsilon. 

Walter  F.  Jaros  Jr.  '52  of 

Peabody,  Mass.,  died  Feb.  26, 
2001.  He 
is  survived 
by  his  wife, 
Anita 

(Socha),  and 
two  sons. 
Jaros  was 
a  retired  senior  engineer  with 
Raytheon  Co.  He  belonged 
to  Theta  Chi,  Eta  Kappa  Nu, 
Tau  Beta  Pi,  and  Sigma  Xi. 

Norman  A.  Holm  '55  (SIM) 
of  Holden,  Mass.,  died  May  7, 
2001,  at  the  age  of  78.  He 
leaves  his  wife,  Elaine  (Fegreus), 
a  son  and  four  grandchildren. 
Holm  was  a  graduate  of  the 
Colorado  Engineering  School 
of  Mines.  He  was  retired  from 
the  former  Rex  Chain  Belt  Co., 
where  he  served  for  44  years 
as  a  plant  and  tool  engineer. 

David  A.  Koch  '56  of  West 
Bloomfield,  Mich.,  died  Sept. 
20,  2001.  He  leaves  a  son,  a 
daughter  and  three  grandchil- 
dren. A  graduate  of  the  Chrysler 
Institute  of  Engineering, 
Koch  was  retired  from 
DaimlerChrysler  Corp.  as 
a  structural  engineer. 


Transformations    \   Spring  2002     43 


fit 


D 


Salvatore  H.  Bello  '57  of 

Milford,  N.H.,  died  April  4, 
2001.  He  leaves  his  former  wife, 
Anne  (Nobrega),  a  son,  a  daugh- 
ter and  three  grandchildren. 
Bello  worked  for  Henrix  Wire 
and  Cable  as  a  senior  product 
engineer  for  new  product  devel- 
opment. A  saxophone  and  clar- 
inet player,  he  belonged  to  sever- 
al Worcester-area  dance  bands. 

John  H.  Porter  '58  of  Fairfield, 
Conn.,  died  June  23,  2001. 
Porter  joined  the  faculty  of 
Fairfield  University's  School 
of  Engineering  as  an  associate 
professor  in  1994  and  was  later 
appointed  director  of  its  mas- 
ter's program  in  software  engi- 
neering. A  member  of  Alpha 
Tau  Omega,  he  leaves  a  sister 
and  several  nieces  and  nephews. 

Arthur  E.  "Bud"  Legall  Jr.  '60 

of  Sunrise,  Fla.,  died  Feb.  5, 
200 1 .  He  leaves  his  wife,  Sandra, 
two  sons  and  a  grandson.  Legall 
was  a  sales  manager  for  Hughes 
Supply  at  the  time  of  his  death. 
He  previously  co-owned  and 
operated  Shores  Supply.  He 
belonged  to  Phi  Kappa  Theta. 

Michael  Errede  '62  (MNS), 
of  Middletown,  Conn.,  died 
Jan.  7,  2001,  at  the  age  of  81. 
Predeceased  by  his  first  wife, 
Victoria  (Veronesi),  he  leaves 
his  wife,  Helen  (D'Apice), 
two  daughters  and  a  grandson. 
Errede  was  a  graduate  of 
Central  Connecticut  State 
University  and  the  University 
of  Connecticut.  He  taught  at 
A.I.  Prince  Technical  School 
in  Hartford,  served  as  assistant 
director  of  the  Evening  Division 
at  E.C.  Goodwin  Technical 
School,  and  later  was  a  con- 
sultant to  the  Connecticut 
Department  of  Education. 

Richard  A.  Scott  '62  of 

Sudbury,  Mass.,  died  June  1, 
2001.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Mary 
"Pat"  (Putter),  and  two  sons. 
Scott  earned  a  master's  degree 
in  electrical  engineering  at  WPI 
in  1964.  He  served  in  the  U.S. 


Army  at  the  Department  of 
Defense  Computer  Institute 
and  later  held  management 
positions  at  RCA  Memory 
Products,  Digital  Equipment 
Co.  and  Home  Depot. 

Walter  H.  Holbrook  '63 

(SIM),  86,  ofHolden,  Mass., 
died  Feb.  19,  2001.  His  wife, 
Alice  (Canavan),  died  in  1994. 
He  is  survived  by  a  daughter, 
three  grandchildren  and  two 
great-grandchildren.  Holbrook 
was  a  graduate  of  the  New 
England  School  of  Accounting. 
A  longtime  employee  of  Norton 
Co.,  he  retired  as  assistant  super- 
intendent of  Plant  7  in  1979. 

Michael  P.  Penti  '64  of 

Billerica,  Mass.,  died  Dec.  29, 

2000,  of  lung  cancer.  He  leaves 
his  wife,  Jean  (Sinnamon),  and 
three  sons.  Penti  worked  as  a 
civil  engineer  for  New  England 
Electric  Co.  until  he  retired  due 
to  his  illness.  He  belonged  to 
Phi  Sigma  Kappa. 

George  F.  Kane  '65  (SIM),  a 
retired  Worcester  public  works 
employee,  died  April  19,  2001, 
at  UMass  Memorial  Medical 
Center-Memorial  Campus.  His 
wife,  Eleanor  (Moschella),  sur- 
vives. A  graduate  of  the  New 
England  School  of  Accounting, 
Kane  worked  at  Crompton  & 
Knowles  Co.  for  25  years.  He 
later  served  as  assistant  commis- 
sioner for  administration  in  the 
Worcester  Department  of 
Public  Works  for  1 4  years 
before  retiring  in  1991. 

Louis  G.  Matte  Jr.  '66  (M.S.) 
of  Nashua,  N.H.,  died  May  4, 

2001.  His  wife,  Pamela  (Cluff), 
survives.  A  graduate  of  Lowell 
Technological  Institute  (now 
the  University  of  Massachusetts 
Lowell),  Matte  completed  a  year 
of  postgraduate  study  at  MIT. 
He  was  retired  from  Rockwell 
International,  where  he  worked 
as  an  electrical  engineer. 


Guenther  T.  Pollnow  '66  of 

Jensen  Beach,  Fla.,  died  Dec.  1, 

2000.  He  leaves  two  sons,  two 
daughters,  a  granddaughter,  and 
his  former  wife,  Linda  DeVeer. 
Pollnow  was  a  project  financial 
analyst  with  Pratt  &  Whitney 
for  32  years.  A  member  of 
Lambda  Chi  Alpha,  he  served  as 
pledge  trainer  in  his  junior  and 
senior  years  at  WPI. 

E.  Andrew  Harvie  '69  (SIM) 
of  Grafton,  Mass.,  died  June  30, 

2001,  at  age  80.  Predeceased  by 
his  first  wife,  Marion  (Lincoln), 
in  1991,  he  leaves  his  wife,  Jean 
(Gillespie)  Peterson  Harvie,  a 
daughter,  a  son,  1 5  grandchil- 
dren and  10  great-grandchildren. 
Harvie  worked  for  Bay  State 
Abrasives  for  44  years  and 
retired  in  1985  as  assistant  to 
the  vice  president  of  research 
and  engineering. 

Richard  P.  Ludorf  74  died 
unexpectedly  at  his  home  in 
Southington,  Conn.,  on  Nov. 
13,  2000.  He  is  survived  by  his 
wife,  Carmen  (McElveen),  and 
rwo  daughters.  Ludorf  held  a 
master's  degree  in  electrical 
engineering  from  RPI  and  an 
MBA  from  the  University  of 
Connecticut.  He  worked  for 
Northeast  Utilities  Service  Co. 
for  21  years  and  belonged  to 
Alpha  Chi  Rho  and  Sigma  Xi. 

Oscar  O.  Westerback  74 

(SIM)  of  Worcester  died  Oct. 
25,  2000,  at  the  age  of  79.  He 
leaves  his  wife,  Madeleine 
(Brodeur),  two  daughters  and 
two  grandchildren.  Westerback 
worked  for  New  England  High 
Carbon  Wire  Co.  and  retired 
as  a  supervisor  in  1980. 

Richard  H.  Morrissey  75  ot 

Framingham,  Mass.,  died  May 
22,  2001.  A  1978  graduate  of 
Suffolk  University  Law  School, 
he  served  as  a  public  defender 
for  Middlesex  County  Irom 
1980  to  1981.  He  then  worked 
for  Verizon  Telecommunications 
Corp.  and  its  predecessors. 
Morrisey  is  remembered  as  an 
expert  on  the  history  ol  comics. 
He  leaves  an  auni  and  .i  Jose 
Iriend,  P.uru  i.i  I  loss  nl 

Brookline. 


Michael  J.  Rocheleau  75  of 

Lincoln  Shire,  111.,  died  unex- 
pectedly of 
natural  causes 
on  July  10, 
2001.  He 
leaves  his 
parents,  a 
brother,  a 
sister,  and  nieces  and  nephews. 
Rocheleau  was  mechanical 
engineer  who  worked  in  the 
hospital  equipment  industry 
for  many  years. 

Roy  Howard  Smith  76  of 

Holliston,  Mass.,  died  March  1, 
2001.  He  was  a  computer  net- 
work administrator  for  United 
Parcel  Service.  He  is  survived 
by  his  mother. 

Robert  P.  Flynn  78  of  West 
Hartford,  Conn.,  died  Feb.  2, 
200 1 .  He  leaves  his  wife,  Ann 
(Murphy),  a  son  and  a  daugh- 
ter. Flynn  held  an  MBA  from 
Babson  College.  A  longtime 
manufacturers'  sales  representa- 
tive, he  later  founded  Bob 
Flynn  Assoc.  He  belonged  to 
Alpha  Tau  Omega. 

Samuel  N.  Apostola  '82  (SIM) 
of  Southbridge,  Mass.,  died 
May  28,  2002,  at  the  age  of  76. 
He  leaves  his  wife,  Genevieve 
(Soter),  a  son,  a  daughter,  and 
five  grandchildren.  Apostola 
retired  from  Hyde  Manufactur- 
ing in  1989  as  manager  of 
quality  control.  He  previously 
worked  for  American  Optical 
Co.  and,  along  with  his  brother, 
owned  and  operated  Apostola 
Brothers  General  Store  for 
25  years. 

Edward  J.  Jeffrey  Sr.  '84 

(SIM),  59,  of  Bolton,  Mass- 
died  March  28,  2001.  He  leaves 
his  wife,  Jean  (Silvester),  a  son 
and  a  daughter.  Jeffrey  was  a 
purchasing  manager  lor  Get 
Plasticcom.  He  previously 
worked  tor  Coz  Plastic. 


4  4     Transformation!    \  S firing  2002 


Michael  J.  Toomey  Si.  '84  of 

Dudley,  Mass.,  died  Oct  3, 
2000,  at  age  59.  He  leaves  his 
wife,  Wanda  (Turstig),  two 
sons,  three  daughters  and  six 
grandchildren.  Toomey  was 
president  and  CEO  of  Flagship 
Bank  and  Trust  Co.  A  graduate 
of  Clark  University  and  the 
Graduate  School  of  Commercial 
Lending  at  the  University  of 
Oklahoma,  he  earned  a  certifi- 
cate in  plant  engineering 
from  WPI. 

Richard  W.  Masterson  '85 

(SIM)  of  Worcester  died  April 

27,  2001,  at  the  age  of  65.  He 
leaves  his  wife,  Nancy 
(Barbour),  a  son,  a  daughter, 
and  one  grandchild.  A  graduate 
of  Quinsigamond  Community 
College,  Masterson  worked  for 
Bay  State  Abrasives  and  the 
Worcester  County  Courthouse. 

Robert  D.  Pare  '86  of  Phoenix, 
Ariz.,  died  May  25,  2001,  after 
a  long  illness.  He  worked  for 
Itek  Corp.  Surviving  family 
members  include  his  parents, 
two  sisters  and  a  brother. 

Michael  J.  Carroll  '89  died 
May  8,  2001,  at  his  home  in 
Westerly,  R.I.  He  leaves  his  par- 
ents, a  brother  and  a  sister. 
Carroll  was  an  engineering  spe- 
cialist in  the  propulsion  depart- 
ment of  Electric  Boat  Division 
of  General  Dynamics  Corp.  He 
belonged  to  Pi  Tau  Sigma. 

Karen  Sears  George  '89  of 

Somerville,  Mass.,  died  March 

28,  2001,  after  a  courageous 
battle  with  breast  cancer.  Wife 
of  Robert  Reed  George  II  '89 
and  sister  of  Wendy  Sears  Hall 
'91,  she  also  leaves  a  son,  her 
father  and  another  sister. 
George  earned  an  MBA  from 
the  Amos  Tuck  School  at 
Darrmouth  College  and  joined 
Bain  &  Co.  in  1995.  She  left  in 
1998  to  pursue  full-time  moth- 
erhood, and  later  resumed  her 
career  as  an  independent  busi- 
ness consultant  and  co-founder 
of  an  Internet  startup. 


Meditation  Area 


ited 


About  75  friends  of  Adam  El-Khishin  '99  gathered  on  campus  recently  to  honor  his  memory  at  the 
dedication  of  the  Adam  El-Khishin  Meditation  Area.  This  secluded,  peaceful  area,  with  its  stone  benches, 
natural  rock  birdbath  and  plantings,  is  located  adjacent  to  the  Campus  Center  and  is  accessible  from 
the  footpath  at  the  rear  of  the  building. 

Adam,  an  Australian  native,  was  a  first-year  medical  student  at  Washington  University  in  St.  Louis  when 
he  was  killed  in  an  automobile  accident  in  January  2000.  His  grandmother,  Ruth  Smith  (above,  center), 
traveled  from  Australia  to  attend  the  dedication  ceremony  and  to  visit  the  school  and  city  where  Adam  had 
lived  for  four  years.  Accompanying  her  were  Adam's  cousins,  Mona  El-Khishin  (left)  and  Bernadette  Cahill, 
both  of  London. 

The  dedication  ceremony  included  personal  expressions  by  President  Parrish,  Vice  President  for  Student 
Affairs  Bernie  Brown,  International  Students  Advisor  Tom  Thomsen,  Pallavi  Singh  '01 ,  Anne  McPartland 
Dodd  '75  (representing  Skull),  and  Asima  Silva  '01  and  Zareen  Mushtaque  '00  (representing  the  WPI 
Student  Muslim  Association).  Adam's  cousins  unveiled  the  memorial  plaque,  which  reads: 

ADAM  EL-KHISHIN  '99 

1979-2000 

SCHOLAR,  LEADER,  FRIEND 

HE  LIVED  AS  HE  BELIEVED 


Transformations    \   Spring  2002    4  5 


Public  Eye 


Norton  Bonaparte  '75  was  profiled  in  the 

-  in  an  article  that  was  reprinted  in  the  January/February 
2002  issue  of  (Public  Management),  the  journal  of  the 

International  City/County  Management  Association.  He  is  business 
administrator  for  the  city  of  Camden,  N.J.  .  .  .  Stefan  Hagopian 
'82,  D.O.,  was  interviewed  for  Alternative  T: 
Nov/Dec  2001  issue.  He  studied  with  Jon  Kabat-Zinn  at  the 
Stress  Reduction  and  Relaxation  Program  of  the  University  of 
Massachusetts  Medial  Center  and  graduated  from  the  University 
of  New  England  College  of  Osteopathic  Medicine  .  .  . 
Nancy  Pimental  '87's  movie  opened  in 

theaters  in  April  .  .  .  Mary  (Sexton)  Winslow  '89  and  her  husband, 
Hal,  were  top  bidders  on  a  weekend  in  Worcester  offered  during 
the  annual  auction.  Their  package  included  accommoda- 

tions at  the  Beechwood  Hotel,  dinner  at  The  Flying  Rhino  on 
Shrewsbury  Street,  and  admission  to  several  of  Wormtown's  cultural 
attractions  .  .  .  Capt.  Mike  Andretta  '96  was  featured  in  an 
article  on  the  Marine  Corps'  Mountain  Warfare  Training  Center  that 
appeared  in  magazine.  He  is  the  officer  in  charge  of  the 

Instructor  Qualification  Course,  which  pits  would-be  instructors 
against  extreme  conditions  in  California's  Sierra  Nevada  .  .  .  Myles 
Walton  '97  and  his  wife,  Annalisa  Weigel,  may  have  made  history 
at  MIT  as  the  first  married  couple  to  defend  their  dissertations  on 
the  same  day.  The  May  8,  2002  issue  of  Ml 
described  their  intradepartmental  courtship  and  their  doctoral 
research — his  in  aeronautics  and  astronautics,  and  hers  in  technology, 
management  and  policy. 


( Continued  from  page   4) 


To  the  Editor: 

Never  was  the  timing  so  right 
as  now  for  WPI  to  declare  and 
expand  on  its  commitment  to  a 
better  future  for  its  students,  and 
for  the  world  they  will  help  create. 
In  my  opinion,  we  are  on  the 
doorstep  of  a  world  about  to  be 
literally  transformed  from  what 
we  now  know  and  the  way  we 
now  live. 

Your  new  journal,  Transformations, 

speaks  of  a  WPI  that  is  fully  aware 

of  this  transformation  and  ready 

to  help  lead  the  way  in  education 

and  production.  I  could  not  have 

been  more  pleased  with  the  message  you  wove  into  the  fabric  of  your 

inaugural  issue.  Nor  could  I  have  been  more  delighted  with  the  tone 

and  with  the  force  of  its  intelligence. 

I  have  always  loved  WPI,  and  now  you  know  why.  You  surround  me 
with  wonderful  people. 

Charles  M.  Zettek 

Planning  Consultant 


To  the  Editor: 

I  have  a  couple  of  issues  to  raise  relative  to  the  articles  in  the  Winter 
2002  issue  about  automobile  propulsion  ("Thinking  Small"). 

One,  the  article  made  no  mention  that  MTBE  [an  oxygenate  added  to 
some  gasolines]  is  a  recognized  carcinogen,  and  that  it  is  turning  up 
in  the  ground  water  in  California.  In  fact,  the  state  is  so  concerned 
that  they  are  phasing  it  out  as  an  auto  fuel  additive. 

Two,  everybody  is  talking  about  the  fuel  cell  nirvana,  but  I  have  yet  to 
see  anywhere  the  source  of  all  the  hydrogen  that  is  assumed  to  be  the 
utterly  pollution-free  fuel.  How  is  all  this  hydrogen  to  be  produced,  and 
what  will  be  the  environmental  implications  of  its  production?  Will  it  be 
like  ethanol,  which  consumes  more  energy  in  its  production  than  it 
contains  when  they  get  through  making  it? 

And  three,  if  gasoline  is  to  be  the  fuel  of  choice  for  fuel  cells,  what 
will  happen  to  all  the  other  goodies  after  the  hydrogen  is  extracted? 
I  thought  one  of  the  virtues  of  the  fuel  cell  was  that  it  would  reduce 
our  dependence  on  Middle  Eastern  oil.  This  doesn't  look  like  the 
way  to  accomplish  that. 

L.  C.  Brautigam  '49 

Kensington,  Conn. 


46     Transformation!    I   Spring  2002 


Ravindra  Datta,  head  of  WPI's  Chemical 
Engineering  Department  and  director  of 
its  Fuel  Cell  Center,  responds: 

I'd  like  to  address  Mr.  Brautigam's  second  two 
points.  The  source  of  the  hydrogen  for  fuel  cells 
would  depend  on  the  application.  For  home  and 
stationary  applications,  it  would  most  likely  be 
natural  gas;  for  automobiles,  it  would  probably 
be  gasoline  or  similar  hydrocarbons.  Renewable 
fuels,  such  as  ethanol,  might  also  be  used.  There  is  considerable 
controversy  on  the  net  energy  balance  in  the  production  of  anhydrous 
ethanol  (which  involves  the  removal  of  90  percent  of  the  water  by 
volume  via  distillation  of  fermentation  broths).  However,  fuel  cells  can 
use  ethanol  from  which  only  40  to  50  percent  of  the  water  has  been 
removed,  resulting  in  an  energy  savings. 

Although  the  reforming  processes  that  produce  hydrogen  from  other 
fuels  will  undoubtedly  generate  some  pollutants,  including  carbon 
monoxide  and  carbon  dioxide  (a  greenhouse  gas),  fuel  cells  are  about 
twice  as  efficient  as  internal  combustion  engines.  They  will,  therefore, 
use  less  petroleum,  extending  the  fossil  fuel  reserves,  and  produce 
dramatically  lower  levels  of  pollutants.  However,  the  best  long-term 
solution  may  be  to  use  renewable  fuels  or  produce  hydrogen  directly 
from  water  and  sunlight,  using  solar  cells  or  biocatalysts. 


To  the  Editor: 

I  don't  wish  to  disparage  the  many  accomplishments  of  Robert  Stempel 
'65,  former  chairman  of  General  Motors  ("Recharged,"  Winter  2002). 
However,  crediting  him  with  the  invention  of  the  catalytic  converter 
deserves  further  investigation. 

In  1  953  and  1  954,  I  was  chief  engineer  and  plant  manager  of 
Oxycatalyst  Inc.  in  Wayne,  Pa.  This  company  was  the  brainchild  of 
Eugene  Houdry,  a  French  chemical  engineer  who  was  a  major 
contributor  to  the  catalytic  cracking  of  gasoline  to  improve  yield  and 
octane  rating  of  motor  fuels.  Houdry  came  to  the  United  States  in  the 
late  1  930s,  sponsored  by  Sun  Oil  and  Standard  Oil  of  New  Jersey. 
Together,  they  revolutionized  gasoline  refining  processes. 

Following  World  War  II,  in  the  late  1  940s,  Houdry  turned  to  the 
problem  of  automobile  exhaust,  founding  Oxycatalyst  to  conduct 
research  and  development  and  manufacturing  of  his  concepts.  When 
I  worked  there  in  1  953,  Oxycatalyst  had  developed  a  practical  and 
effective  catalytic  converter  using  finely  divided  platinum  deposited  on 
a  ceramic  base — essentially  the  structure  of  most  catalytic  converters  in 
use  today.  Unfortunately  for  Oxycatalyst,  these  required  the  use  of 
unleaded  gasoline  or  LPG  to  avoid  poisoning  the  catalyst. 

Oxycatalyst  made  a  poor  business  decision  that  ended  the  company. 
Houdry  believed  that  a  successful  converter  would  have  to  handle 
leaded  fuel,  because  the  world  would  not  give  up  cheap  high-octane 
gasoline.  Most  of  our  research  efforts  were  directed  to  developing  a 
catalyst  that  would  not  be  poisoned  by  lead,  and  could  be  made  from 
metals  less  costly  than  platinum.  In  almost  50  years,  these  goals  have 
not  been  achieved  and  the  catalytic  converter  today  is  quite  similar, 
in  all  respects,  to  the  unit  of  1  953. 


Eventually,  in  the  1960s,  Oxycatalyst  sold  its  extensive  patent  rights 
to  the  auto  manufacturers,  including  General  Motors,  who  were  under 
increasing  government  pressure  to  reduce  air  pollution. 

Despite  his  lack  of  commercial  success,  Eugene  Houdry  should  be 
credited  with  the  creation  and  reduction  to  practice  of  the  catalytic 
converter.  The  patent  record  should  show  this.  His  was  another  sad 
example  of  a  good  idea  born  before  its  time.  Please  help  to  set  the 
record  straight. 

Nicholas  M.  Peitzel  '79  (M.S.) 
Boylston,  Mass. 


Robert  Stempel  responds: 

Mr.  Peitzel  is  quite  correct.  There  was  considerable  work  done  on 
catalysts  before  they  were  successfully  introduced  on  vehicles  to  con- 
trol exhaust  emissions.  The  team  at  General  Motors  looked  closely  at 
catalysts  used  in  the  chemical  and  petroleum  refinery  processes,  as 
well  as  at  the  work  of  Houdry.  We  did  work  with  the  refiners  to  get  the 
lead  out  of  gasoline  starting  in  1  971 ,  knowing  that  lead  would  render 

the  catalysts  inoperative, 
as  shown  by  Houdry  and 
others.  Many  other  things 
had  to  change,  including 
the  special  stainless  steel 
to  contain  the  catalyst, 
the  exhaust  flow  over 
and  through  the  catalyst 
for  maximum  exhaust 
cleanup,  and  so  on. 

Catalytic  converters  were 
invented  long  before  the 
GM  team  developed  the 
multidimensional  solution 
that  allowed  the  device 
to  be  used  in  the  harsh 
automotive  environment 
to  reduce  exhaust  emissions  over  the  life  of  the  car.  With  hundreds 
of  millions  of  catalytic  converters  in  use  since  1  975,  millions  of  tons 
of  hydrocarbons  and  carbon  monoxide  have  been  eliminated  from 
the  atmosphere,  along  with  the  virtual  elimination  of  airborne 
lead  particulates. 

Mr.  Peitzel  also  notes  that  lead  additives  made  low-cost,  high-octane 
fuel  possible  (an  invention  of  the  GM  Research  Labs  that  led  to  the 
formation  of  the  Ethyl  Corporation).  Thanks  to  continuing  inventiveness, 
low-cost,  high-octane  lead-free  fuel  is  available  today,  permitting  the 
higher  compression  ratios  found  on  many  of  today's  low-emission, 
low-fuel-consumption  vehicles. 


Transformations    I   Spring  2002    47 


Time  Machine 


-S 


Alumni  Help  WPI 


Its  History 


By  Amy  L.  Marr  '96 


It's  been  said  that  one  man's  trash  is  another  man's  treasure.  That's  a 
saying  that  Rodney  Obien  can  relate  to.  As  WPFs  archivist  and  special 
collections  librarian,  Obien  spends  much  of  his  time  collecting  treas- 
ures from  WPI's  history.  Many  of  those  treasures  once  resided — one 
step  from  the  trash — in  die  attics,  garages  and  closets  of  WPI  alumni. 


*   J    *   4  4***4 


A  sampling  of  Gordon  Library's  extensive  collection  of  artifacts  from  WPI  history,  many 
donated  by  alumni.  Recent  contributors  include  Al  Papianou  '57  (class  memorabilia  and 
antique  WPI  postcards)  and  the  families  of  Ed  Bayon  '31  (photo  album  and  Skull  memort 
and  Joseph  Kapinos  '33  (classic  WPI  ruler  and  T-square,  old  yearbooks  and  textbooks). 


Each  year,  Obien  says,  through  the  thoughtfulness  and  generos- 
ity of  living  alumni  and  the  families  of  deceased  alumni,  WPI's  story 
grows  richer  and  more  complete.  In  addition  to  receiving  donations 
ill  the  archives'  home  in  Gordon  Library,  he  says  he  has  visited 
homes  of  alumni  and  their  families  to  accept  gilts  <il  artifacts  thai 
once  held  a  special  place  in  the  memories  of  graduates. 

Items  that  make  their  way  CO  the  WPI  Archives  are  not  simply 
relegated  to  boxes  in  some  dusty  corner.  As  Obien  puts  it,  the 


"archives  is  a  place  for  people  to  make  a  tangible  connection 
with  WPI's  rich  past." 

Each  year,  hundreds  of  alumni,  students  and  other  visitors 
make  that  connection,  some  to  do  serious  research,  others  just  to 
browse.  The  archives  is  also  popular  with  genealogists  and  others 

seeking  family  roots.  "Sometimes  a  yearbook  photo 
is  all  that  exists  as  a  visual  record  of  someone  during 
early  adulthood,"  Obien  says.  "Helping  people  find 
information  about  their  families  always  makes  me 
feel  quite  satisfied  about  what  I  do." 

In  addition  to  cataloging  his  newfound  treasures, 
Obien  spends  a  considerable  amount  of  time  deve- 
loping new  and  creative  ways  to  make  them  accessible. 
Recent  ideas  have  included  displays  around  the 
library  and  setting  aside  a  small  room  to  showcase 
items  that  open  a  window  into  student  life  through 
the  years,  including  yearbooks,  issues  of  the  student 
newspaper,  beanies,  mugs,  signs  and  T-shirts. 

When  students  visit  the  archives,  Obien  likes 
to  show  them  the  library's  extensive  collection  of 
course  catalogs  on  display,  dating  back  to  WPI's 
days  as  the  Worcester  Free  Institute.  Many  of  these 
were  donated  to  the  archives  by  alumni  who  kept 
them  as  treasured  mementos  of  their  student  days. 
"Today's  students  seem  awestruck  by  the  fact 
that  these  still  exist  and  that  they  can  hold  them  in 
their  hands,"  Obien  says.  "I  tell  them  to  remember 
that  when  they're  inventing  new  things;  will  those 
new  technologies  stand  the  test  of  time,  as  these 
books  have?" 

Among  the  WPI  artifacts  that  Obien  most 
enjoys  holding  in  his  hands  are  the  Theo  Brown 
diaries.  "Brown,  a  member  of  the  Class  of  1901, 
eventually  became  the  chief  engineer  for  John 
Deere,"  he  says.  "The  diaries,  which  date  from  1893 
to  1971,  contain  a  fascinating  collection  of  writings, 
news  clippings  and  drawings  that  document  the  life 
of  one  of  WPI's  most  distinguished  graduates." 
Theo  Brown's  diaries  were  donated  to  WPI 
by  his  daughter.  Were  it  not  lor  gilts  like  hers. 
Obien  says,  the  archives  would  have  tar  lewer 
stories  to  tell  about  WPI,  its  history  and  its  people. 
"The  generous  gifts  ol  alumni  and  their  families 
have  added  immeasurably  to  our  collections.''  he  says.  "I'd  ask  readers 
to  keep  that  in  mind  the  next  time  they're  cleaning  the  cobwebs  out 
of  their  attics.  You  never  know  what  kinds  ol  WPI  treasures  might 
be  lurking  t here 

— Marr.  manager  of  Web  development  al  U'VV,  earned 
a  bachelor's  degree  in  technical  communications  and  a 
matter's  in  marketing  at  the  university. 


48     Transformation!   \  Spring  2002 


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Faded  sweatshirts  look  great  as  they  get  older,  but  eventually 
they  do  fade  away.  That  WPI  mug  won't  last  forever,  and  even- 
tually you  will  lose  your  cap  . . .  but  you  don't  have  to  lose  faith. 

This  is  not  a  problem  of  engineering  proportions.. .not  when 
your  WPI  bookstore  has  all  those  things  and  a  whole  lot  more. 


Jackets,  diplo 
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If  it's  easier  for  you  to  call,  our  toll-free  number  is 
1  -888-wpi-books  . . .  and  if  you  happen  to  be  nearby, 
come  visit  us  at  our  new  location  in  the  Campus  Center. 


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On  the  Value  of  Higher  Education 

Few  people  appreciate  the  value  of  education  as  much 
as  Nancy  and  Fred  Costello.  With  six  children  and  1 1 
grandchildren,  they've  made  education  a  priority  in 
their  family.  "Nancy  is  really  my  hero,"  says  Fred. 
"After  raising  our  family  she  went  back  for  not  one,  but 
two  master's  degrees."  Fred  (retired  division  president 
with  Union  Carbide,  WPI  Goddard  Award  winner, 
40th  Anniversary  Gift  co-chair,  former  Alumni  Funds 
Board  member  and  president-elect  of  the  WPI  Alumni 
Association)  credits  his  father,  James  V.  Costello,  with 
instilling  in  him  this  appreciation.  "From  him  I  learned 
to  value  education,  hard  work,  taking  advantage  of 
opportunities  and  the  importance  of  family.  Like  my 
dad,  I  believe  strongly  in  higher  education,  which  is 
why  I  have  wanted  to  stay  so  involved  with  WPI." 


Nancy  and  Fred  Costello  '59 

Homes:  Washington,  Conn.;  Bonita  Springs,  Fla. 

Gift  Arrangement:  Outright  Gift  Establishing  an  Endowed  Scholarship  Fund 


On  Gift  Planning  at  WPI 

Wanting  to  make  a  leadership  gift  to  WPI  in 
conjunction  with  Fred's  40th  Reunion,  the  Costellos 
looked  first  at  deferred  gift  options,  but  chose  instead 
to  make  a  gift  the  university  can  use  now.  They 
established  an  endowed  scholarship  fund  in  memory  of 
Fred's  father,  with  preference  to  be  given  to  Hispanic 
students  from  Berkshire  County  in  Massachusetts. 
"Nancy  and  I  liked  the  idea  of  endowing  that  assistance 
in  perpetuity,  and  meeting  the  recipients,"  Fred  says. 
"I  hope  those  students  will  be  inspired  later  in  life  to 
make  that  same  help  available  to  others.  Besides, 
keeping  in  touch  with  students  is  a  great  way  for  us 
to  stay  young — at  heart,  at  least!" 


■ 


Endowed  funds  at  WPI  generate  approximately  $1 2.7  million  each  year  for  scholarships,  professorships,  academic  programs, 

facilities,  and  all  other  aspects  of  the  university's  operations.  Gifts  made  outright,  or  through  life-income  gift  arrangements  or 

other  deferred  or  bequest  options,  may  be  added  to  existing  funds  or  used  to  establish  a  new  fund.  If  you  would  like  more 

information  about  endowed  funds  at  WPI,  contact  the  Office  of  Planned  Giving. 


Starting 


IV 


Taking  Flight 

Ninety-nine  years  ago,  on  a  windswept  beach  in  North  Carolina,  a 
spindly  machine  made  of  ash,  spruce  and  steel  rose  briefly  into  the 
salt  air,  propelled  by  a  noisy  four-cylinder  engine.  With  a  lone  pilot 
struggling  to  keep  its  muslin-covered  wings  level,  the  ungainly  craft 
settled  back  onto  the  sand  12  seconds  and  120  feet  later.  For  the 
first  time  in  history,  an  aircraft  had  made  a  sustained  flight  under  its 
own  power. 

The  first  flight  of  the  Wright  brothers'  Flyer  inaugurated  the 
Air  Age — a  century  of  extraordinary  technological  achievements  that 
enabled  winged  vehicles  to  fly  ever  faster,  higher  and  farther.  It 
should  come  as  no  surprise  that  WPI  alumni,  faculty  and  students 
have  played  roles,  both  small  and  large,  in  many  of  the  pivotal  mile- 
stones of  the  first  100  years  of  powered  flight. 

With  this  issue  of  Transformations,  we  begin  a  yearlong  focus 
on  WPI's  role  in  the  evolution  of  aviation  and  space  technology.  We 
invite  readers  to  help  us  plan  the  rest  of  this  special  year  by  sending 
us  ideas  for  future  stories.  (See  page  19  for  more.) 

WPI's  place  in  the  story  of  powered  flight  is  just  one  of  the 
more  noteworthy  outcomes  of  the  university's  historical  emphasis  on 
pteparing  scientists  and  engineers  who  are  well  equipped  to  apply 
their  classroom  learning  to  change  the  world  for  the  bettet.  In  the 
last  issue  of  Transformations,  we  introduced  you  to  a  new  marketing 
initiative  that  aims  to  make  more  people  aware  of  the  university's 
unique  cuiriculum,  its  history  of  innovation,  and  its  many  contribu- 
tions to  out  society. 

The  program  continues  to  move  forward;  here  are  just  a  few 
recent  developments.  You  can  tead  more  about  these  initiatives  at 
WPI's  marketing  Web  site,  www.wpi.edu/News/Marketing/: 

•  This  fall,  the  second  flight  of  WPI's  broadcast  ads  went  on  the 
air  in  Greater  Boston  (TV)  and  Hartford  and  New  Haven 
(radio).  As  you'll  recall,  we're  targeting  parents  and  high  school 
teachers  and  guidance  counselors — individuals  who  influence 
the  college  choices  of  prospective  WPI  students.  The  ads, 
which  focus  on  WPI's  history  of  innovation,  quality  of  educa- 
tion, unique  curriculum  and  well-rounded  students,  are 
designed  to  build  awareness  and  name  recognition  for  the  uni- 
versity. 

•  When  the  annual  "America's  Best  Colleges"  issue  of  U.S.  News 
&  World  Report  was  published  in  Septembet,  52,000  subscribers 
in  the  Boston  Metro  area  (an  area  we  are  focusing  on  with  our 
marketing  program)  found  a  three  page  "advertorial"  on  WPI 
in  their  copies.  The  article,  which  gave  an  overview  of  our  dis- 
tinctive academic  and  research  programs,  was  titled  "Worcester 
Polytechnic  Institute:  A  National  Univetsity  Like  No  Other." 


Ud  Ahead 


•  In  October,  the  Board  of  Trustees  endorsed  our  new  visual 
identity  system,  which  includes  our  new  logo,  as  well  as  com- 
prehensive visual  identity  standards  to  assure  that  these  impor- 
tant new  WPI  assets  are  used  properly  and  consistently  across 
all  of  our  printed  and  electronic  communications. 

•  In  May,  we  will  present  several  outstanding  Massachusetts  high 
school  teachers  with  the  inaugural  WPI  Technological 
Humanist  Award.  The  recipients  (who  must  be  nominated  by 
their  students)  will  be  recognized  for  theit  efforts  to  help  stu- 
dents see  that  science  and  engineering  are  about  more  than 
numbets  and  formulas — that  they  are,  in  fact,  tools  for  address- 
ing the  wotld's  important  problems.  The  award  is  designed  to 
build  awareness  among  prospective  students  (as  well  as  parents, 
teachers  and  guidance  counselots)  for  the  unique  outcomes  of 
our  educational  programs:  well-rounded  young  men  and 
women  who  understand  the  complex  social  environment  in 
which  scientists  and  engineers  live  and  work.  WPI  has  long 
called  such  individuals  technological  humanists.  It's  the  same 
idea  we've  captured  in  our  new  positioning  statement,  "The 
University  of  Science  and  Technology.  And  Life." 

With  these  activities,  the  marketing  program  we  launched  under  a 
year  ago  is  building  speed  and  climbing  to  new  heights.  While 
WPI's  journey  to  increased  recognition  and  national  visibility  is  well 
under  way,  there  is  still  a  lot  of  ground  to  cover  before  we  reach  our 
destination.  We're  happy  to  have  you  along  fot  the  flight,  and  we 
promise  to  keep  you  informed  about  the  milestones  we  pass  along 
the  way. 

Michael  W.  Dorsey 

Editor 


Jan.  18  Winter  Social  Event  (Classes  of  1 999-2002):  Owen 

O'Leary's  in  Natick,  6  p.m. 

Jan.  27  Silicon  Valley  Reception:  Hayes  Mansion  Conference 

Center,  San  Jose,  6:30-8:30  p.m. 

Jan.  29  Orange  County  Reception:  Hilton  Waterfront  Beach 

Resort,  Huntington  Beach,  7-9  p.m. 

Jan.  30  Los  Angeles  Area  Reception:  Loew's  Hotel,  Santa 

Monica,  6-8  p.m. 

Feb.  GOLD  Pub  Night:  location  and  time  to  be  determined 

Feb.  27  Worcester  Consortium  Event:  Higgins  Armory,  5-9  p.m. 

March  5  Silicon  Valley  Project  Presentation  Day:  SRI 

International,  Menlo  Park,  4-8  p.m. 

March  29  Boston  Area  Alumni  Event:  Mamma  Mia!  at  the 

Colonial  Fheatre,  Boston,  2  p.m.  (reception  at  noon) 

April  GOLD  Pub  Night:  location  and  time  to  be  determined 

April  7-11  A  Real-world  Approach  to  Doing  Business  in  China: 

Hong  Kong  and  Shanghai 

April  10  Traditions  Day:  WPI  campus 

See  the  events  calendar  at  www.wpi.edu/+Alumni 
for  more  details. 


NUMBER 


A    Journal    of    People    and    Change 


Features 


12    Winged  Victory 

Aeronautical  engineer  Richard  Whitcomb  '43  developed  some  of 
the  most  important  principles  in  high-speed  flight.  Now,  he  says, 
there's  nothing  left  to  discover.  By  Ray  Bert  '93 

1  8    On  a  Wing  and  a  Fuel  Cell 

Next  year,  while  the  world  looks  back  1  00  years  to  the  start  of 
the  Air  Age,  Jim  Dunn  '67  hopes  his  electric  airplane  will  get 
people  thinking  about  aviation's  next  century.  By  Vicki  Sanders 


20    Achieving  Liftoff:  A  New  Generation 

Unless  the  next  crop  of  scientists  and  engineers  includes  more  women 
and  minorities,  experts  say  America  will  lose  its  competitive  edge. 
In  this  special  report  we  examine  the  "pipeline  problem"  and  find 
out  how  WPI  is  part  of  the  solution.  By  Laurance  S.  Morrison 

28    The  Magic  in  the  Molecules 

From  bandages  that  change  color  to  flag  an  infection  to  badges 
that  detect  biotoxins,  Mitch  Sanders  '88  is  teaching  proteins  some 
extraordinarily  useful  tricks.  By  Joan  Killough-Miller 


On  the  Coven  Through  a  wide  range  of  outreach 
programs,  WPI  helps  young  people,  especially 
women  and  underrepresented  minorities,  know  the 
exhilaration  of  moth  and  science.  Experts  agree  that 
the  key  is  reaching  students  in  early  childhood — at 
about  the  age  of  the  girl  on  our  cover — to  provide 
them  the  opporlunty  to  become  our  future  scientists, 
like  Madeline  Sola  '04.  (See  "Achieving  Liftoff," 
page  20.) 


Departments 


4/5/6    Campus  Buzz 

Sept.  1  1  remembered,  the  candidates  debate, 
and  more  news  from  WPI 


6  Letters 

Reaction  to  our  story  on  facial  recognition 

7  A  Few  Words 

With  Shelia  Tobias,  expert  on  mathematics  and 
science  education 

WPI  opens  its  first  project  center  in  Africa 


9    Inside  WPI 

How  WPI  is  winning  the  competition  for  top  faculty  members 

10/11     Investigations 

Why  do  bacteria  stick?  How  can  IT  work  for  business? 

32/33    Alumni  Connections 

News  from  the  Alumni  Association;  Homecoming  recap 

34    Class  Notes 

Catch  up  on  news  from  your  class  and  others 

48    Time  Machine 

A  story  of  ingenuity  that  transcends  the  generations 


On  the  Web  www.wpi.edu/+Transformations 

The  conversation  doesn't  end  here.  Be  sure  to  check  out  the  online  edition  of  the  Fall  2002 
Transformations,  where  you'll  find  extra  features  and  links  related  to  the  stories  in  this  issue. 
While  you're  online,  send  us  your  news,  write  a  letter  to  the  editor,  or  chat  with  fellow  readers 
in  the  Transformations  forum  in  the  Alumni  Cafe. 


Staff:  Editors:  Michael  W.  Dorsey  and  Vicki  Sanders;  Alumni  News  Editor:  Joan  Killough-Miller; 

Design  Director:  Michael  J.  Sherman;  Design:  Studio  Z  Design,  Inc;  Production  Manager:  Bonnie  McCrea; 

Department  Icons:  Art  Guy  Studios. 

Alumni  Communications  Committee:  Robert  C.  Labonte  '54,  chairman;  Kimberly  A.  (Lemoi)  Bowers  '90, 
James  S.  Demetry  '58,  William  J.  Firla  Jr.  '60,  William  R.  Grogan  '46,  Amy  L.  (Plack)  Marr  '96, 
Roger  N.  Perry  Jr.  '45,  Harlan  B.  Williams  '50. 

Transformations  (ISSN  1538-5094),  formerly  the  WPI  Journal,  is  published  four  times  a  year  in  February, 
May,  August  and  November  for  the  WPI  Alumni  Association  by  the  University  Marketing  Department. 
Printed  in  USA  by  Mercantile/Image  Press. 


The  University  of 
Science  and  Technology. 
And  Life., 


Diverse  views  presented  in  this  magazine  do  not  necessarily  reflect  the  opinions  of  the  editors  or  official  WPI  policies.  We  welcome  letters  to  the  editor.  Address  correspondence  to  the  Editor, 
Transformations,  WPI,  100  Institute  Road,  Worcester,  MA  01609-2280.  Phone:  508-831-6037;  Fax:  508-831-5820;  e-mail:  transformotions@wpi.edu;  Web:  www.wpi.edu/-i-Transformations. 
Periodical  postage  paid  at  Worcester,  Mass.,  and  at  additional  mailing  offices.  Postmaster:  please  send  address  changes  to  address  above.  Entire  contents  ©  2002,  Worcester  Polytechnic  Institute. 


WPI  Remembers  the  Sept.  1 1  Attacks 


WPI  observed  the  first 
anniversary  of  the  Sept.  1 1 , 
2001 ,  terrorist  attacks  much  the 
way  it  coped  with  the  horrific 
events  a  year  earlier — by 
gathering  as  a  community  to 
remember  the  victims  and  share 
personal  thoughts  and  memories. 

In  a  morning  ceremony  of 
remembrance  held  by  the 
flagpole  near  Alden  Memorial, 
students,  faculty,  staff  and  alumni 
gathered  to  recall  "a  sad  but 
meaningful  day,"  in  the  words  of 
Rev.  Peter  J.  Scanlon,  director  of 
WPI's  Collegiate  Religious  Center. 
Father  Scanlon  called  upon  those 
gathered  to  think  about  the  many 
who  died  on  Sept.  1  1 ,  including 
Leonard  Taylor  '79  of  Reston, 
Va.,  who  was  aboard  American 
Airlines  Flight  77,  which  was 
crashed  into  the  Pentagon. 

To  the  plaintive  strains  of 
"Amazing  Grace"  (played  by 
a  bagpiper  and  a  drummer),  a 
military  color  guard,  a  Worcester 
firefighter  and  a  WPI  police 
officer  crossed  Earle  Bridge 
and  raised  the  American  flag 


to  half  mast.  Then  in  a  brief  but 
powerful  address,  WPI  President 
Edward  Alton  Parrish  looked 
back  on  how  the  events  of 
Sept.  1  1  had  touched  him  and 
the  WPI  community.  "I  wi 
remember,"  he  concluded,  "not 
to  take  freedom  for  granted." 


Top,  WPi  gardener  Robert  Tupper  listens 
observance.  Bottom  row,  Campus  Police 
of  a  procession  that  crossed  Earle  Bridge 
Beech  Tree  Circle. 

The  community  gathered  again  at 
noon  in  Harrington  Auditorium  to 
hear  reflections  and  prayers  from 
students,  including  represen- 
tatives of  the  Muslim  Student 
Association,  the  International 
Student  Association,  the  Indian 
Student  Association  and  the 
Newman  Club,  and  a  keynote 


to  remarks  during  WPI's  Sept.  1 1 
Sergeant  H.  Jurgen  Ring  was  part 
and  raised  the  American  flag  on 


Mass  Academy  Marks  10th  Anniversary 

The  Massachusetts  Academy  of  Mathematics  and  Science  at  WPI 
graduated  its  10th  class  last  May,  bringing  to  nearly  400  the  number 
of  students  who've  received  diplomas  from  the  specialized  public  high 
school.  The  academy  celebrated  the  milestone  with  awards  to  more 
than  a  dozen  people  who  helped  create  the  school. 

Receiving  a  special  citation  was  former  state  senator  Arthur  Chase, 
whose  support  was  instrumental  in  creating  the  academy.  Chase  was  in 
office  in  1992  when  the  Massachusetts  Legislature  founded  the  school 
to  provide  a  unique  learning  environment  for  high  school  juniors  and 
seniors  with  exceptional  aptitude  in  math  and  science. 

Among  the  academy's  many  accomplishments,  Principal  Pauline 
Lamarche  cites  a  dynamic,  constantly  evolving  curriculum  (most 
graduates  go  on  to  high-quality  four-year  colleges,  and  most  stay 
in  math  and  science),  the  school's  growing  acceptance  at  home 
(38  communities  now  send  students  to  the  Mass  Academy),  and  its 
growing  recognition  nationally. 

This  fall,  enrollment  reached  a  new  peak,  a  milestone  Lamarche 
attributes  to  the  academy's  growing  reputation.  She  says  the  school  is 


address  by  Lt.  Col.  Richard  B. 
O'Connor,  head  of  WPI's  Military 
Science  Department.  Stationed  at 
the  Pentagon  on  Sept.  1  1 ,  2001 , 
O'Connor  was  away  from  his 
office,  which  was  in  the  path  of 
the  jetliner,  when  the  attack 
occured. 


Sunar  is  WPI's  1 5th 
CAREER  Award  Winner 

The  Spring  2002  issue  of 
Transformations  made  note  of  the 
extraordinary  success  WPI  faculty 
members  have  had  in  garnering 
the  National  Science  Foundation's 
coveted  CAREER  Award.  In 

August,  the 
ranks  of 
winners  grew 
by  one,  to  1 5, 
when  Berk 
Sunar, 
assistant 
professor 
of  electrical  and  computer 
engineering,  earned  the  honor. 
The  grant,  which  typically 
includes  five  years  of  funding 
for  a  major  research  project, 
recognizes  young  faculty 
members  who  show  unusual 
promise  as  researchers  and 
educators.  Sunar  received  his 
award  for  a  project  titled  "New 
Directions  for  Cryptographic 
Hardware." 


Mass  Academy  director  Bob  Solvatelli  and  principal  Pauline  Lamarche 
welcomed  the  largest  enrollment  ever  this  foil. 

able  to  accommodate  larger  enrollments  because  of  a  growing  number 
of  visiting  scholars,  who  complement  the  permanent  faculty  of  four. 
What  began  as  an  initiative  to  rotate  in  practicing  math  and  science 
teachers  has  evolved  instead  into  a  kind  of  on-the-job  training  program 
for  professionals  who  want  to  change  careers  and  teach.  "We're 
helping  put  more  math  and  science  teachers  into  the  field,"  she  says. 


4     Transformations    I   /•'.///  2002 


TV,  radio  and  print  reporters,  including  Newscenter  5's  Natalie  Jacobsen, 
turned  out  in  droves  to  cover  the  debate  at  WPI  between  gubernatorial 
candidates  Shannon  O'Brien  and  Mitt  Romney. 


Going  to  the  Candidates'  Debate 

On  Oct.  1 ,  WPI  became  the  center  of  the  Massachusetts  political 
universe  when  it  hosted  a  gubernatorial  debate.  The  event  drew  not 
only  the  candidates,  but  thousands  of  their  supporters,  hundreds  of 
guests,  and  a  strong  contingent  of  state,  regional  and  national  media. 

The  debate  was  broadcast  live  on  every  Boston  network  affiliate,  on 
New  England  Cable  News  and  on  many  state  radio  stations.  C-SPAN 
broadcast  the  debate  later  that  evening,  and  WPI  webcast  the  event. 
The  debate  was  moderated  by  Judy  Woodruff,  prime  anchor  and 
senior  correspondent  at  CNN,  who  also  broadcast  that  day's  edition  of 

New  Athletic  Director  Takes  the  Field 


Dana  Harmon  takes  charge  of  a  program  with  21  varsity  sports  and  many  club 
and  intramural  sports,  which  engages  nearly  70  percent  of  WPI  students. 

Dana  Leigh  Harmon,  WPI's  new  director  of  physical  education, 
recreation  and  athletics,  says  she  believes  in  the  university's 
positioning  statement,  The  University  of  Science  and  Technology. 
And  Life.  "Physical  education,  recreation  and  athletics  fill  in  the 
'and  life'  part  of  the  statement,"  she  says.  "It's  about  showing  that 
our  students  are  well-rounded,  spectacular  individuals — inside  and 
outside  the  classroom." 

Harmon  comes  to  WPI  from  Wellesley  College,  where  she'd  worked 
since  1  993,  most  recently  as  the  associate  director  of  athletics.  She 
has  a  B.A.  in  business  administration  from  Bellarmine  University  in 
Louisville,  Ky.,  and  a  master's  in  sports  management  from  the 
University  of  Massachusetts  Amherst. 

She  will  oversee  WPI's  21  varsity  sports,  intramural  and  club  sport 
programs,  and  the  health,  wellness  and  recreation  center.  Nearly  70 
percent  of  WPI's  2,700  undergraduates  participate  in  athletics. 

'There  are  many  studies  about  the  benefits  of  being  physically  active, 
going  back  to  the  old  healthy-mind,  healthy-body  concept,"  Harmon 
says.  "It's  especially  important  today,  with  the  academic  pressures  on 
our  students,  that  we  also  take  care  of  the  physical  side." 


CNN's  popular  political  forum, 
inside  Politics  With  Judy 
Woodruff,  from  the  WPI  campus. 
A  30-year  veteran  of  broadcast 
journalism,  Woodruff  moderated 
several  debates  during  the  2000 
presidential  election. 

While  Democratic  candidate  Shannon  O'Brien  and  Republican 
candidate  Mitt  Romney  fielded  questions  inside  the  Campus  Center 
Odeum,  their  supporters  and  those  of  three  other  candidates 
(who  were  not  invited  by  the  debate's  media  sponsors  to  take  part), 
demonstrated  outside. 

"With  education  such  a  vital  issue  to  the  future  of  the  Commonwealth, 
it  was  appropriate  that  this  debate  be  held  at  an  academic  institution 
dedicated  to  preparing  the  next  generation  of  engineers,  scientists  and 
technologists  for  leadership  roles  in  the  new  economy,"  noted  WPI 
President  Edward  Alton  Parrish. 


WPI  Mourns  the  Loss  of  Two  Faculty  Members 

The  WPI  community  reeled  this  summer  from  the  loss  of  two 
longtime  members  of  its  faculty.  Patrick  P.  Dunn,  professor  of 
history  in  the  Humanities  and  Arts  Department,  died  on  July  15, 
after  a  long  illness.  Denise  W.  Nicoletti   associate  professor  of 
electrical  and  computer  engineering,  was  killed  in  a  car  accident 
on  July  22  while  on  her  way  to  campus  for  the  opening  day  of 
Camp  REACH,  a  program  for  young  girls  that  she  co-founded. 

Patrick  Dunn  earned  his  bachelor's  degree 
at  Marquette  University  and  his  master's  and 
Ph.D.  at  Duke  University.  He  came  to  WPI  in 
1  974  and  received  the  Trustees'  Award  for 
Outstanding  Teaching  in  1  988.  An  authority 
on  Russian  history,  he  pioneered  the  use  of 
psycho-history  in  his  courses  and  research  and 
helped  launch  a  sister-city  project  between  Worcester  and  Pushkin. 
His  sense  of  social  responsiblity  led  him  to  advise  a  series  of 
projects  on  appropriate  technology  in  developing  countries. 

Denise  Nicoletti,  an  authority  on  ultrasonics, 
nondestructive  testing,  scaling  and  fractal 
properties,  joined  the  faculty  in  1991  after 
earning  her  bachelor's,  master's  and  doctoral 
degrees  at  Drexel  University.  She  was  the  first 
tenured  female  faculty  member  in  the  Electrical 
and  Computer  Engineering  Department. 
In  1  997,  she  helped  launch  Camp  REACH,  which  she  directed 
for  1 1  years  (see  page  27  for  more  on  this  program). 

Two  funds  have  been  established  in  Nicoletti's  memory: 

•  Camp  REACH  Fund,  WPI,  1 00  Institute  Road,  Worcester, 
MA  01 609. 

•  Nicoletti  Children  Scholarship  Fund,  c/o  Bill  Cole,  UBS  Paine 
Webber,  10  Chestnut  Street,  Suite  600,  Worcester,  MA  01608. 


Transformations    I    Fall  2002     5 


Bioengineering  Institute  Gets  a  Director 


WPI's  efforts  to  establish  a  center 
for  health  care  research  and 
related  economic  development 
moved  forward  this  summer  with 
the  arrival  of  Timothy  R.  Gerrity, 
the  first  director  of  the  university's 
new  Bioengineering  Institute  (BEI). 

Gerrity,  who  comes  to  WPI  from 
Georgetown  University  School 
of  Medicine,  previously  held 
positions  with  the  U.S. 
Department  of  Veterans  Affairs 
and  the  EPA,  among  other 
agencies  and  medical  centers. 
He  heads  the  four-center  institute 
in  Gateway  Park,  an  industrial 
district  near  campus  that  is  being 
redeveloped  by  a  partnership 
that  includes  WPI  and  city  and 
private  developers. 

He  says  his  role  is  to  oversee  the 
creation  of  new  products  and  to 
support  new  biomedical  business 
initiatives.  'The  institute  will  serve 
as  a  bridge  from  the  research  lab 
to  the  advanced  manufacturing 
sector,"  Gerrity  says.  "It  provides 
a  unique  opportunity  to 
integrate  academic  research 
with  technology  development 
and  commercialization." 

BEI  houses  four  centers,  which 
conduct  applied  research 
in  untethered  health  care, 
comparative  neuroimaging, 
molecular  engineering,  and 
bioprocess  and  tissue 
engineering.  It  resembles  the 
university's  Metal  Processing 
Institute  (MPI),  which  has  become 
one  of  the  largest  industry- 
university  alliances  in  North 
America. 


As  director  of  the  Bioengineering 
Institute,  Tim  Gerrity  says  he  will  work 
to  make  the  institute  a  bridge  between 
the  research  lab  and  industry. 

Gerrity  holds  advanced  degrees 
in  physics  from  the  University 
of  Illinois  at  Chicago,  where  he 
also  has  served  on  the  faculty. 
BEI  differs  from  many  other 
research-commercial  models 
around  the  country  because 
of  its  commitment  to  cultivating 
business  partnerships  to  pursue 
applications  of  its  research 
right  from  the  start. 

"We're  looking  at  this  as  a 
complete  package,"  Gerrity  says. 
"We're  trying  to  line  up  all  the 
pieces,  with  the  idea  that  by 
doing  so  we  will  be  able  to 
generate  interest  early  on  from 
the  private  sector." 

The  55-acre  Gateway  Park  is 
tailored  to  the  growth  that  BEI 
anticipates.  Gerrity  envisions 
a  cluster  of  bioengineering- 
related  enterprises,  including 
WPI's  laboratories,  company 
incubators,  startups  and  small 
manufacturing  firms.  He  expects 
the  number  of  Ph.D. -level 
researchers  and  postdoctoral 
graduate  students  to  number 
in  the  60s  within  10  years. 


To  the  Editor: 

I  read  with  interest  the  article  concerning  Viisage  Technology  and 
its  chairman,  Denis  Berube  '65  ["More  Than  a  Face  in  the  Crowd," 
Spring  2002].  I  have  no  doubt  that  Berube's  management  style, 
dedication  and  technological  savvy  all  deserve  close  scrutiny  and 
admiration.  Where  the  article  falls  short,  however,  is  in  substantive 
evaluation  of  the  product  claims. 

A  quick  search  with  Google  brings  up  some  interesting  hits, 
including  a  July  17,  2002,  story  in  the  Boston  Globe  ("'Face 
Testing'  at  Logan  is  found  lacking");  a  May  29,  2002,  article  on 
TheStreet.com  ("Glow  Fades  From  Face-Recognition");  and  a  May 
30,  2002,  article  in  the  Boston  Business  Journal  ("Fresno  Airport 
drops  Viisage  facial  ID  system,  officials  say."). 

I  also  found  the  test  reports  at  the  Face  Recognition  Vendor  Test  site 
(www.frvt.org/frvt2000/)  of  particular  interest.  The  test  reports 
are  too  long  to  describe  here  in  detail,  but  the  results  are  not 
as  reassuring  as  they  could  be.  Of  particular  concern  is  the 
disturbingly  low  probability  of  correct  identification  under  varying 
light  conditions  and  distance  from  the  camera  and  the  results  of 
testing  at  various  poses  (angle  between  subject  face  and  camera). 

I  have  no  doubt  that  under  tightly  controlled  conditions  (facial 
recognition  as  a  security  authorization  method  in  restricted  facilities, 
a  substitute  for  ATM  identification,  etc.),  computerized  facial 
recognition  can  be  quite  useful.  But  its  ability  to  discern  subjects 
under  random  conditions  (crowds,  varying  lighting,  varying  angles, 
etc.)  is  still  seriously  lacking  and  does  not  merit  its  use  as  a 
significant  too!  in  law  enforcement. 

When  reporting  on  such  technologies,  you  owe  your  readers 
much  more  in  terms  of  understanding  the  technology  at  hand, 
its  suitability  to  task  as  claimed  by  its  vendors,  and  its  social 
ramifications. 

Alon  Harpaz  '00  (MBA) 

Ashland,  Mass. 


To  the  Editor: 

Re:  the  sidebar  entitled  "Security  vs.  Privacy"  that  accompanied 
the  article  on  Viisage  Technology  in  the  Spring  2002  issue,  I  was 
taken  aback  by  Denis  Berube's  Pollyannaish  sidestepping  of  the 
privacy  concerns  raised  by  his  company's  fascinating  and  valuable 
technology.  In  asserting  that  "the  system  only  looks  for  known 
threats  to  society,"  he  ignores  the  system's  ability  to  create 
databases  of  individuals  on  the  fly  and  its  owner's  license  to 
decide  the  nature  of  threats. 

(Continued  on  page  47) 


©     Transformations   I  Full  2002 


YflT 


T> 


Sheila  Tobias 


Author;  Consultant,  Alfred  P.  Sloan  Foundation 


An  interview  by  Vicki  Sanders 

In  May,  Sheila  Tobias,  author  of  Overcom- 
ing Math  Anxiety,  received  an  honorary 
doctorate  from  WPI  in  recognition  of  her 
groundbreaking  research  into  biases  that 
affect  the  way  math  and  science  are  taught. 
For  the  past  five  years,  she  has  been  leading 
an  initiative  to  develop  new  degree  pro- 
grams that  broaden  the  training  and  career 
choices  of  aspiring  mathematicians,  scien- 
tists and  engineers. 

What  is  the  critical  question 
facing  college  math  and 
science  education  today? 

We  have  to  start  by  asking,  why  are  there  so 
few  women  in  math  and  science?  Then 
comes  the  more  interesting  question:  Why 
are  there  so  few  students?  This  line  of 
inquiry  led  me  to  a  critical  analysis  of  the 
presumptions  of  faculty  as  to  who  will  do 
science  and  engineering  and  how  does  early 
talent  manifest.  As  a  result  of  bias  or  narrow 
thinking,  a  lot  of  people  have  been  excluded 
from  these  fields  or  not  encouraged  to  try 
them  in  the  first  place.  The  excluded 
include  minorities  and  humanists  who've 
been  made  to  feel  inadequate  in  science, 
engineering  or  math. 

Why  is  it  important  to  be  more 
inclusive? 

It's  a  political  imperative.  The  goal  is  to 
break  the  stranglehold  of  lawyers  and 
finance  people  on  the  power  sttucture  of 
economics  and  politics  and  to  open  those 
areas  to  more  varied  types.  In  countries  with 
which  America  needs  to  compete,  leadership 
is  more  widely  distributed  among  people 
with  different  backgrounds,  including  engi- 
neering and  the  sciences.  You  need  diverse 
types  of  thinking  to  get  creative  results. 

What  about  math  and  science 
turns  off  college  students? 

Huge  introductory  classes  don't  let  them 
play  with  the  sexy,  exciting  stuff.  Worse, 
when  students  ask,  "What  do  we  do  with 
this  degree?"  professors,  who  have  spent 
their  lives  as  researchers,  give  the  wrong 
answer.  They  should  say  it's  a  fine  liberal 
science  foundation  that  will  be  welcome  in 


medical,  law  or  business  school.  But  they 
don't  because  they  view  these  courses  as  a 
first  step  toward  a  Ph.D.  When  40  percent 
of  the  students  leave,  departments  don't  say 
(as  Toyota  would  if  it  were  losing  that  many 
customers),  "What  are  we  doing  wrong?" 
Rather,  they  conclude  that  those  exiting  ate 
simply  not  suited. 

Why  are  you  shaking  up 
conventional  beliefs? 

I'm  trying  to  save  science  and  math  from 
themselves.  If  left  to  its  own  devices,  the 
current  research-oriented  leadership  would 
continue  to  define,  narrowly,  the  curriculum 
and  the  types  of  jobs  it  wants  to  train  stu- 
dents for.  My  background  is  history  and 
political  science.  When  we  train  1,100 
majors,  we  expect  only  1  percent  to  become 
research  political  scientists.  Physicists  want 
99  percent  of  their  majors  to  be  research 
physicists.  We  have  to  break  that  belief 
system  down. 

What  are  the  new  degrees 
Sloan  is  sponsoring? 

They  are  called  professional  master's  degrees 
in  the  sciences.  Before,  people  thought  of 
master's  degrees  as  failed  Ph.D.s  or  mini- 
Ph.D.s.  These  non-research-focused  degrees 
prepare  graduates  to  run  big  enterprises, 
universities,  newspapers  or  government 
because  they  are  problem-  (not  research-) 
oriented  fot  applications  in  business  and 
industry.  WPI  is  one  of  30  schools  offering 
these  degrees  (it  has  two,  in  industrial  math- 
ematics and  financial  mathematics). 

What  makes  math  and  science 
hard  for  so  many  students? 

The  subjects  are  vertical — one  concept 
builds  on  another.  If  you  miss  something 
like  division  or  fractions  or  a  fundamental 
theorem  of  algebra,  you're  missing  a  key 
concept  on  which  you  cannot  build.  Science 
and  math  are  difficult  to  teach  well,  even 
assuming  faculty  goodwill,  because  students 
have  to  move  step  by  step  rather  obediently. 
For  the  lecturer,  who  has  mastered  the 
concepts,  the  procedures,  quite  as  much 
as  the  answers,  are  "obvious." 


What  about  the  notion  that 
some  people  are  born  with 
the  ability  to  do  math? 

Math  and  science  ate  presumed  to  require  a 
special  quality  of  mind;  you  either  have  or 
don't  have  a  "mathematical  mind."  I  don't 
believe  that.  But  as  soon  as  young  people 
hit  difficult  concepts  in  math  and  science, 
they  may  presume  that  if  they  can't  do  it 
today,  they  may  never  be  able  to.  We  don't 
give  nearly  enough  attention  to  the  benefits 
of  hard  work  in  these  fields.  We  require 
hard  work,  but  at  the  same  time,  philosoph- 
ically, educators  denigrate  it.  Students  who 
are  having  a  rough  time  are  invited  to 
leave  math  and  science,  which  is  terribly 
damaging  to  the  ego  and  to  the  country 
as  a  whole. 

How  is  WPI  faring  in 
addressing  these  issues? 

WPFs  approach  is  compatible  with  my 
ideas.  It  is  trying  to  invent  a  "liberal  sci- 
ence" model.  Students  are  encouraged  to 
explore.  From  their  first  year,  they  work  on 
team  projects — they  don't  just  sit  in  a  chair 
taking  notes.  Their  opportunities  to  work 
abroad  are  unique  in  the  United  States.  At 
big  state  universities,  by  contrast,  the  goal  is 
to  keep  science  students  in  lockstep.  They 
wonder,  "How  do  you  take  students  to 
Bangkok  for  seven  weeks?  They'd  miss 
nuclear  physics."  The  liberal  perspective, 
the  trust,  and  the  opportunity  to  mix  with 
different  cultures  on  a  team  project  at 
WPI  are  absolutely  marvelous. 

Vicki  Sanders,  a  free-lance  writer  and 
editor  who  lives  in  Brookline,  Mass.,  is 
co-editor  of  this  issue  o/Transformations 


Transformations    I   Fall  2002     7 


^?.. 


Explorations 


By  Carol  Sonenklar 


ncan 
Connection 

WPI  adds  a 

new  continent 

to  its  global 

project  network. 


The  Namibia  Project  Center 

exposes  WPI  students  to  new  sights, 

a  new  culture,  and  a  new  way  of 

looking  at  the  world  and  its  needs. 


WPI  expanded  its  reach  to  a  new  continent 
this  summer  with  the  inauguration  of  a 
residential  project  center  in  Windhoek, 
Namibia,  the  first  initiative  to  grow  out 
of  groundbreaking  agreements  WPI  signed 
earlier  this  year  with  three  African  universi- 
ties: Kenyatta  University  in  Nairobi,  Fourah 
Bay  College  in  Sierra  Leone  and  the 
Polytechnic  of  Namibia. 

Management  professor  Arthur 
Gerstenfeld,  who  directs  the  Namibia 
Project  Center  with  adjunct  assistant  profes- 
sor Creighton  Peet,  says  its  purpose  is  to 
make  WPI  students  more  socially  aware  and 
responsible  in  their  use  of  technology  as 
they  help  developing  countries.  "Students 
have  an  excellent  opportunity  to  grow,  and 
we're  really  doing  something  good,"  he  says. 

"The  students  will  have 
to  think  about  applying 
appropriate  technology 
rather  than  the  best 
available  technology." 

While  the  challenges  on  the  African 
continent  are  technically  simpler  than  those 
in  the  industrialized  world,  the  infrastruc- 
tures and  the  population  needs  are  quite  dif- 
ferent from  those  of  developed  countries, 
notes  Associate  Provost  William  Durgin. 
"The  students  will  have  to  think  about 
applying  appropriate  technology  rather  than 
the  best  available  technology,"  he  says. 

Rebecca  MacDonald,  a  senior,  and 
Gabriel  Cantor,  a  junior,  launched  the 
program  with  a  project  that  focused  on 
the  problem  of  creating  a  vocational 
education  for  a  technological  work  force 
in  Namibia,  a  challenge  for  a  country  still 
struggling  with  the  legacy  of  apartheid. 

"Unemployment  in  Namibia  is  over 
50  percent,"  says  Gerstenfeld,  who  along 
with  his  wife,  Professor  Susan  Vernon- 
Gerstcnfeld,  initiated  the  African  agree- 
ments and  accompanied  the  students  on 
their  journey.  "The  students'  work  was 
funded  by  a  grant  from  the  U.S.  Agency 
for  International  Development,  which  rated 
the  education  problem  as  one  of  its  highest 
priorities." 


The  students  interviewed  educators, 
administrators,  teachers  and  students  in 
Windhoek,  the  country's  largest  city,  and  in 
the  surrounding  countryside,  and  discovered 
vast  differences.  "Our  research  and  model- 
ing demonstrated  that  the  education  base 
was  not  equal,"  says  MacDonald.  "Due  to 
higher  taxes  in  wealthier  areas,  the  schools 
did  not  have  equal  facilities  or  services.  We 
showed  that  the  government  needs  to  bring 
everyone  up  to  the  same  level." 

As  interesting  as  her  research  was, 
MacDonald  says  she  learned  lessons  beyond 
the  scope  of  her  project.  She  found,  for 
example,  that  Namibia,  a  former  German 
colony  located  on  the  northern  border  of 
South  Africa,  did  not  easily  fit  into  her  pre- 
conceived notions.  "Windhoek  was  much 
more  developed  than  I'd  thought  it  would 
be,"  she  says.  "There  were  Internet  cafe's,  the 
food  was  good,  and  the  water  was  safe  to 
drink.  However,  the  rural  areas  were  incredi- 
bly poor." 

MacDonald  says  she  also  learned 
lessons  about  her  own  country.  Since  the 
majority  of  power  and  money  in  Namibia 
is  still  in  the  hands  of  white  farmers  and 
ranchers  who  employ  blacks  only  as  work- 
ers, she  initially  thought  that  Namibia  and 
America  differed  greatly  on  race  issues.  "But 
then  I  thought  about  where  I  grew  up  in  the 
subutbs  of  Albany,  N.Y.  My  high  school  was 
almost  all  white,  while  the  inner-city  schools 
were  almost  all  black.  It  was  not  very  differ- 
ent from  the  situation  in  Namibia,"  she 
reflected.  "That  really  opened  my  eyes." 

MacDonald  and  Cantor  paved  the  way 
for  six  project  teams  (each  with  three  WPI 
students  and  one  student  from  Namibia 
Polytechnic)  who  will  complete  projects  in 
Africa  next  spring.  "Our  students  will  be 
helping  modernize  systems,"  explains 
Vernon-Gcrstenfeld.  "Some  of  the  projects 
we  have  planned  include  creating  ways  of 
improving  the  fishing  industry,  determining 
which  tvpes  nl  energj  are  most  effective, 
and  helping  municipalities  deliver  water 
more  efficiently." 

Sonenklar  is  ,1  free-lance  writer  biisril  in 
State  College,  Pa. 


8     Transformation!   \   Fall  2002 


>»\ 


Winning  Hie 
Talent  Wars 


By  Carol  Hildebrand 


scholars  have  traditionally  gone  to  the 
MITs  and  Cornells  of  the  world.  But  with 
its  dual  mission  of  preparing  students  for 
life- and' gjving  them  a  stellar  technology 
education,  'WPI  is  cornpeting  favorably 

■  .i1  ■  r  .1  .  'wl    •A.fcV    T- 


i'es  fdr,Jop-'notch  faculty. ' 

V  '•,  This  records;  reflected  ^WPI's  success 
!'    y'  >;in  Winning  CAREER  awdrds-r^the  -  >"^.-' 


jiiumui  oi_ieiu_e  luuiiuuuun;;)  iMU3i 

estigidus'research  honor  for  young 
faculty  members:  about  two  per  year 
since  1 996;  three  this  year.  "That's  ah 
extraordinary  record  for  a  school  our 
size,"  says  John  F.  Carney  III,  WPI's  . 
provost  and  vice  president  for  academic 


"I  wanted  the  challenge  of  teaching 
and  advising,  as  well  as  research. 

"'"    halance." 


rney  has  hired  92  new  faculty 
mbers — about  1 4  per  academic 
year — since  he  arrived  in  1 996.  This 
yetar's  1 8  new  hires  include  Stephen 
LJMatson,  the  first  Francis  Manning 
air  in  Chemical  Engineering.  Matson's 
tinguished  career  as  an  engineer  and 
ntrepreneur  includes  election  to  the 
National  Academy  of  Engineering. 

His  groundbreaking  research  in 
membrane  reactors  served  as  the 
technical  foundation  for  Sepracor  Inc., 
which  he  co-founded  in  1 984.  The 
company  was  among  the  first  to  put 
such  research  to  commercial  use. 

"I  wasn't  interested  in  working  at  a 
large,  traditional  research  university," 
Matson  says.  "At  WPI,  I  can  do  woi 
class  research,  but  with  the  focus  or 
project-based  education,  there's  an 
Dpportunity  to  do  more.  I  wanted  the 
challenge  of  teaching  and  advising,  as 
well  as  research.  WPI  has  that  balance." 


Investigations  „ow, 


V                 P.  pulida  KT2442  in  Water 

\^       P.  pulido  KT2442  in  Water 
k         \^     » Treated  with  Cellulose 

0 

3              100              200             300 
Distance  (nm) 

400 

5C 

Camesano's  work  suggests  that  polysac- 
charides, or  sugars,  on  the  surfaces  of 
bacteria  such  as  those  pictured  here  account  for 
the  repulsive  and  attractive  forces  that 
determine  the  "stickiness"  of  microbes.  Recent 
work  has  helped  pinpoint  the  particular  sugars 
involved.  The  graph  shows  the  repulsive  forces 
exerted  by  Pseudomonas  puiida  KT2442  on  the 
stylus  of  the  atomic  force  microscope.  Using 
control  cells  (red  line)  and  microbes  treated 
with  on  enzyme  that  degrades  the  sugar 
cellulose  (blue  line),  the  results  suggest  that 
cellulose  plays  an  important  role  determining 
whether  bacteria  stick. 


Exploring  a  Sticky  Subject 

All  bacteria,  whether  good  or  bad,  have  something  in  common:  they  often  stick  where 
they're  not  supposed  to.  Terri  Camesano,  assistant  professor  of  chemical  engineering  at 
WPI,  is  hoping  to  learn  why — or  at  least  how. 

Bacterial  adhesion  can  sometimes  get  in  the  way  when  scientists  try  to  use  bacteria  as 
tools,  for  example,  to  clean  up  dirty  groundwater.  When  bacteria  known  to  degrade  toxins 
are  introduced  into  soil,  they  often  latch  onto  soil  particles,  rather  than  travel  with  the 
groundwater. 

When  disease-causing  microorganisms  stick  to  biomedical  devices,  like 
catheters  or  contact  lenses,  they  can  produce  a  pathogenic  biofilm  that  can  cause 
infections  nearly  impossible  to  tteat  with  antibiotics. 

Camesano  says  the  key  to  bacterial  stickiness  may  lie  in  the  polysaccharides, 
or  large  sugars,  found  on  a  bacterium's  outer  membrane.  To  find  out  how  these 
sugars  behave  on  a  molecular  scale,  she  and  her  students  place  bacteria  under  an 
atomic  force  microscope  (AFM).  With  an  extraordinarily  small  stylus  attached  to 
a  cantilevered  arm,  the  AFM  can  detect  individual  molecules  as  the  probe  moves 
slowly  across  the  surface  of  a  material.  It  can  also  be  employed  as  a  gauge  to 
measure  infinitesimally  small  forces — such  as  the  force  of  a  bacterium  clinging 
to  a  surface. 

By  measuring  how  difficult  it  is  to  pull  the  tip  of  the  AFM  stylus  away 
from  a  bacterium,  Camesano  can  determine  the  strength  of  the  forces  that  indi- 
vidual polysaccharide  molecules  and  other  bacterial  polymers  exert  on  surfaces, 
as  well  as  the.size,  shape,  elasticity  and  flexibility  of  these  molecules. 

Camesano  says  the  measurements  suggest  that  bacterial  surfaces  have  both 
flexible  and  rigid  polymers,  each  with  different  adhesion  qualities.  "The  rigid 
polymers  stick  out  like  straight  rods,"  she  says,  "producing  a  repulsive  force  that 
prevents  the  bacterium  from  attaching.  The  flexible,  coiled  polymers  can  form 
a  bridge  that  links  the  bacterium  to  a  surface.  We  believe  it  is  the  ratio  between 
these  two  kinds  of  molecules  that  determines  whether  or  not  a  bacterium  sticks." 

By  better  understanding  this  critical  ratio,  Camesano  says  it  should  be 
possible  to  develop  new  materials  that  can  either  promote  ot  reduce  bacterial 
adhesion,  depending  on  the  application,  or  to  engineer  bacteria  with  the 
desired  degree  of  stickiness. 

"Studying  bacterial  surfaces  at  the  nanometer  level  has  implications  for 
other  applications,  as  well,"  Camesano  says.  "For  example,  we  are  working  to  develop 
a  food  safety  biosensor  that  could  distinguish  between  E.  coli  and  Salmonella,  common 
food-borne  pathogens.  A  sensor  like  this  might  also  be  useful  in  detecting  the  presence 
of  biological  agents  intentionally  released  into  the  environment,  for  example,  through 
an  act  of  bioterrorism." 


10     Transformation!    i   Fall  2002 


Photography  by  Patrick  O'Connor 


Banking  on  the  Impact  of  IT 


Efficient  IT 
Strategy  Frontier 


S4 


W\  B!e    Bit 
126 


Information  technology  has  been  used  extensively  in  nearly  every  industry  to  improve 
performance  and  productivity.  But  despite  its  widespread  use,  there  are  still  relatively  few 
ways  to  precisely  quantify  the  benefits  of  computer  technology  versus  the  cost  of 
installing  and  regularly  upgrading  it. 

Joe  Zhu,  assistant  professor  of  management,  is  developing  new  tools  for  this 
important  task.  Typically,  management  researchers  use  benchmarks  10  measure  the 
impact  of  technology  on  performance,  but  benchmarks  are  limited  since  they  can 
characterize  just  one  performance  measure — such  as  profits — at  a  time.  In  reality, 
performance  is  multifaceted,  involving  multiple  factors  that  interact  in  complicated 
ways,  Zhu  notes. 

To  address  this  need,  Zhu  is  developing  a  new  multidimensional  benchmarkin 
methodology  that  takes  a  variety  of  performance  measures  into  consideration. 
The  methodology  can  help  organizations  better  understand  the  real  impact  of  their 
IT  investments. 

Zhu  is  using  the  methodology  to  help  banks  determine  how  their  investments 
in  IT  affect  productivity  and  profitability.  Sevetal  years  ago,  with  funding  from  the 
Natural  Sciences  and  Engineering 
Research  Council  of  Canada,  he 
worked  with  the  Canadian 
Imperial  Bank  of  Commerce  to 
compare  the  efficiency  of  branches 
that  had  received  no  technological 
upgrades  with  those  that  were 
being  reengineered  with  new  tech- 
nologies for  automating  business 
transactions  and  work  flow. 

Using  a  set  of  custom- 
designed  benchmarking  tools,  he 
examined  the  impacts  of  such 
innovations  as  ATMs  and  Internet 

and  telephone  banking  services,  and  evaluated  the  overall  impact  of  e-business  on  produc- 
tivity at  the  branches.  The  tools  were  able  to  simultaneously  consider  multiple  quantitative 
measures  (including  number  of  tellers  and  ATM  transactions  at  each  branch)  and  qualitative 
measures  (such  as  teller  productivity)  and  analyze  the  tradeoffs  of  each  factor  against  the 
othets.  This  benchmarking  study  gave  the  bank  a  more  comprehensive,  global  understanding 
of  the  real  impact  on  productivity  of  e-business  technology  versus  traditional  branch  services. 

With  his  benchmarking  technique,  Zhu  is  studying  a  number  of  other  areas  of 
technology  management,  including  the  performance  of  supply  chains.  While  supply-chain 
management  has  been  proven  effective  in  providing  prompt  and  reliable  delivery  of 
high-quality  products  and  services  at  the  lowest  possible  cost,  there  is  currently  no 
sophisticated  performance  measurement  tool  that  looks  at  the  entire  supply  chain  or 
"buyer-seller"  netwotk. 

Zhu,  whose  book  on  quantitative  models  for  the  evaluation  of  business  operations 
was  recently  published  by  Kluwer  Academic  Publishers,  is  developing  models  that  will 
measure  the  performance  from  one  end  of  the  supply  chain  to  the  other  by  taking  into 
consideration  the  collaborations  and  conflicts  that  naturally  occur  as  each  member  of  the 
chain  attempts  to  make  the  highest  profit  possible. 


M  Microsoft  excel  -  IT 


Mew    Insert    Fo/mat    Ioote 
Q  |  &  §1  g  -  m  =«=  ^.  •r. 


Data    window    Help 


IT  Investment 


B 


D 


Bank  branch 
1 


IT  budget   emr. 
015 


0.17 


0.235 


0.211 


0.133 


0.497 


js  Fixed  assets  Deposil 


GED    Envelopment  Model 


© 


Myrjpier  Mode) 
^    Slack-based  Mode) 
^    Measure  Specific  Model 

Retums-to-Scate 
|£-    Ncn-Radjat  Model 
O    Preference-Structure  Model 
^    Undesirable-Measure  Model 


Context-Dependent  DEA 


; 


Qfc    Variable-Benchmark  Model 


Rxed-Benohmark  Model 
Minimum  Efficiency  Model 
Value  Chan 


The  tools  that  Zhu 
has  developed  to 
enable  businesses 
to  evaluate  the 
effectiveness  of  their 

investments  in  information  technology  include 
an  add-in  for  Microsoft  Excel  based  on  a 
methodology  called  data  envelopment  analysis 
This  tool  includes  a  variety  of  benchmarking 
functions  that  help  managers  evaluate  the 
tradeoffs  and  relationships  among  various 
performance  measures.  For  example,  the 
software  can  help  managers  search  for  IT 
investment  strategies  that  produce  the  best 
tradeoffs  between  IT  budgets  and  number 
of  staff  (51 ,  S2  and  S3  in  the  graph),  and 
also  correct  inefficient  strategies  (S4). 


Transfo 


r  ma  t  ions 


I    Fall  2002     1  1 


Meet  Richard  Whitcomb  '43,  the  man  who  fought  the  enemy  drag  and  won. 

Through  intuition  and  endless  hours  in  the  transonic  wind  tunnel  at  Langley 

Research  Center,  Whitcomb  developed  a  host  of  groundbreaking  discoveries  in 

aeronautics,  including  one  that  made  supersonic  flight  practical. 


By  Ray  Bert  '93 

It's  a  hot  summer  day,  and  Richard  Whitcomb  '43 
has  nearly  finished  a  lengthy  recitation  of  the  high- 
lights of  his  illustrious  40-year  career  as  an  aeronautical  scien- 
tist. It's  then  that  the  man  who  helped  usher  in  the  era  of 
supersonic  flight  drops  a  bombshell:  "For  about  the  last  10 
years,"  he  says,  "when  people  have  asked  me  what  they  should 
get  into,  I've  told  them  not  to  go  into  aeronautics  if  they  want 
to  have  an  impact.  It's  mature  now.  I've  been  gone  20  years, 
and  nothing  new  has  come  up.  If  I  were  to  start  today,  I'd  go 
into  the  life  sciences — that's  where  the  big  stuff  is  happening." 

As  the  81 -year-old  Whitcomb  utters  this  seeming  heresy, 
his  voice  goes  gravelly  with  emphasis,  and  you  can  feel  his 
excitement  over  the  boundaries  now  being  pushed  in  another 
field.  But  you  also  sense  that  he's  done  enough  boundary  push- 
ing of  his  own.  There's  no  tone  of  regret,  no  wistfulness  for 
bygone  days,  no  longing  to  start  all  over  again.  He's  satisfied 
with  what  he's  accomplished,  and  comfortable  with  what  he's 
working  on  now,  which,  if  you're  curious,  boils  down  to  one 
thing:  "Staying  alive."  Whitcomb,  a  pioneer  of  modern  flight 
design,  is  just  keeping  the  nose  up,  as  it  were. 

Merely  staying  alive  is  a  long  way  from  the  lofty  ambitions 
of  Whitcomb's  early  career.  The  desire  to  have  an  impact  on 
the  world  is  what  drove  him,  and  it  is  still  difficult  for  him  to 
understand  those  who  lack  that  same  ambition.  "Most  people 
in  this  world  don't  give  a  damn  about  making  any  contribu- 
tion," he  says.  "They  just  want  to  do  their  assigned  jobs  and  be 
promoted  to  the  highest  level  they  can." 

Of  course,  not  everyone  has  the  gifts  that  Whitcomb  pos- 
sesses, including  a  creative  mind  that  works  best  when  it  is 
working  intuitively.  "I  visualize  in  my  mind  what  the  air  is 
doing,"  he  says.  Rather  than  beginning  with  equations  or  with 
computer  models,  he  guided  his  wind  tunnel  experiments  by 
intuition — mathematics  served  to  prove  what  he  had  seen, 
both  in  his  mind's  eye  and  in  the  tunnel,  rather  than  suggest 
what  he  should  do. 


Transformations    I   Fall  2002 


13 


Whitcomb's  other  gift,  just  as  instrumental  to  his  success, 
is  his  tremendous  drive,  which  gave  him  the  desire  to  find  solu- 
tions and  the  will  to  work  hour  after  hour,  year  after  year,  to 
make  them  reality.  His  motto,  which  he's  fond  of  repeating,  is 
"There  must  be  a  better  way  to  do  this!" 

That  instinct  showed  up  early.  Born  in  Evanston,  111.,  in 
1921,  Whitcomb  spent  his  teen  years  in  Worcester  after  the 
family  moved  there.  Not  surprisingly,  his  main  hobby  then  was 
aeronautics.  The  young  Whitcomb  was  an  inveterate  builder 
and  flyer  of  rubber-band-powered  model  airplanes,  driven  to 
make  them  better  to  win  competitions.  But  the  hobby  was 
more  than  child's  play  as  he  learned  much  about  the  physics  of 
flight  and  waged  his  first  battles  against  his  lifelong  nemesis: 
aerodynamic  drag.  "Once  the  rubber  band  had  done  its  work, 
the  propeller  was  just  a  draggy  hindrance,"  he  says,  so  he  devel- 
oped a  way  for  the  propeller  blades  to  fold  out  of  the  way.  "Of 
course,  the  advantage  only  lasted  about  a  month,  because 
everyone  followed  my  lead,"  he  adds  with  a  smile. 

Whitcomb  received  a  scholarship  to  attend  WPI,  and  with 
the  school  so  close  and  money  tight,  he  commuted.  He  con- 
fesses to  being  "not  really  a  joiner."  He  spent  a  lot  of  his  time 
on  campus  in  the  school's  wind  tunnel.  This  was,  of  course,  the 
pre-Plan  WPI,  and  though  Whitcomb  did  well — he  graduated 
with  high  distinction — he  admits  to  occasional  chafing  at  the 
structured  environment.  "One  time  in  the  machine  design 
course  I  tried  to  do  something  original  and  got  a  D  for  it,"  he 
says,  still  a  little  indignant. 

But  even  the  World  War  II-era  WPI  offered  him  opportu- 
nities to  flex  his  creative  muscles.  Trying  to  come  up  with  ideas 
that  would  help  win  the  war,  Whitcomb,  for  his  senior  project, 
worked  on  developing  a  controlled  bomb — a  huge  innovation 
at  a  time  when  bombs  were  still  dropped  with  no  guidance. 
Shortly  after  graduation,  he  landed  a  job  at  the  National 
Advisory  Committee  for  Aeronautics'  (NACA)  Langley 
Research  Center  (which  became  part  of  the  newly  created 
NASA  in  1958).  His  first  assignment:  a  controlled  bomb  that 
had  progressed  to  the  testing  stage.  "So  I  got  scooped,"  he  says. 
"But  at  least  I  was  working  on  the  right  thing — and  I  was  just 
a  college  kid!" 

Whitcomb  arrived  at  the  Langley  Research  Center 

at  a  perfect  time  for  someone  with  his  skills  and  a  desire  to 
"have  an  impact."  NACA  was  ramping  up  its  work  in  support 
of  the  war  effort.  "I  was  given  an  ideal  opportunity,"  he  says. 
"I  was  assigned  to  a  subsonic  wind  tunnel,  which  very  shortly 
after  I  got  there  was  converted  to  a  transonic  tunnel.  So  there  I 
was,  with  my  tool  and  my  ideas.  1  lucked  into  the  whole  thing! 
I  was  the  right  man  at  the  right  time." 

It  was  the  right  time  because  by  the  late  1940s  and  early 
1950s,  the  sound  barrier  had  become  a  major  impediment  to 
the  advancement  of  high-speed  flight.  At  speeds  approaching 
that  of  sound,  shock  waves  form  on  the  upper  surface  of  a 


At  the  blackboard  in  the  1950s,  Whitcomb  sketches  out  the 
principle  behind  his  Transonic  Area  Rule,  which  cut  drag  by 
reducing  variations  in  a  plane's  total  cross-sectional  area. 


wing,  leading  to  steep  increases  in  drag,  and  the  resulting  tur- 
bulence caused  many  plane  crashes  even  as  designers  tried  to 
overcome  the  problem.  Though  Chuck  Yeager  broke  the  sound 
barrier  in  1947,  he  did  so  in  a  vehicle  that  was  more  rocket 
than  plane.  Practical  supersonic  flight — and  efficient  near-sonic 
flight — remained  elusive. 

The  Area  Rule  changed  all  that.  As  with  all  ot  his  major 
discoveries  (see  page  16),  Whitcomb  conceived  ot  the  Iran- 
sonic  Area  Rule  based  on  high-speed  aerodynamic  principles 
learned  in  lectures  and  courses  at  Langley,  and  from  the  results 
of  his  air-flow  studies.  The  rule  greatly  decreased  the  drag 
penalties  associated  with  flight  at  speeds  above  500  mph.  1  .iter. 
Whitcomb's  design  tor  a  "supercritical'1  wing  advanced  the  state 
ot  the  art  even  further,  and  his  winglets — though  slow  to  be 
adopted  by  a  somewhat  intransigent  airline  industry — giv.ulv 
improved  aerodynamic  cflkiciK\.  Whiuomh's  liist  great  dis- 
cover)' reverberated  through  the  industry.  I  lis  later  innovations 
did  likewise,  cementing  his  reputation.  Ami  behind  all  ol  them 
was  Whitcomb's  intuitive  mind. 


14     1 1  ,i  a  ,  fo  r  hi  .i  tioni    I   /•",/  / /  2002 


The  effect  of  the  Area  Rule  can  be  seen  in  the  pinched-waist  fuselages  of  many 
jet  aircraft,  including  the  Republic  F-105  Thunderchief.  This  fighter-bomber 
entered  service  in  1958  and  saw  extensive  action  in  Vietnam. 


Like  many  creative  people,  he  has  difficulty  explaining 
his  thought  process  in  detail.  Some  have  suggested  that 
Whitcomb  is  something  of  an  artist — in  part  because  he  can 
"see"  something  that  is  not  really  visible  to  the  naked  eye. 
Whitcomb  dismisses  that  notion.  "It's  not  artistic,  although 
I  like  to  make  things  look  right,"  he  says.  "\\] §  JntuitiV6. 

I  didn't  run  a  lot  of  tests  to  arrive  at  an 
idea.  And  I  didn't  run  a  lot  of  mathe- 
matical Calculations.   Id  just  sit  there  and  think 
about  what  the  air  was  doing,  based  on  flow  studies  in  the 
wind  tunnel." 

Whitcomb  didn't  just  outthink  most  of  his  peers;  he  out- 
worked them.  Many  iterations  of  his  wind  tunnel  test  models 
were  achieved  painstakingly  by  his  own  hand,  using  files  and 
other  sculpting  tools  to  make  the  airfoils  match  his  vision, 
and  he  kept  a  cot  at  the  lab  to  accommodate  his  frequent 
double  shifts.  "The  way  I  do  things,  I  had  to  be  there  after  I 
got  a  set  of  results  to  decide  what  I'd  do  next.  I  couldn't  just 


come  in  the  next  morning,"  he  says, 
because  he  couldn't  bear  for  the  tunnel 
to  be  idle. 

His  dedication  to  his  work  always 
came  first.  Though  Whitcomb  says  he 
dated  quite  a  bit  when  he  was  younger, 
he  never  married.  "One  thing  I  learned: 
women  demand  attention.  And  when 
that  happened  I'd  leave,  because  the 
most  important  thing  in  my  life  was 
doing  research.  I  love  women,  but  not 
as  much  as  I  loved  working  at  the  lab." 
Whitcomb  did,  however,  have  a  com- 
panion later  in  life.  Barbara  Durling,  a 
NASA  mathematician  and  his  girlfriend 
of  25  years,  died  just  last  yeat.  They  had 
hit  it  off  in  part  because  she  was  simi- 
larly dedicated  to  her  work,  and  because 
they  shated  an  intetest  in  the  arts,  which 
included  serving  on  the  board  of  a 
local  theatre. 

Toward  the  end  of  his  career, 

Whitcomb  was  asked  who  was  going 
to  take  his  place.  He  replied  that  every- 
one he  trained  eventually  left  for  the 
better  paychecks  that  industry  offered. 
"You  can't  keep  them  when  they're 
good,"  he  says. 

Except  for  Whitcomb,  of  course. 
He  made  it  clear  to  his  boss — Latry 
Loftin,  chief  of  aerodynamic  research 
at  the  lab — what  kept  him  there. 
"Every  time  I'd  get  anothet  job  offer,"  Whitcomb  says, 
relishing  the  memory,  "I'd  go  to  him  and  say,  'Can  I  still 
do  anything  I  want?'  And  he'd  say,  'Yes,'  and  I'd  turn  down 
the  offer.  You  couldn't  do  that  in  industry." 

By  1980,  Whitcomb  was  still  allowed  to  do  whatever  he 
wanted,  but  his  superiors  began  to  dictate  what  work  would 
be  done  in  the  tunnel.  The  next  logical  tesearch  step  was  to 
reduce  drag  by  inducing  laminar  flow  in  airfoil  boundary 
layers.  But  he  dismissed  as  "totally  impractical"  the  way 
another  researcher  was  trying  to  go  about  it — for  example, 
using  razor-thin  trailing  edges  that  were  extremely  difficult 
to  produce  and  maintain  in  a  laboratoty,  let  alone  on  the 
manufacturing  floor. 

"The  powers  that  be  decided  to  run  his  test  on  my 
tunnel,"  he  says,  then  catches  himself.  "Well,  not  my  tunnel, 
but  that's  what  everyone  called  it,  'Whitcomb's  tunnel.'  I  said, 
'OK,  but  as  soon  as  you  put  it  in,  I'm  gone.'"  And  just  like 

that,  he  retired  at  the  age  of  59.  ,  ,-., 

(Continued  on  page  I  /] 


Transformations    I   Fall  2002     15 


Three  ideas  that  worked.. 


Transonic  Area  Rule 

The  rule  states  that  the  drag  caused  by  the  shock  wave 
produced  by  an  airplane  traveling  near  the  speed  of 
sound  is  due  to  the  longitudinal  variation  of  the  normal 
cross-sectional  area  of  the  total  airplane.  By  indenting 
the  fuselage  in  the  area  of  the  wings,  thereby  reducing 
the  cross-sectional  area  locally  and  making  the  variation 
smoother  along  the  plane's  length,  shockwaves  and  drag 
levels  at  near-sonic  speeds  are  substantially  reduced. 


Conventional  cross  section 

111  ill 


Cross  section  with  Area  Rule 


Supercritical  Wing 

The  shape  of  Whitcomb's  supercritical  wing — downward 
sloping  near  the  trailing  edge,  with  an  almost  flat  top 
surface — seemed  at  the  time  a  near  inversion  of  a 
"proper"  transonic  airfoil,  but  it  resulted  in  improved 
flight  efficiency  at  high  subsonic  speeds.  The  shape  was 
honed  through  endless  hours  of  wind  tunnel  testing, 
and  manual  shaping  and  filing  by  Whitcomb  himself. 
The  shape  is  designed  to  delay  the  onset  of  shock  waves 
and  the  loss  of  lift  that  occurs  when  air  passing  over  the 
upper  surface  of  the  wing  goes  supersonic.  Whitcomb's 
wing  design  enables  many  airliners  and  business  jets  to 
either  fly  close  to  the  speed  of  sound  or  realize  substantial 
fuel  savings. 


Conventional  airfoil 


Supersonic  flow  causes 
strong  shock  wave 

Boundary  layer 
separates  From  airfoil 

Y 


Supercritical  airfoil 


::::::::** 

•••••••••••    Shock  wave  is  weaker 

::;:   and  onset  is  delayed 

Boundary  layer 
!•**!••*••!•"!    does  not  separate 


Winglets 

Whitcomb's  most  noticeable-to-the-layman  idea  is  winglets. 
It  had  been  common  knowledge  for  years  that  a  protrusion 
added  to  a  wing's  tip  should  reduce  the  drag,  but  the  results 
obtained  experimentally  had  been  much  less  than  expected. 
Whitcomb  developed  the  optimal  shape:  the  now-familiar 
vertical  fin,  which  can  reduce  overall  drag  by  as  much 
as  8  percent. 


...and  one  that  didn't 


Reversing  Entropy 

During  the  energy  crisis  in  the  early  1  970s,  Whitcomb  began 
working — on  his  own  time,  at  home — on  a  new  way  to  produce 
energy.  Diving  headlong  into  what  was,  for  him,  a  mostly  foreign 
field,  he  hoped  to  use  quantum  theory  to  see  if  the  second  law  of 
thermodynamics — that  entropy  always  increases — could  be  reversed. 
The  second  law  has  never  been  fully  proved,  though  everything 
we  know  about  the  universe  seems  to  conform  to  it.  So  Whitcomb  got 


to  thinking,  "If  it  can't  be  proved,  maybe  it's  not  right."  He  readily 
admits  that  such  theoretical  work  is  not  his  forte,  and  he  got  bogged 
down  and  eventually  gave  up  after  more  than  10  years  of  trying.  "I 
almost  had  a  nervous  breakdown,"  he  says.  However,  there's  no  hint 
that  Whitcomb  regrets  those  years  of  effort  that  ultimately  bore  no  fruit. 
"My  approach  didn't  work,"  he  says  matter-of-factly,  "but  there  are  lots 
of  other  things  that  might." 


16     Transformations   I   Fall  2002 


(Continued  from  page  1  5) 


Though  the  disagreement  figured  prominently  in  his 
decision  to  quit,  as  did  his  near-fanatical  pursuit  on  his  own 
time  of  a  radical  new  way  to  produce  energy  based  on  quan- 
tum theory,  Whitcomb  allows  that  there  was  also  a  more 
fundamental — and  more  practical — reason  for  leaving  Langley: 
"I  couldn't  think  of  anything  else  to  do  in  aeronautics!" 

Whitcomb  is,  above  all,  a  man  dedicated  to  practicality. 
He  disdains  ideas  that  stand  no  chance  of  actually  being 

implemented.  "|  had  no  interest  whatsoever 
in  working  on  a  technical  problem  if  it 
wasn't  going  to  be  applied,"  he  says. 
"The  supersonic  transport  is  a  prime 
example  of  that." 

In  the  early  1960s,  there  was  a  tremendous  push  to 
revolutionize  air  travel  by  going  supersonic.  But  after  working 
on  the  problem  for  two  years,  Whitcomb  abandoned  the  effort 
to  others  when  industry  estimates  showed  that  the  costs  were 
going  to  be  much  higher  than  for  subsonic  travel.  "Someone 
asked  me,  'Are  you  against  progress?'"  Whitcomb  says.  "This  is 
not  progress"  was  his  reply. 

For  Whitcomb,  whose  work  has  won  him  numerous  hon- 
ors, including  the  Collier  Trophy,  aviation's  highest  award,  and 
an  honorary  doctorate  from  WPI,  being  practical  meant  get- 
tins  out  of  aeronautics  when  he  ran  out  of  new  ideas.  And 
where  once  he  took  pride  in  outworking  his  colleagues,  today 
he  is  content — and  determined — to  outlive  others.  "People 
around  me  are  dying  all  over  the  place — my  girlfriend,  my 
brother,  a  whole  slew  of  friends.  But  not  me."  Trim  and  still 
vigorous  and  animated,  Whitcomb  walks  three  miles  every 
other  day  and  watches  his  diet  carefully. 

He  reads  voraciously — more  than  a  dozen  magazines,  all 
on  technical  subjects.  He  also  enjoys  books  on  history,  in  par- 
ticular those  on  Lewis  and  Clark,  whom  he  describes  as  heroes 
of  his.  "But  not  aeronautics!"  he  says  emphatically,  though  he 
does  keep  up  with  the  goings-on  at  his  old  lab. 

"The  guys  at  Langley  now  are  trying  desperately  to  come 
up  with  something  new,  and  they  can't.  Because  I  put  enough 
effort  into  my  ideas  to  know  that  they  are  going  to  be  hard  to 
improve  upon,"  Whitcomb  says,  and  immediately  breaks  into 
a  wide  grin  at  his  own  audacity.  "Now  that  is  arrogance  of  the 
first  order,  and  I'm  not  saying  that  nobody  is  ever  going  to  do 
anything  good,  but  for  certain  things  [like  the  supercritical 
airfoil],  it's  true." 

It's  that  stagnation  that  makes  genetics  more  interesting  to 
him  than  aeronautics  these  days.  In  the  recent  explosion  of 
biotechnology,  he  is  reminded  of  the  heyday  of  aeronautics 
during  the  last  century. 

"Man  is  going  to  change  man,"  he  says.  "Maybe  not  for 
another  hundred  years,  but  instead  of  letting  nature  define 
man,  man  is  going  to  define  himself." 

Asked  where  he  stands  on  the  ethical  implications  of 
genetics  work,  Whitcomb,  an  agnostic,  explains:  "I  totally  agree 


that  we  should  not  try  to  clone  a  human  being,  because  we 
don't  know  enough  about  it  yet.  What  we  need  right  now 
more  than  anything  else  in  this  world  is  birth  control! 
Man  must  try  to  control  himself,  and  controlling  the 
population  is  the  first  step." 

Yet  Whitcomb  feels  that  over  many  years,  people  will 
gradually  come  to  accept  "that  we  should  play  around  with 
the  whole  genetic  nature  of  human  beings." 

Perhaps  when  we  understand  our  genetic  coding  better, 
we  may  be  able  to  determine  what  makes  a  mind  like 
Whitcomb's  tick. 

Hanging  on  the  wall  of  Whitcomb's  modest 
apartment  in  Hampton,  Va.,  is  a  picture  that  he  calls  "the 
most  important  photograph  that's  evet  been  taken":  a  shot  of 
the  Earth  taken  from  the  Moon.  "Right  after  that  we  started 
worrying  about  the  environment,"  he  explains,  "because 
we  could  see  that  we  live  on  an  island  in  the  middle  of 
empty  space." 

Whitcomb's  environmentalist  bent  shows  up  in  various 
ways.  During  the  latter  part  of  his  career  he  worked  (unsuc- 
cessfully, it  turned  out)  to  develop  an  alternative  source  of 
energy.  Environmentalism  also  informed  his  current  choice 
of  automobile.  "They  keep  finding  oil,  but  the  production 
curve  is  on  the  downslope  now — it's  going  to  disappear,"  he 
.  says.  "But  people  still  want  to  buy  their  SUVs  and  get  12  miles 
to  the  gallon.  So  I  did  my  little  bit  for  fuel  consumption: 
I  bought  myself  a  Honda  Insight"  [one  of  the  gas/electric 
hybrids  that  has  entered  the  market  over  the  last  few  years] . 
Whitcomb  says  he  loves  the  gas  mileage,  but  he  ticks  off  a 
laundry  list  of  ride,  noise  and  design  problems.  "All  the  good 
engineers  worked  on  the  hybrid  engine,  not  on  the  rest  of  the 
car,"  he  says  with  a  laugh. 

Beyond  his  stacks  of  magazines,  the  other  obvious 
feature  of  Whitcomb's  apartment  is  the  collection  of  artwork, 
furniture  and  lamps  with  flowing,  curving  shapes.  "It's  just 
what  catches  my  eye,"  he  says.  Even  a  relatively  simple  seashore 
painting  features  reeds  bent  by  the  ocean  breeze,  becoming 
gracefully  arcing  shapes  stretching  across  the  canvas. 

On  entering  the  apartment,  you're  likely  to  be  greeted  by 
the  sound  of  classical  music.  Though  he  has  a  good  collection 
of  compact  discs,  Whitcomb  generally  prefers  to  tune  to  a 
radio  station  that  plays  nothing  but  classical.  "I  don't  like  Bach 
or  Haydn,"  he  says.  "It's  only  when  you  get  up  to  the  period 
with  Mozart  and  Beethoven  that  I  like  it.  Take  Haydn,  for 
example...  it's  too  jerky!  Mozart  is  less  so.  And  finally  with 
Beethoven,  it's  all  smoothed  out." 

You  suspect  that  soon  after  you  leave,  the  music  will  be 
back  on,  and  the  sound  of  Beethoven — or  something  else 
smooth,  laminar — will  fill  the  apartment.  And  as  always, 
Whitcomb  will  have  done  his  best  to  eliminate  turbulence.  D 

Ray  Bert,  a  free-lance  writer  in  Alexandria,  Va.,  writes  regularly 
for  Transformations. 

Transformations    I    Fall   2002     17 


A  century  after  the  Wright  brothers  first  achieved 


the  airplane  a  new  trie. 


By  Vicki  Sanders 


i,  the  all-carbon  DynAero  Lafayette  III 
is  a  lightweight  among  airplanes,  but  it's  about  to  carry  aloft  a 
weighty  dream.  Soon  the  plane  will  take  a  ciitical  step  toward 
becoming  the  first  piloted  plane  to  be  powered  by  fuel  cells. 
The  event  will  be  an  impottant  milestone  in  the  yearlong 
celebration  of  the  1 00th  anniversary  of  the  Wright  brothers' 
first  flight  (see  box,  next  page). 

"One  reason  we're  doing  this  is  that  everyone  thought  it 
would  be  impossible,"  says  James  P.  Dunn  '67,  president  of 
Advanced  Technology  Products  Inc.  (ATP)  of  Worcester,  the 
cotpotate  entity  behind  the  plane,  and  executive  director  of  the 
Foundation  for  Advancing  Science  and  Technology  Education 
(FASTec),  the  project's  nonprofit  arm.  The  alternative  energy 
expert  and  experimental  pilot  is  also  the  chief  executive  officer 
of  the  Center  for  Technology  Commercialization,  his  "day  job." 

A  tall,  energetic  man  who  loves  a  good  challenge  ("Who'd 
want  one  of  those?"  his  detractors  asked  in  1981  when  he 
invented  the  first  battery-powered  laptop  computer),  Dunn  has 
used  his  powers  of  persuasion  to  engage  a  number  of  partners 
in  the  creation  of  the  e-plane.  They  include  YXTI's  Fuel  Cell 
( lenter,  NASA,  American  Chiles  Aircraft  Inc.,  Ginei 
Electrochemical  Systems,  Analytic  Energy,  Lithium  Technology 
Corp.,  Diamond  Aircraft  and  W.I..  Core  cv  Associates,  Inc., 


propel  the  plane 
into  aviation  history. 
From  left  are  WPI's 
Bill  Durgin,  test  pilot 
Hoot  Gibson  and 
Jim  Dunn. 


along  with  a  band  of  mote  than  100  volunteer  professionals, 
WPI  alumni  and  aviation  enthusiasts.  WPI  students  working 
on  their  required  projects  are  also  participating. 

Dunn  is  developing  the  plane  in  three  phases: 

•  The  first  flight,  in  the  spring  of  2003,  will  be  powered 
by  lithium  ion  batteties. 

•  In  Phase  II,  the  batteries  will  be  augmented  bv  a  1  5-  to 
25-kw  proton  exchange  membrane  (PEM)  fuel  cell,  which 
will  extend  the  range  from  about  100  miles  to  over  250 
miles.  After  several  demonstration  flights,  the  plane  will 
appear  at  the  Wright  brothers'  centennial  celebration. 

•  By  2004,  in  lime  for  a  competitive  race  with  a  lucl-ccll- 
powered  plane  being  developed  by  Boeing,  Dunn  expects 

to  llv  the  DvnAcro  for  500  miles  in  cruise  mode  with  just 
a  25-  to  75-kw  fuel  cell. 

Recent  advances  in  fuel  tell  technology,  the  development 
nt  lighter  and  more  powerful  electric  motors,  and  ik«  lithium- 


18      Transformation!    I   Fall  J  on.' 


md  a  Fuel  Cell 


ion  batteries  that  are  six  times  more  pow- 
erful per  pound  than  lead-cell  batteries, 
are  among  the  reasons  the  e-plane  is 
viable  today,  Dunn  says.  Another  is  the 
growing  demand  for  sustainable  energy. 

Fuel  cells  are  sustainable  and  essen- 
tially emission-free,  but  also  expensive, 
requiring  platinum  and  other  precious 
metals  to  build.  On  a  per-kilowatt  basis, 
Dunn  calculates,  fuel  cells  cost  1 0  to  50 
times  as  much  as  internal  combustion 
engines,  one  reason  it  may  be  another 
decade  before  the  cells  are  commonly 
used  in  general  aviation  aircraft  (even 
longer  for  commercial  planes). 

The  more  immediate  concerns  for 
ATP's  e-plane — and  this  is  where  WPI's 
Fuel  Cell  Center  comes  in — are  how  to 
provide  a  fuel  cell  sized  to  the  plane's 
requirements  and  how  to  generate  and 
store  the  hydrogen.  Earlier  this  year,  ATP 
received  a  $100,000  NASA  grant, 
$10,000  of  which  went  to  the  Fuel  Cell 
Center  to  investigate  these  issues. 

Hydrogen  is  customarily  stored 
under  pressure  in  metal  bottles  or  at  low 
temperatures  in  Dewar  flasks.  For  space 
and  weight  reasons,  neither  setup  is 
workable  in  a  small  aircraft,  so  the  WPI 
researchers  are  looking  for  ways  to  pro- 
duce hydrogen  on  board.  One  option  is 
to  start  with  liquid  hydrocarbons,  which 
can  be  reformed  into  hydrogen  during 
flight.  Another  possibility  is  to  break 
down  ammonia,  which  has  three  hydro- 
gen atoms  per  molecule. 

The  project  is  important  to  WPI 
because  it  engages  students  in  leading- 
edge  research,  says  Associate  Provost  William  W.  Durgin. 
"Fuel  cells  have  been  around  for  a  long  time,  but  nobody  has 
tried  this  application  before.  It's  very  challenging." 

Despite  an  airport  security  clampdown  after  Sept.  11, 
2001,  that  prevented  his  crew  from  entering  the  planes 
hangar  for  several  months,  setting  the  project  back,  Dunn 
remains  enthusiastic  and  has  continued  to  attract  backers 
who've  donated  everything  from  the  aircraft  itself  to  fuel  cell 
analysis  to  batteries.  He  says  he  still  needs  at  least  $500,000 


CELEB(?Ar 


Help  Us  Cover  a  Special  Year 

With  this  issue,  Transformations  begins  a 
year  of  coverage  of  WPI's  involvement  in  the 
past,  present  and  future  of  powered  flight. 
The  series  will  culminate  with  next  fall's 
issue,  in  time  for  the  100th  anniversary  of 
the  Wright  brothers'  first  flight  on  Dec.  17. 
We  plan  to  write  about  alumni,  faculty  and 
students  who've  made — and  are  making — 
important  contributions  to  aviation,  aero- 
nautics, spaceflight  and  related  fields. 

We  invite  readers  to  suggest  story  ideas. 
Do  you  know  alumni  whose  accomplish- 
ments should  be  highlighted?  Are  you 
involved  in  work  in  a  flight-related  field  that 
may  be  of  interest  to  our  readers?  Send  a 
message  to  transformations@wpi.edu  or  visit 
www.wpi.edu/-t-Transformations  and  look 
for  the  special  item  on  this  series.  You  may 
also  write  or  call  us  using  the  contact  infor- 
mation on  page  3. 

WPI  is  looking  into  hosting  one  or  more 
special  events  tied  to  the  Wright  brothers' 
anniversary.  Would  you  like  to  attend  a 
celebration  of  WPI  achievements  in  flight? 
Would  you  be  interested  in  symposiums  on 
topics  related  to  aviation  and  spaceflight? 
Are  you  a  pilot  who  may  want  to  participate 
in  a  fly-in?  Please  let  us  know. 


to  complete  the  project. 

As  word  of  the  e-plane  has  spread, 
the  project  has  won  the  respect  of  a 
widening  circle.  In  September,  Aviation 
Week  bestowed  on  ATP  its  Outstanding 
Technical  Innovation  Award.  The  three 
volunteer  test  pilots  are  aerospace  heavy- 
weights. International  air  racer  Robert 
"Hoot"  Gibson,  the  first  American  astro- 
naut on  the  Mir  space  station  and  for- 
mer head  of  the  Navy's  "Top  Gun" 
school,  is  the  chief  test  pilot.  He  is 
joined  by  aerobatics  champion  and  for- 
mer Naval  aviator  Wayne  Handley  and 
Formula  One  air  racer  and  Exxon  Flying 
Tiger  pilot  Bruce  Bohannon. 

Scientific  American  reports  that  "the 
connections  Dunn  has  made  for  system 
and  component  elements  within  the  fuel 
cell  industry  represent  as  much  of  a 
Who's  Who  as  his  test  pilots.  Also  on 
the  team  are  Paul  MacCready,  CEO  of 
AeroVironment  Corp.,  the  company 
developing  the  Helios  unpiloted  flying 
wing,  and  Jay  Carter  Jr.,  developer  of  the 
revolutionary  CarterCopter  gyroplane." 
For  Dunn,  who  washed  and  waxed 
planes  at  the  Worcester  airport  during 
his  student  years  at  WPI  to  earn  flying 
time,  loyalties  run  deep.  He  is  a  co- 
founder  of  the  WPI  Venture  Forum. 
His  alumni  colleagues  at  ATP  include 
Peter  T  Launie  '01,  who  tackled  the 
problem  of  how  much  weight,  including 
batteries  and  fuel  cells,  the  DynAero 
could  bear,  and  Brian  Klinka  '81,  who 
is  managing  sponsorships  and  volunteer 
coordination. 

Dunn  says  he  hopes  that  his  e-plane  will  lay  the  founda- 
tion for  further  innovations.  "If  we  can  make  a  fuel  cell  work 
on  an  airplane,  if  we  can  solve  the  hydrogen  generation  prob- 
lems and  demonstrate  that  it's  a  sustainable  and  renewable 
fuel,"  he  says,  "we  can  get  people  excited  about  the  future  and 
being  independent  of  a  petroleum-based  economy."!! 

Vicki  Sanders  is  a  free-lance  writer  and  editor  who  lives  in 
Brookline,  Mass. 

Transformations    I    Fall  2002     19 


J 


For  mechanical  engineering  major  Madeli 

school  when  her  science  teacher  urged  her  to  join  a  pre-engineering  program.  Now  her 

sights  are  set  on  a  career  at  Pratt  &  Whitney  designing  commercial  and  military  jet  engines. 


CoverStory 


Unless  the  next  crop  of  scientists  and  engineers  includes 

more  women  and  minorities,  experts  say  America  will 

lose  its  competitive  edge.  In  this  special  report  we 

pipeline  problem"  and  find  out  how 

WPI  is  part  of  the  solution. 


exam  i 


• 


Generation 


By  Laurance  S.  Morrison 
Photography  by  Patrick  O'Connor 


nn  a  hot  summer  day,  16  middle  school  students  wait 
anxiously  for  ice  cream — and  a  lesson  in  communication. 

Stephanie  Blaisdell,  director  of  WPI's  Office  of  Diversity 
and  Women's  Programs,  asks  the  students  to  write  down  the 
steps  for  making  a  sundae  as  her  undergraduate  assistants  open 
tubs  of  ice  cream  and  a  smorgasbord  of  toppings. 

"Put  on  rubber  gloves,"  Blaisdell  reads  from  one  student's 
paper.  Assistants  hang  gloves  on  their  ears  or  place  them  on 
their  heads. 

"Take  some  ice  cream  and  put  strawberries  on  it."  Scoops 
of  ice  cream  plop  onto  the  table  and  a  pint  of  strawberries  is 
dumped  on  top. 

"Add  chocolate  sauce."  One  assistant  ladles  chocolate  on 
another's  blouse.  The  young  students  double  over  with  laugh- 
ter, but  they  also  get  the  point:  that  in  science  and  engineering, 
it's  important  to  describe  things  precisely. 

In  the  end,  the  students  get  their  sundaes — and  the 
message  that  science  can  be  fun.  They  are  participants  in 
Strive  Junior,  one  of  a  full  menu  of  WPI  programs  designed 
to  excite  kids  about  science,  math  and  engineering — subjects 
too  many  assume  are  boring  or  too  difficult. 

The  Shrinking  Talent  Pool 

The  premise  goes  like  this:  Women  and  underrepresented 
minorities  (along  with  persons  with  disabilities)  represent 
about  two-thirds  of  American  workers.  In  contrast,  the  science, 
engineering  and  technology  (SET)  workforce  is  dominated  by 
white  males — nearly  68  percent.  This  lack  of 
diversity  compounds  the  problem  of  an 
already  alarming  shortfall  of  people  going 
into  these  professions. 

Many  educators  at  WPI  and  elsewhere 
regard  a  more  inclusive  pipeline  as  indispen- 
sable to  the  healthy  growth  of  the  quantita- 
tive professions.  They  suggest  that  it's  also  an 
issue  of  fairness — of  affording  females  and 
minorities  the  same  encouragement  that 
white  males  receive  so  that  more  of  them 
choose  to  prepare  for  SET  careers. 

And,  as  William  A.  Wulf,  president  of 
the  National  Academy  of  Engineering,  noted 
in  an  address  to  the  WPI  community  last 
spring,  it's  about  missed  opportunities.  "At 
a  fundamental  level,"  he  said,  "men, 
women,  ethnic  minorities,  racial  minorities 
and  people  with  handicaps  experience  the 
world  differently.  Those  differences  in 

experiences  are  the  'gene  pool'  from  which  creativity  springs.' 
Without  diversity,  Wulf  added,  "we  limit  the  set  of  life  experi 
ences  that  are  applied,  and  .is  .1  result,  we  pay  an  opportunity 
cost — a  cost  in  products  not  built,  in  designs  not  considered, 
in  constraints  not  understood,  in  processes  not  invented." 


This  past  summer,  participants  in 
GEMS  (Girls  in  Engineering,  Mathe- 
matics and  Science)  studied  the  water 
quality  in  Institute  Pond. 


"Research  shows  that  traditional  ways  of  teaching  math 
and  science  are  exclusive,  and  so  it  takes  some  education  to 
overcome  that." — Stephanie  Blaisdell,  director,  WPI's  Office 
of  Diversity  and  Women's  Programs 

In  its  2000  report,  the  Congressional  Commission  on  the 
Advancement  of  Women  and  Minorities  in  Science,  Engineer- 
ing and  Technology  Development  concluded  that  "unless  the 
SET  workforce  becomes  more  representative  of  the  general  U.S. 
workforce,  the  nation  will  undercut  its  own  competitiveness." 
More  simply  put,  we  need  to  devote  time  and  energy  to 
cultivating  future  scientists.  We  need  to 
build  a  better  "pipeline"  to  deliver  the  prod- 
uct when  we'll  need  it  most.  The  Council 
on  Competitiveness  found  that  70  percent 
of  American  CEOs  pointed  to  the  skills 
shortage  as  the  number  one  barrier 
to  growth.  "Unless  U.S.  firms  can  create 
'homegrown'  technicians  ...  companies 
will  move  their  operations  abroad  or  import 
talent  from  overseas." 

The  power  structure  couldn't  agree 
more.  A  recent  survey  by  the  American 
Management  Association  of  1,000  or  its 
members  found  that  a  mix  of  genders  and 
ethnic  backgrounds  on  senior  management 
teams  correlated  with  superior  performance 
in  annual  sales,  market  share  and  worker 
productivity,  all  leading   to  .1  stronger 
bottom  line. 

What's  not  so  simple  is  tapping  into 
the  enormous  potential  of  groups  that  traditionally  have  been 
left  behind,  fusi  as  major  league  sports  build  fol  the  future 
with  farm  teams,  the  fields  of  science  and  engineering  need 
to  be  proactive  about  cultivating  the  talent  pool.  Otherwise, 
they'll  be  left  with  an  empty  bench  in  the  years  to  come. 


22     Transformation)    I   Fall  2002 


Total  U.S.  Workforce 


Science,  Engineering  and  Technology  Workforce 


Asian  and  Other  4% 
Hispanic  9.2% 

Black  10.3% 


Asian  10.2% 


American  Indian  .3% 


White  Female 
34.7% 


Hispanic  3% 
Black  3.2% 


White  Female  15.4% 


A  narrow  range  of  citizens  is  now  making  its  way  through  the  science,  engineering  and  technology  (SET)  pipeline.  The  SET  workforce  is 
composed  mainly  of  white  males,  with  small  percentages  of  women  and  underrepresented  minority  groups.  (1997  data) 


In  WPI's  Strive  Jr.  program,  college-age 
school  students  realize  that  science  and 


Bridging  the  Gap 

Madeline  Sola  '04  is  an  example  of  what  happens  when 
the  pipeline  works.  In  middle  school,  a  teacher  noticed 
her  advanced  math  and 
science  skills.  She  encour- 
aged Sola  to  join  the 
Connecticut  Pre- 
Engineering  Program. 
In  after-school  sessions, 
students  built  Popsicle- 
stick  bridges  and  studied 
probability  using  M&Ms. 
"It  piqued  my  interest  so 
much,"  says  Sola, 
"I  remained  a  member 

through  high  school  and  even  took  part  in  summer  science 
camps." 

Sola  was  encouraged  at  another  critical  point  in  the 
pipeline:  her  high  school  technology  teacher  suggested  she 
join  a  robotics  team.  Several  opportunities  spun  off  from  that, 
including  Sola's  entree  into  an  internship  ptogram  at  Pratt  & 
Whitney  in  Connecticut.  Also  through  the  team  Sola  learned 
about  WPI's  Strive  program  for  minority  students,  which 
ultimately  convinced  her  to  enroll  at  WPI. 

The  pipeline  worked  for  Madeline  Sola.  The  problem  is 
that  students  like  her  are  too  often  the  exception,  not  the  rule. 
For  every  Madeline  that  finds  her  way  to  WPI,  a  handful  gets 
left  behind. 

Experts  say  it  will  take  a  sea  change  to  fix  and  maintain 
a  productive  math  and  science  pipeline.  Cooperation  is  needed 
among  science  foundations  and  associations,  colleges  and 
universities,  primary  and  secondary  schools,  and  government 
and  industry. 


counselors  help  minority  middle 
math  can  be  fun. 


Some  initiatives  are  already  in  place.  The  National  Science 
Foundation  has  tripled  its  support  to  women  researchers 
over  the  past  decade  to  nearly  $500  million,  according  to 
its  director,  Rita  R.  Colwell. 

"When  we  consider 
how  to  attract  women  and 
minorities  to  science  and 
technology,  we  begin  to 
re-examine  our  assump- 
tions about  education 
across  the  board,  from 
kindergarten  to  lifelong 
learning,"  Colwell  noted 
in  a  recent  address  titled 
"From  Glass  Ceiling  to 
Crystal  Ball:  A  Vision 
of  Women  in  Science"  that  she  delivered  at  the  Radcliffe 
Institute  for  Advanced  Study  in  Cambridge,  Mass. 

General  Electric  Company  leads  the  charge  for 
industry.  The  company  has  committed  more  than 
$10  million,  through  the  GE  Fund,  to  its  Math 
Excellence  initiative. 

WPI  is  on  the  front  lines,  too.  Its  many  pipeline 
programs  target  core  areas:  cooperation  between 
universities  and  public  schools,  reaching  out  to 
elementary  school  students,  and  raising  the  bar  for 
high  school  science  and  math  teachers.  (For  more 
on  these  programs,  see  stories  pp.  26-27.) 

FACTOID: 

While  women  represent  51%  of  the  population, 

they  make  up  only  26%  of  computer  scientists 

and  9%  of  engineers  working  today. 

(U.S.  Depl  of  Commerce) 


Transformations    I   Fall  2002    23 


"Until  we  make  exposure  to  technical  education  a  priority  at  a  very  early  age,  students  won't  realize  what 
doors  they  are  closing. "  — Edward  Alton  Parrish,  president,  WPI 


Building  a  Better  Pipeline 

Under  the  direction  of  its  president,  Edward  Alton  Parrish, 
WPI  is  taking  a  leadership  role  in  raising  awareness  about 
the  pipeline  challenge.  Its  programs  set  a  working  example  of 
how  to  bring  more  women  and  minorities  into  the  SET  fold. 
Camp  REACH  targets  seventh  grade  girls  while  Strive  reaches 
minority  high-schoolers.  The  Mathematics  in  Industry  Institute 
trains  high  school  teachers  and  the  Massachusetts  Academy 
of  Mathematics  and  Science  at  WPI,  a  public  high  school, 
enrolls  talented  juniors  and  seniors  from  central  Massachusetts 
with  an  interest  in  the  quantitative  professions  and  helps  tech- 
nical professionals  prepare  for  new  careers  as  math  and  science 
teachers. 

Tackling  the  problem,  however,  will  require  nothing  short 
of  "a  radical  makeover  of  the  role  of  math  and  science  in  pri- 
mary and  secondary  education,"  Parrish  says.  "Until  we  make 
exposure  to  technical  education  a  priority  at  a  very  early  age, 
students  won't  realize  what  doors  they  are  closing.  The  fact  is, 
unless  pushed  by  a  family  member  or  teacher,  few  students 
take  advanced  or  elective  math  and  science  courses,  yet  these 
are  the  game  stakes  when  it  comes  to  higher  education  studies. 
When  students  opt  out  and  become  disinterested  in  math  and 
science,  most  commonly  at  the  junior  high  level,  we  have  a 
responsibility  to  keep  the  door  open  for  them — even  if  they 
choose  not  to  walk  through  it. 

"Until  wc  address  these  preparation  issues,"  Parrish 
concludes,  "our  society  will  continue  to  struggle  to  recruit 
and  retain  the  next  generation  of  technical  talent,  and  higher 
education  will  struggle  to  prepare  them." 


Financing  a  fully  representative  pipeline  will  cost  big 
bucks — about  $5  billion.  That's  the  price  tag  of  setting  up  a 
comprehensive  plan  to  ensure  that  "every  American  student 
receives  excellent  instruction  in  math  and  science,  instruction 
critical  to  maintaining  the  U.S.  edge  in  the  competitive  econ- 
omy," according  to  the  National  Commission  on  Mathematics 
and  Science  Teaching  for  the  21st  Century. 

Many  educators  and  industry  leaders  consider  it  a  small 
price  to  pay,  especially  when  compared  with  the  potential 
losses  that  could  be  incurred  by  an  underskilled  American 
workforce  in  a  competitive  global  economy. 

Roadblocks  to  Diversity 

The  hefty  bottom  line  of  financing  the  pipeline  isn't  the 
only  obstacle.  Among  the  most  entrenched  difficulties  is 
what  Sheila  Tobias,  an  education  consultant  and  author  of 
Overcoming  Math  Anxiety,  describes  as  the  unfounded  belief 
that  scientists  are  born,  not  made. 

"One  of  the  characteristics  of  the  ideology  of  science  is 
that  science  is  a  calling,  something  that  a  scientist  wants  to 
do,  needs  to  do  above  all  else  and  at  all  costs,"  she  says. 
"Another  is  that  both  scientific  talent  and  interest  come  early 
in  life — the  'boy  wonder'  syndrome.  If  vou  don't  ask  for  a 
chemistry  set  and  master  it  by  the  time  you're  five,  you  wont 
be  a  good  scientist.  SitKc  far  fewer  girls  and  women  display 
these  traits  than  boys  and  men.  you  etui  up  with  .1  culture 
tli.it  discriminates  by  gender." 

How  Inns  and  gills  react  to  computers  is  .1  recent  case 
in  point.  In  their  book  (  blocking  the  Clubhouse:  Women  in 


24     Transformation!   I   Fait     '00 


"Children  are  keen  observers.  They  notice  whether  their  mother  or  father  gets  into  the  driver's  seat  or  passenger  side. 
They  notice  who  is  called  for  when  the  electric  power  goes  out  or  the  plumbing  fails.  They  notice  who  sends  the  thank-you 
cards  and  they  notice  who  tinkers  with  the  computer. " 
— Jane  Margolis  and  Allan  Fisher,  authors,  Unlocking  the  Clubhouse:  Women  in  Computing 


Computing,  Jane  Margolis  and  Allan  Fisher  observe  that  "the 
fun  for  male  students  is  not  only  in  using  the  computer,  but 
in  knowing  it  and  having  it  do  what  you  want  it  to  do."  Most 
young  girls,  however,  don't  develop  the 
passion  for  computers  that  many  boys 
do  when  they  are  first  exposed  to  them. 

"These  attachment  differences,"  say 
the  authors,  "help  to  shape  students', 
parents'  and  teachers'  expectations  that 
boys  and  men,  not  girls  and  women, 
will  excel  in  and  enjoy  computing." 
(Ironically,  they  add,  because  women's 
interests  commonly  extend  beyond 
computing's  technical  aspects  to  its 
applicability  within  broad  human  and 
social  contexts,  they  are  particularly 
suited  to  quantitative  careers  involving 
computers.) 

Even  among  children  themselves, 
a  self-fulfilling  prophecy  is  at  work. 
Margolis  and  Fisher  cite  a  1987  study 
chronicling  "how  from  age  five  on,  both 
boys  and  girls  are  aware  of  each  other 
and  want  to  stay  within  their  own 
groups.  The  toys  they  choose  must  be 
appropriate  for  their  gender  to  attract 
friends  to  play  with  them.  They  are 
resistant  to  changing  this  order." 

Such  behaviors  are  often  reinforced 
unwittingly  by  parents.  "Children," 
Margolis  and  Fisher  state,  "are  keen 
observers.  They  notice  whether  their 

mother  or  father  gets  into  the  driver's  seat  or  passenger  side. 
They  notice  who  is  called  for  when  the  electric  power  goes  out 
or  the  plumbing  fails.  They  notice  who  sends  the  thank-you 
cards  and  they  notice  who  tinkers  with  the  computer." 

Parents  also  influence  the  choices  their  children  make  by 
encouraging  their  quantitative  development — or  by  failing  to 
encourage  it.  Bruce  E.  Kearnan,  a  20-year  career  actuary  and 
general  director  of  life  products  support  at  John  Hancock,  is  a 
five-year  member  of  the  advisory  board  for  WPFs  Center  for 
Industrial  Mathematics  and  Statistics.  "Just  as  you  can  instantly 
tell  whether  anyone  has  spent  time  playing  catch  with  a  young- 
ster," he  says,  "you  know  whether  someone  cared  enough  to 
drill  a  child  on  the  multiplication  tables.  The  influence  of 


Testing  pond  water,  GEMS  students  are 
introduced  to  environmental  engineering 


parents  and  teachers  when  it  comes  to  liking  math,  let  alone 
considering  a  math-based  career,  can  hardly  be  minimized." 
In  ways  small  and  large,  these  kinds  of  messages  are  com- 
municated to  youngsters  throughout 
their  educational  journey.  What  should 
a  typical  high  school  student  conclude 
from  being  required  to  take  four  years 
of  English  and  social  studies  but  only 
two  or  three  years  of  science  and  math? 
The  results  can  be  disheartening.  In 
1998  the  Third  International  Mathe- 
matics and  Sciences  Study  found  that 
among  U.S.  students  who  had  studied 
calculus  in  high  school,  36  percent  of 
males  and  64  percent  of  females  weren't 
planning  to  pursue  a  quantitative 
career — even  when  they  did  well  in 
the  subject. 

Carmen  Belleza,  a  teacher  in  the 
ethnically  diverse  Oak  Grove  High 
School  in  San  Jose,  Calif.,  took  part  in 
WPI's  Mathematics  in  Industry 
Institute.  She  said  the  workshop  helped 
her  understand  how  her  own  uncon- 
scious behavior  as  she  teaches  her 
Algebra  I  and  II  classes  may  be 
contributing  to  those  figures. 
"I  haven't  consciously  been 
encouraging  female  students,' 
she  says.  "I  may  have  three 
girls  in  a  class  of  30.  The 
WPI  workshop  equipped 
me  with  ideas.  I'm  inspired  again  to  help  my  stu- 
dents use  math  in  their  daily  lives.  And  I'm  going 
to  invite  parents,  whom  I  rarely  hear  from,  into  my 
classroom." 

"Math  teachers  and  others  often  feel  that 
science  and  math  are  neutral  and 

FACTOID: 

Underrepresented  minority  students  make  up 

nearly  25%  of  the  population  but  are  only  5-10% 

of  the  AP  test-takers  in  computer  science,  calculus, 

physics,  chemistry  and  biology. 

(Notional  Science  Foundation) 


Transformations    I   Fall  2002    2  5 


"One  of  our  responsibilities  is 
to  counteract  the  pocket- 
protector  stereotype  and 
show  the  thrill  that  springs 
from  a  way  of  thinking  and  a 
way  of  doing. " 
— Edward  Alton  Parrish 


don't  require  any  special  attention  to  diversity,"  notes  Stephanie 
Blaisdell.  "But  research  shows  that  traditional  ways  of  teaching 
math  and  science  are  exclusive,  and  so  it  takes  some  education 
to  overcome  that." 

Getting  disenfranchised  students  interested  in  math  and 
science  offers  positive  outcomes.  "They  supply  the  pipeline  with 
fresh  and  diverse  perspectives.  More  important,"  Parrish  says, 
"they  become  better  future  adult  citizens  in  their  communities. 

"One  of  our  responsibilities  is  to  counteract  the  pocket- 
protector  stereotype  and  show  the  thrill  that  springs  from  a 
way  of  thinking  and  a  way  of  doing.  We  can  help  them  judge 
their  world  in  new  ways  when  they  can  tie  their  individual 
analytical  abilities  to  the  real  world,"  says  Parrish.  "DVDs, 
digital  satellite  radio,  and  all  the  other  devices  of  daily  life 
didn't  drop  from  the  sky;  they  were  created  by  engineers, 
with  scientists,  with  mathematicians." 

With  WPI  serving  as  a  model  for  how  public  schools, 
universities  and  industry  can  work  together, 
tomorrow's  engineers,  scientists  and  mathema- 
ticians will  more  accurately  reflect  the  new  face 
of  the  American  workforce:  more  female,  more 
ethnically  diverse  and — most  important — 
more  creative  than  ever  before.  D 

Morrison  leads  a  full-service  communications  firm 
in  Sturbridge,  Mass.  His  most  recent  piece  for 
Transformations  was  on  facial  recognition 
technology. 


FACTOID: 

WPI's  pipeline  programs  reach  out 

to  more  than  1,000  women  and 

underrepresented  minority 

students  each  year. 


The  pipeline  that  leads  students  to  careers  in  engi- 
neering and  science  begins  in  elementary  school. 

When  it  works  properly,  it  carries  young  minds  through  middle-  and 
high  school,  college  and  graduate  school,  and  delivers  them  into 
professional  and  academic  worlds.  More  than  40  WPI  programs  target 
nearly  every  critical  point  along  the  way  to  make  sure  that  promising 
students  aren't  diverted  from  the  path.  (Here  we  profile  three  of  these 
programs;  for  a  complete  list,  visit  www.wpi.edu/+Transformations.) 

WPI's  initiatives  are  supported  by  corporations  and  foundations  that 
share  the  university's  commitment  to  bridging  the  gender  diversity  gap 
in  science  and  technology  careers.  One  such  industry  partner  is  Intel, 
which  provides  funds  for  Strive  Jr.  and  Strive,  summer  programs  that 
reach  out  to  minority  students  in  middle-  and  high  school.  Intel  also 
supports  GEMS  (Girls  in  Engineering,  Mathematics  and  Science)  and 
GEMS  Jr.,  for  girls  in  the  same  age  groups.  Likewise,  General  Electric 
has  committed  major  corporate  dollars  through  its  GE  Fund  to  WPI's 
Mathematics  in  Industry  Institute  for  teachers. 

"Partnerships  among  universities,  schools  and  businesses  are  essential 
to  moving  the  needle  on  diversity  in  these  fields,"  says  George  Oliver 
'82,  vice  president  and  general  manager  of  GE  Betz  Inc.  and  GE's 
university  executive  for  WPI.  "WPI  has  demonstrated  a  track  record, 
innovative  thinking  and  initiative  in  addressing  the  needs  of  female  and 
minority  high  school  students  in  math,  technology  and  the  sciences." 


26     Transformation)    I   Fall  Jimj 


Through  programs  like  REACH,  Frontiers  and  the  Mathematics  in  Industry  Institute, 
WPI  promotes  cooperation  between  universities  and  public  schools,  reaches  out  to 
women  and  minority  students,  and  supports  high  school  teachers. 


Editor's  Note:  As  this  story 

was  being  written,  the  WPI 

community  was  shaken  by  the 

sudden  and  tragic  death  of 

Denise  Nicoletti,  associate 

professor  of  electrical  and 

computer  engineering  and 

founder  of  Camp  REACH. 

Larry  Morrison  spent  some  time 

with  Denise  as  he  was  reporting  this  story,  and  we  are 

glad  to  be  able  to  share  her  thoughts — and  the  story  of 

the  program  to  which  she  dedicated  countless  hours. 


Extending  Girls'  REACH 

Prominent  among  WPI's  pipeline  programs  is 
Camp  REACH  (Reinventing  Engineering  And 
Creating  new  Horizons),  founded  five  years  ago 
by  Chrysanthe  Demetry  '88,  associate  professor 
of  mechanical  engineering,  and  the  late  Denise 
Nicoletti,  associate  professor  of  electrical  and 
computer  engineering. 

In  the  summer  break  between  sixth  and  seventh 
grades,  this  two-week  residential  program  offers 
30  girls  the  opportunity  to  explore  engineering 
issues  that  have  an  impact  on  society.  Among 
many  projects,  campers  have  designed  a 
playground  in  collaboration  with  a  neighbor- 
hood crime  prevention  group,  created  a  Web 
site  for  the  Big  Brothers/Big  Sisters  of  Worcester, 
and  designed  a  Wellness  Room  for  AIDS  Project 
Worcester. 

The  staff  includes  WPI  faculty  members,  local 
middle  school  math  and  science  teachers,  WPI 
students  who  serve  as  residential  assistants,  and 
high  school  students  who  help  out  as  teaching 
assistants. 

'Too  often,  high  school  teachers  reinforce  the 
expectation  that  girls  will  have  less  interest  in 
engineering  or  science  than  boys,"  noted 
Nicoletti,  who  directed  the  program  until  her 
death  in  a  car  accident  this  past  summer.  "It's  a 
bogus  stereotype,  of  course,  but  it  can  be  hard 
to  buck.  So  with  the  encouragement  of  the 
university,  several  of  us  decided  to  open  this 
career  opportunity  to  younger  girls." 

The  program  bolsters  the  girls'  self-confidence 
and  helps  them  appreciate  the  real  purpose  of 
engineering  (solving  important  problems  that 
make  the  world  better  for  real  people).  In 
addition,  Nicoletti  said,  it  shows  the  girls  that 
engineers  are  not  nerds,  as  some  may  think. 


New  Frontiers  for  High  School 
Students 

Now  in  its  20th  year,  the  Frontiers  program 
gives  talented  high  school  juniors  and  seniors  a 
taste  of  college  life  and  at  the  same  time 
nurtures  their  interest  in  quantitative  careers. 
(Strive  is  a  similar  summer  residential  program 
for  African-American,  Latino  and  Native 
American  students.) 

In  2002,  Frontiers  drew  1  1  7  students — double 
the  2001  enrollment — including  30  women, 
from  as  far  away  as  California,  Oregon  and 
Hawaii;  a  few  came  from  overseas,  including 
students  from  Australia  and  Spain.  During  their 
two  weeks  at  WPI,  they  pursued  a  "major" 
(biology,  chemistry,  computer  science,  electrical 
and  computer  engineering,  environmental  engi- 
neering, mathematics,  mechanical  engineering, 
physics  or  robotics)  and  completed  project  work 
focusing  on  real-world  science  and  engineering 
issues,  such  as  Web  security  and  gene  splicing. 
By  taking  workplace  field  trips,  (some  sponsored 
by  Worcester-area  alumni),  they  had  the  chance 
to  see  their  majors  in  action. 

"We  promote  Frontiers  at  1 ,700  high  schools 
across  the  country  whose  SAT  scores  and 
percentage  of  college-bound  graduates  indicate 
a  strong  foundation  for  the  demands  of  our 
curriculum,"  says  Julie  Darling,  assistant  director 
of  admissions,  who  also  directs  Frontiers.  The 
program  is  conducted  jointly  by  WPI's 
Admissions,  Student  Affairs,  Residential  Life  and 
Student  Activities  offices.  She  notes  that  the 
program  fee  is  deducted  from  the  first-year 
tuition  for  Frontiers  students  who  enroll  at  WPI. 

Darling  says  that  the  teens'  days  are  long  and 
full.  "It's  not  accidental  that  we  send  the  students 
a  list  of  things  to  bring  that  starts  with  'alarm 
clock.'" 


Making  Math  Matter 

Supported  by  the  GE  Fund  and  a  grant  from  the 
National  Science  Foundation,  the  Mathematics 
in  Industry  Institute  (Mil)  for  teachers  at  WPI  is 
co-directed  by  Bogdan  Vernescu,  professor  of 
mathematical  sciences,  and  Arthur  Heinricher, 
associate  professor  of  mathematical  sciences. 
The  program  this  year  brought  45  high  school 
teachers  from  across  the  country  to  campus, 
immersing  them  in  actual  industry-based  prob- 
lems, and  giving  them  real-world  mathematical 
projects  they  can  employ  in  their  classrooms. 

An  essential  component  of  Mil  is  field  trips  to 
workplaces  where  mathematics  is  indispensable. 
This  summer,  Thomas  Danias,  who's  been 
teaching  algebra,  geometry  and  trigonometry  at 
East  High  School  in  Erie,  Penn.,  for  20  years, 
worked  on  a  project  for  an  insurance  company, 
wherein  he  calculated  the  cost  of  a  simple  life 
insurance  policy  to  cover  the  children  in  a 
family. 

"I  can  use  a  project  like  this  in  my  classroom," 
he  says.  "I  can  individualize  the  project  to 
match  each  student's  experience,  and  then  help 
them  figure  out  the  underlying  mathematics." 
He'll  do  this  in  a  school  where  42  percent  of  the 
1 ,000  students  are  females  and  32  percent  are 
African-American. 

"I  will  incorporate  into  my  regular  lessons 
techniques  I  picked  up  from  my  colleagues,  as 
well  as  the  actual  projects  I  worked  on,"  says 
Mil  participant  Robert  Tierney,  who  teaches 
algebra  and  pre-calculus  at  Stafford  High 
School  in  northern  Connecticut.  "And,  of  course, 
I'm  going  to  sit  down  with  all  the  other  teachers 
in  my  school."  One  of  Mil's  goals  is  to  have 
each  participant  train  four  other  teachers  in  their 
schools,  helping  the  program  reach  more  than 
1 ,000  teachers  over  the  course  of  three  years. 
— LM 


Transformations    I    Fall  2002    27 


The  1113  '  j 


By  Joan  Killough-Miller 

Mitchell  Sanders  is  like  a  molecular  magician, 

with  a  bundle  of  presto,  change-o  technologies  up  his  sleeve. 
Want  to  know  if  those  leftover  cold  cuts  are  safe  to  eat? 
Sandets  can  give  you  a  storage  bag  with  a  frowning  face 
that  appears  only  in  the  presence  of  harmful  bacteria.  Got  a 
problem  with  lead  paint?  His  bag  of  tricks  includes  a  rapid- 
diagnosis  saliva  test — and  a  wipe  to  remove  and  contain  the 
toxic  dust.  He's  got  bandages  that  change  color  when  a  wound 
is  infected,  badges  that  sound  an  alarm  in  the  presence  of 
pathogens  used  in  bioterrorism,  and  a  lot  of  other  ideas 
for  consumer,  medical  and  research  applications. 

The  magic  is  all  in  the  molecules — engineered  protein 
molecules,  to  be  specific — and  Sanders  makes  it  look  so 
simple.  The  broad  spectrum  of  applications  stems  from  two 
types  of  bioactive  proteins:  Detector  Proteins  and  Protector 
Proteins  (see  page  30).  From  these  two  proprietary  core  tech- 
nologies could  come  a  diverse  array  of  products  to  stave 
off  everything  from  bedsores  to  antibiotic-resistant  pathogens. 

But  the  most  amazing  thing  about  Mitch  Sanders  is  that 
he's  as  much  of  a  wizard  in  the  corporate  boardroom  as  he  is  at 
the  lab  bench.  The  science  of  manipulating  protein  chains  he 
learned  largely  at  WPI,  where  he  completed  a  master's  degree 
in  biology  in  1988  and  a  Ph.D.  in  biomedical  engineering 
in  1992.  (He  also  holds  a  bachelor's  degree  from  Boston 
University  and  two  postdoctoral  degrees  from  MIT's 
Whitehead  Institute.)  The  art  of  wooing  corporate  partners 
and  getting  deals  done  he  had  to  figure  out  as  he  went  along. 

Sanders  has  received  help  from  WPI's  Department  of 
Management,  with  which  he  maintains  close  ties.  He  has 
been  an  active  supporter  of  the  WPI  Venture  Forum,  where  he 
received  invaluable  advice  during  the  early  days  of  his  startup, 
Expressive  Constructs  Inc.  Julian  C.  Sulej,  visiting  assistant 
professor  of  entrepreneurship,  praises  Sanders'  ability  to  engage 
with  students.  "In  addition,"  he  notes,  "he  has  provided  an 
essential  link  to  the  rapidly  developing  biotech  industry 
here  in  Worcester,  which  is  assuming  a  critical  impor- 
tance in  the  economic  development  of  the  city,  and  of 
New  England  as  a  whole. " 

Sanders  founded  Fxpressive  Constructs,  better  known  as 
ECI  Biotech,  in  1998  with  a  $20,000  loan  provided  by  his 
parents.  He  started  the  business  in  a  Worcester  three-decker, 
but  the  company  grew  so  quickly  that  it  was  soon  necessary  to 
move  it  into  a  3,500-square-foot  space  at  Worcester  Biotech 


Mitch  Sanders  pulls  cures 
out  of  a  hat,  engineering 
bioactive  proteins  that  can  heal 
a  wounded  soldier,  test 
for  lead  paint,  or  detect 
bacteria  in  leftovers. 
And  that's  just  for  starters. 


I 


Park.  Not  long  after,  the  time  came  to  "throw  our  friends 
and  family  off  the  board  and  go  out  and  get  real  board 
members,"  says  Sanders.  From  modest  beginnings,  ECI  has 
managed  to  raise  $2  million  in  venture  capital  and  attract 
sleek  corporate  clients  to  whom  ECI  is  providing  services, 
including  health  care  giant  Johnson  cv  Johnson  and  FSA  Inc. 
of  Chelmsford,  Mass. 

I ■(   I  mined  closer  to  WPI  in  Maw  into  almost  double  the 
lab  space  at  6  Park  Avenue.  Besides  leaving  room  to  grow  (and 
space  to  incubate  promising  startups),  the  nunc  gives  S.uulcis. 
who  holds  the  title  of  affiliate  professor  at  WPI,  better  access 
to  the  university's  departments  and  students,  which  are  his 
prime  Source  ol  imellectu.il  capital. 


28      Transformations    I   Fall  2002 


In  fact,  WPI  students  and  graduates  make  up  more 
than  90  percent  of  the  staff  of  ECI  Biotech.  (Current 
students  employed  at  ECI  are  Barbara  Appiah  '04  and 
Raquib  Mazumder  '03.  WPI  alumni  who  have  worked  at 
ECI  are  Katie  Bouffard  '02,  Christina  Higgins  '99, 
Estelle  Houde  '02,  Melissa  Michelon  '01,  Michael  Salcius  '98 
and  Melissa  Wright  '00.) 

Explains  Sanders,  "WPI  students  have  the  whole  package. 
Thev  are  very  professional.  They  have  a  profound  appreciation 
for  what  it  takes  to  be  successful  in  the  real  world,  and  they 
have  the  skills  necessary  to  go  out  and  get  a  job — the  day  they 
graduate.  We  don't  mean  to  give  preference,  but  just  by 
virtue  of  having  a  great  relationship  with  the  departments, 
we  seem  to." 


Mitch  Sanders,  founder  of  ECI  Biotech,  gets  assistance  from  Estelle 
Houde  '02,  one  of  many  WPI  students  and  alumni  employed  by  this 
growing  biotech  company  located  a  few  blocks  from  campus. 

ECI  has  become  a  favored  site  for  biology  and  biotech- 
nology students  fulfilling  the  requirements  of  their  Major 
Qualifying  Projects,  or  MQPs,  says  Professor  Ronald  D. 
Cheetham,  who  serves  as  advisor  for  research  projects  with 
a  number  of  off-campus  scientists. 

"Mitch  is  creative,  enthusiastic  and  patient,"  Cheetham 
says.  "Because  his  company  is  not  large  and  flush  with  cash, 
he  teaches  students  to  think  beyond  the  science,  to  consider 
market  issues  and  how  to  be  efficient." 

(Continued  on  page  31 ) 


Transformations    I   Fall  2002    29 


From  Two  Technologies,  Many  Applications 


Detector  Proteins 


Protector  Proteins 


Detector  proteins  change  color  to  signal  the  presence  of  a 
hazardous  pathogen  or  other  substance.  They  detect  enzymes 
secreted  only  by  the  specific  pathogenic  bacteria  of  interest.  They 
don't  react  to  dead  bacteria,  nor  will  they  trigger  a  false  alarm  in 
the  presence  of  harmless  bacteria,  foodstuffs  or  mammalian  tissue. 

"If  you  do  a  lot  of  genome-gazing,  you  appreciate  the  fact  that 
there  are  a  lot  of  common  mechanisms  by  which  these  bacteria 
infect  and  cause  inflammation,  which  leads  to  everything  from  local 
irritation  to  wound  infection  to  meningitis,"  says  Mitch  Sanders, 
head  of  Worcester-based  ECI  Biotech. 

According  to  ECI  literature,  detector  proteins  work  quickly,  are 
selective  and  inexpensive  to  produce,  and  can  be  incorporated  into 
a  wide  array  of  potential  products.  Here  are  some  examples: 

Food  Safety  and  the  Environment 

•  A  swab  test  for  meat  processing  plants  that  would  glow 
fluorescent  green  if  a  food  pathogen  such  as  Listeria  monocyto- 
genes is  present 

•  A  sensor  for  plastic  bags  containing  leftovers  that  would  change 
color  if  food  is  spoiled 

Lead  and  Heavy  Metals 

•  A  rapid-read  lead-level  diagnostic  test  that  uses  saliva 
(current  tests,  done  mostly  on  children,  require  a  blood  sample) 

•  A  disposable  wipe  that  removes  and  encapsulates  toxic  lead 
dust  from  walls  and  other  surfaces 

Bioterrorism/Homeland  Security 

•  A  badge  that  would  alert  the  wearer  to  a  broad  spectrum  of  bac- 
terial and  viral  agents,  including  anthrax,  smallpox  and  plagues 

•  Proteins  that  would  bind  to  toxic  heavy  metals,  removing  them 
from  public  water  supplies,  or  to  uranium  and  other  radioactive 
residue  from  "dirty  bombs" 


Unfolded  Enzyme 

(no  activity) 


Active  Enzyme 

(correctly  refolded) 


Active  Enzyme 

(correctly  folded) 


Protector  ►  ►    ^. 
Proteins      ^       ^ 


Protector  proteins  act  by  stabilizing  the  structure  of  important  cell 
proteins.  To  function,  protein  chains  must  remain  folded  in  a  specific 
three-dimensional  shape,  but  environmental  and  chemical  stresses, 
such  as  heat  or  pH  changes,  can  turn  them  into  useless  tangles. 

Under  the  right  conditions,  protector  proteins  can  coax  partially 
unfolded  protein  chains  back  into  their  proper  shape.  If  employed 
in  the  early  phase  of  healing,  they  can  protect  the  assaulted  protein 
chains  and  increase  their  production  of  needed  enzymes. 

"We  think  these  proteins  will  alleviate  a  lot  of  the  inflammation  and 
irritation  to  allow  the  healing  process  to  occur,"  Sanders  says.  "Put 
this  stuff  in  a  gel,  slap  it  on  a  wound,  and  you'll  make  the  cells 
more  viable  so  they'll  recover  faster.  We've  shown  that  we  can  actu- 
ally prevent  cells  from  dying  when  they're  cooked  in  an  oven." 

ECI  is  currently  pursuing  off-site  studies  with  pigskin,  which 
is  remarkably  similar  to  human  skin.  "It's  a  little  pie-in-the-sky," 
cautions  Sanders,  "but  if  it  works,  it  could  be  a  tremendous 
opportunity." 

One  important  application  that  Sanders  is  considering  would  incor- 
porate protector  proteins  and  detector  proteins  to  produce 
advanced  wound-care  products.  He  envisions  a  bioactive  wound 
dressing  made  of  a  plastic-coated  spongy  material. 

Detector  proteins  in  the  dressing  would  allow  caregivers  to  tell  at  a 
glance  if  an  infection  is  developing,  before  an  immune  reaction  or 
sepsis  (blood-borne  infection)  occurs.  Immediate  treatment  would 
result  in  faster  recovery,  fewer  complications  and  lower  health  care 
costs.  Meanwhile,  protector  proteins  would  promote  cell  growth  and 
healing  at  the  molecular  level.  — JKM 


3  0     Transformations   I   Fall  2002 


(Continued  from  page  29) 

During  a  recent  and  highly 

challenging  project,  Cheetham  was 

impressed  with  the  way  Sanders 

showed  his  concern  fot  the  student 

involved,  not  just  for  the  student's 

progress  in  the  laboratory.  "Mitch 

continued  to  encourage  the  student 

and  to  work  on  every  conceivable 

approach  until  the  student  finally 

achieved  good  results,"  he  says. 

"That  commitment  to  students  is 

what  makes  Mitch  special  in  my 

experience." 

Sanders  says  he  enjoys  watch- 
ing skills  and  confidence  develop  in 

the  students  he  mentors.  Many 

start  out  as  work-study  employees, 

then  complete  their  projects  and 

stay  on  as  part-time  or  summer 

employees  at  ECI.  Project  manager 

Maureen  Hamilton  00  is  now  a 

permanent  member  of  the  staff. 

The  mutually  beneficial  relation- 
ship between  ECI  and  WPI  has 

earned  ECI  a  reputation  as  the 

"extension  program"  for  the  WPI  Biology  and  Biotechnology 

Department. 

The  company's  major  thrust  this  year  will  be  in  the  areas 

of  advanced  wound  care  products,  lead  detection  and  removal 

systems,  and  home  health  care  applications.  "We're  reducing  to 

practice  all  the  technology  we've  built  during  the  past  two  to 
four  years,  to  a  level  at  which  we're  going  to  have  functional 
prototypes  ready  to  go  to  corporate  clients,"  says  Sanders.  The 
medical  products,  which  require  extensive  clinical  testing,  will 
be  marketed  to  doctors  first,  to  build  trust,  before  consumer 
versions  are  introduced. 

Smart  partnerships  and  diverse  applications  have  kept  ECI 
moving  forward,  even  as  venture  capital  becomes  more  diffi- 
cult to  raise.  "When  you  have  this  kind  of  simple  technology 
that  has  broad-spectrum  applications,  you  can  cut  it  into 
several  different  pie  slices  and  go  to  different  fields  of  use  to 
build  new  corporate  relationships,"  says  Sanders.  "The  neat 
thing  is  that  we  can  prioritize  them  based  on  market  size  and 
what  we  realistically  can  deliver." 

While  it  may  be  tempting  to  focus  on  applications  to 
combat  terrorist  threats,  such  as  anthrax  and  "dirty  bombs,'' 
Sanders  reminds  the  public  that  there  are  more  "mundane" 
hazards  that  pose  a  much  greater  threat  to  most  Americans. 
Lead  paint,  for  example,  is  still  present  in  64  million  homes. 
The  food  pathogens  Listeria  monocytogenes  and  pathogenic 
R.  coli  0157:H7  each  caused  the  recalls  of  millions  of  pounds 
of  meat  and  poultry  in  recent  years  (one  meat  packer  recalled 
more  than  27  million  pounds  of  turkey  and  chicken  in 


"When  you  have  this  kind  of  simple 

technology  that  has  broad-spectrum 

applications,  you  can  cut  it  into  several 

different  pie  slices  and  go  to  different 

fields  of  use  to  build  new  corporate 

relationships." — Mitch  Sanders 


October  after  a  strain  of  Listeria 
linked  to  at  least  seven  deaths  in 
the  Northeast  was  found  in  its 
floor  drains).  There  are  two  million 
hospital-acquired  infections  each 
year  at  a  cost  of  $5  billion,  accord- 
ing to  a  report  by  the  Centers  for 
Disease  Control. 

"There  was  a  lot  of  learning 
I  had  to  do,  because  I  was  starting 
from  scratch,"  Sanders  admits. 
He  got  his  business  education  by 
reading  30  management  books  and 
sitting  down  with  Worcester's  busi- 
ness leaders  to  pick  their  brains. 
"Worcester  is  such  a  great  city," 
he  says.  "There's  real  dedication 
toward  startups  here  that  you 
wouldn't  be  able  to  find  in  a  smaller 
city,  and  that  would  be  lost  in  a 
bigger  city."  The  WPI  Venture 
Forum  and  the  university's  man- 
agement department  gave  him 
excellent  guidance.  Now  he's  in  a 
position  to  give  back,  by  speaking 
to  classes  at  Reunion  and  at  the  Forum. 

The  danger,  for  a  small  company  like  ECI,  is  in  growing 
too  fast  or  in  attempting  to  tackle  lofty  applications  that 
require  capital-intensive  research  beyond  the  company's 
resources.  "Every  year  we  have  to  put  four  or  five  really  good 
ideas  on  hold,  because  the  timing's  wrong,  or  we  can't  see  that 
the  market  opportunity  is  big  enough,  or  we  haven't  figured 
out  who  would  be  our  corporate  champion  to  bring  this  prod- 
uct to  market,"  Sanders  says.  "It's  actually  a  bit  frightening. 
We've  had  to  really  put  our  blinders  on  and  ask,  as  a  company, 
'What  can  we  realistically  get  done  this  quarter?'  We  have  to  be 
focused  and  put  the  partner  companies  first,  in  terms  of  think- 
ing about  what  their  needs  are  and  how  can  we  make  sure  we 
give  them  the  fight  deliverables." 

Does  Sanders  the  scientist  ever  wish  he  could  make  the 
business  concerns  just  go  away  so  he  could  concentrate  on 
pure  research?  "It's  an  interesting  scenario,"  he  says,  "when 
you  come  from  a  science  background  and  you  realize  that  even 
the  best  technology  doesn't  matter  if  you  can't  sell  it  right. 
I  enjoy  the  business  flow.  You  have  to  get  in  the  trenches  and 
understand  how  these  big  companies  work  and  what  their 
pressure  points  are. 

"I  also  love  the  science,"  he  continues.  "Eventually  there 
may  come  a  time  when  we  need  a  real,  high-caliber  CEO  to 
run  this  company.  But  for  now  what  we  need  are  competent 
advisors  to  direct  us  in  making  sure  that  the  deals  are 
well-served  and  that  anything  we  do  is  in  the  best  interest 
of  the  company  and  the  investors."  II 


Transformations    I   Fall  2002    3  1 


v_--- 


From  Your  Alumni  Association  President 

As  president  of  the  WPI  Alumni  Association,  I  have  the  privilege  of 
working  with  a  group  of  dedicated  volunteers  who  are  full  of  good  ideas 
about  how  the  association  can  fulfill  its  mission  of  building  strong  con- 
nections between  alumni  and  the  rest  of  the  WPI  community.  In  fact, 
we  are  blessed  with  more  ideas  than  we  could  ever  hope  to  realize. 

To  make  the  most  of  the  time  and  resources  we  have,  the  association 

this  year  has  focused  its  energy  on  two  important  efforts  for  the  near 

term.  Knowing  that  the  Board  of  Trustees  was  about  to  launch  a  major 

marketing  program,  we  decided,  first,  to  increase  the  level  of  communication  with  alumni  about  our 

activities  and  services.  Our  second  focus  is  supporting  the  university's  marketing  effort. 

While  these  primary  thrusts  will  guide  our  efforts  for  the  time  being,  we  will  also  continue  to  work 
toward  some  of  the  goals  in  the  association's  five-year  master  plan.  We  have  made  significant  progress 
toward  a  number  of  those  goals,  which  temain  quite  relevant  to  WPI's  mission,  and  we  will  do  more 
in  the  months  ahead.  But  given  the  urgency  we  have  placed  on  the  need  to  become  THE  leader  in 
undergraduate  technical  education,  we  must  find  a  way  to  leverage  the  power  of  our  26,000  alumni. 
To  do  that,  we  must  zero  in  on  initiatives  that  will  bring  us  closer  to  that  objective. 

The  fact  is,  alumni  make  up  almost  90  percent  of  the  WPI  family,  greatly  outnumbering  all  students, 
faculty  and  administrators  put  together,  and  our  ranks  grow  by  650  to  700  each  year.  We  must  engage 
these  men  and  women  in  our  marketing  effort  and  create  an  army  of  WPI  ambassadors  determined  to 
make  WPI  a  household  name. 

As  we  set  out  to  do  this,  we  can  learn  from  the  Alumni  Funds  Board,  which  has  been  led  by  John 
Powers  '61  over  the  past  three  years.  John  led  the  charge  to  involve  a  larger  base  of  volunteers  in  the 
fund-raising  efforts.  The  result  has  been  unprecedented  growth,  with  a  Class  Agent  program  utilizing 
more  than  1,000  volunteers.  This  produced  a  dramatic  increase  in  the  participation  rate  in  the  Annual 
Alumni  Fund,  from  24  percent  to  3 1  percent. 

About  4  percent  of  all  alumni,  or  1,200  individuals,  are  actively  engaged  as  volunteers  in  the  Alumni 
Association.  Image  what  we  could  do  if  our  volunteer  ranks  were  to  swell  to  match  the  participation 
rate  in  the  Annual  Alumni  Fund.  We'd  have  an  army  8,000  strong,  and  according  to  Metcalf's  Law, 
our  probability  of  success  would  be  leveraged  by  a  factor  of  44! 

To  engage  more  volunteers,  we  need  to  know  more  about  what  motivates  our  alumni  to  take  time  from 
their  busy  lives  to  help  out  their  alma  mater,  and  how  to  engage  those  who  haven't  yet  volunteered. 
For  many  alumni,  it  may  be  simply  that  we  need  to  do  a  better  job  of  staying  in  touch  and  letting  them 
know  about  the  remarkable  things  happening  back  here  on  Boynton  Hill. 

Indeed,  these  are  exciting  times  at  WPI.  This  is  a  unique  and  special  university.  I  sense  we  are  on  the 
brink  of  breaking  loose  on  several  fronts,  but  we  must  keep  pushing  ourselves  toward  excellence  in  all  our 
programs. 

Thank  you  for  your  continued  support.  I  welcome  your  input  and  would  urge  those  of  you  who  are 
so  inclined  to  get  involved.  I  can  tell  you  from  personal  experience,  that  no  matter  how  much  you 
contribute  to  support  WPI's  mission,  you  get  so  much  more  back. 


Dusty  Klauber  '67 


Meet  your  Alumni  Association  Leaders 


1^ 


Mike  Donahue  '90 

is  co-chair  of  the  Alumni 
Association's  Social  &  Service 
Division,  dedicated  to  provid- 
ing opportunities  to  build 
strong  bonds  among  alumni 
of  all  ages,  from  new  gradu- 
ates to  retirees.  Mike's  involvement  is  a  natural 
extension  of  his  student  days,  when  he  served 
as  student  body  president  and  as  a  residence 
hall  director. 

"Our  goal,  in  the  Social  &  Service  Division,  is 
to  promote  on  environment  where  students  and 
alumni  feel  like  they  are  part  of  something  larger 


than  themselves,"  he  says.  "We  want  to  instill 
the  sense  that  when  you  graduate  from  WPI, 
you  belong  for  life." 

Despite  his  busy  calendar  as  director  of  Uniprise, 
a  UnitedHeath  Group  company,  Mike  makes  time 
for  his  alma  mater  because,  "At  the  end  of  the 
day,  if  alumni  don't  take  an  active  role,  if  they 
don't  show  active  concern  for  WPI,  who  will?" 

No  matter  what  your  talents,  there's  a  role  for 
you  in  the  Alumni  Association   Contact  the  Office 
of  Alumni  Relations  at  alumnioffice@wpi.edu  or 
508-83 1  -5600  to  find  out  how  you  can  get 
involved. 


I 


Capture  the  pride: 


Homecoming  2002  (Sept. 

■I I   iL_ ...:iL    - 


traditional  rope  pull  at  Institute  Park,  to 
the  football  game  with  Union  College, 
to  tailgate  picnics  and  a  festival  with  food, 


m 


o 


to  the  Quad,  the  weekend  featured  events 
that  rekindled  campus  memories  and  friend- 
ships. This  year's  program  also  featured 
some  contemporary  new  activities,  including 
"A  Week  at  Ground  Zero"  with  Professor 
Jonathan  Barnett  '74  and  an  open  house 
at  the  new  state-of-the-art  Haas  Technical 
Center  for  Computer-controlled  Machining. 


7S 


Hall  of  Fame  Inducts  Five  WPI's  Athletic  Hall  of 
Fame  inducted  its  Class  of  2002  at  a  special  dinner 
in  the  Campus  Center  on  the  Friday  of  Homecoming 
weekend.  The  new  inductees  were,  from  left,  the 
late  Albert  G.  Bellos  '42  (football,  basketball,  base- 
ball), represented  by  his  son,  Al  Bellos;  Kevin  M. 
Doherty  '79  (basketball);  brothers  Brian  W.  Chu  '92 
and  George  E.  Chu  '95  (wrestling);  and  Kimberly 
A.  Landry  '97  (basketball).  See  page  42  for  an 
obituary  for  Albert  Bellos;  see  the  online  M 

Transformations  for  citations  for  all  inductees,      r 


Congratulations  to 
Howard  Freeman, 

-L  V^/     who  was  elected  to 
The  Wholesaler's  inaugural  PVF 
(Pipe  Valve  Fittings)  Hall  of 
Fame.  He  was  profiled  in  a  spe- 
cial issue  dedicated  to  "a  hand- 
ful of  manufacturing  legends 
who  have  facilitated  not  only 
the  growth  of  their  own  busi- 
ness but  also  the  development 
of  visionary  new  products  along 
with  commensurate  commit- 
ment to  industry  channels." 
Now  retired,  Freeman  founded 
Jamesbury  Corp.,  and  revolu- 
tionized the  industry  with 
his  design  for  the  Jamesbury 
ball  valve  and  the  double-seal 
ball  valve. 

/     When  Woodbury 
and  Co.  closed  its 
JL      iL    doors  this  year, 
Kim  Woodbury  donated  the 
company's  collection  of  photo- 
graphs and  memorabilia  to  the 
WPI  archives.  Founded  in  1880 
by  John  Charles  Woodbury, 
Class  of  1876,  the  Worcester 
printing  and  engraving  compa- 
ny has  been  headed  by  a  family 
member  and  WPI  graduate  for 
four  generations. 

/  F—r   William  Rice 

served  a  two-week 
-JL   /         term  with  Global 
Volunteers  in  March,  teaching 
conversational  English  to  ele- 
mentary schoolchildren  in  Rota, 
Spain.  He  enjoyed  local  hospi- 
tality, including  paella  and 
fresh-caught  seafood,  flamenco 
music,  and  festive  Holy  Week 
celebrations.  The  nonprofit 
agency  offers  short-term 
volunteer  opportunities  in 
19  countries. 


51 


Bill  Mufatti,  who 

retired  as  senior 
patent  counsel  for 
GE  Plastics  after  27  years  of 
service,  recently  rejoined  the 
company  in  a  consulting  capaci- 
ty. He  was  also  elected  to  t In- 
board ol  Greylock  federal 
( 'redil  Union. 


Special  Alumni  Savings 
on  IT  Certificate  Programs 

Thinking  about  a  career  change?  Want  to  add  new  skills  to  your  resume? 
WPI  alumni  may  now  take  all  upcoming  WPI  day  and  evening  IT  certificate 
programs  at  a  1 0  percent  discount. 

A  leader  in  information  technology  training,  WPI  has  awarded  nearly 
4,000  IT  certificates  since  1994.  Current  programs  include  Java',  Oracle 
DBA,  Oracle'  Developer,  .Net,  UNIX,  C++,  Web  Technologies 
and  Windows'  2000.NET.  All  are  available  full-  or  part-time  at  our 
branch  campuses  in  Waltham  and  Southborough. 

For  class  start  dates  or  to  schedule  a  one-on-one  meeting  to  discuss  your 
training  needs,  call  800-WPI-9717orvisitwww.ce.wpi.edu/IT/certificates.html. 


Boakfar  Ketunuti 
^N       /      lost  his  father, 

Maj.  Gen.  Nom 
Ketunuti,  who  fought  proudly 
to  protect  the  Kingdom  of 
Thailand  during  World  War  II 
and  the  Chieng  Tung  and  Indo- 
China  conflicts.  "My  mother 
and  father  have  passed  away," 
he  writes.  "I  miss  them  more 
than  words  can  say.  I'm  so 
proud  of  my  father  who  fol- 
lowed his  convictions  and  was 
happy  to  see  the  Thai  people 
enjoy  freedom  and  democracy." 


58 


Al  Girard  writes 
that  he  is  "working 
on  Career  #5." 
After  two  years  as  a  visiting  pro- 
fessor, he  was  appointed  assis- 
tant professor  of  information 
technology  at  Southern  New 
Hampshire  University  in 
Manchester.  He  also  chairs 
an  IT  Department  task  force 
charged  with  revising  the  com- 
puter languages  curriculum. 

^"    s~*\    Joseph  Bronzino 

^^  V- 1    was  honored  with 
^/    ^S       the  American 
College  of  Clinical  Engineers' 
Professional  Development 
Award  at  a  conference  of 
the  Association  for  the 
Advancement  of  Medical 
Instrumentation.  He  also  serves 
as  president  of  BEACON 
(Biomedical  Engineering 
Alliance  and  Consortium). 


Carl  Frova  teceived  the 
Courage  Award  from  the  Tri- 
Counry  Muscular  Dystrophy 
Association  in  Southern 
California.  The  award  was  pre- 
sented Feb.  21,  2002,  at  the 
organization's  gala  Evening  of 
Hope.  He  was  also  featured  in  a 
film  vignette  on  the  2002  MDA 
Telethon  and  received  a  person- 
al letter  from  Jerry  Lewis. 

Frova,  who  was  diagnosed  with 
ALS  (amyotrophic  lateral  sclero- 
sis— bettet  known  as  Lou 
Gehrig's  disease)  four  years  ago, 
was  honored  for  his  leading  role 
in  the  campaign  for  public 
awareness.  He  has  written  arti- 
cles, participated  in  support 
groups,  spoken  with  patients, 
and  wheeled  through  a  number 
of  fund-raising  walks.  He  and 
his  wile,  Barbara,  live  in  Simi 
Valley. 

f   ■<      John  Buckley  of 

Marion,  Mass.,  has 
V_^    -L.     served  as  a  manage- 
ment consultant  since  1968.  He 
recently  completed  an  assign- 
ment as  interim  chief  executive 
officer  for  JG  Machines  of 
Paterson,  N.J.,  manufacturer 
of  production  equipment  lor 
the  pharmaceutical,  cosmetics 

and  food  industries. 

Leo  Robichaud  was  elected 
vice  president  ol  Daigle  Oil  Co. 
I  le  joined  the  company  in 
1974.  I  le  has  managed  its 
Presque  Isle,  Maine,  division 
and  most  recendy  served  as 
the  company's  nsk  manager, 


Reunion:  June  6-8 

Mark  your  calendars.  Clnssfts  of  '38,  MR.  MR   'M   y5R,  V.R    '6Z   '73  &  '7ft 


Nelson 
Parmelee  lives 
\**r  J^       in  LaGrangeville, 
N.Y.  His  e-mail  address  is 
nelsonpa@fronriernet.net. 

James  Dunham 

recently  retired 
\_>/      JL     from  the  New 
York  State  Department  of 
Transportation.  He  plans  to  run 
for  mayor  in  his  hometown  of 
Kinderhook,  N.Y. 

Walter  Lankau,  owner  of  Stow 
Acres  Country  Club  and  part- 
owner  of  Sterling  Country 
Club,  was  elected  president  of 
the  National  Golf  Course 
Owners  Association. 

Charles 
"^       /        Blanchard  contin- 
\^/  ues  as  president  of 

Montgomery  Wholesale  Florist. 
He  remains  active  in  local 
politics  in  Sturbridge,  Mass. 

John  Nano  was  appointed  pres- 
ident and  CEO  of  Competitive 
Technologies  Inc.  He  lives  in 
Stamford,  Conn.,  with  his  wife 
and  son. 

Scott  Ramsay  is 

executive  vice  pres- 
VJ  O     ident  and  CFO 
for  Shaw's  Supermarkets.  He 
recently  assumed  the  additional 
duties  of  executive  vice  presi- 
denr  of  USA  Group  Services. 
He  and  his  wife  live  in  Boston 
and  have  two  adult  children. 

Richard  DeLand 

~X  V- I    delivered  the 
V^/  ^/      commencement 
address  at  Housatonic 
Community  College  (HCC)  in 
Bridgeport,  Conn.,  where  he 
earned  an  associates  degree  in 
computer  information  systems 
this  year.  A  true  lifelong  learner, 
he  maintained  a  4.0  average, 
studying  at  night  and  working 
by  day  as  a  software  engineer  at 
Unilever.  DeLand  was  recently 
inducted  into  the  Phi  Theta 
Kappa  and  Alpha  Beta  Gamma 
honor  societies,  along  with  his 
son,  Matthew,  who  is  a  senior 
at  HCC. 


John  Garrity  was 

named  president 
\J    and  CEO  of 

Marathon  Consulting  Group. 
He  joined  the  company  in 
1994.  John  and  his  wife,  Susan, 
have  two  children. 

Robert  Plante  was  appointed 
the  James  Brooke  Henderson 
Professor  of  Management  at 
Purdue  University's  Krannert 
School  of  Management,  where 
he  serves  as  a  senior  associate 
dean.  His  research  interests 
include  the  development  of 
statistical  quality  control  and 
improvement  models  and  pro- 
cedures for  contemporary  and 
futuristic  manufacturing  sys- 
tems. He  is  the  second  Krannert 
faculty  member  to  hold  the 
James  Brooke  Henderson 
Professorship. 


7  Paul  Cleary  (at 

JL      robing  ceremony, 
with,  from  left,  his  wife,  Julie, 
son  Conor,  and  daughters 
Dylan  and  Caitlin)  was  sworn 
in  as  the  newest  magistrate 
judge  for  the  U.S.  District 
Court,  Northern  District  of 
Oklahoma.  Other  guests  includ- 
ed Richard  duFosse  and  Diane 
(Gramer)  Drew  '73,  who  flew 
in  from  New  England  for  the 
ceremony.  Cleary  received  his 
J.D.  from  rhe  University  of 
Tulsa  Law  College  in  1981  and 
has  served  as  an  adjunct  settle- 
ment judge  for  the  Northern 
District  for  more  than  10  years. 
He  lives  in  Tulsa. 


In  March  2002,  Don  Peterson 

was  presented  with  the  2001 
CEO  of  the  Year  award  for  rhe 
enterprise  market  by  Frost  & 
Sullivan,  a  San  Jose,  Calif,  mar- 
ket consulting  and  training 
firm.  Peterson  was  praised  for 
his  leadership  in  the  2000 
launch  of  Avaya  Inc.,  and  for 
restructuring  the  firm  for 
stability  and  growth. 

Alden  Bianchi 

was  named  a 
JL     fellow  of  the 
American  College  of  Employee 
Benefirs  Counsel.  Active  in 
community  affairs,  he  recently 
chaired  rhe  American  Heart 
Association's  2002  Worcester 
Heart  Ball. 

Steve  Rubin  was  named  to 
the  board  of  directors  of 
WebEvent  Inc. 

Irvin  Halman  is 

president  of  the 
V±J  \J     private  sector 
Council  for  Educational 
Assistance  (CoSPAE),  a  non- 
profit organization  that  works 
for  educational  transformation 
in  the  Republic  of  Panama.  He 
is  also  director  of  the  Chamber 
of  Commerce,  Industry  and 
Agriculture  of  Panama. 

Chartsiri  "Tony" 
Sophonpanich  was  appointed 
the  18th  chairman  of  the  Thai 
Bankers'  Association.  Ptesident 
of  Bangkok  Bank,  he  was 
named  Banker  of  the  Year 
200 1  by  Money  and  Banking 
magazine. 


81 


Timothy  Pac  is  a 

project  manager 
with  IT  Corp.  He 
lives  in  Plainville,  Mass.,  where 
he  chairs  the  Board  of  Health. 


Congratulations  to 

5Anni  Autio  ('97 
M.S.  EV),  who 
was  elected  director  of  District 
2  of  ASCE.  She  will  represent 
the  Boston  Society  of  Civil 
Engineers,  the  Connecticut 
Society  of  Civil  Engineers,  and 
the  Maine,  New  Hampshire, 
Rhode  Island  and  Eastern 
Canada  sections  of  the  ASCE. 

An  environmental  engineer  with 
Camp  Dresser  &  McKee,  Autio 
is  currently  managing  a  multi- 
million-dollar emergency 
response  project  in  Libby, 
Mont.  She  has  been  active  on 
ASCE  committees  since  1987, 
and  was  the  first  woman  to 
chair  the  Infrastructure 
Technical  Group.  A  past 
president  of  the  Boston  Society 
of  Civil  Engineers  section,  and 
a  former  secretary  of  the  Boston 
Engineering  Center's  board  of 
directors,  she  currently  chairs 
the  Boston  section's  History 
and  Heritage  and  Library 
committees. 

Tom  Potter  is  general  manager 
of  the  Ptecision  Products 
Business  Unit  of  Texas 
Instruments  in  Attleboro,  Mass. 
He  lives  in  Somerset. 

Stephen  Rohrbacher  recently 
completed  the  degree  require- 
ments for  an  MBA  from  the 
University  of  Massachusetts.  He 
lives  in  Tewksbury,  Mass.,  with 
his  wife,  Ruth,  and  two  daugh- 
ters, Melissa  and  Christina. 
He  works  for  American 
Elecrroplating  Co.  and  keeps 
busy  with  a  weekend  business, 
www.spectrum-photography 
.com. 

John  Scholl  is  vice  president  of 
R&D  at  Artemis  Medical  in 
Hayward,  Calif.  He  is  responsi- 
ble for  developing  products  for 
minimally  invasive  diagnosis 
and  treatment  of  cancer.  His 
eldest  child,  Daniel,  entered  UC 
Davis  as  a  freshman  this  fall. 


Transformations    I    Fall  2002 


35 


Reunion:  June  6-8 

Mark  vour  calendars,  Classes  of  '83  &.  '88 


I  WPI  Bookshelf 


Catalog  of  the  1 9th  Century 
Stamped  Envelopes  and 
Wrappers  ol  the  United  States, 
Second  Edition 

Allen  Mintz  '48,  Editor 

The  United  Postal  Stationery  Society  Inc. 

The  UPSS  is  an  international  organization 
of  collectors  that  publishes  reference  works 
devoted  primarily,  but  not  exclusively,  to  postal 
stationery.  In  his  foreword  to  the  new  edition, 
Mintz  writes  that  postal  stationery,  once  a  stepchild  in  the  world  of 
philately,  has  come  of  age,  as  evidenced  by  the  rare  and  fine  items 
that  sell  for  many  times  the  prices  suggested  by  auction  house 
catalogs.  A  longtime  collector  and  the  author  of  many  articles, 
Mintz  is  retired  as  treasurer  of  Chain  Construction  Co. 


rethinking 
democratic 
accountability 


Rethinking  Democratic 
Accountability 

by  Robert  D.  Behn  '63  ' 

Brookings  Institution  Press 


Behn  examines  the  conflict  between  accounta- 
bility— that  is,  how  government  accomplishes  its 
work — and  performance — meaning  what  the 
government  actually  accomplishes.  Arguing  that 
too  much  focus  on  bookkeeping  and  procedural 
compliance  actually  hampers  performance,  he 
proposes  a  "new  public-administration  paradigm"  that  he  claims  bal- 
ances ethics  with  effectiveness.  Behn,  a  visiting  professor  at  Harvard 
University's  Kennedy  School  of  Government,  is  the  author  of 
Leadership  Counts:  Lessons  for  Public  Managers,  co-editor  of 
Innovation  in  American  Government:  Challenges,  Opportunities,  and 
Dilemmas  and  co-author  of  Quick  Analysis  for  Busy  Decision  Makers. 


THE 


BOOK 

A  Unique  Handbook  for  the 
ChcmJo)  Proem  Industry 


The  Pilot  Plant  Real  Book: 
A  Unique  Handbook  for  the 
Chemical  Process  Industry 

by  Francis  X.  McConville  '76 

FXM  Engineering  and  Design;  available 
through  www.pprbook.com 


Just  as  jazz  musicians  rely  on  a  "real  book" 
with  chord  charts  for  standard  tunes,  process 
chemists  now  have  a  comprehensive  reference 
guide  that  puts  frequently  used  information 
at  their  fingertips.  The  Pilot  Plant  Real  Book  compiles  a  wealth  of 
essential  data  on  commonly  used  reagents,  reactions  and  procedures 
in  a  handy  wire-bound  format.  The  book  includes  safety  guidelines, 
equipment  descriptions,  and  tips  for  efficient  operation.  Extensive 
tables,  graphs  and  diagrams  show  chemical  and  thermal  properties, 
abbreviations,  mathematical  formulae,  and  other  listings  useful  to 
anyone  involved  in  scaling  up  new  chemical  processes  for  commercial- 
ization. McConville,  who  now  operates  FXM  Engineering  and  Design, 
a  Worcester-based  consulting  business,  has  over  26  years  of  experi- 
ence in  industry  and  performs  on  bluegrass  and  jazz  mandolin  with 
several  area  bands. 


36     Transformations   I  Fall  2002 


Peter  Sullivan  was  appointed 
vice  president  and  general 
manager  for  the  Interface  and 
Robotics  Product  Group  of 
Asyst  Technologies  in  Fremont, 
Calif. 

/*~\   /^     Bridget 

.    *^%    McGuiness  runs 
V^J  ^_x      Corrosion  Check 
Inc.,  a  home  inspection  busi- 
ness, out  of  her  own  home  in 
Lynn,  Mass.  An  article  in  the 
Daily  Item  noted  that  she  is  one 
of  only  1 0  women  inspectors  in 
the  state. 


84 


Desiree  Awiszio 

participated  in  a 
workshop  designed 
to  inspire  young  girls  to  pursue 
careets  in  engineering.  The 
Worcester  event  featured  former 
astronaut  N.  Jan  Davis  and  was 
organized  by  Desiree's  father, 
Henry,  who  is  a  mechanical 
design  and  development  engi- 
neer. She  continues  as  a  com- 
puter consulting  engineer  for 
EMC  Corp.  in  Hopkinton. 

Joyce  Danielson  is  the  new 

senior  vice  president  of  bank 
administration  at  Strata  Bank  in 
Medway,  Mass.  Het  background 
includes  senior  management 
positions  at  People's  Savings 
Bank,  Westborough  Bank  and 
the  former  Safety  Fund 
National  Bank. 

Joe  McCartin  was  profiled  in 
an  article  called  "Mortgage  IT 
all-stars"  in  Black  Enterprise 
magazine.  As  a  mortgage  tech- 
nology consultant,  he  has 
worked  with  Fleet  Mortgage 
Co.,  GE  Capital  Mortgage 
Services  and  Banc  One 
Mortgage  Corp.  McCartin  has 
a  master's  degree  in  systems 
technology  from  the  Naval 
Postgraduate  School  and  an 
MBA  from  Notre  Dame. 

Jim  Mclvin  ('88  M.S.)  was 
appointed  CEO  of  Mazu 
Networks,  .t  network  security 
software  firm  based  in 
(  Cambridge.  Mass.  I  lis  previous 
employers  include  Cisco 
Systems.  Avid  Technology 
and  DEC. 


Ed  Moffitt  and  his  wife,  Giulia, 
had  a  son,  Joseph  Edward 
Thomas,  on  Aug.  14,  2001. 

Frank  Moizio  has  been  with 
Texas  Instruments  for  1 6  years. 
He  has  10  patents  pending 
in  the  area  of  digital  control 
and  DSP. 

Susan  Stidsen 
^     Nerkowski  and 
\*J  _^X     het  husband,  Joe, 
announce  the  birth  of  their 
third  child,  Christopher 
Mitchell,  born  on  May  3,  2002. 
Christopher  joins  his  two 
btothers,  Eric  and  Stephen,  in 
their  new  home  in  Shrewsbury, 
Mass.  Sue  telecommutes  to  her 
quality  consulting  job  at  Pratt 
&  Whitney  in  Connecticut. 

/"~\  Fmmr  Antony  Koblish 

/      was  appointed 
\*J    /        president  and 
CEO  of  Orthovita  Inc.  of 
Malvern,  Pa.  He  joined  the 
orthopedic  materials  develop- 
ment firm  in  1999  as  vice  presi- 
dent of  worldwide  marketing 
and  served  most  recently  as  sen- 
ior vice  president  of  commetcial 
operations. 


88 


Jorge  Aguilar  was 

elected  to  the 

Honduran 
National  Congress  in  the  coun- 
try's November  2001  elections. 
He  represents  a  new  political 
party,  the  social  democratic 
PINU.  His  four-year  term  in 
office  began  in  January. 

Cheryl  (Hagglund)  Cafrrey 

writes  from  Michigan,  where 
she  is  enjoying  lite  with  her 
husband.  Peter;  children, 
Matthew,  6,  and  Shaunna,  2 — 
and  their  12  five-week-old 
chickens.  "I  currently  work  part 
time  at  the  job  1  used  to  work 
lull  time  and  am  enjoying  it 
very  much.  I  run  a  wholesale 
organic  produce  group  tor 
which  1  organize  produce  pur- 
chases lot  .'  i  members.  The 
profits  go  towards  educational 

and  retirement  savings  with 
some  left  tor  Inn!  Would  love 
to  hear  Iront  classmates!" 


Robert  Michaud  joined 
Meridian  Engineering  as  vice 
president,  transportation  plan- 
ning and  permitting,  in  August 
2002.  He  lives  in  Framingham, 
Mass.,  with  his  wife,  Susan,  and 
two  daughters. 

Doug  Willard  married  Brenda 
Kurtyka  in  February  2002. 
Shortly  after  the  wedding,  they 
accepted  short-term  assignments 
in  support  of  operations 
Enduring  Freedom  and 
Southern  Watch  at  Prince 
Sultan  Air  Base  in  Saudi 
Arabia — Brenda  through  her 
job  in  the  Air  Force,  Doug 
through  his  project  work  with 
MITRE  Corp.  After  their 
rerurn  to  the  States  this  summer, 
they  relocated  to  Yorktown,  Va. 


89 


Daniel  Bruso, 

Esq.,  and  his  wife, 
Sandra,  are  pleased 
to  announce  the  birth  of  their 
first  child,  Claire  Elizabeth,  on 
July  12,  2002.  Bruso  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  litigation  group  at 
Cantor  Colburn  in  Bloomfield, 
Conn.,  where  he  specializes 
in  intellectual  property  and 
commercial  matters. 

Joseph  Cappuccio  ('91  M.S. 
FPE)  is  the  engineering  manag- 
er for  the  Fairfax,  Va.,  office 
of  Rolf  Jensen.  His  article  on 
safety  code  development  for 


existing  buildings  appeared  in 
the  March  2002  issue  of 
Security  Technology  &  Design. 

Danielle  LaMarre  married  Paul 
DegnanonOcr.  13,  2001.  She 
began  a  new  job  in  November 
2000  as  director  of  development 
at  Caritas  Carney  Hospital  in 
Dorchester,  Mass.,  where  she  is 
responsible  for  fund  raising, 
public  relations,  marketing  and 
community  relations  for  the 
200-bed  hospital. 

Paul  Savage  lives  in  Millville, 
Mass.,  where  he  has  been  active 
in  town  government. 

Nick  Carparelli, 

I     who  was  profiled 
S    \J     ("Patriots  point 
person")  in  the  last  issue  of 
Transformations,  has  moved 
on  from  his  job  with  the  New 
England  Patriots  to  become 
assistant  commissioner  for 
football  for  the  Big  East 
Conference.  As  the  conference's 
primary  contact  for  foorball,  his 
responsibilities  include  working 
with  coaches,  athletic  directors 
and  bowl  representatives  on 
policy,  scheduling,  television 
coverage  and  operations. 
Teo  Crofton  married  Elizaberh 
MacLaren  on  Sept.  29,  2001. 
He  is  a  software  engineet  for 
LifeClips  in  Acton,  Mass. 


Help  your  alma  mater  .  .  . 
and  your  employer 

Tap  into  the  student  resources  available  at  WPI  by  recruiting 
on  campus  or  by  posting  full-time,  summer  internship  and 
co-op  job  opportunities  on  the  WPI  Web  site.  Learn  how  the 
knowledge  of  cutting-edge  technology  and  global  experi- 
ence provides  our  students  with  an  edge  as  they  enter 
the  workplace. 

Let  WPI's  "intellectual  capital"  be  your  company's 
competitive  advantage  in  today's  marketplace. 


For  more  information,  contact  the  WPI  Career  Development 
Center  at  508-831-5260  or  cdc@wpi.edu 


Terrence  Flynn  has  been  with 
the  Massachusetts  Water 
Resources  Authority  for  1 0 
years,  specializing  in  sewer 
system  design.  He  lives  in 
Lakeville,  Mass.,  with  his  wife, 
Shauna. 

Patti  Newcomer-Simmons 
received  a 
promotion  at 
CapitalOne 
Financial 
Corp.,  from 
group  man- 
ager to  direc- 
tor of  marketing  research  at  the 
company's  Richmond,  Va.,  site. 
She  received  an  MBA  in  mar- 
keting and  international  man- 
agement from  the  University  of 
Cincinnati  in  1998  and  joined 
CapitalOne  in  2000. 


Matthew  Ronn  and  his  wife, 
Alison,  announce  the  arrival  of 
Mason  Alexander,  born  at  home 
on  March  3,  2002.  He  joins  his 
2  '/2-year-old  brother,  Parker. 

Dennis  Sullivan  married 
Maura  Sadlowski  recently.  He  is 
a  project  manager  at  National 
Water  Main  Environmental  in 
Boston. 

JeffYoder  started  a  new  posi- 
tion as  assistant  professor  of 
biology  ar  the  University  of 
South  Florida  in  Tampa  this 
year.  He  will  conrinue  his 
research  program  in  immuno- 
generics  and  genomics,  utilizing 
the  zebra  fish  as  a  model 
species,  and  will  teach  courses 
in  genetics  and  advanced 
genomics. 


■r 


Ron  Pokraka  completes  his 
30th  Falmouth  Road  Race 


Neither  rain,  nor  sleet,  nor  hip  replacement 
surgery — nor  prostate  cancer — can  stop  Ron 
Pokraka  '60,  who  has  competed  in  the  Falmouth 
Road  Race  every  year  since  its  inception  in 
1 973,  along  with  a  small  group  of  race  veterans 
affectionately  called  the  "Falmouth  Five."  This 
year,  Pokraka  used  two  canes  to  complete  the 
seven-mile  course  on  Aug.  1 1 ,  and  managed  to 
beat  his  goal  of  2'/2  hours,  despite  pain  and 
partial  paralysis  of  his  right  leg. 

Pokraka,  who  played  football  and  baseball  at 
WPI,  has  run  the  Boston  Marathon  20  times 
and  used  to  complete  the  Falmouth  race  in  a 


respectable  42  minutes.  He  competed  in  2000 
only  two  months  after  surgery  for  prostate  cancer 
("Just  another  bump  in  the  road,"  he  told  Cape 
Cod  Times  sports  editor  Bill  Higgins).  This  year, 
after  the  replacement  of  his  right  hip  caused 
infection  and  nerve  damage,  Pokraka  underwent 
a  second  operation  to  replace  the  artificial  joint. 
He  initially  planned  to  enter  the  2002  race  in  a 
wheelchair,  but  intense  training  and  therapy 
enabled  him  to  walk  across  the  finish  line  . 

Pokraka  was  also  the  winner  of  the  2002 
Michael  Denmark  Award  for  significant 
achievement  in  the  face  of  personal  challenges. 


Transformations    I  Fall  2002    37 


91 


Joseph  Barbagallo 

was  promoted  to 
senior  associate  at 
Malcolm  Pirnie  Inc.,  an  envi- 
ronmental consulting  firm  in 
White  Plains,  N.Y. 

Congratulations  to  Carl 
Crawford,  who  was  named 
Vetmont's  Young  Engineer  for 
2002.  He  is  a  senior  project 
engineer,  director  of  construc- 
tion services  and  part  owner  of 
Otter  Creek  Engineering  in  East 
Middlebury. 

Amber  (Chorna)  Herrick  and 

her  husband  had  their  first 
child,  a  girl  named  Denali  Rose, 
in  January  2002.  They  live  in 
Scottsdale,  Ariz. 

Scott  Plichta  writes,  "My  wife, 
Sharon,  and  I  welcomed  into 
our  hearts  and  lives  Matthew 
Joseph  and  Emily  Grace  on 
Nov.  7,  2001.  Sharon  was  on 
bed  rest  for  four-and-a-half 
months  of  het  pregnancy,  but 
she  is  fine,  and  the  twins  artived 
happy  and  healthy.  We  certainly 
couldn't  have  asked  for  a  better 
outcome!  I  am  currently 
employed  as  director  of  infor- 
mation services  at  Bentley 
Systems  in  Exton,  Pa.,  and  fly 
hot  air  balloons  in  my  spare 
time  (what's  that!?!)." 

y"V   /^     Kevin  Chin 

received  an  MBA 
^S    ^t»  '    from  George 
Washington  Univetsity  on  May 
19,  2002.  This  complements  his 
master's  degree  in  systems  engi- 
neering and  his  bachelor's 
degree  in  electrical  engineering. 
He  is  currently  a  senior  techni- 
cal architect  at  Lockheed 
Martin  in  the  D.C.  metropoli- 
tan area. 

Concetta  DePaolo  received  her 
Ph.D.  in  operations  research 
from  Rutgers  University  in 
2002.  She  and  her  husband, 
David  Rader,  welcomed  their 
first  child,  Megan  Elizabeth,  on 
July  8,  2002.  Concetta  is  an 
assistant  professor  at  the  School 
or  Business  at  Indiana  State 
I  nivcrsiry. 


Heidi  Schellenger  was 

appointed  executive  ditectot  of 
Lancaster  Farmland  Trust  in 
Lancaster,  Pa.  She  has  been 
with  the  trust  for  four  years  and 
was  insttumental  in  preserva- 
tion  of  a  tecord  23  farms  last 
year,  through  granr  writing, 
fund  raising  and  assisting  farm- 
ers with  the  easement  process. 

Donald  Wyse  and  Jennifer 
Shiel  '94  were  married  Oct.  5, 
2001.  The  wedding  party 
included  Richard  Willett  '91, 
Lyle  Coghlin  '92,  Gayle 
(Sanders)  Reh  '94  and  Becky 
(Kiluk)  Miller  '95,  in  addition 
to  25  other  alumni  guests.  Jen 
works  for  GE  and  Don,  who 
graduated  from  Suffolk 
University  Law  School  last  year, 
works  for  William  A.  Berry  & 
Son.  They  live  in  Nahant, 
Mass.      ' 


93 


Matthew  Boutell 

is  working  on  a 
Ph.D.  in  comput- 
er science  at  the  University  of 
Rochester,  focusing  on  semantic 
image  classification.  He  and  his 
wife,  Leah,  had  a  baby  girl  on 
May  31.  Elise  joins  her  broth- 
ers, Jonathan,  3,  and  Caleb,  2. 

Gregory  Loukedes  married 
Laura  Vlahou  in  Palaio  Faliro, 
Greece,  on  Sept.  7,  2001.  In 
attendance  at  the  ceremony 
were  his  WPI  roommates,  John 
Boska  and  Scott  Burbank,  as 
well  as  close  friends  Stefan 
Kotsonis  '94  and  Vasilis 
Hadjieleftheriadis  '95.  Laura  is 
a  chemistry  teachet  and 
Gregory  is  joint  managing 
director  of  E.G.  Loukedes,  a 
family-owned  ship  agency  in 
Piraeus,  Greece. 

Phil  and  Rhonda  (Ring) 
Marks  announce  the  birth  of 
their  second  child,  Charlotte, 
on  Nov.  23,  200 1 .  Big  sister, 
Caroline,  2,  is  quite  excited 
about  her  new  sister.  They 
moved  to  the  Detroit  area 
because  of  a  job  change  tor  Phil 
within  his  company,  federal 
Mogul. 


Hats  Off  to  FPE  Alums 

The  Society  of  Fire  Protection  Engineers  recently  honored  several 
alumni  of  WPI's  fire  protection  engineering  program. 

Kathy  Notarianni  '86  (M.S.  FPE  '88),  leader  of  the  Integrated 
Performance  Assessment  Group  at  the  National  Institute  of  Standards 
and  Technology's  Building  and  Fire  Research  Laboratory,  was  elected 
a  fellow. 

Thomas  Capul  '91  of  Cerberus  AG  in  Maennedorf,  Switzerland, 
won  an  SPFE  Service  Award  for  his  six  years  of  service  on  the  SPFE 
Qualification  Board. 

Jane  Lataille  '75,  a  fire  protection  engineer  at  the  Los  Alamos 
National  Laboratory,  won  the  Society's  D.  Peter  Lund  Award  for  her 
contributions  to  the  recognition  of  the  profession,  including  her  volunteer 
work  with  young  people  through  the  NSPE  Mathcounts  Program. 

The  National  Fire  Protection  Association  awarded  Fire  Safety 
Educational  Memorial  Scholarships  to  Jay  lerardi  '97  (M.S.  FPE  '99) 
and  his  fellow  FPE  doctoral  candidate  Keum-Ran  Choi. 


Robert  Rosenblatt  received  the 
degree  of  doctor  of  osteopathic 
medicine  from  the  Philadelphia 
College  of  Osteopathic 
Medicine  in  June  2002.  He  is 
now  launched  on  his  profes- 
sional career  and  will  begin  his 
graduate  medical  training  soon. 


94 


On  Sept.  3, 
2002— the  day 
that  Napstet  lost 


its  bankruptcy  case  in  court, 
Scott  Krause,  who  held  the 
position  of  seniot  product 
managet,  wrote  to  inform 
Transformations  that  "my  small 
role  in  the  Napster  story  has 
come  to  its  final  end."  Scott  was 
part  of  the  1990s  Silicon  Valley 
gold  rush  described  by  journal- 
ist Po  Bronson  in  The  Nudist  on 
the  Late  Shift  and  Other  True 
Tales  of  Silicon  Valley.  A  con- 
densed vetsion  of  the  book  was 
published  in  Wired  magazine, 
with  Scott  on  the  cover. 

Bob  Mason  is  a  senior  software 
architect  for  ATG  (Art 
Technology  Group)  in 
Cambridge,  Mass. 

John  Stanavich  and  his  wite. 
Heather,  had  a  daughter.  I  mma 
Joanna,  on  May  Id.  2001 .   I  hc\ 
are  renovating  an  old  home  in 
Chelsea.  Mich.  |ohn  works  .is  a 
(Modus  I  engines!  .it    I  R\\ 

Automotive. 


Derek  and 
"X     Cynthia 
_^/     (Stachura)  Adams 

are  proud  to  announce  the 
arrival  of  theit  daughter, 
Charlotte  Piper,  on  July  9, 
2002.  Charlotte  was  born  at 
7:44  p.m.  and  weighed  in  at  8 
pounds,  7  ounces.  They  live  in 
Schwenksville,  Pa. 

Jeffrey  Collemer  married 
Rebecca  Baker  in  Bristol,  R.I., 
on  July  20,  2002.  In  attendance 
at  the  ceremony  were  Greg 
LeBlanc,  Hud  Quistorff,  Todd 
Giaquinto  '96  and  James 
Rogers  '96.  Rebecca  owns  a  fit- 
ness gym,  and  Jeff  is  a  software 
engineer  with  American  Power 
Conversion.  They  live  in 
Cumberland,  R.I. 

Rob  and  Stacey  (Watrous) 
Jackson  announce  the  birth  of 
their  daughter.  Megan  Sarah,  on 
Dec.  24,  2001.  Rob  is  a  project 
engineer  with  Nexus  Technical 
Services,  and  Stacey  is  a  product 
manager  with  1'LEXcon.  They 
live  in  Holden.  M.iss. 

Joy  I.aPointe  and  Adam  Clark 

^^^^^^5^^l    married  May 

I  w 

L.       ^^J        I   Center. 
[• ]      |    story  p.  39) 

Matthew  Tcssicr  married 

I  auric  Finkle  recently.  I  le 
works  loi  Ml  )R  i  onstruction 
in  Tewksbury,  Mass. 


38      Transformation!    I   Fall    '"  I 


%N.  Harrison 
Ripps  has  joined 
the  Massachusetts 
Army  National  Guard.  After 
completing  10  weeks  of  basic 
training,  he  will  ship  out  to 
Fort  Knox,  Ky.,  after  which  he 
will  begin  Officer  Candidate 
School.  Unofficial  sources  say 
that  Mr.  Ripps  is  trying  to 
keep  up  with  Tom  Carr,  who 
received  his  officer's  commission 
with  the  Navy  Reserve  earlier 
this  year. 

Sean  Squire  is  an  engineer 
for  the  Advanced  Systems 
Development  Branch  of  the 
Naval  Undersea  Warfare 
Center  in  Newport,  R.I. 

Larry  Jones  is 

principal  of  Aegis 
Management,  a 
private  management  consulting 
company.  He  was  recently 
appointed  to  the  board  of 
Fulcrum  Analytics. 


98 


Lena  (Eleni) 
Bottos  is  a 


compensation 
market  analyst  for  Salary.com. 
She  recently  co-authored  an 
article  on  "The  New  Salary 
Negotiation,"  for  Compensation 
dr  Benefits  Review. 


Erica  Dziczek  works  for 
Betatherm  Corp.  in  Shrewbury, 
Mass.  She  recently  returned  to 
Tahanto  Regional,  her  high 
school  alma  mater,  to  talk  with 
students  in  the  Science  Mentor 
program  about  her  education  at 
WPI  and  her  career. 


Jens-Peter  Kaps  biked  cross- 
country from  Yorktown,  Va.,  to 
San  Francisco,  Calif.  An  online 
account  of  his  travels  is  posted 
at  www.jpkaps.com/en/travels 
/index.html.  Jens  is  back  at 
WPI,  continuing  his  graduate 
studies  in  the  ECE  department. 

Kenneth  Knowles  married 
Kelly  Martel  recently.  He  is  a 
civil  engineer  at  Meridian 
Engineering  in  Danvers,  Mass. 

Michael  Sale  ins  competed  in 
the  Mount  Washington  Road 
Race  in  June.  He  lives  in  South 
Windsor,  Conn.,  and  works  for 
Prometrix. 


Just  One  Night  Helps 
Keep  WPI  in  Sight 

Can  you  devote  one  night  a  year  to  help  WPI  raise  its  visibility?  We'd  like  to 
have  the  university  represented  at  a  record  number  of  high  school  college  fairs 
this  year,  and  we're  hoping  you  can  represent  us  at  your  local  school. 

College  fairs,  usually  held  on  weeknights,  are  like  trade  shows.  Representatives 
from  a  number  of  colleges  stand  behind  tables,  handing  out  college  literature 
and  answering  questions  from  students  and  their  parents.  Designated  alumni 
are  typically  welcome  to  stand  in  for  admissions  staff  members. 

Before  you  go,  the  Admissions  Office  will  mail  you  updated  information,  a 
supply  of  admissions  brochures  and  catalogs,  and  a  banner  to  display  on  your 
table.  If  you  enjoy  the  experience,  you  might  consider  joining  the  500-member 
Alumni  Admissions  organization,  which  not  only  covers  college  nights  but 
assists  at  hotel  information  sessions  and  contacts  students  and  parents. 

To  get  the  phone  number  for  a  school  near  you,  or  to  learn  more  about  the 
Alumni  Admissions  program,  contact  Michael  Smith,  coordinator  of  Alumni 
Admissions,  at  mpsmith@wpi.edu. 


Nilufer  Saltuk  became  engaged 
to  Paul  Soucek  Jr.  in  June.  They 
are  planning  a  May  2003  wed- 
ding in  Denver,  which  will 
include  many  out-of-town 
guests  from  Rhode  Island, 
Massachusetts,  California, 
Turkey,  Yemen,  France  and 
Monaco. 

Keith  Wilkinson  married 
Christina  Butler  recently.  He  is 
a  mechanical  design  engineer 
with  Pratt  &  Whitney.  They 
live  in  Portsmouth,  N.H. 


99 


Kat  Damaso 

completed  a 
master's  degree 
in  professional  writing  at  the 
University  of  Massachusetts 
Dartmouth.  After  receiving 
her  degree,  she  headed  back 
to  Wotcester  and  was  hired  as 
a  marketing  and  product  man- 
age! at  Checketboard  Ltd. 
(elnvite.com),  designers  and 
manufacturers  of  fine  stationery, 
located  in  West  Boylston. 

Jayesh  Govindarajan  lives  in 
San  Diego  and  works  at  Oracle. 


First  Campus  Center  wedding  unites  alumni  couple 

"From  the  start  of  our  planning  for  the  big  day,  we  were  determined 
to  have  our  wedding  at  a  unique  and  meaningful  location,"  say 
Joy  LaPointe  '95  and  Adam  Clark  '97,  who  were  married  at 
WPI's  Campus  Center  on  May  1 1 ,  2002.  The  couple,  who  met  after 
college,  initially  considered  using  Higgins  House  for  the  wedding 
reception.  "After  walking  through  the  newly  constructed  Campus 
Center,  however,  our  decision  was  final.  The  Campus  Center  is  truly 
the  shining  jewel  of  the  campus,  and  we  were  thrilled  to  share  it  with 
our  family  and  friends,  many  of  whom  are  also  WPI  alumni." 

One  section  of  the  Odeum  was  set  up  as  a  chapel,  and  the  other  two 
were  decorated  for  the  reception.  To  further  the  WPI  feeling,  guests 
were  seated  at  tables  named  after  significant  campus  buildings,  with 
cards  describing  the  buildings'  histories  and  the  couple's  ties  to  each 
location.  'The  staff  went  out  of  its  way  to  make  the  first  Campus 
Center  wedding  perfect,"  the  couple  says,  "and  we  are  grateful  for  all 
their  hard  work.  It  was  truly  the  best  day  of  our  lives,  and  we  are  so 
proud  to  have  been  the  first  couple  married  there." 

The  newlywed  couple  with  alumni  friends 


Transformations    I   Fall  2002    39 


Ryan  Metivier 
I    married  Dina 
V^/  \*r      Putnam  last  year. 
He  works  for  Analog  Devices 
in  Wilmington,  Mass.,  while 
pursuing  a  master's  degree  in 
the  ECE  depattment. 

John  Mock  was  nominated 
for  a  Barrymore  Award  for 
Outstanding  Sound  Design 
for  the  Bristol  (Pa.)  Riverside 
Theater's  production  of  "The 
Dresser." 

Victoria  Valentine  ('02  M.S. 
FPE)  has  been  working  for 
the  National  Fire  Sprinkler 
Association  since  graduation. 
She  holds  the  post  of  products 
standards  manager  in  the 
agency's  Patterson,  N.Y.,  head- 
quarters. Victoria  was  profiled 
in  the  May  2002  issue  of 
FPC/Fire  Protection  Contractor 
in  its  "Women  at  Work"  fea- 
ture. 

Maria  Vassilieva  is  living  in 
Belgium  and  working  on  a 
Ph.D. 

Nathan  Wilfert  and  Sarah 
Snow  were  united  in  marriage 
on  June  1, 
2002. 

Nathan 
works  at 
Microsoft  as 
a  software 
design  engi- 
neer, and  Sarah  works  as  a  sen- 
ior consultant  for  Experio 
Solutions  in  Seattle.  They  teside 
in  Redmond,  Wash.,  and  take 
advantage  of  the  biking,  rock 
climbing  and  hiking  right  out- 
side their  front  door. 


01 


Jason  Ferschke 

was  officially 
sworn  in  as  the 
newest  full-time  firefighter  in 
Auburn,  Mass.  After  living 
and  serving  with  other  WPI 
students  at  the  West  Auburn 
station,  he  joined  ET&L 
Construction  after  graduation, 
but  jumped  at  the  chance  to 
become  a  full-time  member 
of  the  Auburn  force. 

Michael  Jacene  married  Sara 
Trahan  last  year.  Their  daughter, 
Megan  Rae,  was  born  on  May 
7,  2002.  Michael  is  a  mechani- 
cal design  engineer  at  EBI  in 
Parsippany,  N.J. 

Lt.  Nicholas  Macsata 

graduated  from  the  Army 
Quartermaster  Officer  Basic 
Course  at  Fort  Lee  in 
Petersburg,  Va. 

Ryan  Wilbur  and  Elaine  Kelly 
were  married  Dec.  29,  2001,  in 
Ireland.  They  live  in  Ballybrit, 
Galway,  where  Ryan  works  for 
Manufacturer's  Services  Ltd. 

/~\  /^     Maria  Bezubic  is 

deputy  command- 
\^f  Jmml    er  of  the  Army 
1 5th  Signal  Brigade  at  Fort 
Gordon  in  Georgia. 

Kim  Morin  is  a  biotechnology 
researcher  working  on  her  mas- 
ter's thesis  at  the  U.S.  Army 
Natick  Laboratory. 


Matt  Arner  '98  Finds  the 
Humanity  in  Technology 

Matthew  Arner's  search  for  a  humanitarian 
career  took  him  to  Kathmandu,  Nepal  (see 
photo),  where  in  2001  he  consulted  with 
Wisdom  Light  Group,  a  private  business 
dedicated  to  delivering  solar  photovoltaic 
energy  to  a  remote  rural  population.  In 
May  2002  he  received  a  master's  degree  in 
sustainable  international  development  from 
Brandeis  University.  He  now  works  as  an 
independent  renewable  energy  and  energy 
efficiency  contractor  in  the  Boston  area. 

"'Sustainable  Development'  means  poverty 
alleviation,  human  rights  protection,  nature 
conservation,  disaster  relief  and  humanitari- 
an aid,"  Arner  explains.  "Combine  these 
words  with  an  engineering  degree  and  you 
arrive  at  'Appropriate  Technology,'  a  subsection  of  the  wide-ranging 
development  field. 

"More  than  50  years  ago,  Einstein  said,  'It  has  become  increasingly 
clear  that  our  technology  has  exceeded  our  humanity.'  Just  like  the 
IQP,  Appropriate  Technology  aims  to  improve  quality  of  life  while 
carefully  considering  the  effects  on  other  aspects  of  society,"  says 
Arner.  "WPI  doesn't  just  produce  well-rounded  engineers;  it  produces 
well-rounded  people,  who  want  to  use  their  degree  to  explore  entirely 
new  fields.  That  is  the  secret  excitement  of  a  WPI  degree." 

Read  Arner's  full  account  of  his  quest  for  an  "appropriate"  career 
and  see  more  photos  online  at  www.wpi.edu/+Jransformations. 


Graduate  Management 
Programs 

Bob  D'Amico  '91  (MBA)  lives 
in  Northborough,  Mass.,  with 
his  wife,  Christie.  He  is  a  gradu- 
ate student  in  computer  science 
at  Clark  University. 

Larry  Fox  '97  (MBA)  is  corpo- 
rate director  of  purchasing  tor 
Genlyte  Thomas  Group  LLC. 


School  of  Industrial 

Management 

Bernie  Jwaszewski  '87  lives  in 
Barre,  Mass.,  where  he  has  been 
active  in  town  government. 


Get  in  touch  with  fellow  international  alumni...  and  help  future  alumni 


AISA  (the  Alliance  of  International  Students  and  Alumni)  is  a  new 
WPI  organization  dedicated  to  creating  a  community  for  today's 
international  alumni — and  tomorrow's.  Its  aim  is  to  promote 
networking  among  international  alumni  and  to  help  them  communicate 
more  effectively  with  their  alma  mater.  For  students,  AISA  will  serve 
as  a  bridge  between  academia  and  the  professional  world. 


To  accomplish  these  goals,  AISA  hosts  professional  seminars,  reunions 
and  social  events  for  international  alumni,  and  conducts  a  mentorship 
program  and  workshops  that  connect  alumni  with  students.  And,  its 
virtual  presence  on  the  Web  enables  alumni  to  participate,  no  matter 
what  corner  of  the  globe  they  call  home. 

For  more  information  and  to  sign  up,  visit  www.aisa.wpi.edu. 


40     Transformation!    I   Fall  2002 


Transformations  recently  learned 
of  the  death  of  John  L. 
Mooshian  '29  of  Albertson, 
N.Y.,  in  2000.  A  former  engi- 
neer for  the  federal  govern- 
ment's General  Services 
Administration  in  New  York 
City,  he  retired  in  1972. 
He  and  his  wife,  Ruth  (Arnett), 
had  a  son  and  three 
daughters.  Mooshian  moved 
to  Sacramento,  Calif.,  after 
retirement  and  later  returned 
to  New  York  to  live  with 
his  son. 

George  Rak  '31  of  Rocky  Hill, 
Conn.,  died  in  2000.  Rak 
worked  for  several  Hartford- 
area  businesses  before  joining 
the  aircraft  division  of  Prart  & 
Whitney  in  1971.  He  was  a  for- 
mer class  agent.  Transformations 
recently  learned  of  his  death. 

Harold  D.  Burt  '33  of  Virginia 
Beach,  Va., 
died  March 
4,  2002. 
Predeceased 
by  his  wife, 
Lydia 

(Williams), 
in  1986,  he  leaves  several  nieces 
and  nephews.  Burt  designed 
dams  and  flood-control  projects 
as  a  civilian  engineer  for  the 
U.S.  Army  Corps  of  Engineers 
for  more  than  30  years.  A 
Presidenrial  Founder,  he 
endowed  the  Hatold  D.  and 
Lydia  W  Burt  Scholarship.  He 
belonged  to  Sigma  Xi. 

J.  Leonard  Burnett  '34  of 
Concord,  N.H.,  died  Feb.  21, 
2002.  He  lost  his  wife,  Gerda, 
in  2001,  and  is  survived  by  a 
son,  two  daughters,  seven 
grandchildren  and  one  great- 
grandchild. Burnett's  love  of 
books  led  him  to  a  career  in 
printing  that  included  Ginn  & 
Co.,  Little,  Btown  and  Co., 
Contempo  Comp,  and  All 
Languages  Graphics,  from 
which  he  retired  as  president. 


Alumni  who  wish  to  make  contributions  in  memory 

of  classmates  and  friends  may  contact  the  office  of 

Development  and  University  Relations  at  WPI. 


Elijah  B.  Romanoff '34  of 

Shrewsbury, 
Mass.,  died 
Nov.  24, 
2001.  He 
leaves  his 
wife,  Louise 
(Parker),  and 
several  nieces  and  nephews. 
Romanoff  earned  a  medical 
degree  from  Tufts  University.  A 
longtime  chemistry  teacher  at 
Shrewsbury  High  School,  he 
previously  served  as  a  program 
director  for  rhe  National 
Science  Foundation  and  a  sen- 
ior scientist  at  the  Worcester 
Center  for  Experimental 
Biology.  Romanoff  received  the 
NSF's  Silvet  Medal  for 
Excellence  in  1982  and 
authored  many  articles  in  scien- 
tific journals. 

Theron  M.  Cole  '35  died  Oct. 
5,  2001,  at  his  home  in 
Holden,  Mass.  He  leaves  his 
wife,  M.  Elizabeth  (Reese),  four 
sons,  six  grandchildren  and  two 
great-grandchildren.  Cole 
rented  from  Parker  Metal  Corp. 
in  1990  as  vice  president  of 
engineering,  research  and  devel- 
opment. He  belonged  to 
Lambda  Chi  Alpha. 

Trustee  Emeritus  C.  Marshall 
Dann  '35,  a  former  head  of  the 
federal  Patent  and  Trademark 
Office,  died  April  24,  2002. 
Dann  began  his  career  as  a 
chemist  at  E.I  DuPont  de 
Nemours  &  Co.  in  1935.  After 
earning  a  law  degree  at  the 
University  of  Georgia  in  1949, 
he  worked  his  way  up  to  chief 
patent  counsel.  He  was  appoint- 
ed commissioner  of  patents  and 
trademarks  by  President 
Richard  M.  Nixon  and  served 
from  1974  to  1977.  He  retired 
from  the  law  firm  of  Dann, 


Dorfman,  Herrel  &  Skillman 
some  20  years  later. 

Predeceased  by  his  wife, 
Cathatine,  Dann  leaves  a  son, 
three  daughtets  and  seven 
grandchildren.  A  Goddard  and 
Taylor  award  recipient,  he  was 
elected  to  the  Board  of  Ttustees 
in  1974.  He  established  the 
Marshall  and  Cathatine  Dann 
Scholarship  Fund  in  1999. 

Raymond  J.  Quenneville  '35 

of  Southfield,  Mich.,  died  Aug. 
25,  2001.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Marion  (Lirtle),  a  son,  two 
daughters,  seven  grandchildren 
and  five  great-grandchildren. 
Quenneville  was  rhe  rerired  vice 
president  of  Cunningham-Limp 
Co.  He  belonged  to  Phi  Kappa 
Theta  and  Sigma  Xi. 

Gordon  S.  Swift  Si.  '35  of 

Northampton,  Mass.,  died  Jan. 
8,  2002.  He 
leaves  his 
wife,  Ethel 
(Davis),  two 
sons,  three 
grandchil- 
dren and  two 
great-grandchildren.  Swift  and 
his  wife  founded  two  well- 
known  Northampton  establish- 
ments, the  Laura  Girard  Shop 
and  EmpsalPs  Sport  Shop, 
which  they  ran  until  their 
retirement  in  1987.  He 
belonged  ro  Theta  Chi. 

William  J.  Kosciak  '36  died 

Feb.  18,  2002,  at  his  home  in 
Westborough,  Mass.  His  wife, 
Irene  (Kaminski)  died  in  1992. 
Survivors  include  two  daughters 
and  four  grandchildren.  Kosciak 
was  a  rerired  industrial  engineer 
for  General  Motors  Corp. 


Jacob  A.  Sacks  '36  of 

Shrewsbury,  Mass.,  died  Aug. 

20,  2001.  He 
lost  his  wife, 
Edith  (Reed), 
in  1995. 
Survivors 
include  a 
brother, 
nephews  and  nieces.  A  Navy 
engineer,  Sacks  was  in  charge  of 
quality  control  for  shipbuilding 
projects.  He  belonged  to  Alpha 
Epsilon  Pi. 

James  B.  Patch  Jr.  '37  of 

Lewiston,  N.Y.,  died  Jan  8, 
2001.  He 
leaves  his 
wife, 

Margaret, 
two  sons  and 
a  daughter. 
Patch  retired 

from  the  Electro  Minerals 

Division  of  Standatd  Oil  with 

41  years  of  service. 

Richard  W.  Cloues  '38  of 

Millbrae,  Calif,  died  July  28, 
200 1 .  He  was  the  husband  of 
Doris  (Dickinson)  Cloues  and 
the  farher  of  Stephen  L.  Cloues 
'65.  Also  surviving  are  three 
orher  sons  and  eight  grandchil- 
dren. Cloues  was  retired  from 
Bechtel  Civil  and  Minerals  Co. 
He  joined  the  company  in  1965 
and  served  in  its  Venezuela  and 
Saudi  Arabia  divisions.  A 
Presidential  Founder  and  life- 
time membet  of  the  Presidents 
Advisory  Council,  he  estab- 
lished the  Richard  W  Cloues 
Family  Scholarship  Fund. 

Carl  F.  Fritch  Jr.  '40  of  Glen 
Ellyn,  111.,  died  May  18,  2001. 
His  wife, 
Elizabeth 
(Lloyd),  sur- 
vives, along 
with  a  son 
and  a  daugh- 
ter. Fritch 
was  rerired  from  Liquid  Air 
Corp.  He  belonged  to  Phi 
Gamma  Delta,  Skull  and  Tau 
Beta  Pi. 


Transformations    I    Fall  2002     4  1 


Richard  T.  Messinger  '40  of 

Yarmouthport  and  Norwell, 
Mass.,  died  Feb.  1,2002. 
He  leaves  his  wife,  Luverne 
(Hickish),  three  sons,  seven 
grandchildren  and  a  great 
grandchild.  A  retired  insurance 
broker  and  executive,  he  found- 
ed Richard  T.  Messinger  Co. 
Messinger  belonged  to  Alpha 
Tau  Omega  and  the  Alden 
Society. 

Anthony  J.  White  Sr.  '40  of 
Auburn,  Mass.,  died  Aug.  15, 
2002.  Predeceased  by  his  wife, 
Amelia  "Mimi"  (Yankus),  in 
1999,  he  leaves  two  sons,  three 
grandchildren  and  a  grear- 
granddaughter.  White  was 
a  resident  engineer  for  the 
Massachusetts  Depattment 
of  Public  Wotks  for  34  years 
before  retiring  in  1982. 

Transformations  recently  learned 
of  the  death  of  Nathan  L. 
Bachelder  '41  in  1997.  A  grad- 
uate of  the  University  of 
Michigan,  he  married  Eleanor 
Minifie  in  1941  and  worked  as 
a  machine  engineering  consult- 
ant. He  belonged  to  Theta  Chi. 

Benjamin  S.  Bean  '41  of 

Grafton,  Mass.,  died  Nov.  29, 
2001.  His  wife,  Mildred 
(Hitchings),  and  a  daughter  sur- 
vive. Bean  was  a  retired  process 
engineer  at  FLEXcon  Co.  and 
previously  worked  for  Processed 
Heating  Co. 

Albert  G.  Bellos  '41  of  Glens 
Falls,  N.Y, 
died  July  9, 
2001.  He  is 
survived  by 
his  wife, 
Anne 

(Fahrenkopf), 
rwo  sons,  a  daughter  and  five 
grandchildren.  A  basketball  star 
and  member  of  WPI's  first 
undefeated  football  team,  he 
won  letters  in  those  sports  and 
in  baseball.  He  was  posthu- 
mously inducted  into  the 
Athletic  Hall  of  Fame  at 
Homecoming  2002  (see  page 
»).  Bellos  joined  Sandy  Hill 


4  2     Transformation!   I   Fall  2002 


Corp.  in  1946  as  a  draftsman 
and  worked  his  way  up  to  vice 
president  of  engineering  and 
president  of  Sandy  Hill  South. 
He  was  a  member  of  Skull. 
Edward  W.  McGuiness  '41  of 
Hamilton,  Mass.,  died  Oct.  27, 
2001.  A  graduate  of  Tufts 
University,  he  earned  his  mas- 
ter's degree  in  chemistry  from 
WPI.  His  work  for  General 
Electric,  Raytheon  and  Bacon 
Industries  resulted  in  several 
patents.  He  is  survived  by  his 
wife,  Ellen  (Brennan),  three 
sons  and  four  daughters. 

Carl  E.  Nystrom  '41  of  Bolton, 
Conn.,  died  Sept.  10,  2001.  He 
leaves  his  wife,  Elsie  (Kangas),  a 
son,  a  daughter  and  four  grand- 
children. He  worked  for  Pratt 
&  Whitney  Aircraft  Co.  for 
many  years  and  was  later  self 
employed. 

Edward  W.  Pacek  '41  of 

Worcester  died  Feb.  3,  2002. 
Survivors  include  his  wife, 
Jeanne  (Connelly),  a  son  and  a 
grandson.  He  was  predeceased 
by  his  first  wife,  Helen 
(Kotomiski),  after  48  years  of 
marriage,  and  by  a  daughter.  A 
graduate  of  Northeastern 
University,  Pacek  served  as  a 
pilor,  flight  instructor  and 
squadron  commander  during 
World  War  II  and  retired  from 
the  Navy  in  1959.  He  headed 
the  Worcester  Chamber  of 
Commerce  and  received 
national  tecognition  for  his 
work  in  bringing  the  University 
of  Massachusetts  Medical 
School  and  Quinsigamond 
Community  College  to  the  area. 
He  later  served  as  executive 
director  of  the  Rhode  Island 
Tourist  Travel  Association  and 
marketing  director  of  Rocky 
Point  Park.  He  belonged  to 
Phi  Sigma  Kappa. 


Edward  Alvin  Rich  '41  of 

Canyon 
Lake,  Calif., 
died  Aug.  8, 
2001.  He 
leaves  his 
wife,  Shirley, 
and  two 
sons.  He  was  the  retired  vice 
president  of  General  Monirors 
and  previously  worked  for  Texas 
Instruments. 

Ronald  J.  Borrup  '42  of  South 
Pasadena, 
Calif.,  died 
Aug.  29, 
2001.  He  is 
survived  by 
his  wife, 
Margo 

(Petetson),  a  son,  two  daugh- 
tets,  six  grandchildren  and  a 
great-granddaughter.  He  was 
predeceased  by  his  former  wife, 
Helen  (Hollister),  and  a  son.  A 
retired  manufacturer's  represen- 
tative, Borrup  was  the  founder 
of  Rongo  Co.  and  EHF 
Industries,  and  founding  part- 
ner and  presidenr  of  Electro- 
Flex  Heat  Inc.  He  belonged  to 
Lambda  Chi  Alpha. 

Henry  A.  Parzick  '43  of 

Wallingford,  Pa.,  died  Aug.  9, 
2001.  His 
wife,  Helen 
(Putnam), 
died  in 
1985.  He  is 
survived  by 
two  sons  and 
four  grandchildren.  Parzick  was 
an  engineer  for  Wesringhouse 
Electtic  for  38  years.  He 
belonged  to  Phi  Kappa  Theta. 

Robert  S.  Schedin  '43  (SIM 
'57)  of  Spencer,  Mass.,  died 
Jan.  1 1 ,  2002.  He  was  the  hus- 
band of  Dorothy  Lowell 
Schedin  and  the  father  of  David 
W.  Schedin  '82.  He  also  leaves  a 
son,  two  daughters,  six  grand- 
children and  a  great-grandchild. 
Schedin  was  director  of  engi- 
neering at  Crompton  & 
Knowles  Corp.  tor  many  years 
and  later  served  as  president 
and  <  hiel  executive  officer  of 

Fairlawn  Hospital.  He  received 
I  lie  ll)85  Albert  |.  Vhwicgei 
Award. 


Earl  F.  Harris  '44  died 
Nov.  8,  2001,  at  his  home  in 
Gteenfield,  Mass.  He  leaves  his 
wife,  Dorothy  (Dunham),  a 
son,  a  daughter  and  a  grand- 
daughter. He  also  leaves  his  for- 
mer wife,  Glenys  M.  Harris.  He 
was  predeceased  by  a  daughter 
in  1980.  Harris  was  retired  as 
chairman  of  Rodney  Hunt  Co. 
He  joined  the  company  in  1946 
and  became  president  in  1956, 
the  fourth  generation  of  his 
family  to  hold  the  post.  He 
belonged  to  Theta  Chi. 

Transformations  recently  learned 
of  the  death 
of  Ralph  D. 
Schultheiss 

'44  in  1999. 
A  resident  of 
Lititz,  Pa.,  he 
worked  for 
the  York  Division  of  Borg- 
Warner  Corp.  and  belonged  to 
Lambda  Chi  Alpha. 

William  E.  Stone  '44  of  Norrh 
Falmouth,  Mass.,  died  Nov.  15, 
2001.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Patricia  (Crane),  four  sons,  six 
daughters  and  18  grandchil- 
dren. His  first  wife,  Rena 
(McAffee),  died  in  1959.  Stone 
was  a  sales  representative  for  the 
Prudential  Insurance  Co.  for  30 
years.  A  graduate  of  Clark 
University,  he  belonged  to  Phi 
Kappa  Theta  and  Skull. 

Martin  R.  Flink  Jr.  '45  of 

Chicago  died  Jan.  9,  2002.  He 
and  his  wife, 
Helen,  had 
two  children. 
Flink  retired 
from  Amoco 
and  became 
chairman 
of  the  International  Linker 
Indemnity  Association  Ltd.. 
based  in  Bermuda.  He  belonged 
to  Phi  Sigma  Kappa  and  Skull. 

Eugene  C  Logan  '45  of 
Trenton,  N.J..  died  Aug.  10, 
2001.  His  wile.  Mary,  survives. 

1  ogan  «as  the  retired  general 
manager  ol  consirui  tion  lor 

Public  Service  Electric  and  Gas 

(  o.  1  le  served  on  tile  lech 

(  ouncil  ami  belonged  i" 

\s\||  . 


Charles  Oickle  Jr.  '45  of  New 
Britain,  Conn.,  died  Nov.  17, 
200 1 .  He  is  survived  by  his 
wife,  Carol  (Olsen),  a  son,  a 
daughter  and  three  grandchil- 
dren. He  was  predeceased  by  a 
daughter.  Oickle  was  retired  as 
manager  of  research  engineering 
for  United  Technologies 
Research  Division,  where  he 
worked  for  33  years.  He 
belonged  to  Lambda  Chi  Alpha, 
Tau  Beta  Pi  and  Sigma  Xi. 

William  W.  Robinson  '45  of 

Rockport,  Maine,  died  Dec.  1 1, 
2001.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Carolyn,  two  sons  and  two 
daughters.  Robinson  was  a 
senior  civil  engineer  with  the 
Massachusetts  Department  of 
Public  Works.  He  belonged  to 
Phi  Gamma  Delta. 

Former  WPI  ttustee  Edward 
R.  Funk  '46  of  Worthington, 
Ohio,  died  Dec.  4,  2002. 
Husband  of  Ingebotg  (Peitz) 
and  father  of  Daniel  A.  Funk 
77,  he  also  leaves  a  daughter,  a 
stepson,  a  stepdaughter  and 
eight  grandchildren.  Funk  was 
chairman  of  Superconductive 
Components  Inc.,  which  he 
founded  with  Inge  in  1988. 
They  previously  founded  and 
ran  Funk  Fine  Cast  and 
Danninger  Medical  Co.  Funk 
served  as  a  trustee  from  1985  to 
1996  and  was  a  member  of  the 
President's  Advisory  Council. 
He  belonged  to  Sigma  Alpha 
Epsilon,  Skull,  Sigma  Xi  and 
Tau  Beta  Pi. 

Harris  J.  DuFresne  '47  of 

Trenton, 
Mich.,  died 
Nov.  30, 
2001. 
His  wife, 
Eleanor,  sur- 
vives him. 
DuFresne  was  a  retired  field 
service  engineer  for  Siemens- 
Allis.  He  belonged  to  Phi 
Kappa  Theta,  Tau  Beta  Pi 
and  Pi  Delta  Epsilson. 


Robert  H.  Hinckley  '47  of 

Lexington, 
Mass.,  died 
Nov.  12, 
2001.  He 
leaves  his 
wife,  Betsy 
(Griswold), 
a  son,  three  daughters,  seven 
grandchildren,  two  step-grand- 
children and  four  great-grand- 
children. Hinckley  received  an 
MBA  from  Harvard  University. 
His  career  in  aerospace  engi- 
neering included  positions  with 
the  Raytheon,  RCA  and 
Burroughs  corporations,  and 
NASA's  Electronics  Research 
Center.  He  also  managed  air- 
port and  rail  noise-abatement 
programs  for  the  Federal 
Transportation  Systems  Center. 

Arthur  W.  Collins  '48  of 

Lancaster,  Pa.,  died  Dec.  17, 
2001.  A  parent  attorney  in  the 
procurement  department  of  the 
Philadelphia  Naval  Base,  he 
held  a  law  degree  from  Temple 
University.  After  retiring  from 
government  service  in  1975,  he 
practiced  family  law  at  the 
Delaware  County  Legal 
Assistance  Office.  Surviving  are 
his  wife,  Joyce  (Christensen), 
four  sons,  a  daughter  and  nine 
grandchildren.  Collins  belonged 
to  Sigma  Alpha  Epsilon,  Tau 
Beta  Pi  and  Skull. 

George  Goshgarian  '48  of  East 


^tom- 

Falmouth, 

^n* 

Mass.,  died 

f      ) 

Nov.  3, 

M  $3%  $& 

2001.  He 

%      <~ 

leaves  his 

~ 

wife,  Isabel 

AX. 

(Calusdian), 

two  sons,  a  daughter  and  two 
grandchildren.  Goshgarian  was 
retired  as  chief  mechanical  engi- 
neer for  The  Torrington  Co.,  a 
division  of  Ingersoll-Rand. 


Romeo  J.  Ventres  '48  of  New 

Canaan, 
Conn.,  died 
Dec.  25, 
2001. 

Predeceased 
by  his  wife, 
Norma 

(Chapman),  he  is  survived  by 
two  sons,  five  daughters  and  15 
grandchildren.  Ventres  was  the 
retired  chief  executive  officer  of 
Borden  Inc.  A  recipient  of  the 
1988  Robert  H.  Goddard 
Alumni  Award  for  Outstanding 
Ptofessional  Achievement,  he 
was  a  member  of  the  President's 
Advisory  Council,  Tau  Beta 
Kappa  and  Phi  Kappa  Theta. 

Roger  K.  Kane  '49  of  Hudson, 
Mass.,  died  Jan.  18,2002.  He 
leaves  his  wife,  Shirley 
(Cummings),  three  sons,  three 
daughters  and  nine  grandchil- 
dren. Along  with  his  late  broth- 
er, Alden,  Kane  founded  a  con- 
crete business  and  built  Kane 
Industrial  Park.  He  also  estab- 
lished Kane  Self-Storage. 

Murad  Piligian  '49  of 

Needham,  Mass.,  died  June  2, 
2001.  His  wife,  Dorothy,  sur- 
vives, along  with  four  children. 
Piligian  was  a  retired  U.S.  Air 
Force  deputy  commander,  tacti- 
cal systems.  He  belonged  to  the 
Alden  Society. 

Mack  J.  Prince  '49  of  West 
Kingston,  R.I.,  died  Oct.  8, 

2001.  Survivors  include  his 
wife,  Jane,  two  sons  and  a 
daughter.  Prince  was  a  professor 
emeritus  of  electrical  engineer- 
ing at  the  University  of  Rhode 
Island,  where  he  had  taught 
since  1955-  He  belonged  to 
Alpha  Epsilon  Pi,  Sigma  Xi  and 
Tau  Beta  Pi. 

Robert  F.  Shannon  '50  of 

Worcester  died  March  13, 

2002.  He  spent  his  38-year 
career  as  a  chemical  engineer  at 
Pfizer  Co.,  most  recently  as 
chairman  of  developmental 
research  safety  at  the  company's 
Central  Research  Laboratories. 
He  earned  his  master's  in  chem- 


ical engineering  from  WPI  in 
1951  and  was  a  Presidential 
Founder.  He  is  survived  by 
his  brother,  Paul  E.  Shannon, 
of  Worcester. 

John  M.  Tomasz  '51  of 

Amesbury,  Mass.,  died  Nov.  7, 

2001.  The  chief  project 
engineer  for  the  Boston 
Redevelopment  Authority 
until  his  retirement  in  1989, 
he  oversaw  the  waterfront, 
Charlestown,  North  Station 
and  Columbia  Point  projects. 
A  World  War  II  veteran,  he 
received  the  Distinguished 
Flying  Cross,  among  other 
honors.  Tomasz  leaves  his  wife, 
Eleanor  M.  (Little),  three 
daughtets,  two  sons  and  nine 
grandchildren.  He  belonged 

to  Alpha  Tau  Omega. 

Philip  B.  Crommelin  Jr.  '52 

of  Stanton,  N.J.,  died  Jan.  1, 

2002.  He  owned  a  consulting 
business  in  electrostatic  precipi- 
tation. Crommelin  held  four 
parents  on  air  pollution  control 
devices  and  authored  many 
papers  on  the  subject.  An  offi- 
cer and  director  of  EPSCO  Inc., 
EPSCO  International  Ltd.  and 
Southampton  Holding  Co., 

he  was  recognized  in  1998  as 
an  international  fellow  by  the 
International  Society  for 
Electrostatic  Ptecipitation.  He 
leaves  his  wife,  Ruth  (Miller),  a 
daughter  and  a  grandson.  He 
belonged  to  Lambda  Chi  Alpha. 

John  F.  Mitchell  '53  (SIM)  of 
Hopkinton,  Mass.,  died  April  9, 
2002.  He  was  82.  He  was  the 
husband  of  Mary  (Render),  and 
the  brother  of  Paul  M.  Mitchell 
'57  (SIM).  He  also  leaves  three 
daughters,  five  grandchildren 
and  two  great-grandchildren. 
Mitchell  was  a  former  treasurer 
and  a  director  of  Reed  Rolled 
Thread  Die  Co.,  where  he 
worked  for  26  years.  He  also 
attended  Bentley  School  of 
Accounting  and  received  a 
master's  degree  from  Harvard 
Business  School. 


Transformations    I   Fall  2002    43 


Earl  W.  Shaw  Jr.  '53  (SIM)  of 

Medfield,  Mass.,  died  Jan.,  14, 
2002,  leaving  his  wife,  Bette 
(Stewart),  five  daughters  and 
1 1  grandchildren.  He  was 
86.  With  degrees  from 
Northeastern  University  and 
WPI's  School  of  Industrial 

O  Management,  Shaw  built  a 

career  in  engineering,  first  at 
Standard  Car  Manufacturing 
Co.  and  Pratt  and  Whitney 
Aircraft,  later  at  Bird  Machine 
Co.,  where  he  was  a  senior  vice 
president  when  he  retired  in 
1982.  Shaw  also  served  in  the 
Navy  during  World  War  II  and 
in  the  Naval  Reserve  before 
retiring  as  captain  in  1963. 

Richard  A.  Loomis  '55,  a 

retired  General  Electric  employ- 
ee, Navy  veteran,  and  avid 
model  railroader,  died  in  East 
Harwich,  Mass.,  Dec.  3,  2001. 
He  leaves  his  wife,  Betty,  three 
sons  and  five  grandchildren.  A 
member  of  Lambda  Chi  Alpha, 
he  earned  a  master's  degree  in 
electrical  engineering  at  WPI 
in  1962  and  an  MBA  from 
Syracuse  University  in  1974. 
He  worked  for  GE  for  33  years. 
He  was  a  member  of  the 
NMRA,  the  Nauset  Model 
Railroad  Club  and  the  B&M 
Railroad  Historical  Society. 

Murray  A.  Cappers  Jr.  '57  of 

Long  Valley,  N.J.,  died  Aug.  27, 
2002.  He  was  a  managing 
consultant,  risk  control  strate- 
gies, for  Marsh  USA.,  Inc. 
and  previously  worked  for 
Factory  Insurance  Association 
and  Allied  Signal  Inc.  A  long- 
time member  of  WPI's  Fire 
Protection  Engineering 
Advisory  Board  and  a  fellow  of 
the  Society  of  Fire  Protection 
Engineers,  he  was  also  active 
in  the  National  Fire  Protection 
Association.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Peggy  (Johns),  a  son,  a  daugh- 
ter, and  two  grandchildren. 
His  other  son,  J.  Christopher 
Cappers,  died  Sept.  1 1,  2002, 
in  the  World  Trade  Center 
attack. 


Edward  J.  Foley  '57  of 

Holden, 
Mass.,  died 
Jan.  8,  2002. 
A  chemical 
engineer  with 
a  master's  in 
business  from 
Clark  University,  Foley  worked 
at  Norton  Co.  for  32  years, 
retiring  as  assistant  treasurer  in 
1990.  He  served  in  the  Army, 
and  for  many  years  taught  busi- 
ness courses  at  Quinsigamond 
Community  College.  He  is 
survived  by  his  wife,  Kathleen 
(Docherty),  six  daughters  and 
10  grandchildren.  He  belonged 
to  Phi  Gamma  Delta. 

Carl  J.  Kennen  '57  (SIM)  of 
Worcester  died  Oct.  18,  2001, 
at  the  age  of  85.  He  leaves  his 
wife,  Bernice  (Blood),  and  two 
daughters.  A  World  War  II 
veteran  and  a  Mason,  he 
worked  at  Coes  Knife  Co. 
for  43  years,  retiring  in  1980 
as  superintendent. 

Robert  J.  Dunn  '58  of 

Phoenix,  Ariz.,  died  Jan.  27, 
2002.  Before  earning  his 
mechanical  engineering  degree, 
he  served  in  the  Air  Force,  and 
later  obtained  a  master's  in 
political  science  from  Syracuse 
University.  He  worked  at 
Rockwood  Sprinkler  and  for  the 
Public  Administration  Service 
in  Chicago,  before  becoming  an 
engineer  for  the  city  of  Phoenix. 
He  retired  in  1994  after  22 
years.  He  is  survived  by  two 
brothers  and  a  sister.  He 
belonged  to  Phi  Sigma  Kappa. 

P.  D.  (Dave)  Edwards  '59  of 

Washington,  Texas,  died  Aug.  9, 
2001 .  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Alberta  "Bertie"  (Kauzmann),  a 
daughter,  two  sons  and  6  grand- 
children. Edwards  managed 
operations  for  chemical  plants 
throughout  the  country  and 
retired  in  1993  as  a  project 
manager  from  Quantum 
Chemical  (formerly  Chemplex 
Co.).  He  belonged  to  Sigma 
Alpha  Epsilon. 


David  A.  Evensen  '59  of 

Mission  Viejo,  Calif,  died  June 
30,  2002.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Joanne,  a  son,  two  daughters 
and  five  grandchildren.  A  for- 
mer professor  and  chair  of  the 
Aerospace  and  Mechanical 
Engineering  Deparrment  at 
Northrop  University,  his  career 
included  research  positions  at 
TRW,  Hughes  Aircraft  and  the 
J.H.  Wiggins  Co.,  as  well  as 
Army  service  at  NASA/Langley 
Research  Center.  Evensen  held 
numerous  patents  and  was 
widely  published  in  his  field. 
He  received  his  master's  degree 
and  doctorate  from  the 
California  Institute  of 
Technology  and  belonged  to 
Sigma  Phi  Epsilon,  Tau  Beta  Pi, 
Sigma  Xi  and  Pi  Tau  Sigma. 

Epaminondas  Philip  Koltos 
'59,  a  chemical  engineer  and 
patent  attorney  from  Burke, 
Va.,  died  Oct.  21,  2001.  A 
native  of  New  York,  Koltos 
received  his  law  degree  from 
the  University  of  Virginia  Law 
School  in  1963  and  did  patent 
work  for  Allied  Chemical  and 
General  Electric  before  joining 
the  Department  of  the  Interior 
in  Washington,  D.C.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  Patent  Bar 
Association  and  was  a  volunteer 
for  the  homeless.  Survivors 
include  his  wife,  Barbara 
(Semon),  and  four  daughters. 

Jerry  B.  Gibbs  '60  of 

Coopersburg,  Pa.,  a  chemical 
engineer,  Vietnam  veteran  and 
avid  farmer,  died  Jan.  2,  2002. 
He  earned  his  master's  from 
WPI  in  1962  and  worked  for 
Bethlehem  Steel  and  Air 
Products  before  becoming  a 
private  consultant  with 
Cryogenetic  Consultants. 
He  lived  on  a  small  farm  with 
his  wife.  Gail  (Peccavage). 
Also  surviving  him  are  two 
sons,  three  daughters  and  five 
grandchildren.  I  [e  belonged  to 
Skull,  Sigma  Xi,  Tau  Beta  Pi 
and  Alpha  Tau  Omega.  Tributes 
from  his  WPI  friends  are  posted 
at  www.heint/elmanlh.i.(ini. 


William  F.  Lahey  Sr.  '60 

(SIM)  of  Worcester  died  Aug. 
31,2001,  at  the  age  of  82. 
Predeceased  by  his  wife,  Doris 
(O'Connor),  he  leaves  two 
sons  and  four  grandchildren. 
A  World  War  II  veteran,  he 
worked  for  Pullman-Standard 
Co.  before  joining  the 
Massachusetts  Department 
of  Community  Affairs  as  a 
planning  engineer.  He  retired 
in  1986  after  27  years. 

Harold  J.  Pierce  '60  of 

Aberdeen,  Md.,  died  April  28, 
2002.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Ida 
Mae  (Forest),  two  sons,  two 
daughters,  eight  grandchildren 
and  a  great-granddaughter.  An 
Army  veteran,  Pierce  served  as 
an  electrical  engineer  at  the 
Aberdeen  Proving  Ground  for 
32  years.  He  was  a  founding 
member  of  the  Zeta  Mu  chapter 
of  Theta  Kappa  Epsilon 

Gordon  D.  Cook  '62  of 

Circleville,  Ohio,  died  in  2000. 
He  was  a  senior  engineer  with 
E.I.  Dupont  de  Nemours  &C 
Co.  He  is  survived  by  his  wife, 
Carol.  Transformations  recently 
received  notification  of  his 
death. 

Alfred  B.Orr '62  of  West 

Suffield,  Conn.,  who  was  hon- 
ored by  astronauts  for  his  con- 
tributions to  the  Apollo  Project 
and  the  space  program,  died 
Oct.  24,  2001.  A  37-year 
employee  of  Pratt  Sc  Whitney, 
he  retired  in  1999  and  became 
a  consultant  with  Belcan 
Engineering.  Orr  held  several 
patents  in  aircraft  engine  blade 
design  and  had  been  active  in 
the  space  program  since  its 
inception.  He  leaves  two 
daughters  and  his  former  wile, 
Nancy  (Caldor). 


44     Transformation*   I   /•',///  2002 


Stephen  W.  Ziemba  '62 

(MNS)  of  Springfield,  Mass., 
died  July  13,  2001.  Predeceased 
by  his  wife,  D.  Beverly  (Lyon), 
he  leaves  a  son,  a  brother,  and 
two  sisters.  After  a  32-year- 
career  in  Springfield  city 
schools,  Ziemba  retited  in  1993 
as  principal  of  Kennedy  Junior 
High  School.  He  was  a  graduate 
of  American  International 
College,  Springfield  College  and 
the  Master  of  Narural  Science 
program  at  WPI. 

Stanley  J.  Belcinski  Jr.  '63 

(SIM  '76)  of  Southborough, 
Mass.,  died  Nov.  27,  2001.  He 
worked  as  a  quality  assurance 
engineer  for  Raytheon  Co.  and 
Northrop  Grumman,  and  he 
was  a  member  of  the  American 
Society  of  Metals.  He  graduated 
from  the  School  of  Industrial 
Management  in  1976  and 
earned  a  master's  degree  in 
management  in  1986.  Belcinski 
is  survived  by  his  wife,  Janet 
(Pensalfini) ,  a  son  and  daughrer. 

Robert  W.  Olson  '63  (SIM)  of 
Ogunquit,  Maine,  died  Sept.  1, 
2001,  at  the  age  of  82.  After 
service  in  the  Army  Air  Corps 
during  World  War  II,  he  was 
employed  as  a  plant  engineer  by 
Crompton  &  Knowles  Loom 
Manufacturing  Corp.  for  29 
years.  In  retirement,  he  worked 
part-time  at  the  Hillcrest  Resort 
in  Ogunquit  for  20  years.  His 
wife,  Ruby,  died  in  1995.  He  is 
survived  by  a  son  and  grandson. 

Transformations  recently  learned 
of  the  death  of  Richard  C. 
DeLong  '64  (SIM)  of  New 
Harbor,  Maine,  in  2000,  at 
the  age  of  77.  The  son  of  Philip 
H.  DeLong  Sr.  '12,  he  joined 
Bay  State  Abrasives  in  1964 
and  retired  as  senior  projecr 
engineer. 


Ronald  G.  Friend  '65  of 

Franklin,  Mass.,  a  design  engi- 
neer for  the  Crosby  Valve  Co. 
for  23  years  and  a  veteran  of  the 
Vietnam  Wat,  died  Nov.  26, 
2001.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Ellen 
(Flagg),  a  son,  Matthew  J. 
Friend  '93,  a  daughter  and  two 
grandchildren.  He  belonged  to 
Sigma  Alpha  Epsilon  and  had 
earned  his  masrer's  in  mechani- 
cal engineering  in  1971. 

Thomas  F.  Moriarty  '65  of 

East  Lansing,  Mich.,  died  Oct. 
7,  200 1 .  A  stress  engineer  with 
experience  in  various  industries, 
most  recently  the  O'Gara 
Armoring  Co.,  he  was  a 
research  professor  at  the 
University  of  Tennessee  for  20 
years.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Ametican  Sociery  of  Mechanical 
Engineers  and  Sigma  XI 
Scientific  Research  Sociery.  He 
earned  his  M.S.  and  Ph.D.  in 
theoretical  and  applied  mechan- 
ics from  the  University  of 
Illinois.  His  wife,  Susan  (Ronk), 
a  son  and  a  daughter  survive 
him.  He  belonged  to  Sigma  XL 

Charles  Pollock  '67  (M.S.) 
of  Reston,  Va.,  died  Dec.  27, 
2000.  In  his  early  cateer, 
he  worked  for  Norton  Co., 
and  latet  did  public  relations 
for  National  Machine  Tool 
Builders.  He  belonged  to  the 
American  Society  of  Mechanical 
Engineers  and  the  National 
Society  of  Professional 
Engineers.  He  is  survived 
by  his  wife,  Jeanette  (Sakel). 


FPE  Pioneer  i 

Rolf  Jensen,  a  pioneer  in  the  fire  protection  engineering  field,  died 
Aug.  1  3,  2002,  in  Belleair,  Fla.,  at  the  age  of  73.  The  founder  and 
former  CEO  of  Rolf  Jensen  &  Assoc,  he  was  a  longtime  supporter  and 
advocate  of  WPI's  fire  protection  engineering  program. 

Jensen  was  an  emeritus  member  of  the  WPI  Fire  Protection  Engineering 
Advisory  Board  and  served  as  the  WPI  Entrepreneurs  Collaborative's 
first  entrepreneur-in-residence  in  1 996;  he  was  elected  an  honorary 
alumnus  by  the  WPI  Alumni  Association  in  2000.  Jensen  was  a  WPI 
Howard  W.  Emmons  lecturer  and  is  credited  with  the  original 
concept  for  WPI's  Graduate  Internship  Program. 

Contributions  in  memory  of  Rolf  Jensen  may  be  made  to  the  Rolf 
Jensen  Memorial  Fund  Endowment,  a  perpetual  fund  to  support  the 
mission  of  the  WPI  fire  protection  engineering  degree  program  and 
its  students.  For  further  information,  contact  Kathy  Kuhlwein  in  the 
Development  and  University  Relations  office:  kuhlwein@wpi.edu. 


William  D.  Poulin  '68  of 

Arlington, 
Texas,  died 
Oct.  4, 
2001,  when 
the  twin 
engine  plane 
he  was  pilot- 
ing ctashed.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Donna,  two  daughters  and  two 
grandchildren.  A  native  of 
Worcester,  Poulin  owned  Alamo 
Aviation  in  Arlington.  Earlier, 
he'd  been  a  vice  president  at 
United  Technologies  and  at 
B.F.  Goodrich.  He  belonged 
to  Lambda  Chi  Alpha. 

Donald  C.  Lavoie  '73  of 

Annandale,  Va.,  who  published 
extensively  on  Austrian  eco- 
nomics and  philosophy,  died 
Nov.  6,  2001.  He  earned  his 
Ph.D.  at  New  York  University 
and  was  an  assistant  professor  of 
economics  at  George  Mason 
University.  He  and  his  wife, 
Mary  (Gaildo),  had  two  sons 
and  a  daughter. 

Donald  W.  Campbell  74  of 

Hopkinton,  Mass.,  died  Sept. 
11,  2001,  after  a  long  illness. 
He  was  employed  as  an  engi- 
neer  at  Digital  Equipment  for 
18  years.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Diana  (Botelho),  and  a  daugh- 
ter. He  belonged  to  Sigma  Pi. 


Steven  D.  Dettman  '74  of 

Hollis,  N.H.,  an  electrical  engi- 
neer and  software  consultant, 
died  Aug.  24,  2001.  He  worked 
fot  Lockheed  Sanders  for  21 
years  before  becoming  a  con- 
sultant. He  is  survived  by  his 
wife,  Joanne  (Houle). 

Norman  Home  74  (MSM)  of 
Rocky  Mount,  N.C.,  fotmer 
vice  president  of  Harrington 
Business  Forms,  died  Sept.  18, 
2001.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Claudiette,  a  son  and  two 
daughters.  Home  earned  his 
bachelor's  degree  at  Hampton 
Institute  in  1958  and  his  mas- 
ter's degree  in  management  at 
WPI  in  1974.  He  served  as  a 
lieutenant  colonel  in  the  U.S. 
Ait  Force  at  Fort  Benjamin. 

Transformations  recently  learned 
of  the  death  of  Kathleen  Baron 
McGray  74  (MNS)  of  New 
Britain,  Conn.,  in  2000,  at  the 
age  of  55-  A  former  high  school 
teacher,  she  leaves  her  husband, 
Nicholas  L.  McGray  74. 

Richard  Caruso  75  of 

Flemington,  N.J.,  a  chemical 
engineer  with  Kvaerner, 
Bridgewater,  died  Dec.  23, 
2001,  in  an  automobile  acci- 
dent. He  leaves  his  wife, 
Lorraine,  a  son  and  two  daugh- 
ters. He  belonged  to  Sigma  Pi. 


Transformations    I   Fall  2002    4  5 


Joseph  A.  Soetens  75  of 

Paxton,  Mass.,  an  associate  pro- 
fessor of  business  management 
and  computer  science  at  WPI 
until  his  retirement  in  1992, 
died  Aug.  12,  2001.  A  CPA  in 
Europe  and  Africa  before  com- 
ing to  the  U.S.  in  1955,  Soetens 
earned  the  second  highest  mark 
in  the  country  when  he  took 
the  exam  for  his  American  CPA 
license.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  Association  of  Information 
Technology  Professionals.  His 
wife,  Ghislaine  M.  (Leleux), 
survives  him,  as  do  two  daugh- 
ters and  four  grandchildren. 

John  L.  Despres  78  (MNS) 
of  Harpswell,  Maine,  a  teacher, 
died  Oct.  13,  2001.  He  taught 
biology  at  Mass  Academy  for 
10  years,  then  taught  physics 
at  Brunswick  High  School  in 
Maine,  where  he  was  chairman 
of  the  science  department. 
He  is  survived  by  his  wife, 
Linda  (Dyer),  two  daughters 
and  a  son. 

Transformations  recently  learned 
of  the  death  in  1983  of  David 
E.  Olson  78  (M.S.EE). 

Clifford  S.  Duxbury  Jr.  79 

(SIM)  of  Paxton,  Mass.,  who 
was  a  WW  II  prisoner  of  war, 
died  Nov.  23,  2001,  at  age  77. 
An  Army  veteran,  he  served 
in  Normandy  and  was  taken 
prisoner  during  the  Battle  of  the 
Bulge.  He  worked  at  Norton 
Co.  and  Bay  State  Abrasives 
before  owning  Marketing 
Communications  Services, 


which  he  operated  for  18 
years.  He  had  also  been  a 
diplomatic  courier  for  the 
U.S.  Department  at  the  Paris 
Embassy.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Nancy  (Gould),  a  daughter, 
a  son  and  a  grandson. 

Mary  E.  (McLaughlin)  Wish 

'85  of  Hudson,  Mass.,  died  Jan. 
8,  2002.  She  worked  for  Digital 
Equipment  Corp.  for  10  years 
and  later  was  a  project  manager 
at  3COM  Corp.  She  belonged 
to  and  was  a  member  of  Epsilon 
Upsilon  Pi.  She  is  survived  by 
her  husband,  James  A.  Wish 
'85,  and  two  sons. 

James  A.  West  '87  of  North 
Grafton,  Mass.,  died  on  July  4, 
2002,  when  he  was  struck  by 
lightning  during  a  camping  trip 
in  Vermont.  He  leaves 
his  wife,  Susan  (Collier),  two 
daughters,  his  parents,  a  brother 
and  a  sister.  He  also  leaves 
his  brother-in-law  and  friend 
Ronald  Collier  '87.  West  was  a 
systems  audio  engineer  for  Bose 
Corp.  He  belonged  to  Tau  Beta 
Pi  and  Upsilon  Pi  Epsilon. 

Nicholas  J.  DiBenedetto  '96 

(SIM)  of  Dudley,  Mass.,  died 
Nov.  23,  2001,  at  the  age  of 
56.  He  leaves  his  wife  Denise 
(Morrissette),  a  son,  three 
daughters  and  six  grandchil- 
dren. He  was  a  production 
supervisor  for  Saint-Gobain 
Abrasives  Co.  for  37  years. 


Public  Eye 


Your  24/7 

Alumni  Community 

Find  out  who's  coming  to  Reunion.  Locate  your  classmates.  Find  out 
about  upcoming  alumni  events.  Post  a  class  note.  Chat  with  your 
friends  in  the  Alumni  Cafe.  WPI's  alumni  Web  site  offers  all  this 
and  more.  So  take  a  break  from  the  hustle  and  bustle  of  everyday 
life  and  join  your  friends  at  the  coziest  little  spot  on  the  Internet: 
www.wpi.edu/+Alumni. 


Phil  Baker  '65  was  part  of  an  Entrepreneurial  Roundtable  on  busi- 
ness risk  and  failure,  sponsored  by  the  San  Diego  Transcript. 
He  said  that  fear  of  risk  and  failure  kept  him  at  the  same  company 
for  20  years  before  he  started  Think  Outside,  maker  of  award- 
winning  portable  keyboards,  on  his  first  day  of  unemployment  .  .  . 
The  Segway  Human  Transporter  invented  by  Dean  Kamen  73 
is  showing  up  on  the  streets — and  on  TV  and  in  the  funny  papers. 
The  ~;!ondie  comic  strip  depicted  a  bewildered  Dogwood 
Bumstead  riding  one,  after  his  classic  early-morning  rush  out  the 
front  door  resulted  in  collision  with  his  Segway-riding  mail  carrier. 
In  a  recent  episode  of  NBC's  Frasier,  Frasier's  brother  Niles 
bought  a  Segway  to  avoid  the  need  to  walk.  Kamen,  who  received 
the  $500,000  Lemelson-MIT  prize  in  April,  had  his  earlier 
invention,  the  IBOT  Mobility  system,  featured  on  Dateli 
in  August .  .  .  Paul  Levesque  75  penned  a  "First  Person"  column 
for  MD&Di  (Medical  Device  &  Diagnostic  Industry)  in  April.  A 
25-year  veteran  in  the  private-sector  marketing  and  development 
industry,  he  is  also  CEO  of  the  First  Park  economic  development 
project  in  Waterville,  Maine.  An  interview  on  his  role  in  the  project 
appeared  in  the  Sunday  Mor  ling  Sentinel  .  .  .  N 
magazine  featured  the  work  of  Computer  Science  Professor  Matt 
Ward  77  in  a  July  4  story  on  data  visualization  techniques.  Two 
of  Ward's  colorful  graphs,  showing  data  on  banking  risk  and  auto- 
mobile efficiency,  were  used  to  illustrate  the  parallel  coordinates 
method  of  data  visualization  .  .  .  Lisa  Wadge  '80  was  profiled  by 
the  Harrl  The  story  on  her  environmental  detec- 

tion work  made  comparisons  to  the  movies  Erin  Bn 
and  A  Civil  Action.  Wadge's  new  Web  site,  www.mysitefinder 
.com,  makes  environmental  data  from  the  Connecticut  DEP  and 
federal  files  available  to  home  owners,  home  buyers,  and  anyone 
concerned  about  contamination.  Her  mission  is  to  educate  and 
empower  the  consumer  by  providing  streamlined  access  to  public 
records,  which  are  sometimes  lost,  misfiled  or  difficult  to  locate. 


46     Transformation!    I   Fall  2002 


Imagine  that  J.  Edgar 
Hoover,  Joe  McCarthy  or 
the  KGB  had  had  access 
to  this  technology.  A 
misguided  government 
official  or  organization 
clandestinely  plants  a  tiny 
$100  digital  video  camera 
at  the  site  of  a  legal  protest 
rally.  The  system  scans  the 
crowd,  eliminating  those 
faces  that  it  knows  belong 
to  its  own  operatives,  and 
stores  all  the  other  faces 
in  a  database  of  "undesir- 
ables." Rather  than  risk  a 
riot  by  arresting  members 
of  the  group  at  the  time  of 
the  protest,  the  resulting  database  is  transmitted  to  patrol  cars,  security 
checkpoints  and  supermarkets  throughout  the  city.  The  protestors  are 
quietly  rounded  up  in  the  coming  days,  when  they're  all  alone  with 
no  one  to  defend  them. 

This  chillingly  Orwellian  picture  must  be  the  concern  of  all  citizens, 
but  especially  of  those,  like  Mr.  Berube,  who  know  this  technology  best. 
I  am  a  big  fan  of  this  technology,  but  I  believe  it's  critical  that  those 
closest  to  it  lead  the  charge  to  prevent  and  counter  its  misuse.  Mr. 
Berube  shirks  his  responsibility  and  insults  the  intelligence  of  the  WPI 
community  by  failing  to  embrace  and  address  these  legitimate 
concerns. 

Marc  C.  Trudeau  '81 

Endicott,  N.Y. 


Denis  Berube  responds: 

With  regard  to  privacy  concerns  surrounding  face-recognition 
technology,  it  is  important  to  understand  that  Viisage's  system  does  not 
store  any  images  or  know  anything  about  the  individuals  being 
scanned.  The  system  simply  takes  an  image  of  the  individual  passing 
the  camera  and  compares  that  image  to  images  provided  by  law 
enforcement  to  determine  if  there  is  a  match. 

In  a  thoughtful  article  in  the  Sept.  1 ,  2002,  Boston  Globe,  Alan 
Dershowitz,  a  constitutional  scholar  known  to  be  an  avid  defender 
of  our  personal  and  constitutionally  protected  privacy,  addressed 
the  subject  of  privacy  in  the  age  of  a  terrorist  war.  Noting  the 
common  misunderstanding  about  the  difference  between  privacy 
and  anonymity,  he  said  no  one  is  granted  anonymity,  which  is 
contradictory  to  the  obligation  of  government  to  provide  services 
and  security  to  individuals.  He  called  a  national  ID  using  face- 
recognition  technology  acceptable. 

In  regards  to  the  issue  of  performance,  face-recognition  technology 
works  well  in  appropriate  applications.  Applications  for  which  it  is  well 
suited  include  visa  identification,  border  crossings,  driver's  licenses, 
airport  screening  and  police  booking  systems. 

There  has  been  a  considerable  amount  of  inaccurate  information 
reported  and  repeated  from  nontechnical  sources  with  regard  to  the 
performance  of  Viisage  technology  at  Boston's  Logan  International 
Airport  and  the  airport  in  Fresno.  Logan  conducted  the  most 
comprehensive  test  of  face-recognition  technology  anywhere  in  the 
nation.  Viisage  achieved  90  percent  performance  rates  during  that 
test — incredible  by  any  standards,  and  certainly  sufficient  to  help 
to  deter  a  terrorist  from  joining  one  of  us  on  an  airplane.  Face 
recognition  technology  can  play  an  important  role  in  making  our 
airports  safer  at  a  nominal  cost.  (The  Fresno  Airport,  by  the  way, 
issued  a  denial  of  the  story  mentioned  in  the  letter  shortly  after  it 
appeared.) 

There  are  14  companies  selling  face-recognition  technology.  Prior 
to  9/1 1 ,  two  face-recognition  companies  were  acknowledged  as 
competent  by  the  U.S.  Department  of  Defense;  Viisage  was  one  of 
them.  Often,  a  report  by  the  news  media  about  a  failure  of  face- 
recognition  technology  is,  in  fact,  about  the  failure  of  a  particular 
company's  technology.  With  so  many  newcomers  to  this  arena,  there 
are  plenty  of  opportunities  to  find  negative  news.  But  generalizing 
from  these  individual  failures  is  a  disservice  to  the  competent 
companies  that  provide  a  good  product  and  deploy  it  appropriately. 


Corrections 

In  the  Spring  2002  issue,  in  a  page  6  article 
on  WPI's  RoboNautica  competition,  Robert  W. 
Richardson  should  have  been  identified  as 
East  Coast  education  program  manager  for 
Intel  (not  FIRST  LEGO  League). 

In  the  list  of  alumni  awards  on  page  30, 
we  should  have  noted  that  George  Oliver  '83, 
winner  of  a  Washburn  Award,  is  now  vice 
president  and  general  manager  of 
GE  Betz  Inc. 


On  page  42,  we 
inadvertently  ran  the 
wrong  photograph  with 
the  obituary  for  William 
L.  Ames  '42.  This  is 
the  correct  photograph. 
We  wish  to  express  our 
sincere  apologies  to  the 
family  of  Mr.  Ames.  Our  apologies,  also  to 
E.  Eugene  Larrabee  '42,  whose  photo 
appeared  with  the  Ames  obituary. 


An  obituary  for  Robert  P.  Flynn  '78  on 
page  44  noted,  incorrectly,  that  he  was  a 
member  of  Alpha  Tau  Omega.  We  confused 
him  with  Robert  A.  Flynn  '78,  who  is  an 
Alpha  Tau  Omega  alumnus. 

In  the  caption  for  the  photo  accompanying 
Time  Machine  on  page  48,  we  incorrectly 
listed  the  late  Anthony  Kapinos  '33.  In 
addition,  we  incorrectly  identified  one  of 
the  items  donated  to  WPI  by  his  family. 
It  is,  as  many  of  our  readers  recognized, 
a  slide  rule. 


Transformations    I   Fall  2  002    47 


Time  Machine 


By  Vicki  Sanders 


Yankee  Ingenuity:  It's  All  in  the  Family 


Perhaps  it's  in  the  genes.  Maybe  it's  just  luck.  But  whatever  the  rea- 
son, there's  delicious  coincidence  in  Marian  Chaffe's  recent  award- 
winning  science  fair  project:  a  remote-controlled  device  that  extends 
the  walk  signal  at  intersections. 


Sixty-five  years  ago,  Robert  C.  Chaffe  '42,  Marian's  grand- 
father, devised  an  apparatus  that  could  change  the  stations  and 
adjust  the  volume  on  a  radio — also  by  remote  control.  His  invention 
earned  him  WTTs  Yankee  Ingenuity  Award — a  $500  prize  that 
enabled  him  to  attend  the  Institute. 

Marian  Chaffe's  idea  earned  her  the  first-ever  Frederick  P.  Fish 
Patent  Award  at  the  Massachusetts  State  Science  Fair  in  May. 
Funded  by  the  Boston  law  firm  Fish  &  Richardson  PC,  it  provides  a 
no-cost  patent  application  and,  if  a  patent  is  granted,  the  possibility 
of  commercializing  the  product. 


When  Marian  began  work  on  her  junior-year  science  project 
at  Massachusetts  Academy  of  Mathematics  and  Science  at  WPI  last 
fall,  she  didn't  know  about  her  late  grandfather's  invention.  She  only 
learned  of  it  afterward,  when  her  father,  Dean  Chaffe  '81  (M.S.), 
who  has  kept  his  father's  paperwork,  noticed  the 
similarities  of  the  devices. 

The  Yankee  Ingenuity  Scholarship  was 
founded  in  1927  by  Henry  J.  Fuller,  an  1895  WPI 
graduate  and  a  son  of  its  second  president.  The 
award  was  given  annually  through  1960  to  the  New 
England  boy  who  submitted  a  project  that  displayed 
the  greatest  amount  of  the  trait  supposedly 
possessed  by  Yankees. 

A  requirement  for  winning  was  fashioning 
a  useful  object  in  a  novel  way  from  unpromising 
material.  In  its  report  on  Chaffe's  winning  entry, 
the  WPI  Journal  noted  that  though  temote-control 
tuning  devices  were  not  new,  he  "displayed  real 
ingenuity  in  the  design  and  construction  of  the  one 
he  submitted.  The  motor  was  from  a  junk  shop, 
the  gears  were  from  an  Erector  set,  and  the  springs 
were  from  various  old  clocks." 

Chaffe  went  on  to  a  business  career  after  stints 
as  a  flight  instructor  during  World  War  II  and  as 
a  researcher  for  Goodyear  Aircraft  Co.  But  he 
remained  a  lifelong  tinkerer.  "He  was  always  build- 
ing something,"  Dean  says,  recalling  the  basement 
workshop  where  he,  too,  spent  many  hours. 

Awards  for  electrical  engineering  devices  may 
have  skipped  a  generation  in  the  Chaffe  family,  but 
an  interest  in  the  subject  matter  did  not.  Dean  has 
spent  half  his  career  as  a  mechanical  engineer  and 
half  as  an  electrical  engineer.  In  fact,  he  helped 
Marian  with  some  of  the  programming  for  her 
science  fair  project.  By  all  accounts,  the  bloodline 
remains  strong. 

As  a  child,  Marian  was  always  taking  things 
apart  and  putting  them  back  together,  terrifying  her 
parents  by  opening  car  doors  while  in  her  car  seat 
or  getting  the  lids  off  childproof  medicine  bottles, 
exploits  that  earned  her  the  nickname  "Houdini."  Now  she's  turned 
her  ingenuity  to  grown-up  uses. 

Marian  may  have  inherited  her  science  curiosity  from  her 
paternal  grandfather,  but  the  inspiration  for  her  invention  came 
from  the  maternal  side  of  the  family.  When  she  heard  about  her 
mother's  parents'  fear  of  crossing  busy  intersections  near  their  senior 
complex,  she  was  inspired  to  create  a  handheld  radio  transmitter 
that  sends  signals  to  the  mechanism  that  controls  the  crosswalk 
signal,  prolonging  the  walk  light  as  long  as  needed.  If  patented  and 
commercialized,  it  will  allow  her  grandparents  to  cross  in  safety. 


48     Transformation*    I   Fall  2002 


Come  Jiackjto  WPI 
without  leaving  home. 


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Faded  sweatshirts  look  great  as  they  get  older,  but  eventually 
they  do  fade  away.  That  WPI  mug  won't  last  forever,  and  even- 
tually you  will  lose  your  cap  . . .  but  you  don't  have  to  lose  faith. 

This  is  not  a  problem  of  engineering  proportions  . . .  not  when 
your  WPI  bookstore  has  all  those  things,  and  a  whole  lot  more. 

Jackets,  diploma  frames,  alumni  chairs,  even  afghans  and 
stadium  blankets  are  just  a  click  away  at  wpibooks.com. 

If  it's  easier  for  you  to  call,  our  toll-free  number  is 
1  -888-wpi-books  . . .  and  if  you  happen  to  be  nearby, 


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Sponsored  by  the  WPI  President's  International  Advisory  Board  and  the  University's  Hong  Kong  Project  Center 

For  information  and  to  receive  an  invitation,  e-mail  forum2003@wpi.edu  or  call  WPI's  Office  of  External  and  Government  Affairs 

at  508-831-6024.  Details  are  also  available  on  the  Web  at  www.wpi.edu/+forum2003. 


fl 


ING    2003 


eople    and    Change 


The  Jet  Se« 

Whitney  and  WP1 
•artners 

ie  Science  off  Fiction 

Gary  Goshgarian  '64  writes  what  he  knows 

" 

A  Sphere  off  Influence 

Bob  Lindberg  '74  charts  a  bold  course 


*l  \   /§§ 


The  Telemedicine 

WPI's  remote  diagnostic  system  for  troops  may  change  healthcare  for  all  of  us 

Revolution 


Profiles  in  Giving 


William  R.  Grogan  '46 

Gift  Arrangement:  Charitable  Gift  Annuity 


On  Building  a  Better  WPI 

For  nearly  60  years,  Dean  Emeritus  Bill  Grogan  has  been 
a  decisive  force  in  creating  the  modern  WPI.  As  a  faculty 
member,  he  helped  introduce  WPI  to  project-based 
learning.  As  a  member  of  the  famous  faculty  planning 
committee  that  drafted  the  WPI  Plan,  he  helped  revolu- 
tionize science  and  technology  education.  And  as  the 
university's  first  dean  of  undergraduate  studies,  he 
championed  WPFs  pioneering  global  projects  program. 
Still,  with  all  the  changes  he's  seen  or  fostered,  for  many 
years  there  was  one  need  at  WPI  that,  for  Grogan,  remained 
unfulfilled.  "From  time  immemorial,"  he  says,  "I  felt  that 
there  was  a  need  for  what  I've  described  as  'the  living  room 
of  the  campus,'  a  central  place  with  student  services  where 
the  entire  campus  could  meet  in  a  variety  of  circumstances." 
When  WPI  began  planning  for  the  Campus  Center, 
Grogan  was  there  to  help  realize  his  longstanding  dream. 


On  Gift  Planning  at  WPI 

The  advisor  to  Phi  Kappa  Theta,  his  fraternity,  for  more 
than  half  a  century,  Bill  Grogan  chose  to  dedicate  his  gift  to 
office  space  in  the  Campus  Center  for  the  Interfraternity 
and  Panhellenic  councils.  Once  he'd  settled  on  the  what,  he 
next  turned  to  the  how.  "It  wasn't  long  before  my  research 
led  me  to  charitable  gift  annuities,"  he  says.  "I  didn't  know 
much  about  them,  except  that  the  older  you  get,  the  better 
it  gets."  In  exchange  for  a  gift  of  stock  that  will  ultimately 
be  directed  to  the  Campus  Center's  endowment,  Bill 
receives  annual,  fixed  payments  for  life.  "The  opportunity 
to  support  the  Campus  Center  and  my  class's  50th 
Reunion — and  get  an  8.2  percent  annual  return  on  my 
gift — well,  that  was  definitely  the  best  investment  in  town, 
and  still  is!" 


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If  you  would  like  to  join  Bill  Grogan  and  the  many  others  who  are  enjoying  the  benefits  of  planned 
giving  at  WPI,  please  contact  Liz  Siladi,  Director  of  Planned  Giving,  at  1-888-WPI-GIFT. 


tarting  Point 


Embracing  Windmills 

Just  after  I  began  editing  Transformations  last  fall,  I  heard  a  radio 
news  story  that  summed  up,  for  me,  the  need  for  a  school  like  WPI 

The  reporter  said  that  Walter  Cronkite,  retired  newsman  and 
Nantucket  Islander,  had  filmed  a  commercial  against  a  pro- 
posed wind  farm  on  Nantucket  Sound.  There  on  the  Mass  Pike, 
east  of  Sturbridge,  I  became  steering-wheel-slapping  mad. 

I  wasn't  surprised  that  a  citizen  of  that  removed  ZIP 
code  would  oppose  a  project  that  might  tarnish  his  pristine 
landscape;  "nimby"  (not  in  my  back  yard)  mentality  is 
everywhere.  What  angered  me  was  the  missed  opportunity. 
What  if  Cronkite  or  other  famous  islanders  had  put  their  weight 
behind  the  project,  had  embraced  the  windmills  in  the  manner 
of  Arianna  Huffington  heave-hoing  her  Lincoln  Navigator 
in  favor  of  a  hybrid  Toyota  Prius?  Hybrid  cars  and  windmills 
are  far  from  perfect  technologies,  but  with  a  celebrity  endorse- 
ment they  suddenly  are  worthy  of  our  attention. 

Cronkite's  stand  is  why  WPI's  mission  of  nurturing  tech- 
nological humanists  is  so  important.  New  technologies  can't  be 
created  in  a  vacuum.  If  the  public  isn't  ready  to  embrace  the 
risks  that  come  with  trying  something  new,  the  ability  to 
advance  society  is  lost.  Closed  minds  are  the  flypaper  in  the 
kitchen  of  possibility. 

WPI  requires  the  world's  future  engineers  and  scientists  to 
go  beyond  merely  thinking  and  creating.  They  must  come  out 
the  lab,  shake  hands  and  sell  their  ideas.  WPI  calls  on  stu- 
dents to  open  their  eyes  to  the  world  in  which  their  good 
work  must  find  an  accepting  audience — and  sometimes 
that  takes  convincing.  The  ability  to  communicate  as  well 
as  innovate  is  why  Robert  Lindberg  was  able  to  push  the 
boundaries  of  the  space  industry  (page  12)  and  why  WPI 
students  are  a  valuable  asset  to  jet  engine  maker  Pratt  & 
Whitney  (page  26).  This  skill  set  sets  WPI  graduates  apart. 

There  are  questions  about  the  windmill  project,  of 
course.  How  will  wildlife  adapt?  Will  altering  the  landscape 
be  worth  the  clean  energy  produced?  Some  think  24  square 
miles  of  giant  spinning  machines  in  the  middle  of  the  sound 
will  look  ghastly;  to  others  it  seems  a  thing  of  beauty. 

This  issue  will  be  argued 
in  the  coming  months,  but  to  me, 
the  vision  of  all  those  windmills 
looks  like  just  one  thing:  progress. 
It's  what  happens  when  people 
and  ideas  evolve  in  tandem.  It's  » 

what  happens  every  day  at  WPI. 
Carol  Cambo 
Editor 


April  23    It's  Not  Who  You  Know,  It's  Who 
Knows  You.  An  evening  for  New  York  City-area 
WPI  alums  with  corporate  veteran  Alan  Glou, 
president  of  Glou  International.  The  Lotos  Club,  5 
East  66th  St.,  New  York;  6:30-8:30  p.m.,  $20 
per  person.  E-mail  regional-events@wpi.edu  or  call 
508-831-5600. 

May  1     Technological  Humanist  Award  Dinner. 

Inaugural  presentation  of  this  WPI  award  for 
outstanding  Massachusetts  high  school  teachers  who 
help  students  see  how  science  and  technology  are  tools 
for  improving  the  world.  Campus  Center  Odeum, 
5:30  p.m.  By  invitation.  Visitwww.wpi.edu/-i-THA. 

May  3    Red  Sox  vs.  Minnesota  Twins.  Sponsored 
by  the  Class  of  2000  Board  of  Directors  for  the 
Class  of  2000  and  their  guests.  Fenway  Park, 
Boston.  Visit  alum.wpi.edu/+ClassOf2000. 

May  8-9    Fuel  Cell  Fundamentals.  A  one-and-a- 
half-day  course  on  the  fundamental  aspects  of  fuel 
cell  technology,  from  electrochemistry  to  transport 
and  catalysis.  Sponsored  by  the  Office  of 
Continuing  and  Professional  Education  and  the 
Department  of  Chemical  Engineering.  WPI  Campus; 
$1,195.  Visitwww.ce.wpi.edu/FC/. 

May  1 6    Baccalaureate  Ceremony. 

Alden  Memorial;  5:30-6:30  p.m.  Call  508-831- 
5291  or  visit  www.wpi.edu/+commencement. 

May  17    1 35th  Commencement  Exercises. 

Quadrangle;  1  1  a.m.  Call  508-831-5291 
or  visit  www.wpi.edu/-t-commencement. 

June  5-8    Reunion  2003.  Reconnect  with  old 
friends  and  learn  something  new:  the  first-ever 
Alumni  College  is  a  weekend-long  symposium 
of  discussions,  lectures  and  interactive  sessions 
led  by  faculty,  alumni  and  other  distinguished 
members  of  the  WPI  community.  E-mail 

reunion@wpi.edu  or  call  508-831-5600. 


A    Journal    of     People    and    Change 


>ri 


1 2  The  Bold  Trajectory  of  Robert  Lindberg 

i       First  developing  satellite  technologies  and  X-planes,  and  now  leading  NASA's 
new  aerospace  research  institute,  Bob  Lindberg  '74  charts  a  daring  course. 
By  Ray  Bert  '93 


1 6  On  the  Front  Lines  of  Telemedicine 

With  the  U.S.  Army's  Telemedicine  and  Advanced  Technology  Research 
Center  (TATRC),  WPI  is  developing  battlefield  technologies  that  will  change 
the  delivery  of  healthcare  for  all  of  us.  By  Michael  W.  Dorsey 

22  The  Science  of  Fiction 

Professor  and  novelist  Gary  Goshgarian  '64,  known  to  readers  as  Gary 
Braver,  explores  the  literary  what-if  world  of  groundbreaking  medical  science. 
By  Joan  Killough-Miller 


26  The  Jet  Set 

When  it  comes  to  building  jet  engines,  Pratt  &  Whitney  has  discovered  the 
best  way  to  stay  on  top:  forging  a  partnership  with  WPI.  By  Carol  Cambo 

30  A  Soul-Searching  Superhero 

Finding  the  connection  between  work  and  passion  can  be  an  engineer's  greatest 
challenge.  Or  it  can  be  as  easy  as  sitting  in  a  tree.  By  Nina  Simon  '02 


On  the  Cover:  Cadet  Justen  T.  Garrity  '04  of  the 
Bay  State  Battalion  of  the  Reserve  Officers'  Training 
Corps  (ROTC),  headquartered  at  WPI.  represents 
the  future  of  the  American  military.  With  technologies 
currently  being  developed  at  WPI,  a  soldier's  health 
will  be  monitored  from  a  distance  during  combat. 
(See  "On  the  Front  Lines  of  Telemedicine."  page  16.) 


II 


48  Time  Machine 


4/5/6  Campus  Buzz 

Teacher  of  the  year;  Segways  on  campus; 
and  more  news  from  WPI 


10/11   Investigations 

A  better  way  to  gauge  heart  disease; 
the  private  lives  of  public  policies 


7  A  Few  Words 

With  Thomas  Shannon,  WPI  Professor  of  Religion 
and  Social  Ethics,  on  bioethics 


32/33  Alumni  Connections 

Why  Joyce  Kline  '83  volunteers; 
notes  from  California 


8  Explorations 


WPI  students  follow  their  e-nose  to  Ireland 


9  Inside  WPI 

Distance  learning  delivers  the  classroom  to  the  student 


34  Class  Notes 


48  Time  Machine 


Jon  Titus  '67  opened  the  door  for  home  computing 


On  the  Web  www.wpi.edu/+Transformations 


The  conversation  doesn't  end  here.  Be  sure  to  check  out  the  online  edition  of  the  Spring  2003 
Transformations,  where  you'll  find  extra  features  and  links  related  to  the  stories  in  this  issue. 
While  you're  online,  send  us  your  news,  write  a  letter  to  the  editor,  or  chat  with  fellow  readers 
in  the  Transformations  forum  in  the  Alumni  Cafe. 


The  University  of 
Science  and  Technology. 
And  Life., 


Staff:  Editor:  Carol  Cambo;  Alumni  News  Editor:  Joan  Killough-Miller;  Design  Director:  Michael  J.  Sherman; 
Design:  Re:Design;  Production  Manager:  Bonnie  McCrea;  Production  Maven:  Peggy  Isaacson;  Director  of 
Communications:  Michael  Dorsey;  Department  Icons:  Art  Guy  Studios. 

Alumni  Communications  Committee:  Robert  C.  Labonte  '54,  chairman;  Kimberly  A.  (Lemoi)  Bowers  '90, 
James  S.  Demetry  '58,  William  J.  Firla  Jr.  '60,  William  R.  Grogan  '46,  Amy  L.  (Plack)  Marr  '96, 
Roger  N.  Perry  Jr.  '45,  Harlan  B.  Williams  '50. 

Transformations  (ISSN  1538-5094),  formerly  the  WPI  Journal,  is  published  four  times  a  year  in  February, 
May,  August  and  November  for  the  WPI  Alumni  Association  by  University  Marketing. 
Printed  in  USA  by  Mercantile/Image  Press. 


Diverse  views  presented  in  this  magazine  do  not  necessarily  reflect  the  opinions  of  the  editors  or  official  WPI  policies.  We  welcome  letters  to  the  editor.  Address  correspondence  to  the  Editor, 
Transformations,  WPI,  100  Institute  Road,  Worcester,  MA  01609-2280.  Phone:  508-831-6037;  Fax:  508-831.5820;  e-mail:  transformations@wpi.edu;  Web:  www.wpi.edu/-i-Transformations. 
Periodical  postage  paid  at  Worcester,  Mass.,  and  at  additional  mailing  offices.  Postmaster:  please  send  address  changes  to  address  above.  Entire  contents  ©  2003,  Worcester  Polytechnic  Institute. 


Honoring  a  Teacher  of  Teachers 

Judy  Miller's  first  cooperative  learning  experiment,  ironically, 
was  not  a  success.  In  the  late  1  980s  she  and  fellow  professor  Ron 
Cheetham  were  charged  with  revamping  introductory  biology.  "The 
way  we  were  teaching  was  boring,"  says  Miller. 
"So  we  threw  out  all  the  lectures  and  tests."  The 
next  semester  they  asked  students  to  design  a 
closed  life-support  system  for  long-term  space 
flight.  "Needless  to  say,  they  were  a  bit 
disoriented,"  she  remembers,  "and  I  got  the 
worst  course  evaluations  of  my  career!" 

Yet  Miller  knew  she  was  on  to  something:  students 
learn  best  when  they  are  actively  engaged.  Thus 
began  her  commitment  to  cooperative  learning  — 
for  students  and  for  teachers.  She  was  honored  for 
her  work  this  past  November  when  she  was 
named  Massachusetts  Teacher  of  the  Year  by  the 
Carnegie  Foundation  for  the  Advancement  of 
ifti^    "mtf  Teaching.  The  program  salutes  the  most 


outstanding  undergraduate  instructors  in  the  country— those  who 
influence  the  lives  and  careers  of  their  students.  "I  like  to  think  I  have 
an  effect  on  many  students  I  have  never  met  through  helping  their 
teachers  improve,"  says  Miller,  a  member  of  the  WPI  faculty  for 
25  years. 

She  divides  her  time  between  teaching  biology  and  directing  the 
Center  for  Educational  Development,  Technology  and  Assessment. 
She  might  give  a  workshop  on  teaching  methods  in  the  morning  and 
spend  her  afternoon  helping  students  test  and  explore  microbial  fuel 
cells.  Miller  also  directs  assessment  efforts  for  WPI  educational 
projects  funded  by  the  Davis  Educational  Foundation.  She  is  currently 
assessing  a  Davis-funded  program  to  improve  the  first  year  for 
undergraduate  students  through  experiences  that  create  community 
and  a  culture  of  learning. 

"I  wouldn't  have  won  this  award  without  the  long-term  support  of 
WPI,"  says  Miller.  And  without  Judy  Miller,  WPI  wouldn't  be  such 
a  dynamic  place  to  learn. 


Two  Awards  Are  Better  Than  One 


Since  its  inception  in  1974, 
WPI's  Global  Perspective 
Program  has  sent  more  than 
4,000  students  abroad 
(currently  about  500  students 
a  year— more  students  of 
science  and  engineering  than 
any  other  American  university). 
The  program  embodies  the 
best  that  WPI  has  to  offer  in  the 
way  of  nurturing  technological 
humanists:  scientists  and 
engineers  with  a  deeper 
understanding  of  the  world 
around  them. 


And  we're  not  the  only  ones 
who  say  so.  Last  fall,  NAFSA: 
Association  of  International 
Educators  selected  WPI  as  one 
of  16  schools  "doing  exemplary 
work  to  internationalize  the 
campus,"  out  of  120  nominees. 
NAFSA  will  highlight  WPI's 
program  in  a  major  report  due 
out  this  month,  and  again  at  its 
annual  conference  in  May. 

Educators  benefit  from  the 
global  programs,  too.  About 
half  of  WPI's  220-member 


faculty  have  advised  a  global 
project,  with  more  than  60 
teachers  advising  students  off 
campus.  It's  just  this  kind  of 
exceptional  faculty  development 
program  that  got  the  attention 
of  TIAA-CREF's  Theodore  M. 
Hesburgh  Award  committee. 
In  February,  WPI  was  one  of 
just  four  schools  awarded  a 
Certificate  of  Excellence  for  its 
enhancement  of  undergraduate 
teaching  and  learning.  WPI 
was  commended  for  equipping 


its  faculty  to  handle  unconven- 
tional roles  beyond  the  class- 
room necessitated  by  the  global 
program,  making  sure  educators 
have  the  skills  to  help  students 
succeed  educationally  as  well  as 
cope  with  safety,  social  and 
behavioral  issues.  On  behalf  of 
WPI,  Paul  Davis,  dean  of  the 
Interdisciplinary  and  Global 
Studies  Division,  accepted  the 
award  and  a  $5,000  cash  prize 
at  a  ceremony  in  February. 


Global  Perspective  Program:  By  the  Numbers 

From  the  latest  round  of  President's  IQP  Awards  (for  interactive  projects),  here  are  some  interesting  numbers: 


o 

10 


Hours  WPI  students  spent  hiking  to  the  Thai  village 
of  Kre  Khi  from  nearest  road  passable  to  vehicles 

Kilowatts  the  village  of  Kre  Khi  gets  from  Thailand's 
national  power  grid 


Kilowatts  the  WPI-designed  microhydro  system 
can  provide  Kre  Khi 

Cost  in  U.S.  dollars  to  build  the  microhydro  system, 
and  to  purchase  a  television  and  VCR 

Grant  in  U.S.  dollars  by  the  American  Women's 
Club  of  Thailand  to  implement  the  system 


f    Percentage  of  Bangkok's  population  that  has  lost  homes 
to  fire  in  the  last  1 5  years 

•    Average  time  in  minutes  it  takes  Bangkok's  volunteer 
fire  department  to  respond  to  calls 

Average  lime  in  minutes  Bangkok  Electric  Board 
spends  in  traffic  before  arriving  at  fire  scene  to 
cut  off  power  so  fire  fighting  con  begin 

Minutes  needed  for  power  cutoff  after  WPI-designed 
communications  system  is  in  place 


A     Transformations    \  Spring  2003 


Campus  Police 
Are  on  a  Roll 


It  may  not  be  faster  than  a  speeding  bullet,  but  it  has  enough 
horsepower  to  make  traveling  around  the  80-acre  WPI  campus  a 
breeze.  Last  fall,  WPI  became  the  first  university  in  the  world  to 
employ  Segway  Human  Transporters.  Campus  police  officers  use  two 
HTs,  to  rev  up  routine  patrols  (the  Segway  travels  six  to  eight  miles 
per  hour,  about  twice  the  speed  of  walking)  and  as  an  icebreaker 
between  students  and  officers.  The  Office  of  Admissions  uses  a  third 
Segway  HT  during  campus  tours,  college  nights  and  open  houses. 
Inventor  Dean  Kamen  '73  created  the  Segway  to  help  alleviate 
congestion  and  pollution,  especially  in  the  world's  cities. 


It  was  a  season  of  benchmarks.  In 
2002,  Malcolm  MacPherson 

celebrated  his  1 00th  WPI  victory 
as  coach  of  the  men's  soccer 
team.  The  men  won  16  games, 
the  most  ever  in  a  season, 
including  a  4-zip  victory  over 
Wheaton,  which  held  the 
number  one  spot  in  New 
England  and  was  ranked  sixth 
in  the  country.  WPI  went  to  the 
ECAC  playoffs,  making  it  to  the 
final  round,  where  Roger 
Williams  won,  4-1 . 

"After  the  game,"  says 
MacPherson,  "I  told  the  team 
that  even  though  it  was 
disappointing  to  lose,  when  you 
look  back  at  our  season  it  was 
quite  successful."  He  says  he 
knew  "on  paper"  they'd  be 
competitive  this  past  year,  but 
"you  never  really  know  until 
you  start  playing." 

MacPherson  credits  the  record- 
setting  season  to  seven  senior 
starters  and  a  team  with  passion 


for  the  game.  Co-captains  Mark 
Dion  '03  and  Jose  Goncalves 
'03,  both  All-New  England 
players,  led  the  charge  along 
with  Bob  Shanley  '03,  all  four- 
year  starters  for  the  Engineers. 
"Beating  Wheaton  will  be  the 
game  I  remember  when  I  look 
back  at  my  career  at  WPI,"  says 
Goncalves.  For  Dion,  starting 
each  of  69  games  in  his  four 
years  at  WPI  is  a  source  of  pride. 

With  the  bulk  of  MacPherson's 
starting  lineup  graduating  this 
spring,  he  knows  he  has  big 
cleats  to  fill.  Still,  some  of  his 
top  scorers  are  returning, 
including  juniors  Jim  Jenkins, 
Conn  Doherty  and  Matt 
Zuccaro,  and  leading  goal 
scorer,  Jim  Norton  '05. 
"Recruiting  is  always  the  key," 
says  MacPherson.  "Players  come 
to  WPI  knowing  that  they're 
going  to  get  an  outstanding 
education,  and  that  they  also 
can  play  a  game  they  love." 


Commencement  Speaker 

Shares  the  Value  of  Higher  Education 

Ellen  Ochoa  of  La  Mesa,  Calif.,  made  history  a  decade  ago  when 
she  became  the  first  Latina  astronaut  in  space.  Before  and  since,  she 
has  been  an  example  of  how  persistence  can  pay  off  in  the  world  of 
science,  especially  for  women.  At  WPI's  commencement  ceremonies 
on  May  17,  Ochoa  will  describe  how  her  passion  for  learning 
propelled  her  into  space. 

"I  always  liked  school,"  she  says, 
"and  being  an  astronaut  allows 
you  to  learn  continuously.  One 
flight,  you're  working  on 
atmospheric  research;  the  next, 
it's  bone  density  studies  or  space 
station  design." 

Ochoa  completed  her  doctorate  in 
optical  computer  research  at 
Stanford  after  earning  a  physics 
degree  and  top  honors  from  San 
Diego  State  University.  In  1  990 
she  was  selected  as  an  astronaut, 
one  of  23  from  a  pool  of  2,000. 

On  her  first  space  mission, 

Ochoa  operated  the  Discovery 

space  shuttle's  remote  manipulator 

system,  to  deploy  and  capture  a 

satellite  that  studied  the  solar  corona.  Her  second  mission,  in  1994, 

involved  analyzing  how  changes  in  the  sun's  irradiance  affect  the 

earth's  climate. 

Ochoa  flew  aboard  Discovery  for  a  third  time  in  the  spring  of  1999 
on  a  10-day  mission  to  complete  the  first  docking  to  the  international 
space  station.  In  April  of  last  year,  her  crew  delivered  and  installed  the 
S-Zero  truss  to  the  International  Space  Station  and  used  the  station's 
robotic  arm  to  maneuver  space  walkers  for  the  first  time. 

Based  at  the  Johnson  Space  Center  in  Houston,  Texas,  Ochoa  is 
currently  deputy  director  of  flight  crew  operations,  managing  and 
directing  the  Astronaut  Office  and  Aircraft  Operations  divisions. 

Ellen  Ochoa  will  be  accepting  an  honorary  doctor  of  science  degree 
from  WPI  at  Commencement.  Also  receiving  honorary  degrees  are 
Joseph  F.  Dobronski  '49,  retired  naval  aviator  and  test  pilot  and 
former  director  of  flight  test  and  operations  for  McDonnell  Aircraft, 
and  Ray  H.  Witt,  chairman  and  CEO  of  CMI-Management  Services 
Inc.  in  Smithfield,  R.I.,  who  provided  the  founding  gift  for  the  Ray  H. 
Witt  Metalcasting  Center  at  WPI. 

An  honorary  degree  for  Sheila  E.  Widnall,  professor  of  aeronautics 
and  astronautics  at  MIT  and  former  secretary  of  the  U.S.  Air  Force, 
will  be  announced  at  Commencement,  but  presented  at  a  separate 
event  later  in  the  year.  Widnall  was  recently  named  to  the  NASA 
commision  investigating  the  space  shuttle  Columbia  accident. 

Transformations    \   Spring  2003     5 


m 


X  MoreBuzz 


Feds  Send  $1  Million  to  WPI 


For  John  Orr,  the  tragic  fire  in 
the  Worcester  Cold  Storage 
building  four  years  ago  served 
as  an  inspiration.  "As  I  stood 
on  Grove  Street  watching  the 
procession  of  firefighters 
honoring  the  men  lost  in  the 
blaze,  I  thought  that  the  problem 
of  people  being  lost  inside  a 
building  is  something  technology 
should  be  able  to  solve,"  says 
Orr,  head  of  the  Electrical 
and  Computer  Engineering 
Department  at  WPI.  "I  knew 
that  we  had  all  the  basic 
pieces  here  to  find  a  solution." 

After  a  long  search  for  funding, 
a  recent  $1  million  appropriation 
from  the  Department  of  Justice 
budget  has  given  WPI  the 


means  to  tackle  the  problem. 
The  line  item  is  targeted  for  the 
development  of  law  enforcement 
and  first  responder  technologies. 
Orr  has  mapped  it  out  as  a 
three-year  project  at  WPI, 
culminating  with  the  develop- 
ment of  a  functioning  prototype 
locator  system 

Currently,  a  firefighter  typically 
will  use  a  rope  to  find  his  or  her 
way  out  of  a  burning  building... 
providing  it  doesn't  go  up  in 
flames.  Some  responders  wear 
alarms  that  sound  when  they 
stop  moving,  but  this  signal  gets 
drowned  out  by  the  noise  of  a 
large  fire.  "Neither  of  these 
methods  are  adequate,"  says  Orr. 


The  new  system  will  have  three 
main  components:  sensors  worn 
on  each  responder;  several 
reference  stations  (perhaps 
mounted  on  fire  trucks  at  the 
scene],  and  a  monitoring  and 
display  station  for  the  on-site 
commander,  all  connected  via  a 
wireless  network.  New  signal 
coding  algorithms  will  provide 
the  accuracy  needed  to  locate 
people  in  three  dimensions 
inside  complex  buildings.  The 
WPI  research  will  be  led  by 


electrical  and  computer 
engineering  professors  David 
Cyganski  and  Bill  Michalson, 
with  cooperation  from  David 
Lucht,  director  of  WPI's  Center 
for  Firesafety  Studies. 

One  of  the  biggest  challenges 
will  be  making  sure  the  system 
is  easy  to  use,  with  no  setup  or 
forethought  required,  says  Orr. 
"That's  important,  because  of  the 
selfless  nature  of  a  firefighter,  of 
their  instinct  to  save  others  even 
at  the  price  of  their  own  life." 


Video  Games  That  Matter 


The  son  of  a  first-grade  teacher  and  a  manufacturing  engineer, 
Nicholas  Baker  '03  has  the  perfect  blend  of  right-and  left- 
brain  acumen.  Baker  takes  his  duality  in  stride,  finishing  his 
double  major— in  philosophy  and  computer  science— with 
honors  this  spring  at  WPI.  Still,  even  he  was  surprised  to  be 
named  a  Marshall  Scholar  last  fall.  "I  thought  it  was  a  shot 
in  the  dark,"  says  Baker,  who  will  use  the  prize  (valued  at 
$60,000)  to  earn  two  master's  degrees  (in  computer  games 
technology  and  digital  games  design)  at  Liverpool  John  Moores 
University  in  Great  Britain  starting  next  fall. 

"I  grew  up  playing  video  games,"  says 
Baker,  who  admits  most  games  tend  to 
promote  themes  of  conflict,  pitting  good 
guys  against  bad  guys  in  often  violent 
scenarios.  "I  think  there  is  opportunity  to 
reach  people  with  a  message  of  activism 
using  video  games."  Baker  wants  to 
create  video  games  that  give  players  the 
responsibility  of  making  moral  choices 
about  contemporary  social  problems. 


The  Marshall  Scholarships  were  established  in  1  953  as  a 
British  gesture  of  thanks  for  U.S.  assistance  during  WWII 
under  the  Marshall  Plan.  The  idea  was  to  build  on  the  Rhodes 
Scholarships  but  with  fewer  restrictions  on  gender,  age  and 
place  of  study.  In  addition  to  intellectual  excellence, 
Marshall  Scholars  are  recognized  for  their  ability  to 
be  leaders  in  their  field  and  make  contributions 
to  society.  Baker  was  chosen  as  one  of  40  from  a 
highly  competitive  field  of  about  1 ,000  applicants. 


As  the  first-ever  Marshall  scholar  from  WPI,  Baker, 

a  native  of  Milford,  N.H.,  joins  an  elite  rank  of  past 

honorees,  including  U.S.  Supreme  Court  Justice 

Stephen  Breyer,  Duke  University  president  Nannerl  Keohane,  as  well 

as  Pulitzer  prize-winning  authors  and  noted  inventors.  Baker,  too, 

seems  bound  to  leave  his  mark  on  the  world  — of  video  games. 


s;» 


came  to  WPI  to  get  a  solid  technical 
background  without  being  forced  into  a 

'cookie-cutter'  computer 
science  degree,"  says 
Baker.  "I  was  surprised  at 
the  opportunity  to  study 
philosophy  at  the 
same  time.' 


tfl 


During  Baker's  interactive  prefect  in  London  last  year,  he  helped  develop  two 
Web-based  video  games  lor  Science  Year  (now  Planet  Science)   "Climbin' 
High"  is  a  rock  climbing  adventure  in  which  players  must  study  the  environ- 
ment and  think  analytically  obout  survival  in  order  to  win   "Feed  the  Mind" 
gets  players  involved  in  the  process  of  invention  and  creative  inspiration. 


6    Transformations   \  Spring  2003 


± 


J  science  is  developing  s 


s  ci  re 


I" 


3P 


Thomas  A.  Shannon 

WPI  Professor  of  Religion  and  Social  Ethics 


An  interview  by  Vicki  Sanders 

Professor  Thomas  Shannon,  a  pioneer  in 
the  field  of  bioethics,  participated  in  the 
Human  Genome  Project;  he  received  the 
first  grant  to  examine  the  relationship 
between  religious  issues  and  genetics.  He  is 
the  author  of  more  than  25  books,  among 
them  Made  in  Whose  Image?  Genetic 
Engineering  and  Christian  Ethics,  and  has 
been  a  professor  in  the  Department  of 
Humanities  and  Arts  since  1973. 

As  a  bioethicist  and  a  Roman 
Catholic,  do  you  have  a  particular 
lens  through  which  you  scrutinize 
genetic  engineering,  eugenics,  the 
Genome  Project  and  the  like? 
Yes,  I  look  through  a  2,000-year  tradition 
of  reflecting  on  moral  questions,  so  what  I 
bring  with  me  is  a  long  history  of  thinking 
about  many  of  these  topics.  I  also  am  part 
of  a  community  that's  engaged  in  a  lively 
debate  over  them. 

Does  your  perspective  put  you 
inside  or  outside  the  mainstream 
of  ethical  discussion? 

I  understand  myself  to  be  within  the  tradi- 
tion. I  do  push  it  a  lot  and  I'm  trying  to 
articulate  the  contemporary  relationship 
between  the  growing  edge  of  the  tradition 
and  science.  It  gets  harder  as  time  goes  on. 
The  questions  are  becoming  more  compli- 
cated, and  science  is  developing  so  rapidly 
that  the  implications  are  not  clear.  It  takes 
a  long  time  to  think  this  stuff  through,  and 
we  don't  have  that  luxury  anymore.  By  the 
time  you  think  about  a  new  development, 
five  more  are  coming  along. 

How  did  your  interest  in  religion 
and  ethics  lead  you  to  medicine 
and  the  sciences? 

It  was  happenstance.  I  did  my  graduate 
work  in  social  ethics — my  thesis  was  on  the 
just-war  theory — but  when  I  began  teaching 
at  an  engineering  and  science  college,  other 
problems  caught  my  interest.  Bioethics  was 
a  developing  field  and  I  recognized  how 


critical  the  issues  were.  Also,  UMass  Medical 
School  was  being  built  here.  Had  I  not  been 
at  WPI,  I  probably  wouldn't  have  gotten 
involved  in  this  field,  or  at  least  not  deeply. 

People  are  living  longer.  What 
ethical  issues  does  this  raise  about 
the  quality  of  life  and  preserving 
life  with  technology? 

The  key  ethical  issue  is,  does  intervention 
benefit  the  patient?  If  you  can  show  it  does, 
fine;  if  not,  after  a  couple  of  weeks,  you 
should  stop.  The  process  is  often  incremental; 
one  procedure  leads  to  another  and  another. 
All  of  a  sudden  you're  deep  in  a  technology- 
driven  situation.  Stopping  a  technology  is 
difficult  because  the  specialists  administer- 
ing it  get  committed  to  using  it.  Stopping 
seems  like  failing  the  patient. 

You've  written  aout  prevention  from 
an  ethical  standpoint.  What  does 
prevention  have  to  do  with  ethics? 

Prevention  benefits  the  population  at  large 
rather  than  a  targeted  group  or  an  individ- 
ual. Bioethicists  need  to  integrate  the  con- 
cepts of  social  justice  and  the  common  good 
into  thinking  about  healthcare.  How  can  we 
restructure  both  healthcare  and  society  to 
change  some  of  the  physical  outcomes?  We 
must  move  beyond  discussions  about,  say, 
removing  life  support  and  look  at  things 
like  heart  disease  caused  by  obesity  or  lung 
cancer  caused  by  smoking. 

What  is  your  ethical  concern 
about  human  cloning? 

I  don't  have  an  ethical  problem  with  cloning 
as  a  reproductive  technology  or  with  using 
it  to  generate  embryos  to  obtain  stem  cells. 
Ethically,  the  major  problem  is  that  cloning 
doesn't  work  and  it  certainly  isn't  safe  to  use 
for  reproductive  purposes.  But  people  with 
money  will  do  anything  they  want  and 
some  scientists  will  too.  Regulation  won't 
solve  that  problem  because  people  can  move 
offshore.  My  hope  is  for  a  core  of  ethical 
scientists  who  will  say  no. 


As  our  understanding  of  the  human 
genome  grows,  we  may  have  more 
ability  to  shape  the  genetic  makeup 
of  children.  Are  we  in  danger  of 
opening  the  door  on  an  era  of 
designer  babies? 

It  opened  30  years  ago  with  amniocentesis. 
We  can  choose  a  child's  sex  now,  and  we  can 
eliminate  fetuses  with  particular  diseases.  But 
the  assumption  that  genetics  controls  every- 
thing is  a  bankrupt  idea.  The  mythology  is, 
if  you  clone  Michael  Jordan,  the  progeny 
will  grow  up  to  be  great  basketball  players. 
However,  one's  genetic  profile  isn't  a  total 
predicator  of  what  the  person  will  be  like. 
What  happens  to  the  couple  who  pays 
$50,000  for  eggs  from  a  tall,  Ivy  League 
female  athlete  with  an  SAT  score  of  1,500 
and  the  kid  turns  out  not  to  be  so  smart  or 
good-looking,  and  doesn't  like  sports? 

Are  there  opportunities  at  WPI  to 
influence  the  ethical  sensibilities  of 
future  scientists  and  engineers? 

All  students  here  have  to  minor  in  the 
humanities,  which  adds  dimension  to  their 
perspective.  When  they  hit  the  Interactive 
Qualifying  Project,  they  are  required  to  look 
at  the  interaction  of  technology  and  society 
and  think  about  the  implications.  For  exam- 
ple, I  have  a  group  of  students  using  their 
IQP  to  determine  if  animals  should  be  used 
in  research.  These  kinds  of  projects  open  up 
new  horizons  for  students. 

Vicki  Sanders  is  a  free-lance  writer  and 
editor  who  lives  in  Brookline,  Mass. 


Transformations    \   Spring  2003     7 


»J  Explorations 


3*  Ml*1 


f^SP" 


\  The  Smell  of  Success 

WPI  students  in  Ireland 
put  their  noses  to  the  grindstone 


The  human  nose  is  a  thing  of  wonder.  It 
can  distinguish  as  many  as  10,000  different 
odors.  Yet  if  we  spend  too  much  time  near  a 
perfume  counter,  our  olfactory  powers  begin 
to  fail. 

Enter  the  e-nose.  WPI  undergrads  Joe 
FitzPatrick,  Colby  Hobart  and  Nate  Liefer 
spent  1 0  weeks  last  fall  in  Ireland  completing 
their  major  project:  developing  a  hand-held 
gaseous  molecule  detector,  also  known  as  an 
electronic  nose.  The  University  of  Limerick 
and  a  private  company,  AMT-Ireland,  co- 
sponsored  the  project  as  part  of  the  univer- 
sity's program  to  spin  off  technology  prod- 
ucts and  businesses.  The  e-nose  is  funded 
by  a  European  Union  grant. 

Hobart,  FitzPatrick  and  Liefer  spent  10 
weeks  designing  and  testing  nanotechnology 
circuitry  for  one  of  the  most  sensitive 
e-noses  developed  to  date.  While  similar 
devices  are  being  designed  to  sniff  out  land- 
mines or  noxious  gas  leaks,  Intelli-SceNT 
has  mass-market  appeal  in  sniffing  out  the 
freshness  of  food. 


After  an  hour  in  the  presence  of  strong 
odors,  our  noses  begin  to  lose  sensitivity. 
What  if  your  ability  to  smell  is  crucial  to  your 
business?  You  need  a  more  dependable  nose, 
one  that  can  put  in  an  8-to-5  day. 

Jeff  Shilling,  vice  president  of  produce 
procurement  for  RLB  Food  Distriburors  of 
West  Caldwell,  N.J.,  says  there  is  a  market 


temperature  and  humidity  measurements 
to  help  detect  and  analyze  odors.  The  end- 
product  will  be  a  hand-held  device,  much 
like  a  Palm  Pilot,  that  inspectors  can  use  to 
grade  the  freshness  of  food.  When  it  reaches 
the  consumer  market,  sometime  in  2005, 
it  is  slated  to  retail  for  under  $1,000.  The 
e-nose  won't  be  as  sensitive  as  the  human 
nose,  explains  Colby,  "but  it  has  advan- 
tages— like  being  objective.  It  can  'smell' 
odorless  substances.  It's  consistent,  and  it 
doesn't  tire  out." 

The  students  got  a  taste  of  the  pace  of 
research  and  development  during  the  proj- 
ect. Of  their  10  weeks  in  Limerick,  they 
worked  just  four  days  building  the  circuit. 

After  spending  the  fitst  three  weeks 
toiling  in  the  Limerick  lab  on  background 
research,  Leifer  says  the  team  had  a  break- 
through. "We  discovered  the  Anderson 
Loop,  an  improved  circuit  that  NASA 
developed  to  detect  precise  repeatable  meas- 
urements to  small  changes  in  a  circuit — one 
part  in  10,000  changes  in  resistance.  This  is 
a  much  finer  circuit  than  we  knew  of,  and 
was  just  what  we  needed." 

The  students  also  got  a  taste  of  life  in 
the  Emerald  Isle,  having  the  experience  of  a 
"home  stay."  Theit  host,  Peggy  Doran, 
treated  them  to  true  Irish  breakfasts  of 
meat,  potatoes,  blood  pudding  and  spiked 
coffee.  On  weekends,  the  trio  gtabbed  their 
backpacks  and  explored  the  countryside, 
visiting  ruins  and  landmarks. 

"This  team  tackled  a  project  that 
would  normally  be  given  to  seasoned  engi- 
neers," says  Professor  Rick  Vaz,  co-advisor. 
"They  were  handed  a  copy  of  a  proposal 
and  told  to  make  it  happen."  Despite  the 


"This  team  tackled  a  project  that  would  normally 
be  given  to  seasoned  engineers,"  says  Professor 
Rick  Vaz,  co-advisor. 

challenging  nature  ol  the  work,  it  was  hard 
to  get  respect  from  their  peers.  "I'd  call 
home  and  tell  them  what  we  were  doing, 
said  Liefer.  "And  they'd  saw  so.  basically, 
you're  building  a  schno/."' 

Well,  it's  more  like  a  super  schnoz,  one 
that  can  sniff  out  spoiling  meat  in  a  single 
whiff  choose  the  most  fragrant  rose  from 
dozens,  and  prevent  mn  bad  apple  from 
spoiling  the  bunch.  The  usclulncss  ol  such 
a  device  is  .is  plain  as  the  nose  on  youi  I 

—cc 


RLB  moves  80,000- 
100,000  cases  of 
fresh  fruits  and  veg- 
etables each  week.  Financial  decisions  are 
made  on  a  sniff  and  a  taste.  "If  an  electronic 
nose  could  detect  one  spoiled  apple  or 
orange  in  a  case  and  prevent  further  spoil- 
ing, that  would  be  useful  and  cost-effective," 
says  Shilling.  "It  would  also  have  an  applica- 
tion for  floral  goods,  which  we  buy  lor  both 
appearance  and  fragrance." 

In  Ireland,  the  W'l'l  students  designed 
functional  prototype  circuitry  to  interlace  gas 
particle  sensors  with  a  desktop  or  a  pocket- 
sized  computer.  The  circuitry  also  makes 


8    Transformations   \  Spring  2003 


By  Vicki  Sanders 


Delivering  the  Classroom  to  the  Student 


Since  1979,  when  a  group  of  management  professors  commandeered  storage 
space  in  Higgins  Labs  and  set  up  a  rudimentary  video  studio,  launching  WPI's  first 
distance  learning  course,  off-campus  educational  opportunities  have  proliferated. 
Technological  advances  and  workplace  globalization  have  made  distance 
study  more  convenient  and  desirable:  15  percent  of  graduate  credit 
hours  at  WPI  are  now  taken  at  a  distance,  double  the  enrollment  of 
five  years  ago.  To  off-campus  students,  the  benefit  is  immense. 

Take,  for  example,  Elisa  Baker  '02,  a  master's  candidate  in 
fire  protection  engineering.  Normally,  Baker  would  have  had 
to  suspend  her  course  work  for  a  year.  Through  WPI's 
Advanced  Distance  Learning  Network  (ADLN),  she  enrolled 
in  FPE  570,  Building  Fire  Safety,  and  completed  the  course 
without  setting  foot  in  the  classroom. 

"I  liked  the  flexibility  to  attend  a  lecture 
whenever  it  was  convenient,"  says  Baker,  who'd 
pop  the  weekly  videotaped  lectures  into  her  home  VCR. 
The  tapes  arrived  by  mail;  course  materials  and  exchanges 
among  students  and  the  professor  were  handled  online. 
For  a  group  assignment,  Baker  teamed  up  with  distance 
learners  in  Washington,  Illinois  and  Massachusetts. 

WPI  offers  three  master's  degrees  through  distance 
learning  — in  business  administration,  fire  protection 
engineering  and  environmental  engineering— and  several 
graduate  certificates.  Distance  students  take  the  same 
classes  as  on-campus  participants.  "That  sets  us  apart  from 
many  colleges,"  says  Pam  Shelley,  assistant  director  of  ADLN. 
"We  are  not  hiring  outside  people  to  teach  distance  learning 
courses.  We  are  not  watering  down  the  WPI  degree  at  all." 

Baker  was  so  satisfied  with  her  experience,  she's  considering 
taking  another  class  by  distance  when  she  returns  to  campus. 
"You  can  watch  lectures  in  the  evening,  rewind,  ask  questions 
of  the  professor,  and  talk  to  other  students  by  e-mail,"  she  says 
"It's  just  so  incredibly  convenient." 

While  pursuing  her  master's  through  distance  learning,  Baker  interned  last  fall 
at  the  National  Institute  for  Standards  and  Technology  in  Washington,  D.C., 
investigating  the  causes  of  the  collapse  of  the  World  Trade  Center  Building  5. 


Getting  to  the  Heart  of  the  Matter 


Dalin  Tang,  professor  of  computational  math- 
ematics and  biomedical  engineering,  has 
developed  computer  models  that  will  help  com- 
bat heart  disease.  The  models  can  help  doc- 
tors make  predictions  about  blood  flow,  stress 
on  arteries,  and  the  growth  of  plaque  — all  key 
factors  in  determining  how  close  a  patient's 
arteries  are  to  rupturing.  In  Fig.l,  an  MRI 
image  of  a  human  carotid  artery  shows  dan- 
ger signs:  a  fibrous  cap,  calcifications  and 
lipid  pool.  Fig.  2  plots  the  contours— including 
location  and  magnitude— of  stress  to  the 
artery  wall. 


More  than  61  million  Americans — better  than  one  in  five — have  some  sort  of  cardiovascular 
disease,  the  leading  cause  of  death  in  the  United  States,  according  to  the  American  Heart 

Association.  Dalin  Tang,  professor  of  computational  mathematics  and  biomedical 
engineering  in  WPI's  Mathematical  Sciences  Department,  hopes  his  computer 
models  of  stenotic  arteries  (arteries  abnormally  narrowed  by  plaque  buildup)  will 
help  reduce  the  death  toll  from  heart  disease. 

Tang's  goal  is  to  help  physicians  determine  how  close  their  patients'  stenotic 
arteries  are  to  rupturing.  With  this  data,  doctors  may  be  able  to  head  off  strokes 
and  heart  attacks. 

Tang  says  thete  are  a  number  of  factors  that  complicate  this  research.  The 
development  of  arterial  diseases  is  a  complex  process;  accurate  data  from  real 
patients  is  hard  to  get;  and  the  research  crosses  many  disciplines.  Ultrasound  and 
MRI  scans,  commonly  used  to  detect  clogged  arteries,  provide  some  information, 
but  are  unable  to  measure  the  amount  of  stress  being  experienced  by  an  artery.  To 
provide  this  vital  information,  Tang  is  working  with  radiologists  to  simulate  how 
arteries  expand  and  contract  and  to  calculate  the  distribution  of  stress  inside 
artery  plaques.  This  information  can  be  used  to  predict  whether  a  plaque  is  likely 
to  rupture. 

"Much  of  our  research  in  this  area  remains  theoretical,"  says  Tang.  "But  we 
are  getting  closer  to  being  able  to  provide  the  medical  community  with  clinical 
information  that  they  can  use  in  their  diagnoses." 

Through  his  computational  modeling  and  experimental  investigations,  Tang 
can  make  predictions  about  blood  flow,  the  stress  and  strain  on  arteries,  and  the 
formation  and  growth  of  plaque. 
Over  time,  Tang  hopes  to  augment  his  models  with  physiologically  relevant  data  to 
produce  a  robust  tool  that  helps  physicians  make  critical  decisions  about  tteatment.  "By 
measuring  the  stress  of  an  artery,"  he  explains,  "doctors  will  recognize  that  if  the  stress  passes 
a  certain  point  they  will  need  to  petform  preventative  surgery  or  prescribe  appropriate 
medications.  The  fact  that  lives  may  be  saved  with  this  knowledge  is  very  rewarding." 

Tang  has  been  collaborating  with  tesearchers  from  Georgia  Tech,  Harvard  Medical 
School,  Mass  General,  Northwestern  University  and  Washington  University  Medical  School, 
with  funding  from  the  National  Science  Foundation  and  the  Whitaker  Foundation.  He  has 
also  created  models  for  human  atherosclerotic  plaques  based  on  MRI  data,  and  for  asymmet- 
ric stenosis,  vein  graft,  stents,  plaque  ruptute  and  hyperplasia  growth. 

— Nunc)'  Langmeyer 


1  O    Transformations   \  Spring  200 


Pushing  the  Public  Policy  Pendulum 

National  security.  Homeland  defense.  These  catchphrases  saturate  the  news,  and  since 
September  1 1,  they  are  embedded  in  the  collective  American  psyche.  They  beg  an  important 
question:  What  price  safety?  How  many  personal  freedoms  should  we  relinquish  to  ensure 
malcontents  don't  slip  through  the  cracks? 

The  debate  generates  sensational  headlines,  but  there's  a  more  productive  way  to  study 
the  problem  using  a  model  developed  by  professor  Elise  Weaver,  a  psychologist  in  WPI's 
Social  Sciences  and  Policy  Studies  Department.  Weaver,  along  with  George  Richardson  of  the 
University  at  Albany,  SUNY,  is  studying  how  policy  thresholds  change  over  time  in  response 
to  public  concerns.  Using  a  systems  dynamics  model — and  building  on  Kenneth  Hammond's 
work  in  this  field — Weaver  illustrates  the  cyclical  nature  of  policy  making,  in  fact,  any  kind 
of  decision  making  where  thresholds  (also  known  as  cutoff  points)  are  set. 

"Once  they  undetstand  the  cycling,  decision  makers  could  spend  less  time  atguing  the 
opposite  sides  of  the  issue  and  more  time  trying  to  strike  the  appropriate  balance,"  says 
Weaver.  "Using  this  model,  we  could  shift  focus  from  'right  vs.  wrong'  to  how  can  we  make 
a  better  tool  for  reducing  the  number  of  false  positive  and  false  negative  outcomes." 

To  test  her  model,  Weaver  examines  the  case  of  a  police  officer  deciding  to  initiate  a 
search.  A  Taylor- Russell  diagram  (Fig.  1)  shows  the  cutoff  point.  In  the  case  of  the  police 
officer,  it  is  the  officer's  cutoff  for  the  perceived  level  of  evidence  that  something  is  awry.  The 
officer  will  use  clues,  such  as  a  suspect's  nervousness,  to  help  judge  whether  or  not  to  conduct 
a  search.  The  diagram  shows  that  given  a  set  threshold,  there  will  always  be  a  certain  number 
of  false  negatives  (guilty  people  that  get  away)  and  false  positives  (innocent  people  that  get 
searched).  The  trick  is  finding  the  proverbial  happy  medium. 

But  what  happens  when  the  policy  receives  pressure  from  one  side  or  the  other?  In  this 
model,  what  happens  when  there  is  a  heightened  sense  of  vulnerability,  and  a  public  outcry 
for  more  searches?  Policy  makers  react,  and  the  police  officers  are  given  new  guidelines — a 
mandate  to  execute  mote  searches.  Consequently,  as  the  model  shows  (Fig.  2),  more  innocent 
people  get  searched.  It's  not  long  before  advocates  for  protecting  personal  freedoms  raise  their 
voices.  If  they  are  loud  enough,  policy  makers  shift  the  cutoff  point  again. 

"In  some  situations  the  model  illustrates  a  wild  oscillation,"  says  Weaver.  It  can  be  used 
to  study  all  types  of  decisions,  from  SAT  score  cutoffs  for  college  admissions  to  drug  approval 
using  medical  tests  and  indices.  When  there  is  a  cutoff  point,  some  number  of  smart  kids 
won't  get  admitted  to  a  college  while  others  who  are  nor  meant  for  college  will  get  in; 
potentially  dangerous  drugs  will  gain  approval  while  a  number  of  useful  drugs  will  have 
approval  delayed. 

Weaver  analyzes  three  alternative  models  to  show  how  structural  characteristics  of  a 
social  system  affect  its  behavior  over  time.  The  "grudge"  model  represents  the  role  of  memory 
for  past  cases  contributing  to  the  oscillation  (Fig.  3);  a  second  charts  the  effect  of  delayed 
responsiveness  on  the  patt  of  policy  makers;  a  third  looks  at  what  happens  when  people 
change  their  opinions  in  the  wake  of  undesirable  events.  In  doing  so,  Weaver  pioneers  the 
university's  efforts  in  this  area;  WPI  is  the  only  school  in  the  world  that  teaches  system 
dynamics  to  undergraduates. 

—CC 


Fig.  3 


Fig.  1 


Fig.  2 


Overlook  Individual 

Search  Individual 

o 

•           N 

T?v  •  •  •       / 

c 
a 

o 

c 
_c 

-  "r? 

Cssl 

Perceived  Level  of  Evidence 


ed  Level  of  Evidence 


Elise  Weaver  uses  a  systems  dynamics  model 
to  study  how  and  why  public  policy  thresholds 
shift  over  time  in  response  to  different  influ- 
ences, such  as  changing  social  mores  and 
undesirable  events.  In  the  case  of  homeland 
security,  Fig.l  shows  a  balanced  system.  In 
Fig.  2,  a  call  for  increased  security  measures 
results  in  more  people  — and,  consequently, 
more  innocent  people  — being  searched.  Fig.  3 
shows  the  role  of  historical  incidence,  in  this 
case  the  collective  memory  of  cases  when 
innocent  people  were  searched,  and  how  this 
influences  policy  making. 


Reasonable 
Suspicion  Threshold 


Reasonable 
Suspicion  Threshold 


Transformations    \   Spring  2003      1  1 


i*'    q& 


*UM 


First  developing 
X-planes  and  now 

leading  NASA's 

new  aerospace 
research  institute, 
Bob  Lindberg  '74 

charts  a  daring 


course. 


p,     CELEBR4reg 


The  Bold 


By  Ray  Bert  '93  A 


"My  very  favorite  book,  when  I  was  perhaps  6  years  old, 
was  the  Golden  Book  Encyclopedia"  says  Robert  Lindberg  '74. 
"The  last  chapter  was  on  the  solar  system,  and  I  read  it  over  and 
over  again." 

Growing  up  on  Long  Island  in  the  1950s,  Lindberg  was 
as  single-minded — and  as  prescient — in  his  passion  as  a  young 
boy  can  be.  He  was  fascinated  by  America's  fledgling  space  pro- 
gram, and  still  has  a  copy  of  a  report  he  did  on  astronaut  Alan 
Shepard's  first  flight.  That  he  would  eventually  contribute  to 
the  history  of  the  space  program  would  not  have  surprised  the 
youngster.  "I  think  I  knew,"  Lindberg  admits. 

Until  recently  Lindberg  served  as  deputy  general  manager 
of  the  Advanced  Programs  Group  for  space  contracting  giant 
Orbital  Sciences  Corporation.  His  work  at  Orbital  ranged  from 
in-the-trenches  technical  development  of  rockets  and  satellites, 
to  conceptual  design  of  experimental  spacecraft,  to  business 


of  Robert  Lindberg 


expansion.  "They  were  always  very  supportive 
and  offered  me  opportunities  to  grow  and  do 
different  things." 

Orbital,  headquartered  in  Dulles,  Va.,  was 
supportive  in  no  small  part  because  Lindberg  helped 
build  the  company  into  what  it  is  today.  Still  in  its  infancy 
when  he  joined  in  1987,  Orbital  had  just  one  product  (an 
upper-stage  rocket  for  the  space  shuttle),  one  contract,  and 
fewer  than  25  employees.  Now  an  established  contractor  with 
NASA  as  well  as  a  niche  Department  of  Defense  contractor, 
Orbital  employs  more  than  2,000  people  and  measures  its 
annual  revenue  in  the  hundreds  of  millions  of  dollars.  In  2002 
Orbital  won  a  key  missile  defense  contract  worth  approximately 
$900  million  over  eight  years,  and  in  early  2003  was  awarded 
another  worth  nearly  half  a  billion  dollars  over  10  years. 


Transformations    \   Spring  2003     1  3 


Now  that  Orbital  is  all  grown  up,  Lindberg  has  moved  on 
to  the  newly  formed  National  Institute  of  Aerospace  (NIA). 
The  nonprofit  research  institute  has  strong  ties  to  NASA's 
Langley  Research  Center — the  preeminent  aeronautical  research 
laboratories  in  the  world.  Lindberg  serves  as  NIAs  vice  presi- 
dent for  research  and  program  development,  becoming  involved 
at  a  crucial  point  in  the  organization's  beginnings — a  role  that 
he  feels  comfortable  in  because  he  has  played  it  so  often,  in  all 
areas  of  his  life.  "It  seems  like  I've  always  been  associated  with 
growth  entities,"  he  says. 

Hooked  on  Space 

After  receiving  a  physics  degree  from  WPI  and  then  an  engi- 
neering physics  master's  degree  from  the  University  of  Virginia, 
Lindberg  took  a  job  with  the  Naval  Research  Laboratory  (NRL) 
in  Washington,  D.C.,  as  a  researcher  in  the  Navy's  space  pro- 
gram. "Once  I  was  working  there,"  he  says,  "I  knew  that  I'd  be 
in  aerospace  for  the  rest  of  my  life." 

During  his  10  years  at  NRL,  Lindberg  earned  his  doctorate 
of  engineering  science  in  mechanical  engineering  and  also 
moved  up  the  management  chain  to  become  responsible  for 
conceptual  design  of  the  Navy's  future  spacecraft  and  satellite 
systems.  His  next  mission:  Orbital  Sciences  Corporation. 

In  Orbital  Lindberg  had  found  a  company  poised  to  capi- 
talize on  the  growing  interest  in  commercial  space  flight,  one 
where  he  could  continue  to  indulge  his  fascination  with  space. 
Soon  after  Lindberg  came  on  board,  chief  engineer  Antonio 
Elias  invented  Pegasus,  a  rocket  air-launched  from  underneath 
an  airplane  designed  to  take  small  satellites  (roughly  600-800 
pounds)  into  low  Earth  orbit.  Lindberg  worked  on  the  develop- 
ment team  for  Pegasus;  today  it  is  an  industry  workhorse  that 
has  been  launched  approximately  30  times  since  1990.  Elias, 
now  general  manager  of  Orbital's  Advanced  Programs  Group, 
says  "Bob's  ability  to  lead  was  integral  to  the  company's  growth. 
In  the  early  days  we  were  like  a  small  tribe,  and  Bob  was  one  of 
the  more  inspiring  members  of  the  tribe.  People  liked  him." 

The  rocket  established  a  market  for  building  small  satel- 
lites. Lindberg  developed  the  company's  first — an  R&D  satellite 
for  the  Air  Force  called  APEX — as  well  as  a  manufacturing 
facility.  His  recollection  of  the  frenetic  period — "We  were 
building  the  satellite  as  we  were  building  the  facility  to  build 
it!" — is  evidence  of  what  drives  him  to  choose  endeavors  that 
aren't  yet  defined,  that  seem  full  of  possibility. 

In  1995  Orbital  tapped  Lindberg  to  lead  a  high-profile 
project — both  full  of  possibility  and  undefined.  The  X-34 
program  called  for  developing  an  experimental,  unmanned 
hypersonic  rocket  plane  to  serve  as  a  technology  test  bed  for 
a  next-generation  reusable  launch  vehicle.  Designed  to  be 
dropped  from  an  airplane,  the  X-34  would  fly  at  Mach  8  to 
[he  outer  limits  of  the  atmosphere  before  reentering  to  land 
horizontally  on  a  runway. 


"That,"  Lindberg  says,  rising  from  his  chair  to  retrieve 
a  model  of  the  X-34  from  a  nearby  shelf,  "was  this  baby." 
He  brandishes  the  model  with  pride  and  glee,  seeming  for  just 
an  instant  like  that  6-year-old  boy  dreaming  of  the  stars. 

The  Politics  of  Science 

The  X-34  project's  raison  d'etre  was  to  develop  technologies 
that  would  enable  NASA  to  operate  a  reusable  launch  vehicle 
much  more  efficiently  than  the  space  shuttle.  "Because  of  the 
complexity  of  its  systems,  a  shuttle  takes  as  much  as  four 
months  to  process  between  flights,  with  11,000  to  15,000 
people  involved.  That's  very  costly,"  Lindberg  says. 

By  improving  critical  technologies  such  as  thermal  protec- 
tion on  the  simpler  X-34,  he  says,  they'd  hoped  to  eventually 
develop  a  preflight  inspection  checklist  similar  to  that  used  for 

"NASA's  research  in 

aeronautics,  space  science,  earth 

observation  and  planetary 

exploration  will  continue,  as  we 

also  develop  a  recovery  plan  for 

the  space  shuttle  program." 

— Bob  Lindberg  '74 

commercial  aircraft.  This  would  allow  the  X-34  to  be  processed 
for  a  repeat  flight  within  two  weeks — meaning  that  it  could  fly 
more  missions  at  a  lower  cost  per  flight.  The  problem  is  a 
vicious  circle:  "Those  checklists  are  efficient  for  commercial  air- 
craft because  we  have  90  years  of  aviation  experience  on  which 
to  draw.  We  don't  have  that  with  rocket  planes,"  Lindberg  says. 
"We  won't  have  it  until  we  fly  them  routinely,  and  we  won't  flv 
them  routinely  until  we  can  do  it  cost-effectively,  which  won't 
happen  until  we  have  a  simple  checklist." 

He  smiles  at  the  conundrum,  offering  no  hint  of  frustra- 
tion. Lindberg's  temperament  seems  suited  to  tackling  technical 
puzzles:  driven  enough  to  seek  out  solutions,  but  practical 
enough  to  recognize  when  a  solution  may,  for  the  moment  at 
least,  be  out  of  reach. 

That  was  the  case  with  the  X-34.  NASA  cancelled  the 
program  early  in  2001,  before  the  X-34  ever  flew.  Though 
Lindberg  says  it  was  becoming  increasingly  clear  that  reusable 
launch  was  not  necessarily  the  panacea  it  was  originally  thought 
to  be,  there  was  much  that  they  learned.  "There  were  two  tailed 
missions  to  Mars,  and  NASA  had  got  beaten  up  by  Congress," 
he  says.  "The  X-34  was  by  its  nature  risk)',  and  therefore  didn't 
fit  in  an  atmosphere  where  it  was  politically  un.KLcptablc  to 
rail.  Science  doesn't  take  place  in  a  political  vacuum      .1  valuable 
lesson  I  take  to  mv  new  job.''  he  adds. 


14    Transformation!    \   Spring  2003 


At  NLA,  Lindberg  is  responsible  for  a  wide  array  of 
research  programs.  "We  are  an  institute  without  any  labora- 
tories, because  we  have  access  to  all  of  the  Langley  labs,"  he 
says.  "It's  exciting,  because  thete's  something  like  $4  billion 
worth  of  investment  at  Langlev,  and  there  are  certain  things 
that  you  can  only  do  there. 

"NASA's  responsibilities  reach  well  beyond  just  the  space 
shuttle  and  human  spaceflight,"  Lindberg  says.  NIA  is  collabo- 
rating with  NASA  on  research  in  topics  as  diverse  as  the  design 
of  new  aircraft  that  mimic  biological  flight,  the  development  of 
next-generation  technologies  for  air  traffic  control,  and  new 
satellite  sensors  to  improve  weather  and  climate  prediction. 


"NASA's  research  in  aeronautics,  space  science,  earth  obser- 
vation and  planetary  exploration  will  continue,"  he  says,  "as  we 
also  develop  a  recovery  plan  for  the  space  shuttle  program." 

With  this  latest  career  move,  Lindberg  is  now  a  full-time 
manager — a  natural  progression  from  his  work  at  Orbital. 
"While  there  is  the  possibility  for  me  to  do  research,  I'm  first 
and  foremost  an  executive,"  he  says.  Lindberg  also  serves  as 
president  of  the  American  Astronautical  Sociery,  which  keeps 
his  hand  in  space,  now  that  he  focuses  primarily  on  non-space 
matters  at  NIA.  He  credits  his  WPI  years  with  incubating  his 
hybrid  of  business  acumen  and  technological  know-how,  the 
force  that  has  propelled  him  on  his  career  trajectory. 

The  Right  Start 

The  young  Lindberg  had  set  off  for  WPI,  intent  on  majoring  in 
physics  and  becoming  an  astronomer.  He  was  disabused  of  the 


latter  notion  by  "a  very  wise  professor"  who  explained  how  few 
opportunities  there  were  in  the  field.  But  it  was  another  wise 
professor  who  had  perhaps  the  largest  impact  on  his  education: 
John  van  Alstyne  (known  simply  as  "van  A"  to  generations  of 
WPI  students)  offered  Lindberg,  then  in  his  sophomore  year, 
the  opportunity  to  be  one  of  the  "guinea  pigs"  for  the  WPI 
Plan,  in  its  early,  experimental  stage. 

"The  Plan  was  radical  at  the  time,"  Lindberg  says. 
"I  was  probably  the  first  person  in  the  history  of  the  Physics 
Depattment  to  fail  a  competency  exam,"  he  says  with  a  smile. 
"I  don't  wear  it  as  a  badge  of  honor.  The  professors  were  still 
trying  to  figure  out  how  hard  it  should  be — and  I  can  tell  you, 
the  first  year  it  was  pretty  darn  difficult;  I  took  it  rwice!"  He 
persevered  and  became  one  of  the  otiginal  60  Plan  graduates. 

The  unconventional  curriculum  helped  Lindberg  develop 
communication  skills  that  would  serve  him  well  on  the  business 
side  of  engineering  work.  Preparing  his  major  project  and  com- 
petency exam  presentations  taught  him  to  speak  confidendy  in 
front  of  an  audience.  For  his  interactive  project  he  served  as  the 
science  and  technology  writer  for  the  Worcester  Telegram  & 
Gazette.  "I  really  took  to  it,"  he  says.  What  he  discovered,  even 
if  it  wasn't  clear  at  the  time,  was  a  model  for  situations  in  which 
he  would  thrive. 

Lindberg's  penchant  for  casting  his  lot  with  fledgling 
endeavors  extends  into  his  personal  life.  An  avid  swimmer  (he 
swam  on  the  varsity  team  for  four  years  at  WPI  and  coached  at 
UVA),  he  became  involved  in  1988  with  a  local  swim  club  in 
the  Washington,  D.C.,  area.  From  humble  beginnings  as  a  one- 
day-a-week  program  for  30  or  40  kids,  the  club  now  boasts  400 
swimmers  and  more  rhan  a  dozen  coaches,  including  Lindberg, 
who  is  professionally  certified  by  the  American  Swimming 
Coaches  Association.  The  club  has  sent  two  swimmers  to  the 
Olympic  Trials  and  more  rhan  a  dozen  others  to  competitive 
NCAA  colleges. 

Being  involved  with  swiming  has  a  great  fringe  benefit  for 
Lindberg:  time  with  his  kids.  Bethany,  the  oldest,  holds  the  Big  12 
Conference  record  in  the  200-meter  backstroke  and  was  an 
All-American;  Christian  tanks  in  the  top  10  in  the  country  in 
freestyle  at  Virginia  Tech;  and  youngest,  Sarah,  also  swims. 

In  addition  to  raising  their  own  children,  Lindberg  and  his 
wife,  Nancy,  have  served  as  foster  parents  for  the  last  12  years. 
"We've  had  20  foster  children,  working  through  Catholic 
Charities,"  he  says.  As  is  befitting  a  man  so  drawn  to  the  early 
stages  of  things,  many  of  the  childten  have  been  infants  put  up 
for  adoption. 

"We've  had  some  for  as  little  as  a  week  and  othets  for  as 
long  as  a  year.  One  little  boy  we  had  for  13  months,"  Lindberg 
says,  his  normally  resonant  voice  going  quiet.  As  he  speaks  you 
can  hear  his  hope  that  he's  helped  give  that  boy  (and  others)  a 
good  start,  so  that  someday  they  may  find  their  own  favorite 
chapters  in  the  Golden  Book  Encyclopedia.  D 

Ray  Ben  '93  is  a  free-lance  writer  in  Arlington,  Va. 


Transformations    \   Spring  2003      1  5 


mi 


By  Michael  W.  Dorsey 


In  a  bomb-scarred  building,  on  a  dusty,  rubble-strewn  street 

in  a  foreign  city,  a  U.S.  soldier  is  in  mortal  trouble.  Nearby,  an  Army  medic  huddles  in  a  doorway, 
a  tiny  computer  screen  set  in  front  of  his  eye  like  a  jeweler's  loupe.  The  numbers  on  the  screen  tell 
the  soldier's  story:  blood  pressure  plummeting,  pulse  slowing,  blood  oxygen  dropping. 

Tiny  wireless  sensors  attached  to  the  soldier's  body  monitor  his  failing  vital  signs  and  radio 
them  to  a  pager-sized  transmitter  strapped  to  his  belt.  The  transmitter  encrypts  the  information 
and  broadcasts  it — along  with  the  soldier's  exact  location  in  three  dimensions — to  the  medic,  who 
is  soon  at  his  side. 

Unzipping  a  pouch  in  his  jacket,  the  medic  pulls  out  an  ultrasound  transducer  the  size  of  a 
computer  mouse  and  switches  on  his  small,  wearable  computer.  "Scan,"  he  calls  into  a  helmet- 
mounted  microphone.  As  he  probes  the  soldier's  abdomen,  an  image  flashes  on  his  eyepiece 
revealing  internal  injuries  from  an  AK-47  round. 

The  medic  radios  for  help  and  broadcasts  the  soldier's  ultrasound  images  to  the  field  hospital. 
All  the  while,  the  sensors  keep  hospital  personnel  posted,  moment  by  precious  moment,  on  the 
state  of  the  soldier's  health.  When  the  medevac  chopper  touches  down,  surgeons  are  standing  by, 
armed  with  the  information  they  need  to  immediately  work  to  save  the  young  man's  life. 


sundatic 


Cadet  Erica  Schmidt,  a  senior  at  Assumption  College  in  Worcester,  is 
training  to  be  a  medic  with  the  Bay  State  Battalion  of  the  Reserve  Officers' 
Training  Corps  (ROTC),  headquartered  at  WPI.  She  represents  the  next 
generation  of  military  medics  who  will  be  able  to  monitor  an  entire  cadre 
of  troops  from  afar  using  wearable  sensors,  data  transmission  networks, 
and  portable  ultrasound  technologies  being  developed  at  WPI  in  conjunc- 
tion with  the  U.S.  Army.  If  history  is  a  guide,  these  advances  in  military 
medicine  will  find  their  way  into  the  civilian  sector,  improving  healthcare 
for  all  of  us. 


Building  on  a  Solid  Foundation 

This  is  the  vision  of  the  future  of  battlefield  medi- 
cine that  WPI  is  helping  to  create  in  its  Center  for 
Untethered  Healthcare.  It  builds  upon  more  than  a 
ecade  of  wotk  on  wireless  networking,  noninvasive 
medical  sensors  and  ultrasound  imaging.  Providing 
critical  medical  data  to  medical  personnel  where  and 

hen  they  need  it  will  inctease  the  odds  of  survival 
for  the  wounded  or  injured. 

Congress  appropriated  an  initial  award  to  the 
centet  of  more  than  $800,000,  through  the  U.S.  Army 
Medical  Research  and  Materiel  Command  (USAMRMC)  at 
Fort  Detrick,  Md.,  for  creating  technology  to  monitor  the  health 
of  soldiets  in  the  field  in  teal  time.  An  additional  $1  million 
was  appropriated  for  rhe  project  in  FY03. 

The  center  is  one  of  four  research  entities  that  make  up  the 
univetsiry's  new  Bioengineering  Institute  (BEI).  Headquartered 
at  Gateway  Patk,  a  10-acre  industrial  area  a  few  blocks  from 
campus  (and  thousands  of  miles  from  any  hot  spot)  being  tede- 
veloped  by  a  for-profit  pattnership  of  WPI  and  Worcester 
Business  Development  Corporation,  BEI  fosters  research  in 
untethered  healthcare,  bioprocess  and  tissue  engineeting, 
moleculat  engineering,  and  comparative  neuroimaging.  It's 
designed  as  an  incubatot  for  startup  companies  and  will  also 
license  technology  to  established  biomedical  and  pharma- 
ceutical firms.  Current  corporate  partnets  include  Abbott 
Laboratories,  maker  of  healthcare  products  from  antibiotics 

Transformations    \   Spring  2  003      17 


to  nutritional  drinks,  and  Nypro,  a  leading  injection-molding 
firm  in  Clinton,  Mass.,  specializing  in  bioengineered  products. 

WPFs  foray  into  untethered  medicine  brings  together 
three  mature  lines  of  research  in  two  academic  departments: 
noninvasive  physiological  sensors,  a  longtime  focus  of  research 
for  Yitzhak  Mendelson,  professor  of  biomedical  engineering; 
wireless  communications  and  geolocation,  the  specialty  of 
William  Michalson,  professor  of  electrical  and  computer  engi- 
neering and  director  of  the  Center  for  Untethered  Healthcare; 
and  advanced  techniques  for  medical  ultrasound,  the  work  to 
which  Peder  Pedersen,  professor  of  electrical  and  computer  engi- 
neering, has  devoted  the  past  15  years. 

Separately,  Mendelson,  Michalson  and  Pedersen  must  over- 
come a  host  of  technical  obstacles  to  complete  the  portion  of  the 
system  they  are  developing  for  the  Army.  But  each  will  also  face 
a  number  of  common  challenges.  Many  of  these  are  direcdy 
related  to  the  fact  that  their  technology  must  be  carried  into  the 
field  and  used  by  soldiers  and  medics  under  hostile  conditions. 

For  example,  electronic  gear  designed  for  field  use  must  be 
rugged  and  reliable.  Soldiers  already  carry  up  to  90  pounds  of 


To  minimize  power  use,  Michalson,  Mendelson  and 
Pedersen  will  likely  give  their  devices  standby  and  sleep  modes 
that  reduce  power  needs  to  the  bare  minimum.  Mendelson  says 
he  hopes  to  create  intelligent  sensors  that  remain  silent  unless 
a  medic  calls  for  a  reading  or  until  an  anomalous  reading 
is  detected. 

Keeping  Tabs  on  Vital  Signs 

In  his  laboratory,  Yitzhak  Mendelson  peers  through  a  huge 
magnifier  as  he  assembles  the  tiny  components  of  sensor  proto- 
types with  the  concentration  of  a  watchmaker.  With  eight 
patents  to  his  credit,  Mendelson  is  a  keen  innovator.  He  is 
developing  the  wireless  sensor  to  monitor  pulse  rate,  skin  tem- 
perature and  arterial  oxygen  saturation — a  measure  of  how  fully 
charged  red  blood  cells  are  with  oxygen.  Blood  loss  or  injury  to 
the  lungs  would  cause  saturation  to  dip. 

To  undetstand  the  state  of  a  patient's  health,  a  doctor  gath- 
ers basic  data  such  as  heart  and  breathing  rates,  temperature, 


Advanced  Physiological  Sensors 

Small,  intelligent  wireless  sensors  will  monitor 
vital  signs  of  soldiers  in  real  time,  alerting 
medics  and  field  commanders  when  problems 
arise.  Yitzhak  Mendelson  is  developing  sensors 
that  will  measure  pulse  rate,  skin  temperature 
and  blood  oxygenation.  To  extend  battery  life, 
the  sensors  will  use  low-power  LEDs  surrounded 
by  a  ring  of  highly  sensitive  light  detectors. 


equipment  and  supplies,  so  it  needs  to  be  lightweight.  Since  it 
will  be  employed  amid  the  chaos  of  war,  it  must  be  easy  to  use. 
One  of  the  most  important  and  vexing  challenges  the 
researchers  will  face  is  minimizing  the  power  requirements 
of  their  systems. 

"Soldiers  are  already  equipped  with  all  sorts  of  devices, 
including  radios,  that  require  batteries,"  Michalson  says. 
"Batteries  are  now  a  soldier's  lifeline  to  the  outside  world. 
Between  30  and  50  percent  of  the  weight  a  soldier  carries  con- 
si  si  .  dI  batteries.  In  Lit  l,  I've  heard  I  nun  soldiers  who  \a\   the)  II 
get  rid  of  clothing  and  rood  so  they  can  carry  more  batteries." 


and  blood  pressure.  Through  its  Warfighter  Physiological  Status 
Monitoring  program,  the  U.S.  Army  hopes  medics  and  field 
commanders  can  keep  tabs  on  the  vital  signs  of  every  soldier  by 
way  of  wireless  sensors  attached  to  a  soldier's  body  or  built  into 
his  uniform. 

Mendelson  has  been  working  tor  more  than  a  decade  to 
advance  the  technology  for  measuring  oxygen  saturation  with  a 
technique  known  as  pulse  oximetry.  Pulse  oximeters  shine  light 
of  two  specific  frequencies  through  the  fingertip  or  earlobe  and 
then  measure  the  intensity  of  the  light  transmitted  to  a  photo- 
detector.  The  technique  is  based  on  the  knowledge  that 
well-oxygenated  blood  is  bright  red,  while  oxygen-poor  blood 
is  a  darker,  bluish  red. 

One  of  his  innovations  was  CO  place  the  oximeters  light- 
emitting  diodes  and  photodetec tor  side  b\  side.  Since  SUCJl  a 
sensor  measures  reflected  light,  rather  than  transmitted  light. 


1  8     Transformatiom    \   Spring  2003 


it  can  be  placed  almost  anywhete  on  the  body  (readings  from 
peripheral  areas  like  the  fingertips  and  ears  can  be  unreliable  in 
cold  weather  or  when  the  body  has  lost  a  lot  of  blood).  Using 
this  technique,  Mendelson  is  developing  a  sensor  that  can  be 
applied  to  a  fetus  to  monitor  oxygen  saturation  in  real  time 
during  labor  and  delivery. 

Among  the  challenges  Mendelson  will  face  are  making  the 
sensors  as  small  and  light  as  possible,  and  building  in  circuitry 
for  power  management  and  advanced  signal  processing.  He 
must  also  devise  a  way  to  keep  the  devices  in  contact  with  the 
soldier's  skin,  no  matter  how  sweaty  or  grimy. 

"Surprisingly,  this  will  be  one  of  the  more  difficult  chal- 
lenges," he  notes.  "It  will  take  some  research  to  determine  how 
best  to  keep  the  sensors  in  place  where  they  can  do  their  job 
and  still  make  them  relatively  unobtrusive  to  soldiers."  Various 
types  of  tape  and  adhesive,  sensors  built  into  clothing  or  the 
headband  of  a  helmet,  and  sensors  that  double  as  rings  will  be 
among  the  options  studied. 


provide  this  kind  of  information,  which  cannot  be  obtained  in 
any  other  way,"  notes  Peder  Pedersen.  "It's  not  feasible  ro  take 
X-rays  or  MRI  scans  in  the  field,  so  the  best  choice  is  ultra- 
sound." 

To  develop  an  ultrasound  unit  for  the  Army,  Pedersen  will 
begin  with  existing  hardware  and  software,  including  a  wearable 
personal  computer  and  a  Terason  2000  portable  ultrasound 
scanner  from  Teratech  Corp.  The  Terason  is  the  only  portable 
ultrasound  unit  currently  on  the  market  that  runs  on  a  regular 
PC,  which  will  enable  Pedersen  to  add  his  own  enhancements. 

Those  add-ons  will  include  power  management,  image 
enhancement  and  voice-recognition  software.  Medics  need  to 
have  their  hands  free  (one  to  hold  the  transducer  and  one  to 
support  the  patient),  and  bringing  a  computer  monitor  into 
the  field  is  impractical.  Plans  call  for  operating  the  scanner 
with  voice  commands,  rather  than  a  keyboard  or  a  mouse,  and 
viewing  images  on  a  flip-down  eyepiece.  Power  management 
software  will  extend  battery  life  while  assuring  that  the  scannet 


Wearable  Ultrasound  Scanners 

itarting  with  off-the-shelf  technology,  Peder 
■edersen  will  develop  an  ultrasound  unit  built 
■round  a  wearable  PC.  Medics  will  operate  the 
■nit  with  voice  commands,  to  keep  their  hands 
ree,  and  view  images  in  a  flip-down  eyepiece, 
'edersen  will  also  tackle  the  daunting  challenge  of 
leveloping  techniques  to  process  images  of  injuires 
ind  wounds  to  make  them  easier  to  interpret. 


■■■iiiiiiiiii 

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Networking  and  Location 


__ 


William  Michalson  is  developing  the  wireless 
protocols  and  signdls  that  will  permit  sensor  data 
!  and  ultrasound  images  to  be  transmitted  reliably  in 
the  unforgiving  environment  of  the  urban  battle- 
ground. The  signals  must  be  encrypted,  be  difficult 
to  jam,  and  support  hundreds  of  users  in  a  relatively 
small  area.  Michalson  will  also  build  in  technology 
that  will  transmit  a  soldier's  exact  location. 


Power  use  will  be  a  critical  issue,  as  well.  The  most  power- 
hungry  components  of  the  sensor  will  be  the  light-emitting 
diodes.  The  bright  red  and  infrared  light  they  produce  also  con- 
cerns the  Army,  since  it  could  give  away  a  soldier's  position  at 
night.  Mendelson  will  likely  address  both  issues  by  using  low- 
power  diodes  that  emit  little  light.  He'll  surround  them  with 
a  ring  of  detectors  capable  of  capturing  the  small  amount  of 
reflected  light. 

Giving  Medics  Inside  Knowledge 

Two  soldiers  lie  wounded,  but  only  one  can  be  evacuated  right 
away.  How  can  a  medic  know  which  one  has  massive  internal 
bleeding  and  which  one  took  a  bullet  that  miraculously  left  his 
vital  organs  untouched?  "Ultrasound  imaging  technology  can 


and  PC  are  available  at  a  moment's  notice. 

Pedersen's  tasks  include  adapting  existing  voice  recognition 
software  by  developing  a  small  vocabulary  of  simple,  distinctive 
and  easy-to-remember  commands.  He'll  incorporate  signal  pro- 
cessing algorithms  that  will  enable  the  software  to  filter 
out  background  noise — whether  thumping  helicopter  blades  ot 
gunfire.  Developing  this  hardware  and  software  will  take  time, 
but  Pedersen  says  his  greatest  challenge  will  be  finding  ways 
to  display  images  of  injuries  so  that  medics,  who  are  not  likely 
to  have  had  extensive  training  in  ultrasound,  can  readily  deci- 
pher them. 

"We  want  to  help  the  medic  make  the  right  decisions  for 
critical  injuries,"  Pedersen  says.  "We're  not  talking  about  using 
the  system  to  see  subtle  things.  We're  looking  to  be  able  to 


Transformations    \   Spring  2003     I  9 


determine  the  extent  of  bleeding  and  internal  injuries.  How  do 
we  present  those  images  so  they  are  easy  to  interpret?" 

Pedersen  and  his  students  will  simulate  common  internal 
injuries  using  tissue  phantoms — materials  that  look  to  an  ultra- 
sound scanner  like  organs,  blood  vessels  and  other  tissues.  Next 
they'll  develop  intelligent  image  processing  techniques  that  can 
recognize  and  enhance  these  specific  images. 

In  this  part  of  the  project,  Pedersen  will  draw  on  his  exten- 
sive work  with  modeling  on  a  computer  how  the  signals  that 
produce  two-dimensional  ultrasound  images  are  generated  from 
reflections  off  three-dimensional  tissue  and  organ  structures. 

"From  fairly  simple  experimentation  to  the  complex  struc- 
ture of  the  human  body  is  a  big  jump,"  he  notes.  "There  is  a  lot 
of  research  between  where  we  are  and  where  we  want  to  be, 
making  it  difficult  to  say  just  how  successful  we  will  be." 

Making  the  Right  Connections 

A  soldier  crouches  in  an  alleyway,  waiting  for  the  enemy  who 
could  be  anywhere:  around  the  block,  on  the  10th  floot  of  a 
nearby  building,  in  the  next  alley. 

"Today's  battlefield  is  more  likely  to  be-an  urban  environ- 
ment— fighting  building  to  building,  floor  to  floor,"  says  Bill 
Michalson,  who  is  working  on  a  wireless  link  to  transmit  images 
and  data  back  to  medics.  "It's  a  horrible  situation  for  wireless." 

The  third  part  of  WPI's  contribution  to  future  battlefield 
medical  systems  is  this  wireless  link.  While  it  may  seem  like  the 
most  straightforward  part  of  the  project,  it  is  one  of  the  most 
complex,  according  to  Michalson. 

Wireless  protocols  employed  in 
today's  cell  phones  and  wireless  networks 
are  inadequate  for  use  in  combat, 
Michalson  says.  "They're  not  secure, 
they're  too  easy  to  detect,  and  they  can 
be  easily  jammed.  They're  not  designed 
to  work  in  the  highly  complex  environ- 
ment of  the  modern  battlefield." 

Michalson  is  approaching  this 
challenge  by  studying  existing  wireless 
protocols  under  realistic  conditions  to  better  understand  theit 
strengths  and  weaknesses,  and  by  focusing  on  the  design  of  sig- 
nals, or  waveforms,  that  exhibit  specific  characteristics  (difficult 
to  detect,  high  bandwidth,  etc.)  with  the  hope  of  finding  one 
that  meets  the  Army's  daunting  tequirements."It  has  to  support 
as  many  users  as  possible  in  a  confined  space,  have  properties 
that  make  it  stealthy  and  hard  to  jam,  be  able  to  support  trans- 
missions at  the  kind  of  bandwidth  we  need,  and  be  effective  in 
the  indoor  environment.  It's  a  massive  challenge,  and  some  of 
the  characteristics  are  mutually  exclusive." 

The  wireless  systems  Michalson  will  develop  must  not  only 
send  and  receive  communications,  but  transmit  the  exact  loca- 
tion of  each  soldier.  This  portion  of  the  project  will  draw  on 
Michalson's  extensive  work  on  using  the  Global  Positioning 

(Continual  on  page  47) 


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The  carnage  of  the  battlefield  has  often  inspired 
advances  in  medical  care.  From  the  blood-soaked 
hospital  tents  of  the  Civil  War  came  innovations 
in  emergency  surgery  and  anesthesia.  Penicillin  first 
saw  widespread  use  during  World  War  II,  and  modern 
trauma  centers  owe  much  to  the  medevac  helicopters 
and  MASH  units  field-tested  in  Korea  and  Vietnam. 

Over  the  past  decade,  the  U.S.  Department  of 
Defense  has  invested  more  than  $500  million  in 
research  and  development  in  what  it  sees  as  one  of  the 
next  major  advances  in  medical  care — telemedicine,  or 
the  delivery  of  medical  care  at  a  distance.  Through 
telemedicine,  the  military  hopes  to  put  new  and  more 
effective  lifesaving  tools  into  the  hands  of  medics  and 
physicians  working  in  the  field,  give  field  commanders 
instant  access  to  information  about  the  status  of  troops 
under  their  command,  and  increase  combat  readiness 


When  the  United  States  joined  a  U.N.  intervention  during  the 
Bosnian  War  in  the  1990s,  medics  used  satellite  hookups  to  transmit 
medical  images,  such  as  those  pictured  at  the  leleradiology  view 
station  (far  right).  Physicians  in  field  hospitals  had  access  to  medical 
specialists  via  satellite  telephones  and  videoconferencing  systems 


20     Transformation!    \   Spring  2003 


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"There  is  a  growing  popular  expectation  that  our 
military  operations  should  be  without  casualties. 

Stephen  C.  Joseph,  M.D. 

Former  assistant  secretary  of  defense  for  health  affairs 


by  keeping  troops  healthier  and  returning  sick  or  wounded 
troops  to  service  sooner. 

The  push  for  new  telemedicine  applications  is  part  of  a 
larger  effort  to  equip  tomorrow's  soldiers  with  technology  that 
will  make  them  more  effective  and  informed  fighters,  better 
protect  them  from  the  hazards  of  combat,  and  increase  their 
odds  of  survival  should  they  be  wounded  or  become  ill — every- 
thing from  high-tech  guns  that  can  shoot  around  corners  to 
Robocop-like  exoskeletons  that  augment  a  soldiers  strengths 
and  running  speed. 

"There  is  a  growing  popular  expectation  that  our  military 
operations  should  be  without  casualties,"  noted  Stephen  C. 
Joseph,  M.D.,  former  assistant  secretary  of  defense  for  health 
affairs,  in  a  1996  speech.  "This,  in  the  age  of  instant  global 
video  journalism,  has  significantly  raised  the  expectation  for 
sophisticated  casualty  care  and  medical  services  whenever  and 
wherever  casualties  may  occur." 

One  of  the  earliest  military  experiments  with  modern  med- 
ical technology  was  a  research  project  launched  by  the  U.S. 
Army  Medical  Research  and  Materiel  Command  (USAMRMC) 
in  1990  to  develop  digital  X-rays,  eliminating  the  need  to 
store  X-ray  film.  The  project  gave  rise  to  a  new  unit  within 
USAMRMC  called  the  Telemedicine  and  Advanced  Technology 
Research  Center  (TATRC).  This  subordinate  unit  focuses  exclu- 


sively on  telemedicine  and  advanced  medical  technologies. 
(WPTs  funding  is  being  administered  by  the  USAMRMC  and 
TATRC  project  offices.) 

In  the  1990s,  TATRC  field-tested  a  series  of  increasingly 
sophisticated  telemedicine  systems  in  Somalia,  Macedonia, 
Croatia  and  Bosnia.  The  systems  enabled  physicians  at  field 
hospitals  to  transmit  medical  images  and  converse  with  medical 
specialists  via  videoconferencing  or  satellite  hookups. 

The  U.S.  Navy  has  used  ship-to-shore  telemedicine 
for  more  than  a  decade.  And  when  troops  began  shipping  out 
to  the  Persian  Gulf  in  preparation  for  action  in  Iraq,  medics 
took  along  laptops  and  PDAs  (personal  digital  assistants)  to 
record  information  about  injuries  and  illnesses  that  beset  sol- 
diers. The  information  will  be  transmitted  to  a  central  database 
that  will  help  military  planners  spot  trends  that  may  allow  for 
early  detection  of  chemical  or  biological  weapon  attacks. 

Moving  from  telemedicine  to  truly  untethered  healthcare 
will  take  a  major  leap  forward  in  technology.  TATRC,  DARPA 
(the  Defense  Advanced  Research  Projects  Agency)  and  other 
U.S.  military  organizations  are  funding  a  number  of  projects 
aimed  at  bridging  the  gap.  Wireless  technology,  physiological 
sensors  and  ultrasound  units  for  field  conditions — the  projects 
being  pursued  by  WPI's  Center  for  Untethered  Healthcare — 
are  widely  seen  as  among  the  most  critical  technical  needs. 


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Transformations    \   Spring  2003     21 


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Gary  Goshgarian's  writing  career  began  after  a 
dangerous  scuba  diving  trip  off  the  island  of  Mallorca.  While 
exploring  ancient  artifacts,  Goshgarian's  parry  was  attacked 
underwater  by  modern-day  pirates.  "They  cut  across  our  bub- 
bles, dragging  anchors  with  chains,"  he  says,  "and  slashed  our 
inflatable  boat  with  machetes.  We  had  no  idea  that  we  had 
stumbled  upon  a  very  hot  antiquities  operation  that  was  illegally 
selling  artifacts  to  museums  around  the  word."  Recognizing  a 
great  plot,  Goshgarian  shifted  the  action  to  the  Greek  Isles, 
added  a  touch  of  romance  and  a  live  volcano,  and  published 
Atlantis  Fire  in  1980. 

As  a  novelist,  Goshgarian  (who  now  uses  the  pen  name 
Gary  Braver)  is  famous  for  writing  biotech  thrillers.  As  a  prof- 
essor, he  helps  students  take  a  deeper  look  into  his  chosen  literary 
genre,  known  for  its  heart-pounding  action,  bloodthirsty  creatures, 
and  nightmares  of  technology  gone  wild.  In  person,  Goshgarian 
is  articulate  about  the  elements  of  good  fiction.  When  he  speaks 
of  his  own  books  and  those  he  uses  to  teach  his  courses  at 
Northeastern  University,  it  is  clear  that  he  is  talking  about 
literature. 

"Good  science  fiction  is  good  literature  that  just  happens 
to  have  a  scientific  underbelly,"  he  says.  "The  term  'thriller' 
sometimes  turns  people  off  because  they  think  it's  all  wham- 
bam,  plot-driven  tales  with  flat,  stereotypical  characters. 
I  say  that  I  write  'suspense,'  which  may  be  a  kinder,  gentler 
label.  Fortunately,  my  books  have  gotten  praise  for  their  literary 
quality,  as  well  as  their  page-turner,  scientific  credibility." 


According  to  Goshgarian,  there  is  a  distinct  difference 
between  pulp  fiction  and  literary  fiction:  artistry.  "The  scenes 
should  say  more  than  what  they  are.  They  should  transcend 
the  literal  level.  They  should  be  part  of  a  higher  allegory  or 
metaphor.  But,  obviously  execution  is  everything.  You  can 
make  it  very  tasteful  using  artistic  restraint." 

Goshgarian  isn't  a  fan  of  graphic  horror  movies.  "I  like  the 
bad  stuff  more  implied,  where  you  still  have  to  use  your  imagi- 
nation." To  illustrate,  he  compares  Bela  Lugosi  in  the  1931 
black-and-white  Dracula,  which  only  implies  the  violence 
and  sexual  subtext  of  the  Victorian-era  novel  by  Bram  Stoker, 
to  Francis  Ford  Coppola's  1 993  movie  Bram  Stoker's  Dracula. 

"There  was  no  flesh  in  the  original  Dracula  movie,"  says 
Goshgarian.  "There  was  absolutely  no  sexual  interlude,  yet  the 
sexual  seductiveness  of  Lugosi's  Dracula  was  far  more  successful, 
in  my  mind,  than  Coppola's  version." 

Gary  Braver,  the  novelist,  practices  what  Professor 
Goshgarian  preaches.  In  his  2002  thriller  Gray  Matter,  he  writes 
with  restraint  about  an  operation  to  "harvest"  brain  matter 
from  a  smart  but  poor  girl  named  Lilly  Bellingham  for  trans- 
plant into  a  wealthy  child.  Rather  than  spattering  blood  and 
brains  against  operating  room  walls,  Goshgarian  creates  a  tran- 
quil scene,  with  attendants  who  gently  prep  and  shave  the  scalp 
of  the  unsuspecting  victim.  As  cloudy  pink  fluid  is  withdrawn 
from  her  skull,  Lilly  recedes  into  a  dteamlike  state.  Her  mental 
powers  slowly  diminish,  until  she  is  unable  to  remember  her 
own  name. 


Transformations    \    Spring  2003     23 


From  Physics  to  Fiction 

As  a  physics  major  at  WPI  in  the  1960s,  Goshgarian  and  a  few 
friends  were  drawn  to  their  English  professor,  the  late  James 
Hensel,  whom  he  calls  "the  teacher  of  all  teachers."  Goshgarian 
named  a  character  in  Elixir  for  Hensel,  and  another  is  named 
for  former  WPI  president  Harry  P.  Storke. 

"We  were  literature  geeks  in  an  otherwise  science  geeky 
kind  of  place,"  Goshgarian  says.  "In  the  afternoon,  after  classes 
were  out,  we  would  meet  up  in  Jim  Hensel's  office  to  talk  about 
everything  from  Charles  Dickens  to  Tolstoy  to  Albert  Einstein." 
The  young  Goshgarian  put  his  writing  talents  to  use  as  an  editor 
of  Tech  News  and  the  Peddler,  and  started  an  offbeat  humor 
magazine  called  Absolute  Zero. 

"I  was  reading  science  fiction  by  the  pound,"  he  says.  By 
his  sophomore  year,  Goshgarian  knew  that  he  would  work  with 
words  rather  than  atoms.  "I  liked  words.  I  could  see  them  and 
manipulate  them.  I  could  not  see  atoms,  didn't  quite  believe  in 
them."  After  earning  a  master's  degree  and  doctorate  in  English, 
he  joined  the  English  faculty  at  Northeastern  University. 

In  the  early  1970s  Goshgarian's  department  head  chal- 
lenged him  to  create  a  new  elective  to  boost  enrollment.  He  saw 
his  chance  to  teach  quality  science  fiction  as  a  reputable  literary 
form.  Some  30  years  later,  his  courses  are  popular  and  well- 
respected,  although  parents  occasionally  balk,  "My  child  is 
taking  what?"  In  addition  to  science  fiction,  Goshgarian  teaches 
a  detective  fiction  class  and  has  developed  courses  in  horror 
fiction  and  modern  best  sellers.  He  also  offers  a  graduate-level 
creative  writing  seminar. 

Required  reading  for  Goshgarian's  classes  ranges  from 
Edgar  Allan  Poe  to  Ray  Bradbury,  Arthur  C.  Clarke  and  Dean 
Koontz.  A  centerpiece  of  the  science  fiction  curriculum  is  Mary 
Shelley's  Frankenstein.  Discussions  are  supplemented  with 
movies  and  guest  speakers,  which  have  included  best-selling 
authors  Stephen  King,  Tess  Gerritsen,  Robert  B.  Parker  and 
Michael  Palmer. 


Goshgarian  wants  his  writing  stu- 
dents to  learn  "the  ability  to  look  at 
another  person's  writing  the  way  a 
carpenter  looks  at  a  house — to 
study  the  architecture  of  it,  the 
freshness  of  the  language, 
the  narrative  thrust  that 
keeps  the  story  going.  And 
to  see  that  the  bones  have  flesh 
on  them,  that  you  have  characters 
who  are  interesting  and  aren't 
cardboard  cutouts. 

"My  goal  is  to  make  them 
better  readers,  too.  That's  the  secret 
of  good  writing.  We  do  a  lot  of 
close  reading.  That's  what  Jim 
Hensel  taught  me,  way  back  at 
Worcester  Tech." 

A  Braver  World 

Goshgarian's  medical  thrillers  show 

what  can  go  wrong  when  characters 

say  yes  to  scientific  advances  that 

dangle  temptations  such  as  eternal 

life  (Elixir),  genius  offspring  (Gray 

Matter),  and  a  miracle  cure  for  Alzheimer's 

disease  (the  upcoming  Flashback).  "All  these  stories  are  essentially 

science  without  foresight,  without  asking,  'If  this  did  come 

about,  what  would  be  the  social  or  political  or  moral  or  human 

consequences?'"  Goshgarian  points  out  that  he  is  not  opposed  to 

progress.  "My  books  aren't  anti-medicine,"  he  explains.  "They 

raise  a  flag  against  violating  some  natural  principle,  or  violating 

an  ethic  of  good  scientific  management.  Tampering  with  human 

biology  is  different  from  the  practice  of  medical  science." 


Excerpt  from  Gray  Matter 

Martin  and  Rachel  Whitman  are  consulting  Dr.  Lucius  Malenko  about  a  top-secret  surgical 
procedure  that  can  "enhance"  the  intelligence  of  their  son,  Dylan. 

"Your  son's  IQ  will  be  higher.  " 

"It  will?"  Martin's  voice  skipped  an  octave.  He  could  not  disguise  his  excitement.  "How  much  higher?" 

Malenko  smiled.  "How  much  would  you  like?" 

"You  mean  we  have  a  choice?" 

Malenko  chuckled.  "Enhancement  can't  be  fine-tuned  to  an  exact  number,  of  course.  "  He  then  unlocked  a  drawer  from  a  file  cabinet  behind 
him  and  removed  a  folder  from  which  he  removed  some  charts.  The  first  was  a  lopsided  bell  curve  showing  the  IQ  distribution  of  high  school  seniors 
and  the  colleges  they  attended.  On  the  far  right  end  of  the  curve  where  the  scores  went  from  eighty-five  to  one  hundred  and  five,  the  schools  listed 
were  community  colleges  and  Southern  state  schools.  But  at  the  long  thin  tapered  end  were  the  A-lisl  institutions — Stanford.  Col  lech.  Ml  I.  U  /'/. 
and  the  top  Ivy  Leagues. 

"Dylan's  IQ  is  currently  about  eighty-two.  Let's  say.  for  instance,  that  it  was  enhanced  by  fifteen  point*,  be  would  /u<t  get  by  in  the  typical  high 
school.  Another  fifteen  points  would  mean  he'd  perform  well  in  high  school  and  just  passably  at  a  mid  level  college.  Another  fifteen  points  would 
mean  he'd  do  well  at  the  better  colleges.  Another  fifteen  points — an  II  j  about  one  hundred  forty  -  would  mean  he'd  do  a  sterling  job  at  the  better 
colleges.  Another  fifteen  points  and  he  would  have  an  incandescent  mind  capable  of  doing  superior  work  at  the  ray  best  institutions.  " 

"Incandescent  mind.  "  The  phrase  hummed  in  Rachel's  consciousness. 

"Wow.  "  whispered  Martin. 


It's  a  message  that  teaders  want  to  hear.  Goshgarian 
expects  the  print  run  of  Gray  Matter  in  paperback  to  top 
half  a  million  copies 

Behind  the  sci-fi  fantasy  is  a  world  of  meticulous  research. 
Elixir  opens  in  a  remote  jungle,  made  vivid  with  details  from 
Goshgarian's  own  trek  into  the  rain  forest.  How  does  an  English 
professor  in  Boston  find  out  how  to  make  a  shrunken  head? 
"I've  been  to  New  Guinea.  I  asked,"  he  replies  dryly,  then  laughs. 

Closer  to  his  Arlington  home,  the  author  spends  hours 
with  doctors  in  the  Longwood  hospital  area  near  Northeastern, 
gathering  material  for  his  medical  thrillers.  When  the  teenage 
characters  in  Gray  Matter  begin  to  suspect  that  their  parents 
have  had  them  "enhanced"  through  stereotaxic  brain  surgery, 
Goshgarian  puts  their  scars  in  just  the  right  place. 

Goshgarian  sets  most  of  his  novels  in  the  Boston  area, 
with  familiar  towns  and  landmarks.  Gray  Matter  contains  a 
brief  but  flattering  reference  to  WPI  as  one  of  the  A-list 
schools  that  a  superior  student  would  want  to  attend  (see 
excerpt  previous  page). 

The  ideas  for  Goshgarian's  novels  can  come  from 
anywhere:  the  spark  might  come  from  a  news  item, 
or  a  conversation  with  his  wife.  "I  like  big-concept  things, 
big  'what-ifs,'"  he  says. 

Gray  Matter  looks  at  society's  overwhelming  desire 
to  be  smarter,  and  taps  into  the  guilt-ridden  anxieties 
of  affluent  parents  who  seek  quick  fixes  for  the  children 
they  don't  have  time  to  raise. 

Rough  Beast  harks  back  to  a  college  summer  job 
in  a  Raytheon  laboratory  that  was  tucked  away  in  the 
woods  of  Maynard,  Mass.  "I  was  part  of  a  team  of 
scientists  trying  to  make  exotic  weapons  that  might  shorten 
the  Vietnam  War,"  he  says.  "Rough  Beast  is  the  fictional  story  of 
a  normal  middle-class  family  whose  house  sits  on  the  site  of 
a  30-year-old  secret  military  project  to  sterilize  the  Viet  Cong. 
The  stuff  leaches  into  the  family's  drinking  water,  affecting 
the  12-year-old  son." 

Facing  these  dilemmas  are  very  real  people,  with  under- 
standable motives.  The  mother  in  Gray  Matter,  for  example, 
is  tortured  by  the  possibility  that  she  may  have  caused  her  son's 
learning  disabilities  with  the  recreational  drugs  she  used  in 
college.  "I  work  backwards,"  says  Goshgarian.  "I  think  up  awful 
possibilities,  and  then  line  things  up  in  the  story  that  would 
lead  to  that  conclusion." 

Is  there  always  a  cost  to  the  characters  who  succumb  to 
these  irresistible  temptations?  "Yes,"  says  the  novelist,  "other- 
wise you  wouldn't  have  a  story."  He  points  back  to  Mary 
Shelley's  Frankenstein,  which  he  calls  the  launchpad  for  three- 
quarters  of  all  science  fiction.  "It's  all  cautionary.  It's  all  'don't 
tamper.'  Hundreds  of  thousands  of  stories,  over  the  years,  are 
still  doing  that  kind  of  warning."  D 




A  Braver/Goshgarian 
Bibliography 

Flashback  (2004) 

A  miracle  cure  for  Alzheimer's  disease  works  too  well, 
bringing  back  long-buried  traumatic  memories  and 
resurrecting  clues  to  an  unsolved  murder.  If  you  could  relive 
your  childhood,  would  you?  What  if  you  had  no  choice? 

Gray  Matter  (2002) 

A  top-secret  surgical  procedure  with  a  million-dollar  price  tag 
can  enhance  the  intelligence  of  children  from  wealthy  families. 
But  what  is  the  real  cost,  and  what  are  the  consequences  for 
those  who  ask  too  many  questions? 

Elixir  (2000) 

When  a  scientist  discovers  the  formula  for  an  "eternal  youth" 
compound,  his  family  refuses  to  join  him  in  immortality. 


V. 


The  Stone  Circle  (1997) 

Supernatural  spirits  beckon  from  an  archeological  dig  in 
Boston  Harbor,  where  a  billion-dollar  casino-resort  is  under 
construction.  (A  1  998  Guild/Mystery  Club  selection) 

Rough  Beast  (1995) 

In  a  small  Massachusetts  town,  a  1  2-year-old  boy  becomes 
the  victim  of  a  government-sponsored  genetic  engineering 
experiment. 

Atlantis  Fire  (1980) 

Divers  searching  for  ancient  treasures  stumble  on  the  entrance 
to  the  lost  city  of  Atlantis.  Their  dangerous  quest  pits  them 
against  corruption,  greed— and  an  active  volcano. 

Textbooks/Anthologies 

Dialogues:  An  Argument  Rhetoric  and  Reader  (with  Kathleen 
Krueger  and  Janet  Mine);  Exploring  Language;  The 
Contemporary  Reader;  Crossfire  (with  Kathleen  Krueger); 
Horrorscape:  An  Anthology  of  Modern  Horror  Fiction 


Transformations    |    Spring  2003     25 


By  Carol  Cambo      '-   V 


P>     CELEBS 


If  a  Pratt  &  Whitney  PW4000  jet  engine  powered  up 
in  your  front  yard,  it  would  suck  the  oxygen  out  of  your  house 
in  half  a  second.  Inside  the  engine's  turbine  amid  a  blur  of  pre- 
cisely machined  blades  and  expanding  gases,  temperatures  can 
top  2000°C.  That's  twice  the  temperature  ot  the  hottest  fires 
that  felled  the  World  Trade  Center  and  three  times  that  of  the 
sunlit  side  of  Mercury,  the  planet  closest  to  the  sun. 

A  turbine  blade,  or  airfoil,  is  not  much  bigger  than  your 
fist.  Each  is  cast  from  a  nickel-based  superalloy  that  melts  at 
about  1400°C.  Theoretically,  the  blades  should  turn  to  mush 
inside  the  engine's  inferno — not  a  comforting  thought  when 
you're  cruising  at  30,000  feet  in  a  Boeing  747. 

The  (act  that  the  blades  survive  has  to  do  with  .1  bit 
of  alchemy  performed  by  Pratt's  engineers  and  technicians. 


They  coat  the  blade  with  vaporized  zirconia,  a  thermally  insu- 
lating ceramic  highly  resistant  to  heat,  then  perforate  each 
airfoil  with  tiny  laser-drilled  holes  to  pump  cooling  air.  By  the 
time  it's  finished,  a  blade  is  ready  to  withstand  extraordinary 
temperatures — at  a  cost  of  between  $1,000  and  55,000  apiece. 

In  the  cutthroat  business  of  building  jet  engines,  every 
dollar  and  every  degree  of  temperature  count.  Through  a  coop- 
erative program  called  the  Learning  Factory,  WPI  students 
tackled  projects  at  Pratt  &  Whitney  that  have  helped  the  com- 
pany solve  the  cooling  problem  and  other  manufacturing  issues. 
It's  a  relationship  that  gives  students  real-work  experience,  with 
a  company  whose  products  power  more  than  half  of  the  world's 
commercial  aviation  fleet.  For  Pratt,  the  payoffs  are  unleashing 
agile  minds  on  its  challenges  and,  often,  giving  potential 
employees  a  test  flight. 


Illuminating  the  Problem 

"Fly  this  girl  as  high  as  you  can  into  the  wild  blue. . .  " 

The  Dixie  Chicks 

Twangy  country  vocals  fill  the  hallway  outside  Washburn  252. 
Inside  the  closet-sized  lab,  seniors  Susie  Mendenhall  and  Beka 
Fowler  attach  coated  wires  to  light-emitting  diodes.  Beka 
instant  messages  a  friend  as  she  calls  up  Lab  View  on  her  com- 
puter. The  women  are  preparing  for  a  test  run  of  their  system 
this  afternoon. 

Susie  and  Beka  are  the  latest  WPI  students  to  work  on 
thermal  barrier  coating  systems  for  PW4000  Pratt  &  Whitney 
turbine  blades,  which  are  used  in  a  variety  of  gas  turbine 
engines  for  both  military  and  commercial  aircraft.  Using  beams 
of  light  to  simulate  the  application  of  zirconia  vapor  during  the 
manufacturing  process,  the  students  have  developed  a  computer 
model  that  can  predict  exactly  how  the  coating  will  be  applied. 

The  zirconia  coating  is  the  key  to  running  a  hotter,  more 
efficient  engine,  but  sometimes  it's  not  enough  to  apply  a  simple, 
uniform  barrier.  Specific  parts  of  the  blade  may  need  varying 
thicknesses,  depending  on  the  blade's  position  inside  a  working 
turbine. 

Beka  attaches  sensors  to  a  wax  cast  of  the  blade.  (WPI 
students  do  not  work  with  actual  airfoils  because  their  precise 
shape  and  size  are  proprietary,  the  kind  of  information  a  com- 
petitor would  like  to  get  its  hands  on.)  Using  photocells  to 
measure  the  intensity  of  light  that  falls  on  each  sensor,  the 
women  can  calibrate  the  intensity  of  light  with  a  blade's 
position  in  the  coating  cell  (and  by  association,  the  thickness 
of  the  thermal  barrier  coating)  to  achieve  the  desired  thickness. 

These  experiments  are  the  culmination  of  much  detail- 
oriented  work,  the  students  say.  They  set  up  a  scrap  blade  with 
cooling  holes,  configured  a  light  box,  customized  the  software, 
and  hooked  up  all  the  emitters  and  sensors. 

Despite  all  of  the  hard  work — or  maybe  because  of  it — 
they  say  the  project  is  meaningful.  "I  know  it  is  a  cliche,"  says 
Beka.  "But  the  greatest  thing  about  WPI  is  getting  to  apply 
what  we've  learned  to  a  real  problem." 

Their  work  is  meaningful,  at  many  levels,  for  many  reasons. 
Pratt  engines  may  literally  fly  these  women  high  into  the  wild 
blue.  After  graduation,  both  ROTC  students  sign  on  with  the 
Navy.  In  May  Susie  ships  off  to  Jacksonville  to  join  a  jet 
squadron  while  Beka  heads  for  San  Diego  to  fly  helicopters. 

Transformations    \   Spring  2003     27 


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Girls  Just  Wanna  Build  Stuff:  To  simulate  Pratt  &  Whitney's  turbine  thermal  barrier  coating  process  using  light,  WPI  seniors  Beka  Fowler,  left,  and 
Susie  Mendenhall  hand-machine  dozens  of  sensors  that  can  measure  varying  degrees  of  light  intensity  and  feed  the  data  into  a  computer  program. 


Above— and  Beyond 

Every  few  seconds — more  than  20,000  times  a  day — a  Pratt  & 
Whitney-powered  airliner  takes  flight  somewhere  in  the  world. 
Since  1925,  the  company's  engines  have  broken  the  barriers  of 
time  and  distance,  conquering  gravity  along  the  way.  United 
Technologies  (UTC),  Pratt's  parent  company,  is  a  $27.9  billion 
entity  that  includes  Otis  elevators  and  escalators,  Carrier  heat- 
ing and  air-conditioning  systems,  Sikorsky  helicopters,  and 
Hamilton  Sundstrand  aerospace  systems. 

The  relationship  between  WPI  and  UTC  reaches  back  to 
the  1940s.  Arthur  Smith  '33,  an  early  graduate  of  the  Institute's 
aero  option,  spent  most  of  his  career  at  United  Aircraft  (which 
later  became  UTC).  He  ascended  to  president  in  1968  and 
chairman  in  1972.  As  an  engineer,  he  pioneered  the  use  of 
water  injection  to  increase  aircraft  engine  power,  which  con- 
tributed to  the  success  of  American  aircraft  during  WWII. 

Over  the  years,  UTC  has  funded  numerous  research  proj- 
ects and  initiatives  at  WPI.  The  company's  largest  gift  to  the 
school — $500,000  over  five  years,  ending  in  1995 — enabled 
WPI  to  establish  the  Office  of  Minority  Affairs  and  to  launch 
Strive,  a  summer  outreach  program  for  minority  students.  The 
gift  enacted  a  vision  shared  by  the  company  and  the  school, 
that  promoting  diversity  is  the  key  to  ensuring  a  next  genera- 
tion of  highly  skilled  scientists  and  engineers. 

The  relationship  took  a  more  integrated  turn  in  1996  with 
the  founding  of  the  Learning  Factory,  a  project  center  located  at 
the  East  Hartford  plant  where  UTC  makes  commercial  jet 
engines.  WPI  professor  Rick  Sisson,  head  of  the  Materials 
Science  and  Engineering  Program,  developed  cooperative 
research  projects  between  students  and  UTC.  The  inaugural 
project  looked  at  improving  the  way  blades  are  held  during 


grinding.  Since  then,  projects  have  run  the  gamut  from  devising 
better  methods  for  holding  the  blade  to  improving  management 
databases.  And  Sisson  is  still  at  it;  he  has  advised  the  thermal 
barrier  coating  project  for  over  three  years. 

The  project  of  "intelligently"  applying  thermal  coating  to 
airfoils  was  a  brainchild  of  Mark  Zelesky,  manager  at  Pratt's 
Power  Systems,  and  Sudhangshu  Bose,  a  Pratt  &  Whitney  fel- 
low in  materials  and  manager  of  the  hot  section  alloys  group. 
"Over  30  undergrads  have  worked  on  this,"  says  Sisson,  "including 
Bill  Weir,  who  completed  his  Ph.D.  in 
manufacturing  engineering  on  the 
project  last  May."  Weir  now  teaches 
ME1800,  an  introduction  to  manu- 
facturing processes  (affectionately 
known  as  "grunge  lab")  at  WPI. 
Members  of  the  team  had  a  major 
breakthrough  when  they  realized  they 
could  use  light  to  simulate  the  low- 
pressure,  high-temperature  coating 
process.  "With  a  little  more  work  we 
will  be  close  to  implementing  some  of 
their  findings,"  says  Bose.  "If  the 
intelligent  thermal  barrier  coating 
modeling  had  been  done  in-house,  it 
would  have  taken  longer  and  cost 
more  money.  So  the  company  benefits."  And  so  do  the  stu- 
dents. "They  are  exposed  to  a  real  manufacturing  environment 
in  a  leading  aerospace  industry,"  he  says.  "They  contribute  to 
[ethnical  problems  and  help  us  be  more  competitive  while  we 
are  able  to  watch  for  potential  employees.' 


WPI  professor  Rick  Sisson, 
head  of  the  Materials  Science 
and  Engineering  Program 


28     Transformations   |  Spring  2003 


WPI  Studies  Software's  Hardest  Lessons 

There  comes  a  time  in  the  life  of  every  company  when  it  needs  to 
make  a  dramatic  change  to  stay  competitive.  Pratt  &  Whitney,  like 
many  large  corporations,  is  in  the  midst  of  such  a  transition:  it  is 
replacing  many  small-scale  out-of-date  computer  systems  with  one 
integrated  state-of-the-art  megasystem.  The  changeover  is  known  in 
the  industry  as  enterprise  resource  planning,  or  simply  ERP.  WPI  went 
through  a  similar  process  several  years  ago  when  it  switched  over  to 
Banner— one  computer  system  for  all  of  its  financial,  student  and 
alumni  recordkeeping. 

"Pratt  &  Whitney's  implementation  is  one  of  the  biggest  in  the 
world,"  says  Diane  Strong,  professor  of  management,  who,  along 
with  her  fellow  professors  Olga  Volkoff  and  Michael  Elmes   is 

studying  the  effect  of  the  new  software  on  the  way  the  company  — 
and  its  employees— do  business.  "The  implementation  is  incredibly 
disruptive,  and  stressful,"  she  says.  "It's  the  biggest  single  investment 
a  company  has  ever  made— it  can  make  or  break  them." 


The  benefits  are  the  Holy  Grail  of  the  corporate  world:  improved 
profits,  efficiency,  and  being  positioned  to  tap  into— in  real  time  — 
into  the  latest  information  infrastructure  in  the  marketplace.  But  along 
the  way,  the  company's  very  perception  of  itself  goes  through  an 
interesting  metamorphosis. 

"When  you  bring  in  a  large  piece  of  software,  it  brings  in  some 
built-in  assumptions  about  the  company  and  the  way  it  does  business 
that  aren't  necessarily  true,"  explains  Volkoff.  "What  we're  looking 
at  is  how  the  organization  adapts— what  changes  and  what  stays 
the  same." 

Pratt  has  generously  allowed  Strong,  Elmes  and  Volkoff  complete 
access  to  observe  the  implementation.  Their  research  is  funded  by  a 
National  Science  Foundation  grant  of  $300,000.  While  the  team's 
findings  won't  be  published  in  time  to  help  the  company,  they  are 
already  benefiting  WPI's  management  students,  says  Strong.  "We 
are  able  to  use  real-world  examples  in  the  classroom  of  how 
technology  is  changing  the  way  companies  do  business." 


The  Hunt  for  Red  X 

Ryan  Walsh  '99  was  one  such  student.  He  and  his  roommate, 
Jason  Astle  '99,  worked  at  the  Learning  Factory  during  their 
senior  year.  They  were  charged  with  finding  the  cause  of  exces- 
sive airfoil  scrapping — unusable  "factory  seconds." 

"We  had  to  understand  the  entire  process  first,"  remembers 
Walsh.  "The  scrap  problem  was  occurring  during  laser  drilling. 
We  ran  experiments,  collected  data.  We  looked  at  every  reaction 
and  interaction.  It  took  us  two  months — and  a  bit  of  luck — but 
we  finally  figured  out  what  was  happening." 

The  students'  research  showed  that  scrapping  spiked  after 
a  particular  laser  drilling  machine  was  "homed  out."  Inside  the 
machine  is  an  arm  to  which  the  blades  are  affixed;  whenever 
the  machine  get  serviced,  the  arm  gets  homed  out — sent  to  its 
farthest  possible  coordinates.  Walsh  and  Astle  pored  over  the 
maintenance  logs.  They  found  that  the  scrapping  problem 
began  six  months  earlier,  following  a  maintenance  overhaul 
of  the  machine  in  question. 

That  led  to  a  talk  with  the  technician  who  performed  the 
overhaul.  During  the  checkup  he  had  changed  the  arrangement 
in  the  machine's  wiring  to  make  it  more  ergonomic  for  the 
worker.  "In  doing  so,  a  rerouted  wire  was  pulled  taut  every  time 
the  machine  was  homed  out,  thus  disrupting  the  flow  of  infor- 
mation from  the  machine's  positioning  arm  to  its  controller. 
That's  what  caused  the  drilling  errors." 

Pratt  officials  were  impressed.  It  was  the  first  time  students 
claimed  a  "ted  x  kill,"  company  jargon  for  solving  a  thorny 
problem  through  statistical  analysis.  Walsh  and  Astle  received 
an  award  from  Pratt.  Walsh  signed  on  with  the  company  as  an 
employee  in  January  2000.  Now  he  works  developing  software 
for  the  procurement  end  of  the  business. 


[It's  an  exciting  time  to  be  in  the  e-business  department; 
Pratt  &  Whitney  is  in  the  throes  of  a  facility-wide  software 
changeover  that  WPI's  Department  of  Management  is  studying 
(see  sidebar).  "It's  a  monster,"  says  Walsh  of  the  process.  Ed.} 

"The  best  part  about  doing  my  project  at  Pratt  was  being 
part  of  the  company.  Except  for  the  different  color  of  our 
badges,  we  were  real  employees  working  on  a  real  project — and 
we  produced  real  results.  That's  better  than  any  textbook  you 
can  get  in  any  class.  Plus  we  got  to  deal  with  real  people." 

Bose  says  the  students'  fresh  perspective  is  a  productive 
addition  in  the  workplace.  "They  see  the  bureaucracy,  but  they 
don't  get  involved  so  much.  They  focus  on  the  work."  He  is 
sold  on  the  WPI  difference;  his  son  Krish  '94  works  at  Pratt 
and  son  Jay  graduated  from  WPI's  electrical  engineering  pro- 
gram in  2001. 

Dick  Fair  '74,  Pratt's  vice  president  of  sales  and  customer 
service  for  the  Americas,  serves  as  liaison  between  the  company 
and  WPI.  He  marks  his  25th  year  with  UTC  in  2003.  "The 
relationship  makes  the  company  strong,"  says  Fair.  "The 
Learning  Factory  is  a  great  tecruiting  tool.  People  are  attracted 
to  a  company  for  many  reasons,  but  they  stay  because  of  the 
culture.  If  they  feel  comfortable  here,  we're  more  likely  to 
retain  them." 

Walsh  says  that  it  was  the  network,  especially  on  a  social 
level,  that  made  Pratt  the  right  fit  for  him,  and  probably  for 
most  of  the  other  100  or  so  WPI  alums  who  work  at  Pratt. 
"You  step  right  into  a  company  of  friends,"  he  says.  He  and 
Fair  have  formed  a  WPI  Focus  Team  to  look  at  ways  to  foster 
the  relationship.  "We'll  look  at  how  we  can  support  recruiting 
and  diversity  efforts  and  co-op  programs,"  says  Fair,  "as  well 
as  work  to  steer  grants  and  funding  WPI's  way."  D 


Transformations    \   Spring  2003     29 


boul-oearching 
Superhero 


Finding  the  connection  between  work  and  passion 

can  be  an  engineer's  greatest  challenge. 

Or  it  can  be  as  easy  as  sitting  in  a  tree. 


For  Halloween,  I  was  a  sorry  superhero. 

My  best  friend  and  I  made  capes,  briefs  and  wristbands,  but  I 
just  wasn't  feeling  the  power.  I'd  spent  A-term  in  Maryland 
doing  my  major  project  at  NASA's  Goddard  Space  Flight 
Center  and  returned  to  school  unsettled.  Superheroes  don't  get 
confused.  Superheroes  are  supposed  to  be  busy  saving  the  world, 
not  karate-chopping  inner  conflict.  I  dragged  myself  to  class, 
half-heartedly  fluttering  my  cape  when  things  looked  grim. 

I've  spent  the  past  four  years  believing  in  the  potential  of 
socially  responsible,  creative  engineering.  In  many  ways  NASA 
is  the  ideal:  teams  of  researchers  proving  that  the  sky  has  no 
limits.  My  major  project  was  challenging.  It  dealt  with  improv- 
ing remote  soil  moisture  mapping.  Soil  mapping  benefits 
environmentalists  working  to  regulate  and  sustain  ecosystems. 
My  passion  for  the  superhero-world-saving  big  picture  shrank 
into  lines  of  MATLAB  code.  In  my  work,  soil  moisture  was 
extraneous.  Syntax  ruled  my  brain.  While  I  mapped  and  coded, 
I  had  this  vague  feeling  that  Science  (capital  "S"  world-improving 


Science)  was  happening  around  me,  but  I  didn't  feel  connected 
to  the  experience.    I  had  forgotten  the  cardinal  rule  of  super- 
heroes — whenever  one's  in  trouble,  there's  always  reinforcement. 

The  Power  of  One,  a  new  WPI  student  group,  swept  onto 
campus  this  year  with  energy  for  activism  unprecedented  in  my 
experience  in  Worcester.  They  must  have  sensed  my  superpow- 
ers were  waning,  because  on  Halloween  they  brought  in  one  of 
the  nation's  top  superheroes. 

Julia  Butterfly  Hill  had  spent  two  years  of  her  life  atop 
Luna,  a  one-thousand-year-old  redwood  tree  in  Northern 
California.  While  in  Luna,  Hill  lobbied  for  the  protection  of 
redwood  forests  from  logging.  After  two  years,  she  succeeded 
and  ensured  Luna's  freedom  to  keep  growing. 

Hill's  speech  knocked  me  out  of  my  malaise.  She  explained 
that  she  is  just  a  normal  person  who  was  contused  and  had  the 
time  to  sit  in  a  tree.  She  believes  there  is  nothing  special  about 
activism,  thai  it  is  merely  a  form  ol  intentional  living. 


30     Transformations   \  Spring  2003 


Nina  Simon  '02  graduated  in  December  with  a  degree  in  electrical  engineering  and  a  minor  in  mathematical  sciences.  She 
spent  February  performing  her  poetry  on  an  East  Coast  tour  and  is  now  breaking  into  the  world  of  interactive  museums  — legally. 
She  is  working  at  several  eastern  Massachusetts  institutions,  including  the  Museum  of  Science  in  Boston. 


The  next  week  I  talked  with  my  advisor,  Dave  Cyganski, 
about  Hill's  speech.  I  told  him  that  I  enjoy  engineering,  but  I 
need  to  find  a  way  to  apply  it  meaningfully,  in  a  way  that 
advances  values  that  are  important  to  me.  He  said,  "Look,  it 
you  want  to  help  the  environment,  and  the  only  skill  you  have 
is  the  ability  to  sit  in  a  tree,  you  should  do  that.  But  if  you  have 
the  ability  to  develop  a  new  kind  of  paper  that  doesn't  come 
from  trees,  so  no  one  has  to  chop  down  trees,  so  no  one  has 
to  sit  in  trees,  then  DO  THAT." 

Even  as  I  graduate,  I  wrestle  with  the  biggest  question 
facing  engineering  students  today — finding  ways  to  apply  our 
abilities  to  our  passions.  There's  no  guidebook  for  graduates 
that  says  this  technology  will  feed  bombs  and  that  one  will  save 
lives.  Often  enough,  a  single  technology  does  both.  Do  equa- 
tions clean  up  the  air?  Can  petri  dishes  empty  our  prisons? 
In  fact,  they  do. 


The  challenges  Julia  Butterfly  Hill  met  while  tree-sitting 
are  analogous  to  those  in  the  engineering  world.  My  mentors 
at  NASA  are  confident  that  their  work  affects  the  environment, 
but  sometimes  they  must  feel  like  human  calculators  toiling  in 
their  labs,  disconnected  from  the  results  of  their  work.  I'm  sure 
Hill  had  days  when  she  felt  useless  and  ridiculous  up  in  her 
tree,  when  her  conviction  faltered.  But  she  stayed  in  its  branches 
and  made  a  difference,  just  as  my  mentors  keep  experimenting. 
They  all  have  found  a  way  to  embrace  the  importance  of  their 
own  contributions,  regardless  of  scope. 

I  still  feel  confused  sometimes,  like  there's  a  seesaw  in  my 
head,  and  I'm  rocking  back  and  forth  between  meaning  and 
work.  The  fulcrum  rests  on  my  values,  and  my  passion  to  make 
a  difference.  I  am  looking  for  the  balance  between  foam- 
padded  labs  and  redwood  trees.  If  all  else  fails,  I  know  I'll 
always  have  my  cape.  D 

— Nina  Simon  '02 


Transformations    \   Spring  2003     3  1 


Notes  From  Higgins  House 

In  the  last  issue  I  noted  three  key  goals  for  the  Alumni 
Association.  At  mid-year,  I'm  happy  to  report  we  have  made 
progress  on  each  of  them. 

First,  the  marketing  effort  has 
reached  the  action  phase.  Under  the 
leadership  of  Joyce  Kline  '87,  we  have 
identified  a  number  of  ways  that  alumni 
can  help.  The  marketing  program  aims 
to  attract  a  larger  and  more  diverse  pool 
of  applicants  by  increasing  awareness 
of  WPI.  Many  of  you  already  help  by 
serving  as  Alumni  Ambassadors  and 
volunteers,  reaching  out  to  prospective 
students  and  their  parents  to  explain 
why  the  WPI  experience  is  special  and 
how  it  is  different. 
Our  second  goal  was  to  increase  communication  between 
the  association  and  all  members  of  the  WPI  family.  We  are  now 
speaking  to  alums  regularly  through  the  Gateway,  Transfor- 
mations, and  the  recently-launched  e-newsletter  The  Bridge. 


Our  objective  is  to  keep  all  of  you  informed  about  what's  hap- 
pening at  WPI  and  what  programs  and  services  are  available  to 
you.  We  welcome  feedback  on  how  we  can  improve — let  us 
know  what  information  you  want  from  WPI  and  how  you 
would  like  to  receive  it. 

Our  third  goal  was  to  see  how  we  stack  up  against  our 
competitors  when  it  comes  to  providing  service  to  our  alumni. 
We  look  forward  to  the  final  report  from  Fred  Costello  '59  and 
Jennifer  Riddell,  assistant  director  of  alumni  relations,  on  our 
alumni  programs  benchmarking  effort.  We'll  report  back  to  you 
in  a  future  issue  of  the  magazine. 

As  we  move  forward  on  these  goals,  we've  also  begun  a  new 
project.  The  Alumni  Cabinet  and  the  Alumni  Leadership 
Council  are  studying  the  critical  issue  of  career  development — 
the  support  that  WPI  provides  its  alumni  when  they  need  help 
finding  employment  or  hiring  other  alums.  The  Career 
Development  division  of  the  association,  chaired  by  Bill  Krein 
'62,  is  leading  the  charge.  Initially  they  will  be  assessing  our 
resources  and  looking  for  ways  to  increase  our  overall  efforts  in 
this  area,  one  we  know  is  important  to  all  alumni. 


Dusty  Klauber  '67 

President,  WPI  Alumni  Association 


Bioengineering  Hits  Home  With  West  Coast  Alums 


In  January  WPI's  Alumni  Association  brought  Tim  Gerrity, 
director  of  the  university's  new  Bioengineering  Institute  (BEI), 
to  California,  "and  by  all  accounts  it  was  a  huge  success,"  says 
Beth  Howland,  director  of  alumni  relations. 

Gerrity  spoke  at  two  receptions,  in  San  Jose  and 
Huntington  Beach,  giving  a  personal  overview  of  the  new 
institute  to  members  of  WPI's  West  Coast  community.  He 
explained  how  BEI  forges  public  and  private  partnerships  for 
research  and  development  ot  biotech  products — from  new 
instruments  to  measure  brain  waves  to  wireless  communications 
systems  that  can  monitor  a  patient's  vital  statistics  from  afar  (see 
cover  story  on  page  16). 

About  100  people  turned  out  for  the  gatherings,  which 
included  many  alumni,  a  handful  of  prospective  students  and 


their  parents,  and  the  current  students  at  WPI's  Silicon  Valley 
Project  Center,  accompanied  by  representatives  from  the 
center's  corporate  partners. 

"A  number  of  alums  who  work  in  biotech  attended," 
says  Howland,  whose  office  organized  the  events.  She  said 
provocative  questions  were  raised  at  both  receptions,  "ranging 
from  whether  or  not  WPI  has  an  ethical  stance  on  cloning  to 
how  new  technologies  will  change  our  healthcare  system  once 
they  go  to  market." 


3  2     Transformations   \  Spring  2003 


<j       Kodak       E100SW       1161 


All  Aboard  the 
Marketing  Train 

"I  like  to  use  the  analogy  that  the  train  [the  mar- 
keting program]  has  left  the  station  and  the 
Alumni  Association  has  a  chance  to  ride  on  it  or 
not."  Buoyed  by  Joyce  Kline's  energy  and  can-do 
attitude,  it's  clear  that  "or  not"  is  not  an  option. 

When  Joyce  Kline  '87  signed  to  chair  the 
Marketing  and  Communications  Division,  her 
eyes  were  open.  "I  knew  this  role  would  be  chal- 
lenging due  to  the  focus  that  the  school  has 
placed  on  marketing,"  she  says. 

She  was  also  well-versed  in  the  process.  Joyce 
has  been  involved  with  the  Alumni  Association 
since  she  was  a  student,  serving  as  chair  of  the 
Student  Alumni  Society  in  her  junior  year.  "I  was 
very  involved  in  WPI  as  an  undergrad,  so  staying 
involved  as  an  alum  has  been  a  natural  progression." 

Joyce  champions  the  university's  marketing 
initiative  as  a  chance  for  alums  to  help  promote  the 
school  and  to  find  new  reasons  to  be  proud  of  their 
alma  mater. 

At  a  retreat  last  October,  representatives  from 
the  Alumni  Cabinet  and  the  Board  of  Trustees  brainstormed  on 
how  best  to  support  WPI's  marketing  program.  The  group  came 
up  with  creative  ways  alumni  can  be  supportive,  promote  WPI, 
and  increase  their  involvement  in  the  association. 

Joyce  says  even  alums  who  are  pressed  for  time  can  be 
involved.  "Wear  WPI-emblazoned  clothing,  put  a  logo  decal  in 
your  car  or  drop  a  copy  of  this  magazine  in  your  dentist's  wait- 
ing room."  Those  with  more  time  are  encouraged  to  serve  on  a 
range  of  steering  committees,  such  as  one  geared  to  tap  high 
school  science  and  math  teachers  for  prospective  students.  Other 
committees  focus  on  supporting  the  newly  launched  e-news- 
letter and  the  development  of  an  improved  Alumni  Web  site. 


Putting  the  plan  into  action  takes  time,  and  for  Joyce  Kline 
this  is  no  small  duty — especially  since  her  position  as  a  senior 
manager  at  Accenture,  (formerly  Anderson  Consulting), 
requires  a  great  deal  of  travel.  But,  she  says,  it's  worth  it. 

"I  enjoy  being  involved  with  the  Alumni  Association,"  she 
says.  "It's  an  opportunity  to  give  back  to  the  school.  WPI  pro- 
vided me  with  a  solid  foundation  for  my  career.  I  really  gained 
on  so  many  levels — academically  as  well  as  from  a  leadership 
perspective.  You  don't  need  a  marketing  or  communications 
background  to  be  involved,  just  enthusiasm  for  WPI." 

Interested  in  serving  on  a  committee?  Contact  Joyce  at 
joyce.s.kline@accenture.com. 


os  by  Doug  Cody 


Bioengineering  Institute  director  Tim  Gerrity 
met  west  coast  alums  such  as  Wil  Houde  '59 
(second  photo  from  left,  far  right)  and  stu- 
dents currently  working  at  the  Silicon  Valley 
Project  Center  at  an  Alumni  Association 
reception  in  San  Jose,  Calif.  Gerrity  visited 
Patty  Grey  '98  (M.S.],  '00  (MBA),  vice  pres- 
ident of  sales  and  service  at  GeneMachines 
in  San  Carlos  (far  left  photo). 


Transformations    \    Spring  2003     33 


40 


Ray  Forkey  com- 
memorated a 
half-century  of 
membership  at  the  Worcester 
Country  Club  by  writing  up  a 
retrospective  with  his  golf 
results,  memberships  and  serv- 
ice posts  before  he  joined  WCC 
in  March  1953,  and  during  his 
50  years  of  association.  He 
writes  of  his  academic  and  ath- 
letic career  at  WPI  and  con- 
cludes, "Over  this  near-50  years, 
I  may  have  received  more  golf 
trophies  than  any  member  in 
the  history  of  WCC.  I  am  for- 
ever grateful  and  hope  club 
members  have  also  found  satis- 
faction and  good  sportsmanship 
in  these  competitions.  So  WPI 
has  set  the  tone  for  my  behavior 
these  many  years — in  golf,  in 
work,  and  in  living." 

The  Southern  Connecticut 
Chapter  of  ASM  honored 
Joseph  Halloi  an  with  a  special 
plaque  commemorating  his 
numerous  accomplishments  and 
service  to  the  heat  treating 
industry.  He  is  a  life  member 
and  a  past  recipient  of  the  chap- 
ter's William  Gibson  Award. 
Halloran  founded  Halloran 
Equipment  Co.  in  Hamden, 
Conn. 


45 


Karl  Mayer- 
Wittmann  has 

been  lecturing  to 
civic  groups  on  the  global 
economy  and  the  outlook  for 
working  people  and  retirees.  He 
is  a  former  chief  economist  of 
the  Atomic  Energy  Commission 
and  a  1 5-year  veteran  of  ITT 
Corp.  He  lives  in  Old  Green- 
wich, Conn.,  where  he  operates 
Mayet-Wittmann  Joint 
Ventures. 

5  Robert  Holden 
^V     married  Sandra 
/     Venzon,  CEO  of  a 

physical  therapy  clinic,  on  Aug. 
24,  2002,  in  Sedona,  Ariz., 
under  the  wedding  tree  in  Red 
Rock  State  Park.  He  writes,  "I 
shop,  clean,  cook  and  perform 
other  duties  on  demand  as  a 
househusband  should."  They 
liv<  in  s.in  1  )iego.  1  lis  note  is 
signed  with  his  new  married 
name,  I  loldenvenzon. 


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WPI  offers  short,  hands-on  courses  to  meet  the  needs  of  professionals  inter- 
ested in  building  their  skills  in  a  specific  technology.  In  just  one  week  you 
will  gain  a  solid  foundation  in  today's  in-demand  IT  skills.  All  programs 
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Developing  .NET  Applications  Using  C#,  June  16-20 

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To  register,  call  508-480-8202  or  visit  www.ce.wpi.edu/IT/Seminars. 


Oregon  State  University  profes- 
sor Robert  Schultz  received  the 
school's 
Richard  M. 
Bressler 
Senior 
Faculty 
Teaching 
Award  for 
2002.  "He  has  continuously 
and  almost  single-handedly 
taught  the  undergraduate  sur- 
veying program  in  Civil, 
Consttuction,  and  Environ- 
mental Engineering,"  reads  the 
citation.  "Almost  universally, 
alumni  state  that  he  was  the 
toughest  and  best  teacher  they 
had  at  OSU."  Schultz,  who 
joined  the  faculty  in  1962,  is 
noted  for  his  hands-on,  full- 
immersion  approach  to  mentor- 
ing students  into  professional 
practice.  "Nearly  all  find  the 
professionalism  they  learn  from 
Professor  Schultz  to  be  a  turn- 
ing point  in  their  career  develop- 
ment." In  1997  he  was  selected  as 
Oregon's  Civil  Engineer  ot  the 
Yean 

'    (~*\     Solon  Economou 

debuted  as  ,i  new 
___/    \*J    local  columnist  Inr 
the  Cape  ("oil  Times  in  Septem- 
ber 2002.  A  Former  rocket 
engineer  and  award-winning 
physics  teacher,  Ins  writings 
li.ne  also  appeared  in  the 
Hellenic  (  hronicU  and  in  NASA 


publications.  His  other  credits 
include  scriptwriting  and  pro- 
ducing video  presentations  for 
the  military  and  for  Fortune 
500  companies.  Economou's 
column  runs  on  alternate 
Thursdays,  on  the  paper's  Op- 
Ed  page. 

Richard  Brewster 

continues  his  trav- 
\^J  \J    els  aboard  the 
hospital  ship  M/V  Anastash, 
bringing  medical  and  material 
relief  to  people  in  need  through 
a  non-governmental  organiza- 
tion called  Mercy  Ships.  His 
latest  report  came  from  a  loca- 
tion off  the  coast  of  North 
Africa,  as  he  was  heading  tor 
Sierra  Leone. 

Gerald  Mullaney 
is  the  new  build- 
\<J    JL      ing  inspector  for 
the  town  of  Madbury,  N.H.,  a 
post  he  previously  held  in 
Petersham,  Mass. 

•"^     Shiva  (Michael) 
Lcistritz  has  been 
\J  i    1    an  active  support- 
er of  the  Alzheimer's 

Vssou.uion  ot  C  'emral 
Massachusetts.  1  le  was  a  care- 
taker lor  his  mother  tor  mure 

than  14  years,  and  Ik-  played  an 

msiriimeiu.il  role  in  the 
wbrcestei  Mcmor)  W.ilklund 


Leunion 


June  5-8,  2003 

Classes  of  '38,  '43,  '48,  '53,  '58,  '63,  '68,  '73,  '78 


Ken  Olsen  joined 
I     Maxiam,  the 
V^/  ^_y     Chicago-based 
intellectual  asset  management 
affiliate  of  the  law  firm  Howrey 
Simon  Arnold  &  White.  He 
was  previously  vice  president 
and  chief  intellectual  property 
counsel  for  Sun  Microsystems. 


64 


Alfred  Malchiodi 


The  National 
Academy  of 
Sciences  presented 


r 


>' 


-4 


with  its 
Gibbs 
Brothers 
Award  in 
April.  The 
medal  and 
$20,000 
prize  are 


awarded  every  two  years  for 
outstanding  contributions  in 
the  field  of  naval  architecture 
and  marine  engineering. 
Malchiodi,  who  is  project 
director  for  General  Dynamics 
Electric  Boar  in  Groton,  Conn., 
was  honored  for  "leading  inno- 
vations in  developing  the  naval 
architecture  of  submarines  for 
the  efficient  utilization  of 
advanced  technology."  He  is 
best  known  for  his  work  on  the 
vertical  launch  systems  (VLS) 
for  the  Ohio,  Los  Angeles, 
Seawolf  and  Virginia  subs. 


65 


Mike  Oliver  is 

retired  from  IBM, 
where  he  was  pro- 
gram director  for  Java  OS/390 
and  z/Series.  His  ream  managed 
the  release  of  Java  versions  for 
all  IBM-supported  systems  and 
pioneered  Web  delivery  of  soft- 
ware and  support  to  customers. 
Mike's  role  also  included  inter- 
nal consulting  and  external  out- 
reach. After  retiring  in  June 
200 1 ,  he  managed  an  interna- 
tional team  of  1 50  people  pro- 
viding components  and  supporr 
for  Java  products. 

Richard  Bonin 

was  named  techni- 
cal director  of  the 
Naval  Undersea  Warfare  Center 
(NUWC),  headquartered  in 
Newport,  R.I.  Bonin  entered 
the  Army  after  graduation  and 


joined  NUWC's  predecessor 
organizarion  in  1969.  He  has 
served  as  head  of  the  Newport 
Division's  Torpedo  Systems 
Department  and  was  appointed 
acting  technical  directot  in 
August  2002. 

Stephen  Pytka 

was  appointed 
\»-/  V_/     president  and 
CEO  of 
Gazelle 
Systems, 
a  market- 
research 
company 
for  the  food 
service  industry.  He  is  the  for- 
met  chairman  and  CEO  of 
Streamware,  a  consumer 
research  firm  founded  by 
Glenn  Butler  '89  and  John 
Roughneen  '89.  Pytka  lives 
with  his  family  in  Andover, 
Mass. 

Rep.  Todd  Akin 
won  his  bid  for 
v-/     re-election  in 
Missouri's  2nd  District  with  67 
percent  of  the  vote.  The  Town 
and  Country  Republican  was 
expected  to  triumph  over  his 


Domenic  Forcella  '70  received  the  2003  Keeping  Blues  Alive  (KBA) 
Award  for  Excellence  in  Journalism  from  the  Blues  Foundation  in 
Memphis,  Tenn.  The  KBAs  honor  the  blues-related  accomplishments 
and  contributions  of  non-performers.  Forcella's  weekly  column, 
"Blues  Beat,"  began  in  the  New 
Britain  (Conn.)  Herald,  and  is 
now  syndicated  in  four  addi- 
rional  newspapers.  He  also 
broadcasts  a  weekly  radio  show 
on  WFCS  107.7  FM,  the  cam- 
pus station  of  Central 
Connecticut  State  College, 
where  he  is  environmental 
health  and  safety  officer  and 
faculty  advisot  to  the  radio  station.  Forcella's  passion  for  the  blues 
took  root  at  WPI,  where  his  freshman  friends  exposed  him  to  the 
recordings  of  classic  artists.  He  began  investigating  the  blues  scene 
in  various  cities  during  business  trips,  and  writing  up  his  experience 
in  his  "Travelin  with  the  Blues"  column  for  rhe  Connecticut  Blues 
Society  newsletter.  Forcella,  who  lives  in  Plainville,  Conn.,  is  also  a 
contributor  to  various  print  and  Internet  journals. 


Democratic  and  Libertarian 
challengers. 

Steve  Emery 

(M.S.)  joined 
-1-      Diametrics 
Medical  as  senior  vice  president 
of  worldwide  sales,  marketing 
and  business  development. 

IEEE  fellow  Irving  Engelson  is 

a  popular  lecturer  who  currently 


serves  as  vice  president  of  the 
Engineeting  Management 
Society  and  vice  chair  for 
sttategic  planning  on  rhe  IEEE 
Regional  Activities  Board.  He 
recently  spoke  on  effective 
meetings  at  the  Rochester 
Section's  monthly  meeting. 


ROOITI  to  QTO^V  Babs  and  Jim  Donahue  '44,  surrounded  here  by  members  of  the  varsity  crew  teams,  led  tours  of  the 
new  addition  to  the  Donahue  Rowing  Center  at  dedication  ceremonies  Sept.  27,  2002.  The  addition  makes  the  DRC  the 
largest  rowing  facility  on  the  East  Coast,  according  to  Coach  Larry  Noble,  who  says  that  the  extra  half-bay  for  boat  stor- 
age was  sorely  needed  due  to  rapid  growth  of  the  crew  program.  (Donahue,  founder  of  Donahue  Industries  Inc. 
and  an  emeritus  trustee  of  WPI,  was  the  keynote  speaker  at  the  School  of  Industrial  Management  annual  banquet  and 
reunion  on  Feb.  25,  2003.] 


Transformations    |    Spring  2003     3  5 


Leunion 


June  6-8,  2003 

Classes  of  '38,  '43,  '48,  '53,  '58,  '63,  '68,  '73,  '78 


Ben  Katcoff  is  the  federal  gov- 
ernment's new  director  of  com- 
pensation and  benefits  in  the 
Office  of  the  Comptroller  of  the 
Currency.  His  office  is  a  bureau 
of  the  U.S.  Treasury  Department 
and  is  responsible  for  the  licens- 
ing, regulation  and  supervision 
of  our  nation's  federally  char- 
tered banks.  These  banks  num- 
ber 2,400  and  hold  nearly  60 
percent  of  the  nation's  commer- 
cial banking  assets. 

r  /^k     Ken  Kolkebeck 

is  president  of 
<    Facility  Diagnos- 
tics in  Harrington  Park,  N.J. 
He  holds  several  patents  for  air- 
flow measuring  systems  and  has 
developed  equipment  for  labo- 
ratory and  fume  hood  airflow 
control. 

^  /^     Roger  Heinen 

••^W    was  appointed  to 
%_y'     the  board  of  direc- 
tors of  Tiara  Wireless. 

Patrick  Hester  was  one  of  four 
recipients  of  Duke  Energy 
Corp.'s  2001  Pinnacle  Award, 
which  acknowledges  employees 
who  make  outstanding  contri- 
butions to  the  company's  busi- 
ness success.  He  is  currently 
senior  vice  president  and  general 
counsel  for  Duke's  Maritimes  & 
Northeast  Pipeline.  He  lives  in 
Westborough,  Mass.,  with  his 
wife,  Ann,  and  four  daughters. 

WPI  Trustee  Leonard  Redon 

was  appointed  chair  of  the 
Monroe  Community  College 
Foundation  Board  of  Directors. 
He  continues  as  vice  president 
of  western  operations  at 
Paychex  Inc. 

Steve  Dacri  and 

his  wife,  Jan,  fin- 
JL    ished  up  a  10- 
month  tour  in  January,  and  hit 
the  road  again  in  February  for 
two  more  months  of  lectures 
and  shows.  Their  "Insider's 
Workshops"  got  rave  reviews 
from  corporate  clients. 


Vicki  Cowart  left 
her  post  as  direc- 
J     tor  of  the 

Colorado  Geological  Survey  to 
become  president  and  CEO  of 
Planned  Parenthood  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  the  third 
largest  affiliate  in  the  country. 
With  approximately  400 
employees  and  a  $20  million 
budget,  PPRM's  mission  is  to 
improve  the  quality  of  life  by 
enabling  all  people  to  exercise 
individual  choice  in  their  own 
fertility  and  reproductive  health. 

David  Fowler  is  vice  president 
of  markering  for  Groove  Net- 
works, a  provider  of  desktop 
collaboration  software  based  in 
Beverly,  Mass. 

Mark  Iampietro  joined 
Spherics  Inc.,  a  bioadhesive 
drug-delivery  company  in 
Lincoln,  R.I.,  as  director  of 
quality  assurance. 

Larry  Jones  was  named  CEO 
of  Interrelate 
Inc.,  a 

provider  of 
information- 
based  mar- 
keting servic- 
es, based  in 
Eden  Prairie,  Minn.  He  was 
previously  CEO  of  Message 
Media  in  Louisville,  Colo. 

Mark  Youngstrom  is  managing 
engineer  of  the  Rutland,  Vt., 
branch  of  Otter  Creek  Engi- 
neering. His  25  years  of  experi- 
ence include  many  of  the  area's 
municipal  projects,  including 
the  city's  award-winning  drink- 
ing water  filtration  facility. 

Steven  Fine  has 

a  new  position  at 
Laticrete  Inter- 
national, as  senior  product 
development  chemist  for  North 
America.  He  lives  in  West 
Haven,  Conn.,  and  has  a  4- 
year-old  daughter  named 
Dcstany. 

Arthur  Hyde  toured  the  coun- 
try during  Ford  Motor  Co.'s 
revival  ol  the  Mustang  and 
Thiuulcrhird  J.issu  e.irs.  He 


knovel  Has  Answers  for 
Scientists  and  Engineers 

Bill  Woishnis  '80  is  a  co-founder  of  knovel  Corp.,  an  online  data- 
base that  offers  rapid  access  to  more  than  450  scientific  and  engi- 
neering reference  sources  through  a  single  interface.  With  more 
than  200  subscribing  organizations,  including  WPI,  MIT,  Cornell 
and  Princeton  on  the  academic  front,  and  corporate  clients  such  as 
3M,  GE,  GM,  Hewlett-Packard  and  ExxonMobil,  he's  tapping  into 
a  rapidly  growing  market  for  e-books. 

As  chairman  and  editor  in  chief  of  knovel,  Woishnis  is  responsible 
for  knovel's  content  acquisition  and  development.  "I  came  into  pub- 
lishing without  even  knowing  I  was  doing  it,"  he  says.  "My  interest 
has  always  been  in  delivering  information  electronically."  As  a  plas- 
tics engineer  at  Hewlett-Packard  in  the  early  1980s,  Woishnis 
began  gathering  and  marketing  industry  data  in  loose-leaf  binders. 
He  later  became  director  of  sales  for  the  online  version  of  Plastics 
Technology  magazine.  He  launched  knovel  in  1  999,  and  founded 
its  parent  company,  William  Andrew  Publishing,  based  in  Norwich, 
N.Y.,  in  1990. 

Woishnis  returned  to  campus  in  January  to  lead  a  tutorial  on  knovel's 
interactive  features.  Users  can  search  a  rapidly  growing  list  of  refer- 
ence manuals,  including  old  standbys  such  as  Perry's  Chemical 
Engineers'  Handbook  and  Marks'  Standard  Handbook  for  Mechani- 
cal Engineers.  But  unlike  the  print  version,  the  data  in  "live"  tables 
can  be  searched,  sorted,  printed  and  exported  to  a  variety  of 
spreadsheet,  calculation  and  word  processing  programs. 

WPI  students  and  faculty  can  access  knovel.com  on  their  PCs  via 
the  Gordon  Library  site.  Systems/Reference  librarian  Don  Richardson 
says  knovel  is  a  unique  resource  because  it  focuses  on  handbooks 


and  other  reference  books  in  subjects  important  to  scientists  and 
engineers,  and  because  it  covers  books  from  multiple  publishers, 
"knovel's  search  capabilities  allow  users  to  dig  deep  through  a 
large  number  of  books  to  locate  very  specific  information,"  he  says. 
"It's  a  great  example  of  how  the  library  utilizes  Web  technology  lo 
deliver  high-quality  scientific  and  technical  resources  to  our  users 
wherever  ihey  are  located."    — JKM 


36     Transformations   \  Spring  2003 


has  worked  for  Ford  since  grad- 
uation and  is  currently  based  in 
Michigan  as  Mustang  chief  pro- 
gram engineer. 

From  Vermont,  Laima 
Pauliukonis  writes,  "I've  been 
living  in  Brattleboto  and  loving 
it  since  1996,  when  I  moved 
here  with  my  family.  I  am  presi- 
dent of  Brattleboro  Anesthesia 
Associates  and  was  recently 
elected  president  of  the  medical 
staff  of  Brattleboto  Memorial 
Hospital.  My  husband,  Gary 
Snyder,  and  I  are  aiso  very  busy 
raising  two  boys,  Adam,  9,  and 
Salim,  8." 

John  Woodhull  is  a  senior  pro- 
gram manager  for  ENSR 
International.  His  article 
"Managing  Emissions  During 
Hazardous- Waste  Combustion" 
appeared  in  the  December  2002 
issue  of  Chemical  Engineering. 

John  Petze  is  pres- 
ident and  CEO  of 
\*J     Tridium  Inc.,  in 
Richmond,  Va.  He  and  his  wife, 
Timorhea,  have  a  son, 
Alexander. 

Peter  Gould  is 

V- 1    director  of  mech- 
^/      anical  engineering 
for  Raytheon's  Integrated  De- 
fense Systems  in  Sudbury,  Mass. 
He  held  a  variety  of  manage- 
ment positions  in  his  23  years 
with  Raytheon,  most  recently 
as  a  senior  manager  within  the 
Air  Missile  Defense/Surface 
Radar  business  unit.  Peter  was 
elected  an  engineering  fellow, 
Raytheon's  highest  technical 
level,  in  2002. 

Carl  Gates  was 

I    appointed  vice 
\^J  \y     president  and  trust 
officer  of  Investment  Advisors 
in  Evansville,  Ind.  He  is  a  grad- 
uate of  the  Widener  University 
Law  School  and  the  founder  of 
Carl  Gates  and  Assoc.  P.C.  of 
Chadds  Ford,  Pa. 

Marianne  Wessling-Resnick 

was  profiled  in  the  Fall/Winter 
2002  issue  of  Vitae:  The 
Magazine  of  the  University  of 
Massachusetts  Medical  School. 
A  1987  UMass  Ph.D.  grad,  she 


Who's  going  to  Reunion? 

We'll  provide  the  conversation...    ( 
you  provide  the  coffee. 

There's  a  great  place  to  go  to  stay  in  touch  with  your  classmates  and  chat 
about  your  alma  mater.  It's  called  the  WPI  Alliniffi  CttfG  and  it's  as  close 
as  your  computer  screen.  The  Cafe  is  an  online  community  with  dedicated  forums  for 
classes,  events,  news,  and  more.  If  there's  something  special  you'd  like  to  talk  about,  you 
can  even  start  your  own  forum.  So,  take  a  break  from  the  hustle  and  bustle  of  everyday 
life  and  join  your  friends  at  the  coziest  little  spot  on  the  Internet.  Drop  by  whenever  you 
like  —  we  never  close! }us\  visit  the  WPI  Alumni  home  page,  www.wpi.edu/-i-Alumni,  and 
click  on  the  Cafe  icon. 


ALUMNI      CAFE 


OPEN       24/7 


teaches  nutritional  biochemistry 
at  the  Harvard  School  of  Public 
Health.  Het  research  centers  on 
cellular  transport  and  acquisi- 
tion of  iron,  with  the  goal  of 
understanding  anemia  and 
world  health  problems  related 
to  iron  deficiency.  In  the  pro- 
file, she  traces  her  love  of 
research  back  to  project  work  in 
Professor  William  Hobeys  bio- 
chemistry lab  at  WPI. 

David  Wilk  is 

mechanical  engi- 
\^J   JL      neering  task  man- 
ager for  THADD  Radar  at 
Raytheon  in  Sudbury,  Mass.  He 
was  part  of  a  team  that  teceived 
the  Department  of  Defense's 
2002  Excellence  in  Acquisition 
Award  at  the  Pentagon  in  June. 
He  lives  in  Millis,  Mass.,  with 
his  wife,  Lisa. 

Tom  Fiske  is  a 

member  of  the 
V_y  JLt  I    automation  con- 
sulting team  at  ARC  Advisory 
Group  in  Dedham,  Mass., 
where  he  provides  research  and 
advice  on  global  markets  for 
industrial  process  manufactur- 
ing auromation.  His  special 
focus  is  process  simulation, 
advanced  process  control,  opti- 
mization and  collaborative  pro- 
duction management.  His  arti- 


cle on  operational  excellence 
(OpX)  appeared  in  the 
November  2002  issue  of 
Hydrocarbon  Processing. 

Paul  Cotnoir 

I    joined  Becker 
V_x  ^y     College  as  associ- 
ate dean  of  the  Centers  for 
Learning  &  Career  Advance- 
ment. He  lives  in  Putnam, 
Conn.,  with  his  wife,  Mary,  and 
two  sons. 

Anne  Saunders  Espinoza 

(formerly  Valiton)  continues 
at  Denali  Software  in  Austin, 
Texas,  where  she  is  manager  of 
Databahn  Operations.  She 
married  David  Espinoza  in 
November  2001. 

Dennis  Foley  of  North  Attle- 
boro,  Mass.,  inrends  to  run 
for  President  in  2004.  He 
announced  his  candidacy  in 
January  by  running  advertise- 
ments in  the  Cape  Cod  Times, 
and  he  plans  to  register  with  the 
Federal  Election  Commission  to 
qualify  for  matching  funds.  A 
former  engineer  with  Texas 
Instruments  and  Lucent  Tech- 
nologies, Foley  is  seeking 
employment  in  sales  or  market- 
ing. He  told  the  Attleboro  Sun 
Chronicle  that  he  plans  to  cam- 


paign against  discrimination, 
poverty  and  pedophilia. 

Pamela  Lawler  works  for  Pratt 
&  Whitney  and  lives  in 
Glastonbury,  Conn.  She  shared 
her  expertise  as  a  "loaned  execu- 
tive" in  the  local  2002  United 
Way  Community  Campaign. 

Terence  O'Coin  is  an  account 
executive  with  Computer 
Sciences  Corp.,  where  he  is 
responsible  for  IT  in  engineer- 
ing, milirary  engines  and  e-busi- 
ness. He  and  his  wife,  Mary, 
had  a  daughter,  Emma,  on  Nov. 
25,  2002.  Their  son,  Charlie, 
turned  2  in  January. 

Terry  Anne  Barber 

and  Dirk  Zastrow 
\J      JL    welcomed  their 
baby  girl  in  September  2001. 
They  live  in  Dawsonville,  Ga. 

Michael  Briere  is  president  of 
Picor  Corp.,  a  wholly  owned 
subsidiary  of  Vicor  Corp.,  in 
Slatersville,  R.I.  Briere,  who  also 
serves  as  an  adjunct  physics  pro- 
fessor at  the  University  of 
Rhode  Island,  hopes  to  grow 
the  integrated-circuit  company 
from  20  to  100  employees  over 
the  next  five  years. 


Transformations    \   Spring  2003     37 


Reunion 


at  Homecoming,  October  1 1,  2003 

Classes  of  '88,  '93,  '98 


WPI  Bookshel: 


American  Confusion  Continues: 
Malignant  Disarray  in  the  War  on 
Terrorism,  and  in  the  Pacifist 
Alternatives 

by  William  R.  Taylor  '55 

http://AmericanConfusion.com 

Bill  Taylor  wants  his  readers  to  understand 
how  governments  deal  with  confusion.  In  his 
previous  book,  American  Confusion:  From 
Vietnam  to  Kosovo — Coping  with  Confusion 
in  High  Places  (iUniverse,  2001),  he  applied  his  original  theory  of 
the  dynamics  of  confusion  to  the  actions  of  Robert  McNamara  and 
Lyndon  Johnson  during  the  expansion  of  the  Vietnam  War  in  1965, 
then  used  "fuzzy  cognitive  maps"  to  forecast  events  in  real  time 
during  the  1999  NATO  air  war  against  Serbia.  His  current  book 
(excerpted  at  http://AmericanConfusion.com)  examines  possible 
outcomes  of  a  U.S.  invasion  of  Iraq.  This  short,  self-published  edition 
may  be  ordered  through  the  Web  site  while  Taylor  and  his  agent 
pursue  commercial  publication. 


The  CAD  Guidebook 

by  Stephen  J.  Schoonmaker  '84 
Marcel  Dekker,  Inc. 

i    Vol.  150  in  Dekker's  Mechanical  Engineering 
r\iy*  series,  this  essential  reference  guides  students 

I    and  professionals  through  the  fundamental 
principles  and  theories  in  the  function, 
application  and  management  of  2-  and  3-D 
computer-aided  design.  Troubleshooting 
procedures,  a  glossary  and  end-of-chapter 
review  questions  are  also  included.  More  information  is  available  at 
www.dekker.com.  Schoonmaker  is  manager  of  engineering  systems 
at  Grove  Worldwide,  a  unit  of  the  Manitowoc  Crane  Group.  His 
previous  work,  ISO  900 1  for  Engineers  and  Designers,  was  pub- 
lished by  McGraw-Hill  in  1997. 

Risk-Informed,  Performance-Based 
Industrial  Fire  Protection:  An 
Alternative  to  Prescriptive  Codes 

by  Thomas  F.  Barry,  P.E.  '90  (MS  FPE) 

Fire  Risk  Forum 

The  steps,  methods  and  tools  of  risk-based  fire 
safety  assessment  are  spelled  out  in  this  com- 
prehensive handbook,  to  help  FPE  profes- 
sionals, architects,  risk  managers,  regulatory 
agencies  and  insurance  companies  work 
together  on  risk-informed,  performance-based  fire  safety  solutions. 
Barry's  assessment  process  is  designed  to  add  another  dimension 
to  fire  safety  analysis  and  to  provide  an  alternative  path  when  the 
application  of  prescriptive  codes  may  not  be  feasible  or  cost- 
effective.  Barry  is  director  of  the  Risk  &  Reliability  Consulting  business 
at  HSB  Professional  Loss  Control.  The  book  is  available  at  his  Web 
site,  www.fireriskforum.com. 


Daniel  Farrar  lives  in  Belgium, 
where  he  continues  as  president 
and  CEO  of  GE  Capital  Fleet 
Services  Europe. 

Leslie  Schur  Gottlieb  and  her 

husband,  Mark,  had  a  son,  Alan 
Frederick,  on  Oct.  15,  2001. 
She  holds  the  post  of  quality 
assurance  specialist  at  IQ 
Financial  Systems  in  New  York 
City. 

Don  Drewry 

(M.S.  FPE)  is  vice 
president  of  HSB 

Professional  Loss  Control  in 

New  York  City. 

The  Cape  Cod  Times  spotlighted 
Steve  Roughan  and  his  son, 
Nicholas,  who  is  a  WPI  fresh- 
man this  yeat,  in  an  article 
called  "Attending  pater's  alma 
mater."  Steve,  who  now  works 
for  i2  Technologies,  was  a  jun- 
ior at  WPI  when  he  and  his 
wife,  Sandy,  had  Nick.  Also 
WPI  alums  are  Steve's  siblings 
Timothy  Roughan  '82  and 
Elizabeth  Roughan  Parker  '84. 

Charles  Wright  holds  the  post 
of  chief  scientist  at  Azimuth 
Networks  in  Sudbury,  Mass. 


86 


James  Daly 

and  his  wife, 
Kimberly, 


announce  the  birth  of  a  son. 


38 


Transformations   |  Spring  200 


Patrick  Robert,  on  Aug.  16, 
2002.  They  live  in  Mountain 
View,  Calif. 

Eileen  Ego  and  her  partner. 
Corrine  Frost,  became  proud 
parents  of  a  baby  girl,  k.iilcv 
Alice  Kgo,  on  Nov.  12,  201)2. 
"Moms  and  baby  are  all  doing 
great."  thev  report.  Tliev  live  in 

Norwich,  ( !onn. 

James  Handanyan  is  vice  presi 

dem  ol  I  he  ( Seotechnical 
Group  in  Needham,  Mass.. 

where  he  manages  a  variety  of 
real  estate  development  projects, 


He  and  his  wife,  Lynne  (Cox), 
have  three  sons — Ben,  Alex  and 
Jake. 

Maureen  Mullarkey  became 
Maureen  Mullarkey  Mathieson 
on  Sept.  14,  2002,  when  she 
married  Todd  Mathieson.  She 
continues  to  enjoy  teaching 
seventh-grade  science  at 
Pentucket  Regional  Middle 
School  in  West  Newbury,  Mass. 

Paul  Sanneman  is  director  of 
aerospace  systems  engineering  at 
Swales  Aerospace  in  Beltsville, 
Md. 

Gary  Wetzel  was  named  senior 
vice  president  and  CFO  for  Von 
Hoffmann  Management  team 
in  St.  Louis. 


87 


Donald  Gaiter 

was  named  manag- 
er of  Citizens 
Financial  Group's  International 
Division.  He  lives  in  Weston, 
Mass. 


88 


It's  almost  15 
years  since  we 
graduated!  Mark 
your  calendars  now  for  cele- 
brating on  October  11. 
See  you  at  Homecoming! 

Allen  Bonde,  of  The  Allen 
Bonde  Group,  spoke  on  campus 
as  part  or  the  Management 
Department's  Information 
Technology  Research  Centers 
Seminar  Series.  His  topic  was 
"Is  it  time  to  invest  in  Web  self- 
service?" 

Father  William  Champlin  was 

named  pastor  ol  Immaculate 
Conception  Parish  in  Worcester. 
Ordained  in  1993,  he  is  a  grad- 
uate of  St.  Mary's  Seminary  and 
University,  where  he  earned  a 
bachelor's  degree  in  sacred  the- 
ology and  a  master  ol  theology 
degree. 

Paul  Coggin  u.is  appointed 
vice  president,  managing  pan 
tier  and  a  member  ol  the  execu- 
tive <  ommittee  ol  Ci  unpass 
Strategic  (  onsulting,  a  New 
I  l.nen  firm  pn>\  iding  market- 
ing and  development  services  CO 
companies  in  the  life  sciences 
field.  I  le  is  also  an  adjiin<  i  pro 
lessor  at  the  Universit)  ol 
Bridgeport. 


Tony  Mastromatteo  and  his 

wife,  Stacey,  announce  the  birth 
of  their  son,  Tyler  Martin,  on 
Dec.  2,  2002.  He  joins  his  big 
brother,  Lucas  Michael,  who 
was  born  in  June  2000.  Tony 
works  as  a  program  manager  for 
NMS  Communications.  They 
live  in  Natick,  Mass. 

Brendan 
Connelly  and  his 

V-J  _j/     wife,  Tina,  had 
their  first  child,  Shelby  Layne, 
on  Nov.  15,  2002.  He  writes 
that  Tina  continues  training  to 
qualify  for  the  2004  Olympic 
marathon. 


90 


Nancy 

(McLaughlin) 
Kazmer  and  her 
husband,  David,  welcomed  a 
baby  girl,  Elizabeth  Anne,  bom 
on  July  14,  2002.  She  joins  her 
big  sisters,  Laura,  4,  and  Julia, 
2,  in  their  home  in  North 
Andover,  Mass. 

Mary  Helen  (Adair)  MacLean 
and  her  husband,  Michael, 
announce  rhe  birth  of  their 
daughter,  Megan  Leigh,  on 
Sept.  18,  2002.  They  live  in 
Livermore,  Calif. 

Michael  McGreal  (M.S.  FPE) 
is  president  and  founder  of 
Firedyne  Engineering  in  Tinley 
Park,  111.  His"  FPE  and  code- 
consulting  firm  celebrated  its 
10th  anniversary  in  February. 

Mark  Otero  Rodriguez  was 

chosen  by  Synovis  Life  Tech- 
nologies to  serve  as  general 
manager  of  its  new  manufactur- 
ing facility  in  Dorado,  PR. 


91 


Frank  Christiano 

is  a  project  manager 
with  Chevron- 

Texaco's  South  Africa  Projects 

Group. 

Anna  Cushman  and  her  hus- 
band, Jan  Fredrik  Wold,  had  a 
baby  boy,  Espen  Christopher, 
on  Nov.  17,  2002.  She  writes, 
"He's  absolutely  fantastic, 
although  not  very  sleepy — 
nothing  can  ptepate  you  for  the 
sleep  deprivation!"  Anna,  an 
aerospace  engineer  in  the  vehi- 
cle recorder  division  of  the 
National  Transportation  Safety 


Board,  was  profiled  in  the 
Spring  2002  issue  of 
Transformations. 

Carl  Crawford  and  his  wife, 
Kim,  built  a  new  house  on 
Kim's  family's  farm  in  Ferris- 
burgh,  Vt.,  where  they  live  with 
theit  golden  retriever.  Carl,  who 
was  named  Vermont  Young 
Engineer  of  the  Year  in  2002, 
is  a  founding  partnet  of  Otter 
Creek  Engineering  in  Middle- 
bury.  The  company  recently 
hired  Mark  Youngstrom  '75  to 
manage  its  new  satellite  office  in 
Rutland,  Vt. 

Kimberly  Heard  was  appointed 
to  the  board  of  Trumbull  Loves 
Children,  a  Connecticut  child- 
care  program  providing  after- 
school  care  at  local  schools  and 
churches.  She  is  employed  as  a 
safety  advisor  in  the  Office  of 
Environmental  Health  and 
Safety  at  Yale  Univetsity  and  is 
pursing  a  master's  degtee  from 
the  University  of  New  Haven. 


92 


It  was  a  busy 
fall  for  David 
Andrade.  He 


began  a  new  career  in  Septem- 
ber as  a  physical  science  teacher 
at  Central  High  School  in 
Bridgeport,  Conn.,  and  he  mar- 
ried Cori  Marinaccio  on  Sept. 
29,  2002.  His  brother  Dennis 
served  as  best  man,  and  David 
Boos  and  his  wife,  Rebecca, 
were  among  the  wedding  guests. 
Andrade,  who  provided  emer- 
gency treatment  to  victims  of 
the  Sept.  1 1  attacks,  continues 
his  work  as  a  paramedic. 

Brian  Beauregard  is  superin- 
tendent of  the  Electric  Division 
of  Holyoke  Gas  &  Electric 
Department,  where  he  has 
worked  since  1990.  He  is  also 
a  volunteer  co-chair  of  the 
Business  and  Professional 
Division  of  Holyoke  Hospital's 
building  and  renovation  fund- 
raising  campaign. 

Kevin  '91  and  Teresa  Cordeiro 

Duprey  and  big  brother  Elliot 
Francis,  2!/2,  announce  the 
birth  of  Ava  Braulina  on  Aug. 
21,  2002.  Kevin  continues  to 
work  in  R&D  at  Duracell  in 
Bethel,  Conn.  Tetesa  continues 


to  work  in  information  systems 
at  Travelers  in  Harrford. 

The  10th 
Reunion  Com- 
^y      mittee  is  hard  at 
work  planning  our  gathering 
for  Homecoming  2003.  If  you 
are  interested  hi  joining  the 
committee,  contact  Jennifer 
Riddell,  assistant  director  of 
alumni  relations,  at  jriddell 
@wpi.edu.  You'll  be  getting 
more  details  in  the  mail  this 
summer,  but  mark  your  calen- 
dars now  for  October  11. 
See  you  at  Homecoming! 

Shannon  Gallagher 
Beauregard  and  Daniel 

Beauregard  '94  announce  rhe 
birth  of  their  son,  Jarrod 
Daniel,  on  April  23,  2002. 

John  Hall  and 

his  wife,  Melissa, 
JL     announce  the  birth 
of  theit  daughter,  Anne  Marie, 
on  Jan.  3,  2003.  They  live  in 
Orlando,  where  John  is  a 
programmer  for  Darden 
Restauranrs. 

Christopher  McClure  is  the 

new  superintendent  of  the 
Water  and  Sewer  Division  of 
the  Holden  (Mass.)  DPW 

Jennifer  (Shiel)  Wyse  is 

program  manager  for  turbo- 
shaft/ rurboprop  engines  at 
General  Elecrric  Co.'s  Product 
Test  Center.  She  is  an  active 
member  of  the  GE  Women's 
Network  and  campus  coordina- 
tor of  the  GE/WPI  Executive 
Recruiting  Team.  The  GE/WPI 
program  is  aimed  at  cultivating 
female  and  minority  interest  in 
engineering  and  IT  careers 
through  classroom  projecrs  and 
co-op  assignments. 


95 


Jason  Anderson  is    | 

working  on  an 
MBA  at  UC 
Berkeley's  Haas  School  of 
Business.  He  expecrs  to  gradu- 
are  in  2004. 


%    Jason  Armstrong 
is  a  graduate  stu- 
dent at  the  Air 
Force  Institute  of  Technology  at 
Wright-Patterson  AFB  in  Ohio. 


New   Novel 


Who: 

Rich  Corley  '92  (M.S.),  director,  DSP 
Platforms;  Doug  Wood  '84,  director, 
DSP  Systems;  Mark  Lovington  '79, 

director,  Corporate  Development 

What: 

Data  Services  Platform  Group, 

Sun  Microsystems 

Wh? 

Acton,  Mass. 

Why: 

Founded  three  years  by  Rich  Corley 
as  Pirus  Networks  Inc.  to  deliver 
advanced  networking  storage  servic- 
es and  multiprotocol  access  through 
a  centrally  managed  platform,  Pirus 
was  acquired  by  Sun  Microsystems 
in  December  2002  and  merged  into 
Sun's  Network  Storage  organization 
as  the  Data  Services  Product  (DSP) 
group.  WPI  is  a  customer  and  was  a 
test  site  for  Pirus's  intelligent,  multi- 
protocol storage  area  networking 
(SAN)  switch. 

Web  site: 

www.sun.com/storage/ 

Who: 

Bertyann  (Gustafson)  Cernese  '83 

What: 

Forward  Motion  Massage 

Where: 

Groton,  Mass. 

Why: 

A  certified  therapist  for  equines  and 
humans,  Cernese  treats  both  horse 
and  rider  to  enhance  their  perform- 
ance as  a  team.  She  uses  sports 
massage,  and  deep  tissue,  neuro- 
muscular therapy  and  Swedish  mas- 
sage techniques  to  improve  freedom 
of  movement.  She  recently  expand- 
ed her  practice  to  include  acupunc- 
ture and  other  holistic  treatment 
modalities. 

Web  site: 

www.forwardmotionholistic.com 

Who: 

Sergio  Salvatore  '02,  lead  engineer 

Run  Tones 

Where: 

Park  Avenue,  New  York  City 
Why: 

Recently  purchased  by  Sony  Music 
Entertainment  to  form  the  core  of  its 
new  Mobile  Products  Group,  Run 
Tones'  wireless  media  services 
include  preprogrammed  ring  tones 
for  cell  phones  featuring  licensed 
versions  of  popular  melodies;  a 
mobile  media  hub;  and  RUNpics,  a 
personal  photo  service. 

Web  site: 

www.runtones.com 


Leunion 


at  Homecoming,  October  1 1,  2003 

Classes  of  '88,  '93,  '98 


Jannine  Copponi  changed  jobs 
recently.  She  is  now  a  project 
engineer  at  Integrated  Project 
Services  in  Burlington,  Mass. 
She  also  completed  her  MBA  at 
Northeastern  University. 

Rvan  Dalv  graduated  from  the 
Boston  University  School  of 
Medicine  in  May  2002.  He 
hopes  to  specialize  in  cardiology. 

Mami  Hall  Hallissey  is  a  doc- 
toral candidate  in  medicine  and 
public  health  at  Columbia 
University. 

Rav  Shirk  is  an  autism  program 
teacher  at  Middlebury  (Vt.) 
Union  High  School.  He  holds  a 
masters  degree  in  education 
from  Simmons  College. 

"    Kyle  Heppenstall 
V-  I       /      is  a  procurement 

manager  for  Pfizer 
Inc.  He  was  interviewed  by 
Investors  Business  Daily  about 
changes  in  his  personal  invest- 
ment strategy  since  the  heady 
economic  climate  that  prevailed 
at  graduation. 

Hector  Hernandez  recendy 
moved  from  Caracas,  Venezuela, 
to  London,  where  he  is  a  tech- 
nical consultant  for  PeopleSoft  s 
UK  business. 

Peter  Manolakos  was  promot- 
ed to  senior  executive  sales  rep- 
resentative and  member  of  the 
director's  council  at  Eh  Lilly.  He 
is  the  youngest  employee  in  the 
country  to  attain  this  tide.  He 
married  Ani  Arakelian,  a 
fourth-grade  teacher  and 
Assumption  College  graduate, 
on  Aug.  31,  2002:  Lee  Core 
was  an  usher.  After  a  honey- 
moon in  the  Greek  Isles,  the 
couple  have  settled  in  Chelms- 
ford. Mass. 


Shad  Plante  joined  \  tewpoint 
Svstems  of  Boston  as  a  system 
engineer. 

Our  5th  Reunion 
is  coming  up! 
_^S     ^*-J    Mark  your  calen- 
dars now  for  a  Homecoming 
celebration  on  October  11. 

Jill  Baryza  married  Gene 
LeFevre  on  July  20,  2002.  They 
honevmooned  in  Greece  and 
Italy  before  returning  to  their 
home  in  Peekskill,  N.Y.  Jill 
works  for  UBS  PaineWebber 
and  Gene  works  for  Initiative 
Media. 


MariLisa  Billa  and  Matthew 
Dowling  '97  were  married 
Sept.  22,  2002,  in  the  shadow 
of  the  Colosseum  in  Rome. 
Bridesmaids  included  Constance 
Pappagianopoulos  and  Lena 
Bonos.  Jeevan  Ramapriyawas 
emcee  at  the  reception.  The 
newlvweds  live  in  San  Diego. 

Edward  Hallissey  is  a  systems 
engineer  for  IBM  in  Haw- 
thorne. N.Y. 

Seth  Kintigh  and  Valerie 
Valdez  '01  were  married  on 
Oct.  26,  2002.  They  live  in  San 
Antonio,  Texas,  where  Valerie 
works  as  a  systems  engineer  and 
Seth  holds  the  post  of  R&D 
engineer  at  Veridian  Corp. 

Navy  Lt.  Jason  Kipp  shipped 
out  to  an  undisclosed  location 
aboard  the  US S  Portland,  as 
pan  of  a  fleet  deployed  for  pos- 


sible future  contingency-  opera- 
tions in  suppon  of  the  global 
war  on  tenorism. 

The  May  25,  2002,  wedding  of 
Kenneth  Knowles  and  Kelly 
Manel  included  classmates 
Brian  Bresnahan,  Brian  Carey 
and  Luke  Poppish.  The  couple 
live  in  Danvers,  Mass. 

After  graduating,  Janel 
Lanphere  earned  a  master's 
degree  in  biomedical  engineer- 
ing at  the  University  of 
Toronto.  She  now  works  for 
Boston  Scientific  Corp.  in 
Watenown,  Mass.,  where  she 
was  awarded  the  Technical 
Excellence  Award  with  her  proj- 
ect team.  Her  e-mail  address  is 
janel  1 999@hotmail.com. 

Andrew  Marsh  was  named 
CEO  of  Worcester-based 
Walker  Magnetics  Group,  an 
equipment  manufacturer  serv- 
ing the  metalworking.  steel  and 
recycling  industries. 

Jason  Mello  was  promoted  to 
Air  Force  captain  on  May  28, 
2002,  at  Hanscom  AFB.  He 
earned  a  master  of  engineering 
degree  at  the  University  of 
Massachusetts  Lowell  and  is 
cunently  stationed  at  Patrick 
AFB  in  Florida,  where  he  pro- 
vides engineering  safety  suppon 
to  the  space  shuttle  and  expend- 
able launch  vehicle  programs. 

Elana  (Kingsbury)  and  Rich 
Person  '96  announce  the  birth 
of  their  second  son,  Samuel,  on 
Aug.  28,  2002.  Big  brother 
Timmy  (born  Jan.  5.  2001)  is 
very  proud  of  his  lirtle  brother. 
The\'  live  in  Hudson,  Mass. 

Richard  Resnick  M.S.  CS) 
joined  Gene-IT  a  Worcester 
provider  of  comparative 


Something  for  everyone  at  WPI's  Summer  Programs 


•  Over  70  Day  and  Evening  Graduate 
and  Undergraduate  Summer  Courses 

•  Continuing  Education  Seminars 

•  Corporate  Education  Programs 


•  IT  Short  Courses  and  Certificate  Programs 

•  High  School  and  Middle  School  Programs 

•  Teacher  Programs 

•  Sports  Camps 


Classes  begin  May  29.  For  information,  call  508-831-61  12,  or  visit  www.wpi.edu/+summer. 


4  0     Tramformationi    \   Spring  2003 


genomics  software  and  services, 
as  vice  president,  service  opera- 
tions. 

Jennifer  (Childs)  Smith  and 
her  husband,  Jeffrey,  are  happy 
to  announce  the  birth  of  their 
first  child,  Austin  Michael,  on 
Sept.  2,  2002.  "Mom  and  baby 
are  doing  great!"  they  write. 

S~\  /~V    Douglas 
V^l  V-l     Crawford  married 
^y    _^X     Amanda  Ocker 
on  Sept.  21,  2002,  aboard  the 
Odyssey  cruise  yacht  in  Wash- 
ington, D.C.  He  works  for 
Whiting-Turner  Connacting  in 
Baltimore,  as  an  assistant  proj- 
ect manager. 

Colonial  Manor  Realty  wel- 
comed Ray  Halpin  to  its  team. 
He  lives  in  Wakefield.  Mass. 

Nicole  (Boosahda)  and  Algis 
Norkevicius  '96  announce  the 
birth  of  their  first  child,  Colin 
Drew,  on  Nov.  25,  2002.  They 
live  in  Plymouth,  Mass. 

Christopher 
Hamel  married 
\J  \J    Kimberly 

Crinkling  in  June.  Their  ring 
bearers  were  their  dogs.  Jake 
and  Greta.  They  recendy  moved 
from  Albuquerque  to  Pullman. 
Wash.,  where  Kim  is  a  veteri- 
nary student. 

y"v   /^     Marc  Bullio  grad- 

F     uated  from  the 
\J  1—1    Army  ROTC 
National  Advanced  Leadership 
camp  at  Fon  Lewis  in  Tacoma, 
Wash. 

Former  Newman  Club  presi- 
dent Jim  Koniers  entered  the 
Saint  John  Fisher  Seminary 
Residence  in  Bridgcpon,  Conn., 
in  September  to  begin  his  stud- 
ies for  the  priesthood. 

>ol  oflndustrial 

nt 

Catherine  Lugbauer  '81  ol 

Amelia  Island.  Fla..  is  CEO  of 
The  Lugbauer  Group.  She  wis 
previously  global  COO  of 
Vi'cbcr  Shandwick.  a  unit  of 
The  Interpublic  Group  of 
Companies. 


Frederick  D.  Fielder  '26  of 

Sharon,  Pa.,  died  Jan.  5,  2002. 
Predeceased  by  his  wife,  Evelyn 
(Kendall),  in  1998,  he  leaves 
two  daughters,  four  grandchil- 
dren and  four  great-grandchil- 
dren. Fielder  was  retired  from 
Westinghouse  Electric,  where 
he  had  worked  since  1928.  He 
belonged  to  Tau  Beta  Pi  and 
Sigma  Xi. 

Transformations  recendy  learned 
of  the  death  of  Randall  P. 
Saxton  '26  of  Green  Valley, 
Ariz.,  in  1998.  He  and  his  wife, 
Dorothy  (Vail),  had  two  chil- 
dren. A  member  of  Alpha  Tau 
Omega,  he  was  retired  from 
Connecticut  Light  and  Power 
Co. 

Leonard  M.  Olmsted  '28  of 
South  Orange,  N.J.,  died  Feb. 
21,  2002.  He  served  as  senior 
editor  of  Electrical  World  maga- 
zine for  2 1  years  before  he 
retired  in  1975.  Olmsted 
belonged  to  Tau  Beta  Pi,  Sigma 
Xi  and  Eta  Kappa  Nu.  He 
earned  a  master's  degree  in  elec- 
trical engineering  at  WPI  and 
an  MBA  at  the  University  of 
Pittsburgh.  He  is  survived  by 
his  wife,  Margaret,  a  son,  a 
daughter,  nine  grandchildren 
and  three  great-grandchildren. 

Arthur  F.  Pierce  Jr.  '30  of 

Springfield,  Mass.,  a  longtime 
quality-control  engineer,  died 
May  15,  2002.  He  worked  for 
several  New  England-area  man- 
ufacturers and  retired  from 
Jones  Instrument  Corp.  in 
1984.  Pierce  is  survived  by  a 
niece.  He  belonged  to  Alpha 
Tau  Omega. 

Carroll  N.  Whitaker  '31  of 

Andover,  Mass.,  died  Feb.  17, 
2002.  Predeceased  by  his  wife, 
Eleanor  (Alvord),  he  leaves  sev- 
eral nieces  and  nephews. 
Whitaker  retired  in  1984  as 
comptroller  of  Ames  Textile 
Corp.  He  belonged  to  Phi 
Sigma  Kappa. 

Eino  Leppanen  '32  of  East 
Providence,  R-L,  died  Nov.  1 1, 
2002.  Predeceased  bv  his  wife, 


Alumni  who  wish  to  make  contribu:  :    = 
of  classmates  and  friends  may  contacl  the  office  of 
Development  and  University  Relations  at  WPI. 


Bertha  (Burgess),  he  leaves  two 
sisters,  and  several  nieces  and 
nephews.  Leppanen  retired 
from  Mobil  Oil  Corp.  as  head 
chemist  in  1979,  after  39  year: 
of  service.  He  belonged  to 
Lambda  Chi  Alpha. 

Olof  W.  Nyquist  '32  of 

Yarmouth,  Mass.,  died  Jan.  24, 
2002.  He  is  survived  by  his 
wife,  Helen,  a  son,  a  daughter 
and  a  grandson.  Nyquist  was  a 
retired  mechanical  engineer  who 
worked  for  General  Electric  for 
more  than  40  years.  He 
belonged  to  Lambda  Chi  Alpha. 

Donald  W.  Putnam  '32  of 

Holliston  and  Dennis,  Mass., 
died  April  1,  2002.  His  wife, 
Mildred  (Lekberg),  died  in 
1995.  He  leaves  two  daughters, 
two  grandchildren  and  five 
great-grandchildren.  His  WPI 
relations  include  son-in-law 
Richard  O'Shea  '61,  and  grand- 
son Robert  O'Shea  '84  and  his 
wife,  Christine  (O'Toole)  '88. 
Putnam  was  a  partner  in 
Mumford  Motors  and  later 
enjoyed  a  career  as  a  math 
teacher  and  athletic  coach  at 
Oxford  High  School.  A  football 
and  basketball  player  at  WPI, 
he  belonged  to  Lambda  Chi 
Alpha  and  was  a  member  and 
past  president  of  Skull. 

A.  Rodney  Klebart  '33  of 

Webster, 
Mass.,  died 
Aug.  3, 
2002.  He 
leaves  his 
wife,  Anna 
(Blake),  a 
daughter,  seven  grandchildren, 
six  great-grandchildren  and  a 
great-great-grandchild.  He  was 
predeceased  by  two  sons  and  a 
daughter.  Klebart  was  retired  as 
town  engineer  for  Webster  and 
previously  owed  Complete 


Photo  Services.  He  belonged  to 
Phi  Sigma  Kappa. 

JohnC.  L.  ShabeckJr.  '33 

died  May  24,  2002,  at  home  in 
Wayland,  Mass.  His  wife,  Elaine 
(Patterson),  survives,  along  with 
his  daughter  and  a  grandson. 
Shabeck  was  retired  from 
Raytheon  as  a  consultant.  He 
previously  worked  for  Ucinite, 
where  he  developed  technology 
that  was  used  to  deploy  bombs 
from  B-17  aircraft  during 
World  War  II.  He  belonged  to 
Alpha  Tau  Omega. 

G.  Standish  Beebe  '34  of 

Waterford,  Conn.,  died  Dec. 
13,  2001.  Widower  of  Ethel 
(Viten)  Beebe,  who  died  in 
1 997,  he  is  survived  by  a  son,  a 
daughter  and  four  grandchil- 
dren. Beebe  was  a  longtime 
engineet  fot  Pfizer,  where  he 
managed  construction  for  divi- 
sions in  Connecticut,  North 
Carolina  and  Ringaskiddy, 
Ireland.  He  belonged  to  Phi 
Gamma  Delta. 

George  D.  Greenwood  '34  of 
Fairfax,  Va.,  died  Sept.  1,  2001. 
Predeceased  by  his  wife,  Marion 
(Ramton),  he  is  survived  by 
twin  daughters.  Greenwood  was 
a  retired  design  engineer  who 
developed  radar  equipment  for 
the  U.S.  Navy  Electronics 
Systems  Command  in 
Washington,  D.C. 

Gordon  P.  Whitcomb  '34  of 
Media,  Pa., 
died  May  25, 
2002.  His 
wife, 

Madeleine, 
survives. 
Whitcomb 
spent  his  career  with  American 
Cyanamid  Co.,  where  he  held 
positions  in  its  research,  com- 


munications and  personnel  divi- 
sions. He  belonged  to  Tau  Beta 
Pi,  Sigma  Xi  and  Skull. 

Howard  A.  Whittum  '34  died 
March  17,  2002,  at  home  in 
Sterling,  Mass.  He  lost  his  wife, 
Edith  (Sumner),  in  2001  and  is 
survived  by  a  son,  two  daugh- 
ters and  four  grandchildren. 
Whittum  was  retired  as  techni- 
cal director  for  Advance 
Coatings  Co.,  where  he  worked 
for  24  years.  He  belonged  to 
Sigma  Alpha  Epsilon. 

Edwin  T.  Clinton  '35  of 

Redding 
Ridge, 
Conn.,  died 
March  13, 
2002. 

Husband  of 
the  late  Maty 
(Duff)  Clinton,  he  leaves  three 
daughters  and  five  grandchil- 
dren. Clinton  was  a  retired 
mechanical  engineer  who 
worked  for  Bassick  Co.  He 
belonged  to  Sigma  Phi  Epsilon 
and  Sigma  Xi. 

Harry  W.  Raymond  '35  of 
Salem,  N.H.,  died  Dec.  30, 
2001.  He  was  a  former  radio 
operator  for  the  East 
Providence,  R.I.,  Police 
Department. 

William  M.  Wilson  '35  of 

"T^^^H   I   Venice,  Fla., 
/*"•'    3  I   died  July  11, 

^H    leaves  his 
wife, 

Virginia,  two 
daughters,  a 
son,  seven  grandchildren  and  10 
great-grandchildren.  Wilson  was 
a  civil  engineer  for  the  Corps  of 
Engineers  in  Boston  and  served 
as  post  engineer  at  the  Natick 
(Mass.)  Quarter  Master 
Research  and  Development 
Command.  He  belonged  to 
Theta  Chi. 


Transformations    |   Spring  2003     4  1 


William 


S.  Bushell  '37  of 

Lusby,  Md., 
died  Nov. 
26,  2002.  He 
leaves  his 
wife, 

Winifred,  a 
son  and  a 
Bushell  was  retired 
Federal  Aviation 
ration,  where  he  had 
the  schedules  branch, 
ged  to  Phi  Gamma 


daughter, 
from  the 
Administ 
served  in 
He  belon 
Delta. 

Robert  W.  Chase  Sr.  '37  of 

Whitinsville,  Mass.,  died  Feb.  7, 
2002.  He  was  predeceased  by 
his  wife,  Alice  (Roberts),  in 
1996,  his  first  wife,  Anne 
(O'Donnell),  in  1992,  and  a 
son  in  1984.  Surviving  are  two 
sons,  1 1  grandchildren,  and 
seven  great-grandchildren. 
Chase  worked  in  the  field  engi- 
neering department  of 
Massachusetts  Electric  Co.  for 
40  years  and  retired  in  1978. 
He  belonged  to  Sigma  Alpha 
Epsilon. 

Raymond  W.  Schuh  '37  of 

Woodbury 
Heights, 
N.J.,  died 
Feb.  9,  2002. 
A  longtime 
civil  engi- 
neer, he 

retired  from  Mobil  Oil  Corp.  in 
1997  with  30  years  of  service. 
He  leaves  his  wife,  Mae  Busser 
Schuh  (nee  DiSalvo),  three 
daughters,  a  stepson,  a  step- 
daughter, three  grandchildren 
and  two  step-grandchildren.  He 
belonged  to  Sigma  Phi  Epsilon. 

Transformations  recently  learned 
of  the  death  of  Leo  J.  Cronin 
'38ofMenloPark,  Calif,  in 
1999.  His  wife,  Dorothy 
(McHugh),  died  in  1994. 
Cronin  was  the  founder  and 
retired  chairman  of  Spectra-Mat 
Inc.  He  belonged  to  the 
President's  Advisory  Council 
and  Phi  Kappa  Thcta. 


Ward  D.  "Don"  Messimer  '39 

of  Waynes- 
boro, Va., 
died  March 
2,  2002.  He 
leaves  his 
wife,  Agnes, 
two  sons  and 
four  daughtets.  Messimer  was 
the  retired  vice  president  of 
Illinois  Railway  Equipment.  He 
belonged  to  Phi  Sigma  Kappa. 

Philip  A.  O'Brien  '39  of  Port 
Lucie,  Fla.,  died  Match  14, 
2002.  His  first  wife,  Mary 
(Callahan),  died  in  1975.  He 
leaves  his  wife  of  22  years, 
Frances  (Squires),  a  son,  four 
daughters,  a  stepson,  two  step- 
daughters, 16  grandchildren,  six 
step-grandchildren  and  three 
grandchildren.  O'Brien  was  a 
graduate  of  Clark  University 
and  the  recipient  of  a  Yale  fel- 
lowship to  study  at  the 
University  of  Jena  in  Weimar, 
Germany.  He  was  a  co-president 
of  the  E.A.  Sullivan  Co.  and 
later  retired  from  Sears, 
Roebuck  &  Co.  as  a  manager. 
He  belonged  to  Phi  Kappa 
Theta. 

Robinson  M.  Swift  '40  of 

Hooksett,  N.H.,  a  retired  chem- 
istry professor,  died  June  5, 
2002.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Elizabeth  (Stearns),  two  sons,  a 
daughter  and  five  grandchil- 
dren. A  graduate  of  the 
University  of  New  Hampshire, 
Swift  earned  his  master's  degree 
at  Northwestern  University  and 
his  doctorate  at  Syracuse 
University.  He  taught  chemistry 
at  Thiel  College  and  later  at 
Saint  Anselm  College,  where  he 
also  served  as  skiing  coach.  He 
belonged  to  Sigma  Alpha 
Epsilon  and  Sigma  Xi. 


La  rr a  bee  Known  As 
"Mr.  Propeller" 

MIT  professor  emeritus 
E.  Eugene  Larrabee  '42 

(on  stairs  in  photo)  died 
Jan.  1  1,  2003,  in  Mount 
Vernon,  N.Y.  Recog- 
nized in  the  aeronautics 
field  for  his  work  on 
human-powered  aircraft, 
he  earned  the  nickname 
"Mr.  Propeller"  for 
design  innovations  that 
enabled  the  Gossamer 
Albatross  to  cross  the 
English  Channel  in 
1  979  and  the  Daedalus 
to  cross  the  Aegean  Sea 
in  1988.  He  also  made 

important  theoretical  contributions  to  the  design  of  wind- 
mills, human-poweted  boats,  and  an  early  wind  tunnel 
used  at  MIT. 

In  a  1  984  letter  to  the  staff  of  the  WPI  Journal,  Larrabee 
wrote  of  his  accomplishments,  "All  of  this  comes  from  my  knowl- 
edge of  the  work  of  Betz  and  Prandtl  at  Goettingen,  written  in 
1919,  to  which  I  was  first  introduced  by  the  late  Professor  Kenneth 
G.  Merriam  in  1941,  who  was  himself  a  great  teacher." 

A  member  of  Sigma  Xi,  Larrabee  earned  a  master's  degree  in  aero- 
nautics from  MIT  in  1948.  He  began  his  teaching  career  at  MIT  in 
1946,  while  completing  his  graduate  work,  and  retired  in  1982. 
He  was  a  co-author  of  Airplane  Stability  and  Control:  A  History  of 
the  Technologies  That  Made  Aviation  Possible.  Surviving  family 
members  include  his  wife,  Christine  (Rogan),  a  daughter  and  a  son. 


James  H.  Hinman  '41  of  East 
Providence, 


R.I.,  died 
■      _  |    Feb.  11, 

I   2002. 
Predeceased 
by  his  wife, 
Gladys 

(Poenack),  he  leaves  a  son,  a 
daughter  and  eight  grandchil- 
dren. Hinman  joined  the  alu- 
minum division  of  Revere 
Copper  &.'  Brass  after  gradua- 
tion and  retired  as  national  sales 
manager  in  1984.  He  belonged 
to  Phi  Sigma  Kappa. 

James  J.  I.ippard  '41  ol 
Plymouth,  Mass.,  and  Naples. 
Fla.,  died  Oct.  4,  2001. 

Survivors  include  a  sister,  a 
niece  and  a  nephew.  An  avid 
sailor.  I.ippard  was  a  (  nasi 


Guard  veteran  of  World  War  II 
and  later  served  as  an  engineer 
in  the  Merchant  Marines  and 
for  Grace  Line.  He  also  worked 
on  the  Steamship  Authority 
ferry  from  New  Bedlord  to 
Nantucket. 

Donald  R.  Packard  '42  died 

Feb.  3,  2002. 
A  longtime 

resident  of 
Wilbraham, 
Mass.,  he 
and  His  wife. 
Rosemarie, 

had  a  son  and  two  daughters. 

\lu  i  a  caieei  in  die  design  and 

construction  ol  industrial  man 
iilaciuring  plains,  Packard 
retired  from  lalin  Foundry 
Corp.  as  an  industrial  engineer- 
ing management  consultant,  He 
belonged  to  Alpha   lau  Omega. 


42     Transformations   \  Spring  200 


Herbert  W.  Marsh  '43  of 

Lacey,  Wash., 
died  Sept.  7, 

2001.  He 
leaves  his 
wife,  Lillian, 
three  sons 
and  sevetal 

grandchildren.  Marsh  was 
retired  from  Westinghouse  Co.'s 
Advanced  Breeder  Reactor 
Project  in  Oak  Ridge,  Tenn., 
where  he  had  been  a  design 
engineer.   He  belonged  to  Phi 
Sigma  Kappa. 

Leon  H.  Rice  '43  of  Bedford, 
N.H.,  died  March  20,  2002. 
He  is  survived  by  his  wife, 
Margery  (Miller),  five  daugh- 
ters, a  son  and  1 2  grandchil- 
dren. Rice  was  general  manager 
of  Leighton  Machine  Co.  He 
belonged  to  Alpha  Tao  Omega. 

Francis  J.  (Yuknavich)  Yorke 

'43  of  Hamden,  Conn.,  died 
June  2, 

2002.  He 
was  a  design 
engineer  for 
Pratt  & 
Whitney 
Aircraft  for 

30  years.  Survivors  include  his 
wife,  Janet  (Langella),  two  sons, 
two  daughters  and  eight  grand- 
children. 

Louis  J.  Baldini  '44  of 

Nashville,  Tenn.,  died  Oct.  26, 
2001.  Survivors  include  his 
wife,  June,  and  three  daughters. 
Baldini  was  vice  president  and 
chief  design  engineer  for  the 
electrical  group  of  I.C. 
Thomasson  &  Assoc. 

John  S.  Bateman  '44,  founder 
of  Bateman  Furniture  Co.,  died 
Feb.  8,  2002.  Before  launching 
his  business  in  1983,  Bateman 
worked  at  Notthridge  Furniture 
Co.  for  30  years.  A  member 
of  Sigma  Alpha  Epsilon,  he  is 
survived  by  his  wife,  Marilyn 
(Nelson),  a  son  and  two 
daughters. 

Philip  P.  Brown  '44  died  at 
home  in  Arlington,  Va.,  on 
April  8,  2002.  Predeceased  by 


his  wife,  Randall  (Boyce),  in 
1997,  he  leaves  three  daughters, 
two  sons  and  nine  grandchil- 
dren. Brown  held  a  master's 
degree  from  Brown  University 
and  was  the  author  of  more 
than  25  technical  publications. 
Fot  25  yeats,  he  served  as  a 
civilian  engineer  in  the  Navy 
Facilities  Engineering 
Command.  After  retiring  in 
1978  as  chief  geotechnical  engi- 
neer he  served  as  a  consultant 
for  the  Navy  and  as  an  expert 
witness  at  trials.  He  belonged  to 
Alpha  Tau  Omega. 

Harold  C.  Davis  Jr.  '44  of 

Clinton  and  West  Hartford, 
Conn.,  died  July  31,  2002.  He 
leaves  his  wife,  Doreen 
(Forshaw),  a  daughter  and  two 
grandchildren.  He  was  prede- 
ceased by  a  daughrer.  Davis  was 
founder  and  president  of 
Electto-Flex  Heat  Inc.  He 
belonged  to  Lambda  Chi  Alpha. 

Andrew  Kurko  '44  of  Dallas, 
Texas,  died 
Dec.  1, 
2001.  He 
leaves  his 
wife.  Vera, 
two  sons,  a 
daughter, 
seven  grandchildren  and  six 
great-grandchildren.  Kurko  was 
the  ownet  of  Kurko  Plastics 
Co.,  a  small  manufacturing 
plant  in  Huton,  Ohio,  whete  he 
worked  until  the  age  of  78.  He 
belonged  to  Lambda  Chi  Alpha. 

Ellsworth  P.  "Bud"  Mellor  Sr. 

'44  died  Feb.  15,  2002,  at  his 
home  in  Holden,  Mass.  The 
ownet  and  operator  of  E.P. 
Mellor  Co.  for  25  years,  he 
also  worked  at  Morgan 
Construction  Co.  as  a  mechani- 
cal engineet  fot  18  years.  Mellor 
is  survived  by  eight  sons,  six 
daughters,  30  grandchildren 
and  many  great-grandchildren. 
He  belonged  to  Sigma  Phi 
Epsilon. 

John  J.  "Jack"  Robinson  '44 

died  June  5,  2002,  at  his  home 
in  Glastonbury,  Conn.  Preceded 
in  death  by  his  wife,  Marilyn 


(Wilson),  he  is  survived  by 
three  daughtets,  eight  grand- 
children and  two  great-grand- 
children. Robinson  was  a 
mechanical  engineer  with  the 
former  Revere  Corp.  of  America 
for  33  years.  He  belonged  to 
Alpha  Tau  Omega. 

Philip  G.  Duffy  '46  of 

Peabody,  Mass.,  died  Jan.  10, 
2002.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Anne, 
two  sons  and  a  daughter.  Duffy 
earned  an  MBA  at  Temple 
Univetsity  and  was  retired  from 
The  Foxboro  Company  as  a 
service  manager.  He  belonged 
to  Phi  Kappa  Theta. 

John  J.  Goeller  '46  of 

Waltham,  Mass.,  died  Jan.  6, 
2002.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Patticia,  and  a  son,  Robert  E. 
Goeller  '75.  Goeller  was  retired 
from  a  career  in  international 
marketing  with  IBM  World 
Trade  Corp.  He  earned  a  bache- 
lor's and  a  master's  degree  from 
New  York  University  and 
belonged  to  Tau  Beta  Pi. 

Edward  A.  Pendleton  '46  of 

Onancock, 
Va.,  died  July 
27,  2002. 
A  longtime 
resident  of 
Connecticut, 
he  is  survived 
by  his  wife,  Rosemary 
(Rafferty),  two  sons,  two 
daughters,  a  stepson  and  five 
grandchildren.  Pendleton  was 
founder  and  president  of 
Pendleron  Fire  Brick  Co.  He 
belonged  to  Phi  Kappa  Theta. 

Robert  F.  Nardini  '48  of 

Grand  Island,  N.Y.,  died  Oct. 
10,  2000.  Predeceased  by  his 
wife,  Marie,  he  leaves  two  sons 
and  a  daughter  Nardini  was 
retired  from  Linde  Co.  as  a 
project  engineet.  A  graduate  of 
Tufts  Univetsity,  he  eatned  a 
master's  degtee  in  chemical 
engineering  from  WPI. 

Sturgis  A.  Sobin  '48  of 

Ansonia,  Conn.,  died  Aug.  22, 
2002.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Madeleine,  two  sons,  two 


daughters  and  eight  gtandchil- 
dren.  He  was  predeceased  by  a 
daughter  Sobin  was  an  antiques 
dealer  for  Andrew  J.  Sobin  & 
Son,  the  antique  restoration 
business  statted  by  his  father, 
which  specialized  in  testoration 
of  18th  century  American  furni- 
ture. His  work  was  featuted  in 
magazines  and  in  the  collections 
of  museums.  Sobin  also  served 
as  mayor  of  Ansonia  from  1971 
to  1973,  and  was  later  appoint- 
ed director  of  pari-muruel 
wagering  for  the  state's  Special 
Revenue  Commission.  He 
belonged  to  Sigma  Alpha 
Epsilon. 

Franklin  P.  Emerson  '49,  an 

avid  mountain  climber  died 
Sept.  17,  2002,  on  Mount 
Katahdin  in  Baxter  State  Patk, 
Maine,  during  his  annual  climb. 
His  wife,  Gwendolyn,  died  in 
2001.  He  is  survived  by  four 
sons,  a  daughter  and  eight 
grandchildren.  A  longtime  resi- 
dent of  Woodstock,  Conn., 
Emerson  was  owner  and  general 
manager  of  West  Dudley  Paper 
Mill,  a  division  of  Rhode  Island 
Cardboard  Co.  He  retired  from 
Connecticut  Paperboard  Co. 
and  continued  as  a  consultant 
until  his  death.  He  belonged  to 
Lambda  Chi  Alpha,  Sigma  Xi 
and  Tau  Beta  Pi. 

Daniel  L.  McQuillan  '49  of 

Venice,  Fla., 
died  July  28, 
2002.  He 
leaves  his 
wife,  Joan 
(LeClair),  a 
son,  a  daugh- 
tet  and  four  grandchildren.  He 
was  predeceased  by  a  daughter. 
A  graduate  of  Not theastetn 
Univetsity  School  of  Business 
Administration,  McQuillan  was 
retited  as  CEO  of  McQuillan 
Associates  and  president  of 
Aerovox/AVX  Corp.  He 
belonged  to  Theta  Chi. 


Transformations    \   Spring  2003     43 


James  Z.  Peepas  '49  of 

Kinnelon,  N.J.,  died  Aug.  4, 
2002.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Estelle 
(Spanos),  four  daughters  and 
nine  grandchildren.  Peepas  was 
chairman  of  Selecto-Flash  Inc., 
a  graphics  business  he  founded 
in  1956.  He  belonged  to  Phi 
Sigma  Kappa,  Skull,  Pi  Delta 
Epsilon  and  the  President's 
Advisory  Council. 

Alan  F.  Swenson  '49  of 

Norwalk,  Conn.,  died  June  6, 
2002.  An  electro-mechanical 
engineer,  he  worked  as  an  inter- 
national consultant  for  Pitney- 
Bowes.  Survivors  include  a 
nephew,  a  niece  and  a  great- 
nephew.  Swenson  belonged  to 
Sigma  Phi  Epsilon. 

Frank  J.  DeMarco  Jr.  '50  of 

Highland,  Calif,  died  May  15, 
2000.  Predeceased  by  his  wife, 
Cecile  (Hebert),  he  leaves  two 
daughters.  DeMarco  worked  for 
the  California  Division  of 
Highways  and  later  was  a  prac- 
titioner in  the  Church  of 
Christ,  Scientist. 

Donald  W.Dodge '50  of 

Wilmington,  Del.,  died  July  7, 
2002.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Bernice,  a  son  and  a  daughter. 
Dodge  joined  DuPont  Co.  in 
1958  and  retired  as  a  technical 
director  in  1985.  A  trumpet 
player  with  the  Boyntonians,  he 
played  briefly  with  Al  Hirt  and 
fot  the  Rockettes.  A  member  of 
Sigma  Xi  and  Tau  Beta  Pi,  he 
earned  a  master's  degree  in 
chemical  engineering  in  1952. 

Harvey  W.  Fishburn  Jr.  '50 

died  June  4,  2002,  at  his 
Myerstown,  Pa.,  home.  He  is 
survived  by  his  wife,  Joyce 
Hoover  Swope  Fishburn,  two 
sons,  a  daughter,  two  stepchil- 
dren, a  granddaughter  and  three 
step-grandchildren.  Fishburn 
attended  WPI  and  earned  his 
bachelor's  degree  from 
Gettysburg  College.  After  earn- 
ing a  master's  degree  in  educa- 
tion from  Temple  University,  he- 
taught  high  school  mathematics 
and  later  served  as  assistant 


principal,  athletic  director,  assis- 
tant to  the  superintendent  and 
director  of  transportation  for 
the  Mathacton  School  District. 
He  belonged  to  Sigma  Alpha 
Epsilon. 

Bradford  L.  Smith  '50  of  Santa 
Barbara,  Calif,  died  April  20, 
2002.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Geraldine  (Beaudry),  a  son  and 
a  daughter.  Smith  spent  15 
years  in  plant  engineering  and 
management  before  attending 
Bryn  Mawr  College  and  earning 
certification  as  a  life  under- 
writer. He  was  retired  from 
Metropolitan  Life  Insurance  Co. 

Henry  Styskal  Jr.  '50  of 

Chelmsford, 
Mass.,  died 
July  9,  2002. 
His  wife, 
Shirley 
(Johnson), 
died  in  2001. 
Survivors  include  two  sons,  a 
daughter  and  three  grandchil- 
dren. Styskal  was  retired  as 
owner  of  TQM  Inc.  He  previ- 
ously ran  several  area  electronics 
firms.  A  former  chair  of  the 
Alumni  Fund  board,  he  also 
chaired  his  class's  40th  Anniver- 
sary Gift  Committee.  He 
belonged  to  Lambda  Chi  Alpha. 

Former  Class  President  Harold 
Althen  '52  of  West  End,  N.C., 
died  Oct.  28, 
2002.  He 
leaves  his 
wife,  Evelyn 
(Sharkey), 
and  two 
sons.  Althen 
was  the  retired  vice  president  of 
sales  for  Peabody  Engineering 
Corp.  A  member  of  Phi  Sigma 
Kappa,  Skull,  Sigma  Xi  and  Tau 
Beta  Pi,  he  served  his  class  as  a 
Reunion  chair  and  a  solicitor. 

Eugene  A.  Jakaitis  '52  of 

Lower  Makefield  Township,  Pa., 
died  June  21,  2002.  Predeceased 
by  his  wife,  Elaine,  he  leaves  a 
son  and  a  daughter.  A  chemical 
engineer,  Jakaitis  received  sev- 
eral patents  for  petroleum  wax 
products  duting  his  early  career 


with  Atlantic  Refining  Co.  He 
latet  joined  Mobil  Oil  Co.  as  a 
research  technologist  and  retired 
27  years  later  as  manager  of  spe- 
cial products  for  the  company's 
Technical  Services  Lab.  He 
belonged  to  Theta  Chi. 

Donald  F.  Rosen  '52  died  July 
18,  2002,  at  home  in  Lakeville, 
Mass.  He  is  survived  by  his 
wife,  Betty  Lou,  two  sons,  a 
daughter  and  eight  grandchil- 
dren. A  graduate  of  North- 
eastern University,  Rosen  was 
the  retired  president  of  E.J. 
Flynn  Engineers,  a  division  of 
Thermo  Electron  Corp.  After 
retirement  he  remained  active  in 
town  politics  and  continued  a 
private  practice  as  a  consulting 
engineet.  He  belonged  to  Phi 
Sigma  Kappa. 

Dr.  John  P.  Russell  '54  of 

Wintergreen,  Va.,  died  July  22, 
2002,  leaving  his  wife,  Linda, 
two  sons,  a  daughter  and  two 
grandchildren.  A  pathologist 
and  a  graduate  of  Temple 
Medical  School,  he  worked  for 
Upstate  (N.Y.)  Medical  Center 
and  retired  from  Crouse  Irving 
Memorial  Hospital  in  Syracuse 
in  1996.  He  belonged  to  Sigma 
Alpha  Epsilon,  Tau  Beta  Pi  and 
Sigma  Xi. 

Daniel  A.  Grant  Jr.  '55  of 

Dedham,  Mass.,  died  April  28, 
2002.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Marie 
(Sullivan),  four  daughrers  and 
seven  grandchildren.  Grant  was 
retired  from  R.W.  Beck  & 
Assoc.  He  received  a  bachelor 
of  arts  degree  from  Harvard 
University  in  1951  before  com- 
ing to  WPI  to  earn  his  bache- 
lor's degree  in  electrical  engi- 


neering as  well  as  a  master's 
degree  in  1956. 

Constantino  "Gus"  Rhodes 

'57  died  Dec.  27,  2001,  at 
home  in  Framingham,  Mass. 
He  is  survived  by  two  daugh- 
ters, a  brother,  nieces  and 
nephews.  Rhodes  was  a  systems 
analyst  for  GTE  Sylvania,  where 
he  worked  on  missile  security 
systems  and  instruments  used 
on  the  Apollo  13  space  mission. 
He  received  several  patents  and 
was  invited  to  be  in  Who's  Who 
in  Science  and  Engineering. 

Robert  W.  Goodfader  '60  of 

Venice, 
Calif,  died 
April  19, 
2002.  He 
leaves  his 
wife,  Mary 
(Gates),  a 
son  and  a  daughter.  Goodfader 
was  the  owner  of  Sidewalk 
Enterprises  and  The  Sidewalk 
Cafe,  which  was  influential  in 
the  revitalization  of  Venice 
Beach.  The  cafe  was  used  as  a 
film  location  for  several  popular 
TV  shows  and  movies. 
Goodfader  belonged  to  the 
President's  Advisory  Council 
and  Alpha  Epsilon  Pi. 

Stephen  J.  Hewick  '60  of 

Mississau,  Ontario,  died  Nov. 
12,  2001.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Colleen,  and  two  children. 
Hewick  was  retited  from 
Nippon  Koel  Co.  as  chief  super- 
vision engineer.  His  previous 
employment  included  the 
California  Depattment  of 
Highways  and  Amman  &C 
Whitney  in  Bangladesh. 


Corrections 

In  fhe  Fall  2002  issue,  a  sidebar  of  the  feature  article, 
"Achieving  Liftoff:  The  Next  Generation,"  on  page  26  should 
have  identified  George  Oliver  '82  as  president  of  GE  Betz. 

The  obituary  of  John  F.  Mitchell  '53  misstated  his  residence 
and  his  age.  Mitchell  lived  in  Hopkinlon,  N.H.,  and  died  at 
the  age  of  87.  We  thank  his  brother-in-law,  John  M.  Barllett  Jr. 
'42,  for  correcting  these  errors. 


44     Transformation)   \  Spring  2003 


Benjamin  B.  Morgan  '60  of 

Pomfret,  Conn.,  died  Aug.  1, 
2002.  He  was  a  former  teacher 
and  senior  master  of  the 
Pomftet  School,  where  he 
taught  for  40  years.  He  was  the 
son  of  the  late  Paul  B.  Morgan 
Jr.  '30.  Survivors  include  a 
brother,  a  nephew  and  two 
nieces. 

David  Q.  Olson  '61  of  Port 
Orchard,  Wash.,  died  July  30, 
2002.  He  is  survived  by  his 
wife,  Ruth  (Moore),  two  step- 
sons, two  daughters  and  a 
grandchild.  Olson  was  president 
of  Integrasoft  Corp.  He  served 
as  a  computer  consultant  for 
numerous  financial  and  banking 
institutions. 

Richard  A.  Garvais  '63  of 

Simpsonville,  S.C.,  died  July  4, 
2002.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Carol, 
two  sons,  a  daughter  and  four 
grandchildren.  Garvais  earned 
an  MBA  at  Syracuse  University 
and  worked  fot  Corning  Glass 
Works  for  seven  years.  He 
rerired  from  Wilson  Sporting 
Goods  in  1996  as  plant  manager 
of  the  world's  largest  tennis  ball 
factory.  He  belonged  to  Lambda 
Chi  Alpha  and  Sigma  Xi. 

Henry  J.  Gaw '63  (SIM)  of 
Clinton,  Mass.,  died  Aug.  1, 
2002.  Predeceased  by  his  wife, 
Loretta  (Russell),  in  1990,  he 
leaves  two  sons,  a  daughter  and 
eight  grandchildren.  Gaw  was 
retired  from  Ray-O-Vac,  where 
he  worked  from  1934  to  1977. 

Col.  Herbert  W.  Head  '63  of 

Vienna,  Va.,  died  March  4, 
2002.  He  joined  the  U.S.  Army 
in  1964  and  earned  a  master's 
degree  in  physics  from  the 
Naval  Postgraduate  School. 
After  two  combat  tours,  Head 
served  in  the  Army  Survivability 
Management  Office,  perform- 
ing survival  analysis  and  pre- 
scribing vulnerability  reductions 
for  weapons  systems.  A  member 
of  Phi  Kappa  Theta,  he  leaves 
his  wife,  Carol,  a  son  and  a 
daughter 


John  H.  Sistare  '63  died  at 
home  in  Waterford,  Conn.,  of 
lymphoma,  on  March  21,  2002. 
He  leaves  his  wile,  Beverly 
(Wilson),  two  sons,  a  daughter 
and  five  grandchildren.  Sisrare 
retired  from  Digital  Equipment 
Corp.  in  1992  and  moved  to 
the  Connecticut  shore  to  pursue 
his  love  of  boating  and  wood- 
working and  to  spend  more 
time  with  his  family.  He 
belonged  to  Phi  Sigma  Kappa. 

Harry  I.  Cunningham  '64 

(SIM)  of  Framingham,  Mass., 
died  Jan.  4,  2002.  His  wife, 
Marie,  survives.  Cunningham 
was  retired  from  Bay  State 
Abrasives  as  vice  ptesident  of 
manufacturing. 

Ret.  U.S.  Army  Col.  Charles  T. 
"Terry"  Chase  '68  of 

Springfield,  Va.,  died  Nov.  17, 

2001.  Chase's  military  career 
included  service  in  Europe, 
Vietnam  and  Korea.  He  served 
as  division  materiel  manage- 
ment officer  for  the  Air  Assault 
Division  at  Fott  Campbell,  Ky. 
After  retiting  from  the  Army, 
Chase  became  a  senior  engineer 
at  Batelle  Pacific  Northwest 
National  Laboratoty  in  Wash- 
ington, DC.  He  belonged  to 
Theta  Chi  and  Scabbard  & 
Blade. 

David  R.  Martin  '68  of 

Marlton, 
N.J.,  died 
July  4,  2002. 
A  mechanical 
engineer  for 
the  Naval  Air 
Weapons 

Systems,  he  is  survived  by  a 

brother  and  rwo  aunts. 

Richard  J.  Carroll  '71  (SIM) 
of  Sun  City,  Fla.,  died  April  27, 

2002,  at  the  age  of  75.  He 
leaves  his  wife,  Elza,  a  daughter 
and  three  grandchildren. 
Carroll's  40-year  career  in  sales, 
manufacturing  engineering  and 
administration  included  Pratt  &C 
Whitney  Aircraft,  Warren  Pumps 
and  several  smaller  companies. 


Public  Eye 


When  Meta  Spreen  Black,  wife  of  the  late  Harold  Black  '21, 
died  at  age  107  in  December  2002,  her  achievements  were 
noted  in  the  New  Jersey  along  with  her  hus- 

band's discovery  of  negative  feedback.  One  of  the  state's  oldest 
residents  at  the  time  of  her  death,  she  published  a  historical 
paper  on  the  New  York  subways  system  when  she  was  1  00, 
and  contributed  to  a  Yale  University  study  on  centenarians  last 
year  .  .  .  WPI  director  of  internetworking  and  telecommunications 
Al  Johannesen  '68  was  interviewed  on  the  front  page  of  the 

and  the 
on  the  menace  of  new  Internet  viruses  .  .  .  The  los  Angeles 

ii8y  ran  a  lengthy  interview  with 
Don  Peterson  '71  on  Avaya's  hopes  to  continue  growth  during 
volatile  times  in  the  telecommunications  industry  .  .  . 
quoted  Professor  Jonathan  Barnett  '74  on  the  vulnerability  of  high- 
rise  buildings  in  the  aftermath  of  the  September  1  1  terrorist 
attacks.  In  the  aftermath  of  the  deadly  nightclub  fire  in  West 
Warwick,  R.I.,  he  and  Firesafety  Center  director  David  Lucht  were 
quoted  as  experts  by  television  and  public  radio  news  programs 
and  in  major  newspapers  including  the 

and 
.  .  .  Midior  Consulting  founder  Susan  Loconto  Penta  '86  was  pro- 
filed in  the  B  ...  the 
louranf  ran  a  photo  story  on  Scott  Hanna  '87  and  Hanna 
Motorsports,  his  family's  jet-car  racing  team,  which  involves  his 
brother,  Rich,  and  his  father,  Al  ...  The 

interviewed  Heidi  Schellenger  '92  on  her 
desire  to  use  her  civil  engineering  degree  to  control  development, 
rather  than  encourage  it.  She  is  executive  director  of  the 
Lancaster  Farmland  Trust  .  .  .  Christopher  Dyl  '95  was  named  a 
High  Tech  All  Star  by  He  is  the  lead  soft- 

ware developer  on  Asheron's  Call,  Turbine  Entertainment 
Software's  popular  multiplayer  online  game. 


Transformations    |    Spring  2003     4  5 


Arthur  J.  Collette  Jr.  71 

(SIM)  of  Millbury,  Mass.,  died 
Nov.  20,  2001.  He  was  73. 
Survivors  include  his  wife,  Eve 
(Patriquin),  a  son,  two  daugh- 
ters and  two  grandchildren.  A 
graduate  of  Worcester  Junior 
College,  he  worked  at  New 
England  High  Carbon  Wife  Co. 
for  32  years  and  later  retired 
from  Nensco. 

Richard  L.  Cotter  71  of 

Milford,  Mass.,  died  June  22, 
2002.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Diane 
E.  (Kazmier),  a  son  and  a 
daughter.  A  research  chemist  for 
30  years.  Cotter  worked  for 
Millipore  Corp.  and  served  as 
principal  scientist  at  Waters 
Associares  Inc. 

Richard  E.  Dynia  71  of 

Enfield,  Conn.,  died  Dec.  31, 
2001.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Patricia  (Lucibello),  a  son,  two 
daughters  and  two  grandchil- 
dren. Dynia  was  a  computer 
consultant  for  Solutia.  He 
earned  a  master's  degree  in 
mechanical  engineering  at  RPI 
and  belonged  to  Alpha  Tau 
Omega. 

Harry  F.  Nordstrom  Jr.  '80 

(SIM)  of  Leicester  Mass.,  died 
June  19,  2002,  at  the  age  of  71. 
He  leaves  a  son,  a  daughter  and 
five  grandchildren.  Nordstrom 
was  a  gtaduate  of  Quinsigamond 
Community  College  and  Clark 


University.  He  was  retited  from 
North  America  Pipe  Products 
Co.,  and  had  previously  worked 
as  a  plant  manager  for  Astra 
Pharmaceutical  Co.  for  35  years. 

Dan  D.  DohertyJr.  '81  (G)  of 

Bedford,  N.H.,  died  Feb.  17, 
2002.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Beverly  (Talpale),  a  son  and  a 
daughter.  A  graduate  of 
Assumption  College,  Doherty 
earned  his  master's  degree  in 
biomedical  engineering  at  WPI. 
He  was  a  software  engineering 
manager  for  Digital  Equipment 
for  16  years  before  joining 
Kronos  Inc.  as  vice  president  of 
engineering. 

Francis  N.  Berglund  '82 

(SIM),  70,  of  Worcester  died 
March  8,  2002.  He  is  survived 
by  his  wife,  Jean  (Tangring) ,  a 
son,  a  daughter  and  two  grand- 
daughters. Berglund  was  a 
graduate  of  Worcestet  Junior 
College  and  Suffolk  University. 
He  was  retired  from  a  31 -year 
career  with  Norton  Co. 

Edwin  M.  Shook  Jr.  '89 

(SIM),  a  former  Worcester  State 
College  professor,  died  Aug.  2, 
2002.  He  was  64.  A  graduate  of 
Boston  Univetsity,  he  worked 
for  Wyman-Gordon  Co.,  IBM, 
Data  General  Co.  and  Reed  & 
Prince  Co.  As  an  adjunct 
professor  at  Worcester  State 
College,  he  taught  computer 

China  forum 
Rescheduled 

Given  the  global  unrest,  many 
people  are  taking  a  "wait 
and  see"  attitude  concerning 
travel  outside  the  United 
States.  Therefore,  WPI  has 
decided  to  postpone  Alumni 
Forum  2003:  Doing  Business 
in  China.  For  information 
on  the  forum  and  to  check 
updates,  visit  www.wpi.edu 
/News/Conf/Forum2003. 


skills  for  business  applications. 
Surviving  family  members 
include  his  wife,  Sandra 
(Castiglione),  two  sons  and  a 
gtandson. 

Maurice  R.  Goudreau  '91 

(SIM)  of  Hooksett,  N.H.,  died 
March  22,  2002,  at  the  age  of 
52.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Gloria 
(Cales),  thtee  sons,  a  daughter 
and  five  grandchildren. 
Goudreau  was  a  programmer 
analyst  for  Tradepoint  Systems. 
A  U.S.  Army  veteran,  he  served 
in  Vietnam  and  tetired  from  the 
military  after  11  years  of  service. 

Bevan  Wang  '92  of  Nashua, 
N.H.,  died 
Dec.  24, 
2002,  after  a 
10-month 
battle  with 
chronic 
myeloid 
leukemia.  He  was  a  co-founder, 
principal  and  creative  design 
director  of  Active  Edge  New 
Media,  a  Web-development 


firm  specializing  in  animated, 
interactive  designs.  Survivors 
include  his  parents,  a  brother, 
nieces  and  nephews  Memorial 
messages  may  be  read  and  post- 
ed at  www.bevanwang.com. 
Barton  F.  Gariepy  '93  of 
Eugene,  Ore.,  died  Sept.  8, 
2002,  after  he  was  injured  in  a 
climbing  accident.  A  native  of 
Barre,  Mass.,  he  moved  to 
Eugene  eight  years  ago  to  work 
in  the  biotechnology  field.  He 
also  taught  college  pteparatory 
courses.  Surviving  family  mem- 
bers include  his  parents  and 
two  brothers.  Gariepy  belonged 
to  the  Phi  Sigma  honor  society. 

Kevin  J.  McColIor  '97  of 

Lewiston,  Maine,  died  unex- 
pectedly on  Oct.  27,  2002.  His 
wife,  Amanda  (Dube),  survives. 
McColIor  attended  WPI  for 
two  years  and  graduared  from 
the  University  of  Maine  at 
Orono  in  1997.  He  was  a 
computer  administrator  for 
Banknorth. 


4  6     Transformations    |   Spring   2003 


WPI  Alumni  Association  Awards 

Robert  H.  Goddard  Alumni  Award 

for  Outstanding  Professional  Achievement 

David  S.  Jenney  '53 
Francis  P.  Barton  '68 
Michael  R.  Paige  '68 
Mark  J.  Freitas  '78 

Herbert  F.  Taylor  Alumni  Award 
for  Distinguished  Service  to  WPI 

James  G.  McKernan  '48 
Francis  W.  Madigan  Jr.  '53 
Robert  E.  Maynard  Jr.  '63 

WPI  Award  for  Distinguished  Service 

Myles  McDonough,  trustee  emeritus 

Ichabod  Washburn  Young  Alumni  Award 
for  Professional  Achievement 

Maureen  Sexton  Horgan  '83 
Sean  D.  S.  Sebastian  '83 
John  J.  West  '88 

John  Boynton  Young  Alumni  Award 
for  Service  to  WPI 

Terence  P.  O'Coin  '83 
Walter  T.  Towner  Jr.  '83 
Sherd  L.  Curria  '93 

William  R.  Grogan  Award 

for  Support  of  the  Mission  of  WPI 

Professor  Robert  W.  Fitzgerald  '53 
Professor  Denise  Nicoletti  (posthumously) 


Front  Lines  of  Telemedicine 

Continued  from  page  20 

System  in  various  transportation  applications,  some  of  which 
was  sponsored  by  the  Federal  Aviation  Administration  and  the 
U.S.  Forestry  Service.  In  particular,  it  will  continue  a  line  of 
work  that  started  with  an  undergraduate  project  in  1996. 

ECE  majors  Michael  Roberts,  William  Cidela  and  Chris 
Mangiarelli  developed  technology  to  alert  engineers  on  Provi- 
dence &  Worcester  Railroad  locomotives  when  they  were 
approaching  a  switch  set  in  the  wrong  position.  As  one  of  the 
advisors  for  that  project,  Michalson  became  intrigued  with  the 
challenge  of  locating  an  object,  such  as  a  locomotive,  as  it 
moved  through  confined  spaces  like  tunnels  and  rock  cuts. 

This  interest 

,  ,     c    ,  L_ir~i-r-E-r-i— «--ef=?-eo 

led  to  rurther 

discussions  with  representatives  of  the 
railroad  and  mining  industries.  After 
the  1999  Worcester  Cold  Storage 
warehouse  fire,  remembered  for 
desperate  efforts  to  locate  six  firefighters 
who  ultimately  died  inside  the  blazing 
building,  Michalson  was  part  of  a  WPI 


— 77m  Gerrity 

team  that  proposed  a  system  for  monitoring  and  locating 
emergency  workers  in  buildings.  (The  project  recently  received 
a  $1  million  appropriation  from  Congress;  see  page  6.) 

"Whether  we're  designing  systems  for  firefighters  and 
rescue  workers,  military  personnel,  or  hospitals — they'll  all  use 
the  same  fundamental  signal  design,"  says  Michalson.  "The 
system  requirements  of  the  military  and  civilian  sectors  may  be 
quite  different,  but  the  commonality  is  the  signal  design.  So, 
the  benefits  in  one  area  will  be  helpful  to  the  other  areas." 


of  all  Americans;  diabetes  and  arthritis  each  affect  about  6 
percent.  So  you  have  a  large  portion  of  the  population  suffering 
from  a  chronic  illness  that  requires  some  level  of  management 
on  a  day-to-day  basis.  At  the  same  time,  you  have  healthcare 
costs  that  are  rapidly  escalating — to  the  point  where  some 
major  companies  are  finding  it  necessary  to  reduce  or  eliminate 
health  benefits  for  employees." 

Smart  physiological  sensors,  in  concert  with  a  wireless 
network,  could  permit  elderly  or  chronically  ill  patients  to  be 
monitored  in  their  homes,  eliminating  the  need  for  frequent 
trips  to  the  doctor  and  making  physicians  more  productive. 

More  important, 
such  sensor  sys- 
tems can  monitor  trends  and  detect 
anomalies,  so  that  required  treatment, 
including  emergency  treatment,  can 
be  anticipated  and  delivered  just  in 
time. 

"By  reducing  the  need  for  office 
visits,  and  all  the  time  and  effort  it 


-i— h-er-eo   -i— t--e-F=n_.-r-i— «-cr-f=»-F^-e: 

has  the  potential  to  significantly 

reduce  the  cost  of  delivering  healthcare 

while  also  increasing  the  quality 

of  care  people  receive. 


From  the  Front  Line  to  the  Home  Front 

Translating  the  benefits  of  this  medical  technology  for  the 
military  into  the  civilian  heathcare  realm  is  one  of  the  most 
important  missions  of  BEI,  according  to  director  Tim  Gerrity. 

"The  biggest  burden  on  our  healthcare  system  is  the 
chronically  ill,"  Gerrity  notes.  "Asthma  affects  about  10  percent 


takes  to  schedule  them,"  Gerrity  says,  "and  by  giving  patients 
real-time  information  they  can  use  to  better  manage  their  own 
health,  untethered  healthcare  has  the  potential  to  significantly 
reduce  the  cost  of  delivering  healthcare  while  also  increasing 
the  quality  of  care  people  receive." 

It  will  be  three  to  five  years  before  any  civilian  applica- 
tions begin  to  hit  the  market.  But  when  the  time  comes, 
Gerrity  says  BEI  will  do  everything  it  can  to  make  it  a  suc- 
cessful transition.  The  institute's  mission,  he  says,  is  to  take 
technology  developed  by  its  faculty  and  students  and  com- 
mercialize it  through  corporate  partnerships  and  by  nurturing 
startup  companies. 

"You  wouldn't  believe  the  amount  of  technology  that  has 
been  developed  in  this  field  that  ends  up  gathering  dust  on  a 
shelf  somewhere,"  he  says.  "I  can  assure  you  that  isn't  going  to 
happen  with  the  work  of  this  center." 


—*  'ffir*****- 


Help  Us  Cover  a  Special  Year 


This  year,  Transformations  is  covering  WPI's  involvement  in  the  past,  present  and  future 
of  powered  flight.  The  series  will  culminate  with  the  Fall  2003  issue,  in  time  for  the 
1 00th  anniversary  of  the  Wright  brothers'  first  flight  on  Dec.  1 7. 

We  invite  readers  to  suggest  story  ideas.  Do  you  know  alumni  whose  aviation,  aeronautics  or  spaceflight  accomplishments 
should  be  highlighted?  Are  you  involved  in  work  in  a  flight-related  field  that  may  be  of  interest  to  our  readers?  Send  a  mes- 
sage to  transformations@wpi.edu  or  visit  www.wpi .edu/+Transformations  and  look  for  the  special  item  on  this  series.  You 
may  also  write  or  call  us  using  the  contact  information  on  page  3. 


Transformations    \   Spring  2003     4  7 


Time  Machine 


Joan  Killough-Miller 


Try  This  at  Home: 

An  Early  Machine  Brought  Computing  to  the  Masses 


Jon  Titus  '67  didn't  invent  the  petsonal  computer.  It's  hard  to  say 
who  did,  since  no  one  agrees  on  which  machine  first  qualified  for 
that  designation.  What  Titus  did  do — in  an  era  before  anyone  envi- 
sioned a  PC  in  every  home  or  an  electronics  superstore  in  every 
mall — was  to  put  the  plans  and  parts  for  a  do-it-yourself  computer 
into  the  hands  of  hobbyists  throughout  the  world. 


When  Jon  Titus'  Mach-8  minicomputer  hit  the  market  in  1974,  it  featured  a  revolutionary  16  kilobytes  of  memory. 
Titus  recently  paid  a  visit  to  the  new  home  of  WPI's  Network  Operations  office  in  Morgan  Hall.  From  here,  NetOps 
connects  27  academic  buildings,  four  satellite  campuses,  and  36  dorms  and  fraternities— with  a  memory  capacity 
of  512  gigabytes. 


His  invention — the  Mark-8  Minicomputer — is  now  part  of  the 
permanent  Information  Age  exhibit  in  the  Smithsonian  Institution's 
National  Museum  of  American  History  in  Washington,  D.C. 

"My  claim  to  fame  was  creating  the  first  generally  available 
computer  to  use  a  microprocessor  chip,  which  put  it  in  a  price  range- 
that  the  home  hobbyist  could  afford,"  Titus  explains.  Last  fall,  he 
was  honored  with  the  2002  George  R.  Stibitz  Computer  Pioneer 
Award,  along  with  the  inventors  of  the  cell  phone  and  the  compact 
disc.  Previous  recipients  include  Apple  founder  Steve  Wozniak  and 
Internet  architect  Vincent  G.  Cerf. 

In  1967,  when  Titus  earned  his  B.S.  in  chemistry  at  WPI, 
computer  science  was  yet  to  become  a  discipline,  and  only  hobbyists 
were  drawn  to  the  clumsy  new  machines.  Tims  recalls  learning  a  lew 


simple  programming  exercises  during  an  ROTC  course  taught  by  a 
captain  who  stayed  a  few  lessons  ahead  of  his  students.  The  idea  of 
having  a  computer  at  home  was  as  ridiculous  as  owning  your  own 
satellite,  he  says.  Apart  from  the  size  and  the  expense,  there  wasn't 
much  the  average  person  would  want  to  do  with  it. 

Titus  had  no  grand  aspirations  for  the  Mark-8.  "I  just  wanted 

my  own  computer  to  fool 
around  with,"  he  says.  As  a 
chemistry  graduate  student  at 
Virginia  Tech,  he  challenged 
himself  to  build  a  computer 
around  Intel's  new  8-bit  8008 
microprocessor  chip.  His 
modifications  successfully 
expanded  its  memory  capacity 
to  a  revolutionary  16  kilobytes. 

A  cover  story  and  a  mail-in 
offer  in  the  July  1974  issue  of 
Radio-Electronics  made  the 
Mark-8  famous.  For  $5  you 
could  get  a  detailed  instructional 
booklet;  a  set  of  circuit  boards 
for  the  project  was  available  for 
$50.  Suddenly,  anyone  with  a 
bit  of  electrical  know-how  could 
own  a  functional  computer  for  a 
total  cost  of  about  $350.  Noth- 
ing else  came  close,  in  price, 
size  or  computing  power. 

Sales  were  modest,  totaling 
about  400  board  sets  and  7,500 
booklets.  Titus  likens  his 
achievement  to  inventing  the 
egg  beater  before  anyone  knew 
that  eggs  were  edible  and  good 
for  you.  The  common  reaction 
was  "Well,  that's  interesting. 
But  what  can  you  do  with  it?"  Not  much,  he  had  to  admit. 

"Computers  had  their  place,  doing  rapid  and  complex  calcula- 
tions," says  Titus,  "but  1  don't  think  anybody  at  that  time  had  anv 
idea  that  information  technology  would  be  as  pervasive  as  it  is  now." 

With  the  royalties,  plus  the  payment  for  the  magazine  article. 
Titus  bought  an  IBM  Selectric  correcting  typewriter  to  keep  up  with 
the  correspondence.  (Word  processors  and  personal  printers  were  still 
on  the  horizon.) 

I  le  didn't  get  rich,  but  he  did  go  down  in  history.  Titus  still 
hears  regularly  from  hobbvisis  who  want  to  recreate  or  linker  with 
the  original  design.  Devotees  remember  the  Mark-8  with  affection, 
as  a  hardworking  machine  thai  proved  home  computers  lor  the 
masses  were  possible. 


48    Transformations  \  Spring 


ack  .to  WPI 
without  leaving  home. 


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in  g 


Something  Old.  Something  New. 

Reunion  Weekend    June  s-b,  2003 


This  year,  Reunion  Weekend  has  a  new  twist. 
In  addition  to  perennial  favorites  like  the  parade, 
golf  tournament,  gala  receptions  and  class  banquets, 
we  introduce  the  Alumni  College,  a  weekend- 
long  symposium  of  discussions,  lectures  and  interactive 
sessions  led  by  faculty,  alumni  and  other  distinguished 
members  of  the  WPI  community. 


Explore  these  topics: 

An  Introduction  to  Bioengineering 
The  Future  of  Fuel  Cells 
Intellectual  Property  Rights 

Join  in  discussions: 

The  Art  of  Antiquing,  Tag  Sales  and  Auctions 

The  Geography  or  Wines 

The  ABCs  of  Applying  to  College 


111 ii...i.i..i,i.L..i„i.i.ii„ii,..ii..„tr„i„i,i,„ii 

•"•'3-DIGIT  032 

S413  P5 


To  reserve  your  space  at  Reunion, 
contact  the  Office  of  Alumni  Relations 
at  508-831-5600 

or  alumni-office@wpi.edu. 


Su  mmer   20 


The  Class  of  2003: 
Ready  for  What's  Next 


Life  in  the  Fast  Lane: 
Shane  Chalke  '73 

Midsummer  Nantucket  Dreams 
with  Matt  Parker  '87 

Dave  Jenney  '53, 
Father  of  the  Black  Hawk  Helicopter 


I '  Profiles  in  Giving 


Chris  and  Lisa  Heyl  '84 

Home:  North  Haven,  Conn. 
Gift  Arrangement:  Annual  Fund 


Extending  the  Reach  of  the  WPI  Plan 

"WPI  gave  us  the  tools  we  needed  to  be  successful  in 
the  business  world,"  say  G.  Christopher  Heyl  and  Lisa 
LaChance  Heyl,  both  members  of  the  Class  of  1984.  Chris, 
vice  president  of  manufacturing  with  the  Marlin  Firearms 
Company,  and  Lisa,  a  consultant,  attribute  much  of  their 
success  to  their  team-based  project  experience.  Now  they're 
hoping  to  share  those  benefits  with  their  children.  "When 
we  were  presented  with  an  opportunity  to  enroll  the  kids 
in  a  nontraditional,  group-oriented  program  in  the  primary 
schools  in  North  Haven,  Conn.,  we  didn't  hesitate,"  say  the 
Heyls.  "Project-oriented  learning  worked  for  us,  and  we 
want  to  give  our  kids  that  opportunity  as  soon  as  possible." 


Supporting  Areas  of  Greatest  Need 

Chris  and  Lisa  have  remained  close  to  WPI  since  graduation, 
serving  on  their  class  boatd  and  volunteering  to  assist  with 
their  class's  Reunion  planning  and  gift  efforts.  They  support 
the  university  through  yearly  contributions  to  the  Annual 
Fund,  which  helps  finance  day-to-day  operations  by  supplying 
much  needed  budget  relief  and  supporting  important  areas 
such  as  student  life  and  financial  aid.  Giving  via  credit  card 
with  the  gift  form  on  the  WPI  Web  site  makes  it  easy  to 
contribute,  they  say.  "If  we're  paying  bills  late  at  night,  we 
can  log  on  and  make  our  gift — we  don't  have  to  look  for  a 
stamp  or  remember  where  we  put  the  envelope."  As  past 
recipients  of  scholarships,  Chris  and  Lisa  recognize  the 
importance  of  providing  financial  assistance  to  students, 
so  they  frequently  designate  their  annual  gift  to  be  used  for 
financial  aid.  "We're  grateful  to  WPI  for  the  life  skills  we 
learned,  and  we  want  other  students  to  have  that  same 
advantage,"  say  the  Heyls.  "We  have  wonderful  memories 
of  WPI,  and  we  have  really  benefited  from  the  education 
we  received.  For  us,  supporting  the  Annual  Fund  is  the 
riszht  thine  to  do." 


i      °),ih, 


If  you  would  like  to  join  Chris  and  Lisa  Heyl  and  the  many  others  who  support  WPI  through  the  Annual  Fund, 
please  contact  Theresa  Lee,  Director  of  Annual  Giving,  1  -877- WPI-FUND. 


Starting  Point 


HK 


as 


^m 


The  Meaning  of  (Real)  Life 

The  day  I  graduated  from  college  was  so  hot  you  could  have 
fried  an  egg  on  my  mortarboard.  After  the  ceremony  I  frantically 
sought  my  parents  in  the  crowd.  I  needed  reassurance — I  was 
a  helium  balloon,  suddenly  aloft.  But  what  about  phone  wires, 
airplanes,  birds  of  prey?  Was  I  really  ready  to  fly?  Thus,  when 
I  saw  six  members  of  WPI's  Class  of  2003  (see  page  24)  on 
graduation  morning  this  past  May,  I  recognized  the  mix  of 
pride  and  dread  in  their  eyes. 

I  specifically  remember  dreading  The  Question:  "So, 
what's  next?"  What  impressive  postgraduation  plan  did  I  have 
mapped  out?  How  would  I  be  using  my  magna  cum  laude 
degree  to  its  fullest,  most  profitable  potential? 

My  friend  and  I  had  hatched  a  grand  Kerouac  plan:  save 
up  our  summer  job  earnings,  then  drive  cross-country  and 
back,  living  out  of  a  van.  "Because,  well,  you  know,  not 
everything  important  is  learned  in  the  classroom,"  I  would  say 
in  defense  as  the  querist's  gaze  narrowed.  "Then,  after  that, 
I  figure,  we'll  be  ready  for  'real  life.'" 

Real  life.  What  is  real  life?  For  graduate  Scott  Martin  it  is 
spending  the  next  four  years  serving  his  country  in  the  U.S. 
Marines.  For  Andy  Keefe,  real  life  is  a  plum  job  with  an  energy 
company.  For  Katie  Gardner,  it's  the  start  of  a  writing  career 
with  a  multinational  pharmaceutical  firm.  These  new  alumni 
have  ready  answers  to  The  Question.  I  envied  kids  like  that, 
with  everything  just  so.  (I'm  sure  my  parents  did,  too.) 

Not  every  WPI  graduate  has  a  confident  answer  to 
The  Question.  Some  of  this  year's  grads  have  had  tough  times 
finding  jobs,  others  have  yet  to  decide  on  a  particular  direction. 
Those  with  a  defined  path  impress  us.  Even  for  them,  life — 
real  life — is  full  of  uncertainty  and  surprise.  How  does  one 
prepare  for  that? 

Take  Malia  Aull. 
She  signed  up  for  the 
Peace  Corps,  hoping  for 
an  assignment  in  Asia. 
With  the  SARS  outbreak 
and  the  Corps'  offer  of  a 
post  in  Armenia,  she  shifted 
gears.  A  few  weeks  before 
graduation,  she  landed  a 
teaching  assistantship  at 
WPI  and  will  stay  on  at  least 
one  more  year,  pursuing  her 
master's  in  environmental 
engineering.  How  did  she 
handle  the  uncertainty? 


Aull  told  me,  "Going  to  Puerto  Rico  for  my  interactive  project 
gave  me  confidence  in  myself.  I  felt  like  I  could  handle  any- 
thing after  that." 

The  other  alumni  you  will  meet  in  this  issue  share  similar 
stories.  They  tell  us  their  WPI  education  gave  them  confidence 
to  change  course,  try  new  things,  succeed  in  real  life — where 
learning  happens  every  day. 

The  summer  after  I  graduated  I  spent  four  months  on 
the  road,  seeing  America  and  some  of  Canada,  too.  Ready  or 
not,  real  life  was  waiting  for  me  when  I  returned.  That  trip 
transformed  me  from  a  small-town  girl  into  a  confident  woman 
unafraid  of  the  road  less  traveled.  I  was  more  prepared  for  what 
lay  ahead — because,  after  all,  not  everything  important  is 
learned  in  the  classroom. 

— Carol  Cambo,  Editor 


August  28   First  Day  of  Classes. 

Visit  www.wpi.edu/News/Calendars. 

Sept.  5   Soccer  Home  Opener.  Varsity  women 
play  Worcester  State  at  4  p.m.  Call  508-831-5243  or 
visit  www.wpi.edu/Academics/Depts/PE/varsity.html. 

Sept.  12   Football  Home  Opener.  Varsity  men 

play  Worcester  State  at  7  p.m.  Call  508-831-5243  or 
visit  www.wpi.edu/Academics/Depts/PE/varsity.html. 

Sept.  17  Annual  Career  Fair.  Companies  recruit 
for  full-time,  summer  and  co-op  positions.  Harrington 
Auditorium;  1-5  p.m.  Call  508-831-5260  or  visit 
www.wpi.edu/Admin/CDC/. 

Oct.  10   Fly-In.  Alumni  and  friends  who  fly  gather 
at  Worcester  Airport  and  for  special  activities  at  WPI. 
Call  508-831-5600  orvisitwww.wpi.edu/Admin/ 
Alumni/calendar,  html. 

Oct.  10-11    Homecoming  Weekend.  Cookouts, 
Homecoming  parade,  varsity  soccer.  On  the  gridiron, 
the  Engineers  take  on  Norwich.  Note:  the  Classes 
of  1988,  1993,  1998  and  2003  have  reunions 
this  weekend.  Call  508-831-5600  or  visit 
www.wpi.edu/Admin/Alumni/calendar.html. 

Oct.  23    1 6th  Annual  WPI  Invitational 
Mathematics  Meet.  Eighty-five  teams  from 
throughout  New  England  compete  for  $100,000 
in  team  and  individual  scholarships.  Call 
508-831-5241  ore-mail  mathmeet@wpi.edu. 


Malia  Aull  '03  returns  to  WPI  this  fall  to  pursue  a  master's  degree  in  environmental 
engineering.  To  find  out  more  about  Malia,  visit  wunv.wpi.edid*  Transfonnations. 


NUMB 


A     Journal    of     People    and    Change 


B 3HM .3SBBK- — 


s 


1 6  Rise  of  the  Black  Hawk 

Dave  Jenney  '53  helped  spawn  the  Black  Hawk 
helicopter,  a  machine  that  changed  the  face  of 
American  combat.  By  Amy  Spielberg 


20  The  View  From  Seven  Sea  Street 

Behind  the  scences  with  Nantucket  innkeeper  Matthew  Parker  '85,  plus  words 
of  wisdom  from  other  alumni  B&B  owners.  By  Joan  Killough-Miller 

24  What's  Next? 

The  Class  of  2003  has  weathered  war,  terrorism  and  corporate  scandals. 
Find  out  what  the  future  holds  for  some  of  WPI's  newest  alumni. 
By  Carol  Cambo 

30  Fast  Company 

Whether  founding  startups  or  zooming  around  on  one  of  his  many 
motorcycles,  Shane  Chalke  '73  travels  in  the  fast  lane.  By  Ray  Bert  '93 


On  the  Cower:  The  second-floor  elevator  of  Higgins 
Laboratories  does  not  deliver  its  passengers  onto  a  country 
road  somewhere  in  Worcester  County,  but  we  think  the 
juxtaposed  images  beg  the  question:  What's  next  for  the 
Class  of  2003?  To  find  out,  see  poge  24. 


4/5/6/8/9  Campus  Buzz 

Management  program  wins  accreditation;  Access  Grid 
goes  online;  alumni  filmmakers;  more  news  from  WPI. 

7  A  Few  Words 

With  William  Elliott  '73,  operations  director  with 
the  U.S.  Agency  for  International  Development, 
on  rebuilding  Iraq. 

10/11   Explorations 

Students  at  the  Johnson  Space  Center  bring  a  mission 
to  Mars  closer  to  blast-off. 


12/13  Inside  WPI 

The  Game  Development  Club's  "MassBalance"  video  game 
delivers  the  state's  budget  crisis  to  the  masses. 

1 4/1  5  Investigations 

Bioengineered  skin  and  a  mathematical  approach  to 
debugging  computer  code. 

32/33  Alumni  Connections 


34  Class  Notes 
48  Time  Machine 

The  Worcester  Twister  of  1  953 


On  the  Web  www.wpi.edu/+Transformations 


The  conversation  doesn't  end  here.  Be  sure  to  check  out  the  online  edition  of  the  Summer  2003 
Transformations,  where  you'll  find  extra  features  and  links  related  to  the  stories  in  this  issue. 
While  you're  online,  send  us  your  news,  write  a  letter  to  the  editor,  or  chat  with  fellow  readers 
in  the  Transformations  forum  in  the  Alumni  Cafe. 


Staff:  Director  of  Communications:  Mike  Dorsey;  Editor:  Carol  Cambo;  Alumni  News  Editor:  Joan  Killough-Miller; 
Design  Director:  Michael  J.  Sherman;  Design:  re:design  pascal;  Production  Manager:  Bonnie  McCrea;  Production 
Maven:  Peggy  Isaacson;  Department  Icons:  Art  Guy  Studios. 

Alumni  Communications  Committee:  Robert  C.  Labonte  '54,  chairman;  Kimberly  A.  (Lemoi)  Bowers  '90, 
James  S.  Demetry  '58,  William  J.  Firla  Jr.  '60,  William  R.  Grogan  '46,  Amy  L.  (Plack)  Marr  '96, 
Roger  N.  Perry  Jr.  '45,  Harlan  B.  Williams  '50. 

Transformations  (ISSN  1538-5094),  formerly  the  WPI  Journal,  is  published  four  times  a  year  in  February, 
May,  August  and  November  for  the  WPI  Alumni  Association  by  University  Marketing. 
Printed  in  USA  by  Mercantile/Image  Press. 

Diverse  views  presented  in  this  magazine  do  not  necessarily  reflect  the  opinions  of  the  editors  or  official  WPI  policies.  We  welcome  letters  to  the  editor.  Address  correspondence  to  the  Editor, 
Transformations,  WPI,  100  Institute  Road,  Worcester,  MA  0)609-2280.  Phone:  508-831-6037;  fax:  508-831-5820;  e-mail:  transformations@wpi.edu;  Web:  www.wpi.edu/+Transformations. 
Periodical  postage  paid  at  Worcester,  Mass.,  and  at  additional  mailing  offices.  Postmaster:  please  send  address  changes  to  address  above.  Entire  contents  ©  2003,  Worcester  Polytechnic  Institute. 


The  University  of 
Science  and  Technology. 
And  Life.. 


Cameras  flashed  and  politicians  held  forth  at  the  public  launch  of  WPI's  Bioengineering  Institute  in  late  April  (the  institute  was 
inaugurated  in  July  2002).  Sen.  Edward  M.  Kennedy's  inspiring  address  lauded  the  vision  of  BEI  as  a  catalyst  for  economic 
growth  by  facilitating  the  conversion  of  research  into  new  products  and  new  companies  in  the  region.  Above,  President  Parrish  is 
flanked  by  Kennedy  and  Congressman  James  P.  McGovern,  who  has  been  instrumental  in  developing  plans  for  Gateway  Park, 
a  55-acre  parcel  close  to  campus.  Its  magnet  tenant  is  BEI;  there's  also  room  for  complementary  businesses  and  retail  shops. 


Summer  Blockbuster 

What  to  do  on  summer  vacation?  Chad  Pytel  '02  and  other 
members  of  WPI's  sketch  comedy  troupe,  KILROY,  decided  to  make 
a  feature-length  film.  One  year  later,  Disc  is  ready  for  the  big  screen. 
The  story  is  a  classic  1980s  sports  send-up  in  which  the  main 
character,  Traz,  lands  on  the  church  ultimate  Frisbee  team  with  a 
group  of  kids  who  don't  know  a  Frisbee  from  a  pizza.  "With  a 
whole  lot  of  luck  and  heart,  as  well  as  a  little  help  from  the  man 
upstairs,  this  ragtag  group  of  wacky  characters  must  overcome 
all  obstacles,  including  themselves,"  according  to  the  movie's 
promotional  blurb. 


Left:  Goth  Kid  (Willie  Conrad  '02)  is  on  unlikely  hero  in  a  video  arcade  confrontation 
between  love-struck  homeboy  Traz  and  his  nemesis,  Winfield  Augustine  Peterson,  the  rich- 
kid  captain  of  the  Yacht  Club  team.  Middle:  Jim  Coach  (Tom  Roy,  WPI  grad  student), 
church  janitor  and  coach  of  the  Disc  team,  is  confronted  by  his  orch-nemesis  Maximillion 
Westford  (Ben  Alrich  '98],  the  coach  of  the  evil  Yacht  Club  learn.  Right:  Director  (Calvin 
Swaim  '02)  prepares  to  shoot  a  rooftop  scene  as  dusk  falls  on  the  WPI  campus. 


A    Transformations   \  Summer  200  ; 


Disc  plays  in  Boston  and  Worcester  in  August,  and  the  production 
crew  plans  to  submit  the  final  cut  to  film  festivals.  "We  learned 
something  quite  profound  through  this,"  says  Pytel.  "Producing 
movies  and  sketch  comedies  is  what  we  would  like  to  do  for  our 
careers."  For  now,  the  principals  (Pytel,  Calvin  Swaim  '02,  Willie 
Conrad  '02  and  Jon  Yurek  '02)  still  have  day  jobs:  they've 
formed  an  IT  consulting  firm,  thoughtbot,  offering  Web  design, 
software  development,  and  technical  support  for  small  offices. 

"It  became  clear  to  me  personally  that  sometimes  the  things  you 
learn  from  college  are  not  taught  by  your  professors  ...sometimes  it  is 
necessary  to  take  the  project  or  idea  you  have  into  your 
own  hands,"  says  Pytel.  "The  students  that  WPI  draws  are 
dynamic  individuals  waiting  to  explode.  Given  the  right 
circumstances,  it  will  happen." 

Disc  by  the  Numbers: 

6  weeks  spent  writing  script 

6  weeks  spent  filming  (mostly  weekends,  weeknights) 
8  months  of  poslproduction  work  in  crew's  spare  time 
30  hours  of  footage  shot 

126  minutes  of  running  time  in  final  cut 

500  dollars  spent  on  poslproduction 

1/000  dollars  spent  on  production,  raised  mostly  by 

performing  handyman  tosks  for  WPI  faculty  and  staff 

3,000  dollars,  projected  cost  to  produce  Disc,  the  DVD 


Operation:  Super  ACC 


It  can  connect  professors  in  Worcester  to  students  in  Bangkok  faster  than  a 
speeding  bullet.  It  grants  trustees  the  power  to  leap  time  zones  in  a  single 
bound.  It  is  more  powerful  than  a  locomotive.  And  it  makes  everything 
happen  — no  matter  your  longitude  and  latitude— in  real  time.  It's  WPI's  new 
Fuller  Access  Grid,  one  of  only  six  such  access  grids  in  New  England;  just 
1 58  exist  worldwide.  The  array  of  large-format  multimedia  displays 
facilitates  group-to-group  interactions  through  Internet2.  Initially,  WPI's 
Access  Grid  will  be  used  for  seminars  and  community  events,  and  to  support 
WPI's  global  project  centers.     ., 


The  ace 


The  access  grid  and  a  new  Network  Operations  command  center  inhabit 
the  former  Wedge  dining  area  on  the  first  floor  of  Daniels  Hall.  Generous 
gifts-in-kind  and  sponsorships  to  outfit  the  new  facilities  came  from  the 
George  F.  and  Sybil  H.  Fuller  Foundation,  DelSignore  Electrical  Contractors, 
Integration  Partners  and  Nortel  Networks. 


Transformations    \   Summer  2 003 


%  .---V  7»    ■■.. 


Note 


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&  I. 


,,i^><s 


It  was  a  bittersweet  moment.  Faculty,  staff,  alumni  and  friends  gathered  outside  of  Atwater  Kent  in  late  April  for  a  noontime  ceremony  to 
dedicate  a  memorial  plaque  to  Denise  Nicoletti,  professor  of  electrical  and  computer  engineering,  who  passed  away  last  year  as  a  result  of  a 
car  accident.  The  Denise  Nicoletti  Trustees'  Award  for  Service  to  the  Community  was  established  this  year  to  remember  her  legacy  as  a  role 
model  and  as  a  mentor,  especially  to  young  women  exploring  the  world  of  engineering.  The  first  recipient  of  the  award  is  James  P.  O'Rourke, 
electrical  engineer  manager  in  the  ECE  Department,  to  honor  his  commitment  to  the  enrichment  of  others. 


WPI  Means  Business 

WPI's  Department  of  Management  has  been  around  for  more  than 
30  years.  Now  its  bachelor's  and  master's  degree  programs  in 
business  have  achieved  accreditation  from  the  Association  to 
Advance  Collegiate  Schools  of  Business  (AACSB).  WPI  joins  an 
elite  group  — fewer  than  21  percent  of  all  business  programs 
nationwide  are  accredited.  In  granting  its  seal  of  approval,  the 
AACSB  board  cited  WPI's  identification  of  a  unique  mission 
^^^^^^  (management  of  technology)  and  an  interdis- 

id  project-based  curriculum 
eludes  capstone  experiences. 


Bunny  suits  are  tightly  woven,  lightweight,  antistatic  garments  worn 
by  workers  in  semiconductor  fabrication  — and  it  looks  like  WPI  will 
need  a  batch  of  them.  A  $400,000  gift  from  the  Lufkin  Trust  is 
funding  a  new  MEMS  lab  in  Atwater  Kent.  MEMS?  Have  you  heard 
of  micro  devices  that  can  travel  the  bloodstream  to  aid  in  medical 
diagnosis  and  treatment?  That's  MEMS.  It  stands  for  micro-electro- 
mechanical systems,  which  have  become  an  essential  pari  of  today's 
technologies,  from  air  bag  deployment  sensors  to  bomb  navigation 
systems.  The  gift  will  help  WPI  convert  existing  lab  space  into  o 
clean  room,  purchase  lab  equipment,  and  fund  a  graduate 
fellowship  for  two  years. 


6      I "r,i  ii  I  fn  r  in  ,1110  n  I     |    S  li  m  m  cr    2003 


rnun#   ■   am   «   pcr»gn   ot  priviieqe,   living 

in  a  country  of  incredible  resources.  I  feel  an 
obligation,  therefore,  to  work  for.  a  .more  Just 
and  equitable  world.    / 


William  S.  Elliott  73 

U.S.  Agency  for  International  Development  (USAID) 


Since  1961  USAID  has  helped  dozens  of 
countries  rebuild  after  war  or  disaster,  and 
has  facilitated  the  expansion  of  democracy 
and  free  markets  all  over  the  world.  Will 
Elliott  joined  USAID  in  1983  after  working 
overseas  for  General  Electric.  His  assign- 
ments with  USAID  include  Botswana, 
Jordan  and  South  Africa.  Now  as  chief  of 
the  Programs  Operations  Division  in  the 
Europe  and  Eurasia  Bureau's  Office  of 
Operations  and  Management,  Elliott  is 
involved  in  strategic  planning,  and  design 
and  implementation  of  development  pro- 
jects in  26  countties  in  Eastern  Europe 
and  the  former  Soviet  Union. 

What  hopes  and  values  drive 
your  work? 

I  believe  in  the  dignity  and  worth  of  every 
human  being  regardless  of  social  status, 
ethnicity,  race,  color,  gender,  religion  or 
worldview.  As  an  American,  I  am  a  person 
of  privilege,  living  in  a  country  of  incredible 
resources.  I  feel  an  obligation,  therefore,  to 
work  for  a  more  just  and  equitable  world. 
I  also  believe  that  we  need  to  encourage 
values  that  reduce  resentment  and  promote 
reconciliation — values  that  transcend  mate- 
rial self-interest  and  the  bitter  memories  of 
past  conflicts.  Only  in  this  way  can  people 
pass  on  to  their  children  the  possibility  of 
growing  up  in  a  world  more  just  than  the 
one  that  they  inherited. 

What  are  the  top  priorities  for 
reconstructing  countries,  like  Iraq, 
just  emerging  from  military  action? 

The  Office  of  Transition  Initiatives  was 
specifically  created  within  USAID  in  1994 
to  help  us  respond  to  postwar  situations. 
There  are  many  aspects  to  tebuilding  in  the 
wake  of  a  military  campaign.  Each  situation 
is  different  and  there  is  no  cookie-cutter 
approach  that  will  work.  Certainly  ensuring 
that  food  is  available  is  essential  for  any 
society.  Also,  stability  and  personal  security. 
Where  there  has  been  a  strong  central  gov- 
ernment, we  seek  to  strengthen  the  civil 
society.  Where  there  has  been  a  weak  central 
government,  that  needs  to  be  strengthened. 


What  makes  rebuilding  Iraq  easier 
than  rebuilding  Afghanistan? 

Iraq  is  different  because  it  has  a  large  middle 
class  that  is  educated,  urbanized  and  sophis- 
ticated. Our  task  in  Iraq  is  truly  rebuilding, 
whereas  Afghanistan  is  at  an  earlier  stage  of 
development.  The  similarities  between  Iraq 
and  Eastern  Europe  are  greater  than  those 
between  Iraq  and  Afghanistan —  the  former 
are  societies  with  heavily  centralized  eco- 
nomic and  political  systems  that  have  been 
exploited  for  the  purposes  of  the  top 
leadership  of  the  country. 

The  Iraqi  people  were  traumatized 
by  Saddam  Hussein's  rule.  How 
does  the  psychological  health  of 
a  people  factor  into  relief  efforts? 

We  learned  much  about  emotional  trauma 
in  the  Balkans.  In  Bosnia,  USAID  funded 
several  efforts  that  dealt  with  the  sevete 
trauma  experienced  by  families — both 
refugees  from  other  countries  and  internally 
displaced  persons — through  individual  and 
group  counseling  sessions.  Much  of  our 
work  focused  on  women  who  suddenly 
found  themselves  as  heads  of  households 
due  to  the  death  of  husbands  and  fathers 
in  the  war,  or  whose  spouses  and/or  fathers 
were  still  missing.  To  offer  the  counseling, 
we  worked  through  private  U.S.  organiza- 
tions as  well  as  local  groups  in  Bosnia. 

The  latest  World  Values  Survey 
shows  that  most  Muslims  want  a 
democratic  government.  Do  ethnicity 
and  faith  pose  specific  challenges  to 
establishing  democracy? 
I  have  found  the  same  type  of  challenges  in 
all  countries,  regardless  of  the  ethnic  and 
faith  traditions  that  prevail.  For  example, 
deep  ethnic  divisions  in  the  Balkans  led  to 
war  and  are  a  very  real  impediment  to 
development.  Teaching  children  the  values 
of  tolerance  is  one  hope  for  lasting  change. 
With  financial  support  from  USAID,  two 
U.S.  organizations  combined  their  expertise 
in  conflict  resolution  and  children's  televi- 
sion programs.  They  established  a  local 
company  in  Macedonia  to  produce  a  televi- 
sion series  aimed  at  increasing  tolerance. 


The  series  involved  children  from  five  ethnic 
groups  who  worked  together  solving  disputes 
in  their  neighborhoods  through  seeing  life 
from  the  other  groups'  perspective. 

How  did  your  WPI  education 
prepare  you  for  your  work? 

I  was  one  of  the  first  32  students  to  graduare 
under  the  WPI  Plan.  My  education  taught 
me  life  skills  such  as  problem  solving, 
resourcefulness  and  teamwork — all  essential 
to  international  development  work.  I  was 
in  the  second  group  of  students  to  study 
abroad — three  of  us  went  to  the  City 
University  of  London  for  the  fall  semester 
in  1972.  Professionally  and  personally,  my 
experience  in  London  formed  the  basis  of 
my  lifelong  interest  and  involvement  in 
international  matters.  My  parents  wisely 
sent  me  to  a  precollege  study  course  at 
WPI,  through  which  I  met  a  classmate 
from  Kuwait.  We  became  good  ftiends  and 
through  out  years  at  WPI  we  vacationed 
together.  He  joined  me  for  meals  with  rela- 
tives in  Massachusetts;  I  visited  his  home 
in  Kuwait  in  1975.  Thus  began  my  attempt 
to  understand  the  Arab  and  Islamic  worlds, 
which  continued  during  studies  in  London 
and  beyond.    — CC 

Web  site:  www.usaid.gov 


Transformations    \   Summer   2003     7 


m 


Jumping  Higher,  Teaching  Bettei 


Sneakers  come  in  a  zillion  styles 
and  sizes.  Every  student  owns 
a  pair,  thus  they  can  relate  to 
those  rubber-leather-canvas 
contraptions  laced  to  their  feet. 
"So  why  not  build  a  science 
and  engineering  unit  for  kids 
around  sneakers?  It  will  matter 
to  them,"  says  Martha  Cyr, 
WPI's  director  of  K-l  2  Outreach. 
"Let's  have  them  study  sneaker 
materials  and  friction  and 
volume— even  their  cultural 
significance.  We'll  have  them 
build  their  own  composite 
sneakers  designed  for  specific 
functions,  like  jumping  higher 
or  riding  skateboards." 

It's  this  type  of  innovative, 
engaging  science  and  math 
curricula  that  is  at  the  heart  of 
Cyr's  work;  finding  ways  to 
reach  young  people  who  may 
never  have  considered  studying 
the  sciences.  "WPI  already  has 
a  number  of  programs  devoted 


to  this,"  she  says.  "It's  part  of 
my  mission  to  see  how  those 
programs  can  better  interact 
and  support  each  other,  and 
to  develop  new  ones  where 
we  fall  short." 

What  better  place 

to  start  than  in  our 

own  backyard. 

Cyr  will  begin  by 

communicating  with 

Worcester  schools 

about  WPI  as  both 

a  destination  for 

college-bound 

seniors  and  a 

resource  for  teachers 

and  younger 

students.  With  two 

science-minded  children  at  home, 

a  teenage  daughter  and  a  1 2- 

year-old  son  in  nearby  Charlton, 

she  has  a  veritable  live-in  focus 

group  to  assess  what  will  fly 

with  the  schoolyard  set. 


This  K-l  2  Outreach  position  is 
new,  funded  for  three  years  by 
a  generous  gift  from  Edna  and 
Douglas  Noiles  '44.  (Doug  is 
co-founder  of  Joint  Medical 
Products  Corporation  in 


Stamford,  Conn.,  and  holds 
numerous  patents  for  surgical 
devices  and  orthopedic 
implants.)  "We  want  to  increase 
opportunities  for  children  to  feel 
the  excitement  of  learning  and 
ideas,  especially  the  funda- 


mentals from  which  math, 
science  and  engineering  grow," 
said  Noiles  of  the  gift. 

Martha  Cyr  comes  to  WPI 
after  holding  a  similar  position 
at  Tufts  University  in 
Medford,  and  has 
brought  some  of  her 
grant-funded  projects 
with  her,  including  work 
developing  the  National 
Science  Digital  Library— 
a  Web-based  curriculum 
resource  for  science  and 
math  educators.  She 
earned  her  master's 
degree  at  WPI  and, 
in  1997,  a  Ph.D.  in 
mechanical  engineering. 
She  met  her  husband  (Phil  Cyr, 
BSME  '86,  MBA  '02)  while  a 
graduate  student.  Of  her  new 
post  on  campus,  she  says, 
"I  feel  like  I've  come  home." 


Marshall  Named  Chairman 

In  April,  WPI's  Board  of  Trustees  elected  F.  William  Marshall  Jr. 
as  its  18th  chairman.  A  banking  industry  leader,  Marshall  has 
been  a  trustee  since  1986. 

"Bill  is  the  perfect  choice  to  lead  WPI  during  these  challenging 
times,"  says  university  president  Edward  Alton  Parrish.  "He  has 

chaired  the  investment  committee  with  great  success 
for  over  a  decade,  and  has  an  impressive  track 
record  of  running  successful  organizations." 

Marshall  retired  as  president  and  CEO  of  SIS 
Bancorp  Inc.,  capping  a  35-year  career  in  com- 
mercial banking  in  New  England.  He  is  active  on 
several  corporate  and  nonprofit  boards,  including 
serving  as  director  of  the  Oppenheimer  Funds  Inc., 
Mass  Mutual  Institutions  Funds,  MML  Series 
Investment  Funds  and  Springboard  Technology  Inc. 


Gold(water)  Standard 

Ravi  Srinivasan  '04  of  Worcester  and  Ann  C.  Skulas  '05 

of  Vine  Grove,  Ky.,  were  named  Goldwater  Scholars  for  2003. 
The  award,  named  for  former  U.S.  Sen.  Barry  M.  Goldwater,  was 
designed  to  foster  and  encourage  outstanding  students  pursuing 
careers  in  the  fields  of  mathematics,  natural  sciences  and  engi- 
neering; it's  valued  at  up  to  $7,500 
for  each  recipient.  Srinivasan,  a  double 
major  in  math  and  physics,  aims  to 
become  a  professor  at  a  major  research 
university  and  to  study  the  earth's 
ocean-atmosphere  system;  Skulas  is 
a  chemistry  major  pursuing  research 
in  nanotechnology.  Three  hundred 
Goldwater  Scholars  are  selected  annu- 
ally on  the  basis  of  academic  merit  from 
a  field  of  nearly  1,100  students. 


8     Transformation!   \  Summer  2003 


Top  Math  Teacher  P.  Brady  Townsend,  left,  with  Principal  Thomas  Pandisao  and  nominating  student  Julie  Anderson 


They  rank  crime  statistics, 
measure  gas-pump  nozzle 
efficiency,  and  calculate  the 
net  contribution  of  good-driver 
discounts  to  an  insurance 
company's  bottom  line.  They 
aren't  ace  analysts  and 
accountants  — at  least  not  yet. 
They  are  the  students  of 
P.  Brady  Townsend  '95, 
math  teacher  at  Wachusett 
Regional  High  School  in  Holden. 


"As  a  teacher,  he  finally  answers 
the  question,  'Why  would  we 
ever  need  to  know  this?'"  wrote 
senior  Julie  Anderson  in  her  win- 
ning nomination  of  Townsend  for 
WPI's  inaugural  Technological 
Humanist  Award.  The  annual 
award  honors  outstanding  high 
school  teachers  in  the  Bay  State 
who  embrace  the  philosophy  of 
technological  humanism  — how 
science  and  technology  can 
address  important  social  issues. 


By  the  time  they're  seniors, 

members  of  the  Class  of  2010 

will  be  able  to  graduate  with  a 

degree  in  aerospace  studies. 

Students  have  been  studying  about 

space  and  flight  at  WPI  since  the  late 

1 920s,  first  under  the  "Aero  Option" 

and  currently  in  the  aerospace  program, 

a  concentration  within  the  Mechanical 

Engineering  Department.  With  the  addition  of 

a  program  director,  a  new  faculty  member,  and 

a  handful  of  additional  courses,  expectations 

are  that  the  program's  review  in  2006  will  result 

in  full  accreditation.  With  the  new  major,  WPI 

becomes  one  of  just  61  universities,  including  MIT, 

RPI  and  BU,  that  already  have  aerospace  degree 

programs  and  who  compete  for  students  interested 

in  aircraft,  aircraft  design,  and  space  science  and 

engineering.  WPI's  Air  Force  ROTC  program  will  benefit 

as  well  since  it  will  be  easier  for  students  to  complete 

requirements  on  campus. 


Companies  have  actual 
problems  they  need  solved, 
says  Townsend.  He  converts 
real  business  questions  into 
classroom  math  problems  using 
current  data;  his  students 
explore  situations  that  have 
implications  in  the  real  world. 

Townsend  accepted  the  first- 
place  trophy  and  award  of 
$5,000  during  a  ceremony 
May  1.  The  second-  and  third- 


Above  left: 

Chemistry  teacher  Eileen  Ratkiewicz, 
center,  from  the  MacDuffie  School  in 
Springfield  won  the  second-place 
Technological  Humanist  Award,  which 
included  a  trophy  and  a  monetary 
award  of  $2,500.  Hilary  Leithauser, 
left,  who  nominated  her,  and  head  of 
school  Kathryn  Gibson  attended  the 
awards  dinner. 

Above  right: 

David  Steeves,  left,  who  teaches 
physics  at  Chelmsford  High  School, 
received  the  third-place  award,  which 
included  a  trophy  and  $1,500.  With 
him  is  Chelmsford  High  principal  Allen 
Thomas.  Steeves  was  nominated  by 
Shamik  Bhattacharyya. 


place  finishers  also  took  home 
monetary  awards  along  with 
distinctive  trophies  to  display  in 
their  schools.  The  teachers  may 
use  the  funds  to  purchase 
equipment,  pursue  professional 
development  or  subsidize  other 
activities  that  enhance  education 
at  their  schools. 

Nominations  for  next  year's 
award  will  be  accepted 
beginning  this  fall. 


~  ^   A   & 


. ■ ■  •  •  j& 

It  is  rocket  science 


r**# 


■•»«»  :: 


•"uii  : : . 


'  Explorations 

9 


estinatio 


Students  h 


It  has  been  almost  40  years  since  NASA  launched 
its  first  successful  flyby  spacecraft  to  Mars  and  28 
years  since  the  first  lander  touched  down  on  the 
red  planet.  Now,  several  WPI  students  have  a 
hand  in  planning  for  a  long-awaited  phase  of 
Mars  exploration:  missions  to  collect  and  return 
to  earth  samples  of  Martian  soil  and  air. 

Carolyn  Lachance  '03  was  one  of  a  dozen 
students  working  at  the  Johnson  Space  Center 
in  Houston  this  past  winter.  Her  team's  major 


~^L 


1  O     Transformation!    |  Sum  me) 


project  was  to  design  the  return  leg  of  a 
Mars  mission  using  solar  electric  propulsion. 
Lachance  says  that  although  ion  engines  are 
already  used  in  many  satellite  systems,  a 
return  trip  from  Mars  will  require  smaller 
solar  arrays  and  greater  engine  efficiency. 
"We  projected  thar  with  continued  techno- 
logical advances,  we  may  be  able  to  launch 
a  Mars  mission  as  early  as  201 1,"  she  says. 
"Since  Earth  and  Mars  come  closest  together 
approximately  every  two  years,  the  spacecraft 
would  bring  back  Martian  rocks,  soil  and 
atmosphere  in  2013." 

The  samples  could  help  to  answer 
many  questions,  including  the  biggest  one: 
Is  there  life  on  Mars?  "A  Martian  meteorite 
discovered  in  Antarctica  in  1984  contains 
possible  evidence  of  microbial  life  having 
existed  at  some  point,"  says  Lindsay 
O'Donnell  '05,  whose  interactive  project 
at  the  Johnson  Space  Center  involved  public 
outreach  and  sample  return  missions. 

"Water  may  have  been  present  and 
may  still  exist  in  the  polar  caps  and  in  water 


by  Professor  Karen  McNamara  of  the 
Chemical  Engineering  Department.  She  has 
since  been  hired  by  NASA  and  will  serve  as 
WPI's  liaison  in  Texas — Durgin  says  that  the 
Johnson  Space  Center  is  scheduled  to 
become  an  official  WPI  project  site  next  year. 

Lachance,  O'Donnell  and  Dufresne 
all  agree  that  the  highlight  of  their  project 
work  in  Houston  was  working  alongside 
dedicated  scientists — and  touring  the  entire 
facility,  including  getting  a  look  at  moon 
rocks.  "That's  something  very,  very  few 
people  get  to  see,"  says  Dufresne.  Lachance 
admits  it  "was  wonderful  to  be  in  a  place  we 
'space  geeks'  are  in  awe  of,  a  place  that  has 
so  much  history." 

Students  witnessed  a  dark  page  of 
space  history  unfold  on  February  1  when 
they  awoke  to  news  of  the  space  shuttle 
Columbia  disaster.  They  had  been  invited 
to  watch  the  launch  from  mission  control 
just  16  days  earlier,  sharing  in  the  excite- 
ment of  NASA  scientists  around  them. 
Then,  like  the  rest  of  the  nation,  they 


The  Johnson  Space  Center  is  scheduled  to 
become  an  official  WPI  project  site  next  year. 


veins.  But  the  question  of  life  on  Mars  will 
probably  not  be  answered  until  we  have 
actual  samples,"  says  Andrew  Dufresne  '05, 
who  also  worked  on  the  project. 

Ultimately,  even  samples  may  not  pro- 
vide a  definitive  answer,  but  the  students  say 
there  is  value  in  the  search  itself.  "Working 
to  overcome  obstacles  leads  to  advances  in 
technology,"  says  O'Donnell,  while  Dufresne 
points  out,  "it's  in  our  nature  to  continue 
to  explore." 

Other  projects  involved  sample  return 
missions  from  Aitken  Basin,  the  largest 
crater  on  the  moon,  and  roborics.  "All  of 
the  projects  were  well  received  by  NASA," 
says  William  W  Durgin,  associate  provost, 
who  oversaw  the  work.  "Our  students 
fielded  questions  exceptionally  well  during 
their  presentations."  WPI  has  been  sending 
students  to  Houston  for  five  years  to  work 
on  projects  involving  returning  Mars  sam- 
ples to  earth.  Initially  they  were  advised 


watched  the  tragic  accident  play  out  on 
their  television  screens. 

The  students  had  been  asked  to  attend 
a  reception  with  the  Columbia  astronauts 
the  following  day,  but  instead  they  were 
invited  to  the  formal  memorial  service  on 
February  4. 

"I  think  we  all  spent  a  few  days  won- 
dering why  we  were  bothering  to  do  this 
work  when  there  was  a  national  tragedy," 
Lachance  says.  "The  mood  was  definitely 
subdued  and  it  was  a  little  bit  harder  to  meet 
with  our  advisors  at  NASA.  After  all,  the 
astronauts  were  their  friends.  It  was  sad." 

But  the  students  say  that  the  tragedy 
ultimately  underscores  the  importance  of 
space  exploration.  "We  have  always  been 
explorers,"  says  Dufresne.  "It's  something 
so  very  fundamental  to  who  we  are.  No 
matter  what  obstacles  we  encounter,  the 
work  will  go  on." 

— Rachel  Faugiw 


}|yn  Lachance  '03.  Lindsay  O'Donnell  '05  and  Andrew  Dufresne  '05  spent  the  winter  term  in  Houston  at  the  Johnson 
:e  Center  working  on  missions  to  Mars  that  will  ultimately  return  to  earth  with  samples  of  Martian  soil  and  air. 


Transformations    |   Summer  2003 


1  1 


i\       Act 

Think  you  can  bring  the  state  budget  into  tine? 


Let  the  gaming  begin. 


It's  9  p.m.,  and  a  meeting  of  the  WPI 
Game  Development  Club  is  getting 
under  way.  A  dozen  students  are 
seated  in  front  of  laptops  around  a 
square  table  in  a  Campus  Center 
conference  room.  Power  outlets  are  in 
short  supply.  Club  co-founder  Michael 
Gesner  '04  sends  an  instant  message 
to  a  member  who  is  supposed  to  be 
present,  extracting  a  promise  to  be  there 
in  15  minutes.  But  not  much  work  gets 
done  until  the  Mountain  Dew  and  pizza 
arrive  at  9:30. 

"Tonight's  meeting  is  focused  on 
getting  the  beta  out  the  door,"  explains 
Gesner.  The  beta  he's  referring  to  is  a 
prerelease  version  of  a  game  called 
"MassBalance"  that  the  club  is  creating, 
in  collaboration  with  the  office  of  State 
Sen.  Richard  T.  Moore.  While  many  of 
the  club's  games  revolve  around 


l_  Central  Costs 

$3,321,600,000.00 

Employee  Benefits 
Debt  Services 

$1,727,100,000.00 
$1,594,500,000.00 

Economic  Development 

$316,700,000.00    | 

Business  and  Labor 
Environment 

V 

$118,800,000.00    I 
$197,900,000.00    j 

fantasy  realms  (sample  title:  "Warlords 
of  the  Armageddon"),  the  central  task 
in  "MassBalance"  isn't  slaying  foes. 
The  goal  of  the  Web-based  game  is 
balancing  the  state  budget. 

In  two  years  of  existence,  the  Game 
Development  Club,  led  by  Darius 
Kazemi  '05,  has  designed  several 
games  for  its  members'  own  enjoyment, 
but  "MassBalance"  is  its  highest-profile 
project  so  far.  The  60-member  club  was 
given  less  than  two  months  to  complete 
the  game,  from  the  initial  "functional 
specifications"  document  to  the 
rollout  in  May. 


Also,  the  club  was  dealing  with 
an  outside  partner  for  the  first  time. 
"The  senator's  office  has  certain 
expectations,"  Gesner  says. 
"They  want  us  to  combine  fun  with 
accuracy.  We're  working  with  real 
budget  numbers,  and  presenting 
players  with  certain  random  events  to 
show  how  those  can  affect  the  budget." 
Among  the  random  events:  a  massive 
blizzard,  the  outbreak  of  a  SARS-like 
epidemic,  and  rioting  following  a  Red 
Sox  victory  in  the  World  Series. 

The  club  landed  the  pro  bono  assign- 
ment to  build  "MassBalance"  earlier 
this  year,  when  Sen.  Moore  attended 
an  annual  breakfast  of  state  legislators 
and  representatives  from  Worcester- 
area  colleges.  WPI  associate  provost 
Lance  Schachterle  recalls,  "Senator 
Moore  mentioned  that  a  computer  game 


1  2     Transformation!    \   Summer  2003 


ALANCE 

INTERACTIVE  BUDGET  SIMULATION 
Brought  to  yon  by  Worcester  Polytechnic  Institute's  Game  Development  Club,  Senator  Richard  T.  Moore  and  the  Massachusetts  Senate 


Block  Editor 

Total  income:  j 

1,719.900,000 

Block 

l4i 
© 
© 
1*1 
K>i 
© 
© 
© 

Percent 

W       @ 

[W      gj 
lira      (g 

lira      g, 
[ira      ^ 
|7ra       ^| 
lira       gj 
lira       g| 

Amou,,t    Total 

[  Education  and  Children  j 

$|,632.100,000    |30  53 

[       Assistance  to  Poor 

$|,739.20O,000    |35,6 

|        Sick  and  Disabled       j 

$|.151.500.000    |991 

[          Transportation          ] 

$|1 85.800  000     |0  86 

[           Government            J 

$1,063,500,000   |9.5 

[           Central  Costs            ] 

$1,321,600,000   |15  2 

[  Economic  Development  ] 

$|316.7O0.O00     |l  « 

(           Public  Safety           j 

$|.163.800.000   fOOOC 

Totals  $| '   ■ 

^^^^^^"^■■^ 

[  [Review  Budget  ) 

Education  and  Children 

$6,632,100,000.00 

Education  Local  Aid 

V 

$4,343,200,000.00 

Higher  Education 

V 

$1,046,600,000.00 

Services  to  Children 

V 

$709,100,000.00 

Youth  Services 

V 

$  1 34,800,000.00 

Child  Care  Services 

>/ 

$398,400,000.00 

Total 

Dynamic  Income 
Static  Income 

1*11.723.700.000  00 
119996.200.000  00 

Total  Income 

|J21.719.900.000  00 

existed  in  some  states  to  give  citizens 
a  sense  of  the  trade-offs  involved  in 
balancing  a  budget.  We  said  right  away, 
'Gee,  this  is  something  our  students 
could  probably  do.'"  Schachterle 
made  the  initial  connection  between 
the  Game  Development  Club  and  the 
senator's  office.  (Two  students  from 
Worcester's  Massachusetts  Academy 
of  Mathematics  and  Science  also  were 
part  of  the  "MassBalance"  team.) 

"A  lot  of  people  think 

that  legislators  dealing 

with  a  difficult  budget 

will  somehow  just  find 

the  money,  or  that 

we're  looking  for 

excuses  to  raise  taxes," 

says  Sen.  Moore, 

a  Republican  whose 

district  covers  southern 

Worcester  County. 

"We  hope  the  game 

will  help  people  understand  what  goes 

into  producing  a  balanced  budget, 

especially  given  a  soft  economy." 

The  game  invites  players  to  explore 
the  trade-offs  involved  in  funding  one 
set  of  programs  versus  another,  like 
education  or  public  health.  (If  you 


underfund  the  latter,  though,  the  state 
could  be  ill-equipped  to  handle  an 
epidemic  like  SARS.)  "In  creating  this 
game,  I  think  we  all  learned  a  huge 
amount  about  the  state  budget 
process,"  says  Mark  Smith  '06,  the 
lead  programmer  for  "MassBalance." 
Players  can  also  raise  the  sales  tax, 
income  tax  or  gas  tax— but  not  without 
a  corresponding  impact.  If  the  economy 
worsens,  players  are  told  that  their 


Gesner 


Kazemi 

decision  to  hike  taxes  took  the  brunt  of 
the  blame. 

As  the  game  was  being  developed,  its 
testers  included  Sen.  Moore  and  his 
chief  of  staff,  David  Martin,  along  with 
Professor  Schachterle.  "I've  been  very 
impressed  by  the  [club  members]," 


says  Sen.  Moore.  "I've  been  reviewing 
the  game  with  them  to  make  sure  it's 
real  and  accurate,  but  not  too  detailed. 
We  wanted  to  help  people  understand 
the  choices  involved  in  balancing  a 
budget,  without  boring  them." 

After  completing  work  on  "MassBalance," 
which  was  released  in  May,  Gesner 
and  his  fellow  club  members  moved  on 
to  other  projects,  including  a  game  for 
the  Admissions  Office 
simulating  the  life 
of  a  WPI  student. 

But  the  possibility 
also  looms  for 
"MassBalance" 
Version  2.0.  "Since 
we  know  the  eco- 
nomic problems  will 
be  with  us  for  a 
couple  years,"  says 
Moore,  "we  might 

see  if  the  students  are  interested  in 

developing  the  game  further." 

Scoff  Kirsner  is  the  technology  columnist 
for  The  Boston  Globe  and  a  contributing 
editor  to  Fast  Company  magazine. 


Smith 


Transformations    \   Summer  2003      1  3 


stiaatior 


nvestigations 


Pins  and  graduate  student  Brett  Downing  '02 
retrieve  cryopreserved  skin  cells  in  preparation  for 
an  experiment  (above).  He  and  his  students  use 
dermal  equivalents  with  microfabricated  membranes 
(below,  left  and  center}  to  study  the  performance  of 
skin  equivalents  (below,  right). 


Skin  Substitutes  Hold  Promise 
for  Burn  Victims  and  Diabetics 

Each  year  more  than  45,000  Americans  suffer  burns  serious  enough  to  require  a  hospital  stay, 
according  to  the  American  Burn  Association.  A  headline-grabbing  nightclub  fire  in  Rhode 
Island  this  year  claimed  the  lives  of  100  victims  and  severely  burned  nearly  200  others.  As 
hospitals  filled  with  the  injured,  doctors  used  a  variety  of  artificial  skin  products 
to  cover  burns  too  deep  and  extensive  to  close  with  razor-thin  slices  of  their 
patients'  healthy  skin  or  with  cadaver  grafts. 

While  skin  substitutes  protect  against  infection  and  promote  healing,  they 
offer  only  a  temporary  solution.  George  Pins,  assistant  professor  of  biomedical 
engineering  at  WPI,  is  working  to  develop  bioengineered  skin  that  would  heal 
and  function  permanently,  like  the  real  thing.  His  research  could  spare  burn 
victims  the  multiple,  painful  skin  graft  surgeries  that  follow  when  the  body's 
largest  organ  is  seriously  injured. 

"I'm  interested  in  understanding  how  the  biomaterials  we  use  can  be  configured 

/to  get  the  best  performance  in  wound  healing  and  tissue  regeneration,"  Pins  says. 
"My  philosophy  is  that  the  more  biomaterials  mimic  Mother  Nature,  the  better 
they  will  work.  Can  we  use  engineering  technology  to  copy  what  the  body  does?" 

Researchers  have  been  trying  to  answer  that  question  since  skin  substitutes 
were  first  developed  in  the  early  1970s.  Today  Pins  and  his  students  study  the 
nature  and  function  of  skin,  trying  to  determine  how  the  bioengineered  scaffolds, 
or  tissue-like  constructs  they  create,  interact  with  the  body  to  mimic  skin's 
cellular  functions. 

Understanding  how  wound  healing  and  tissue  regeneration  are  regulated  by 
the  interactions  between  cells  and  the  extracellular  matrix  material  that  surrounds 
them  is  vital  to  improving  the  design  of  tissue-engineered  skin  substitutes  for  the 
repair  of  soft-  and  hard-tissue  injuries.  Pins'  research  includes  studying  the  roles 
microfabricated  scaffolds  play  in  protein-based  cell  function  for  tissue  engineering 
of  skin  and  the  development  of  tissue  scaffolds  that  mimic  the  microstructure  and  mechan- 
ical properties  of  real  skin.  He  also  looks  at  the  development  of  microfabricated  cell  and 
tissue  culture  systems  to  understand  how  they  regulate  the  growth  and  differentiation  of 
the  various  epithelial  layets  of  skin,  which  normally  regenerate  in  tour  weeks. 

The  ideal  artificial  skin  product  would  come  ready-to-use  in  pouches,  available  off-the- 
shelf,  Pins  says.  Surgeons  would  simply  tear  open  the  pouches  and  apply  the  contents  as  a 
permanent  cover  for  serious  burns  and  open  wounds.  To  that  end.  Pins  wants  to  increase  his 
understanding  of  wound  healing  and  tissue  regeneration.  In  addition  to  helping  burn  victims 
heal  in  a  one-step  process,  his  research  offers  the  same  great  promise  for  the  600,000  dia- 
betics per  year  facing  amputations  because  of  foot  ulcers  or  other  injuries  that  will  not  Ileal. 

— Elizabeth  Walker 

more  biomaterials  mimic 


"My  philosophy  is  that  the 
Mother  Nature,  the  better  they  will  work." 


14     Transformations    \  Summer  2003 


Getting  the  Bugs  Out: 

A  Smarter  Way  to  Test  Software 

On  June  30,  1956,  two  planes  collided  over  the  Grand  Canyon,  killing  128  people.  It  was 
the  worst  civil  air  accident  in  America  to  date  and  it  led  to  the  creation  of  the  Federal 
Aviation  Administration.  Airborne  collisions  are  rare  today  because  of  the  Traffic  Alert  and 
Collision  Avoidance  System  (TCAS),  hatdware  and  software  that  act  as  electronic  eyes  to 
help  pilots  visualize  air  traffic  nearby. 

Like  all  software  systems,  TCAS  is  constantly  being  improved,  and  each  new  version 
must  be  tested.  Software  companies  spend  millions  of  dollars  to  develop  theit  core  applica- 
tions— from  collision  avoidance  systems  to  telephone  communication  services — before 
bringing  them  to  market.  Part  of  this  money  pays  for  testing  to  debug  code. 

Despite  the  costly  testing,  some  features  still  won't  work  righr  in  the  real  world.  For 
example,  air-collision  detection  software  mighr  be  designed  to  sound  an  alarm  when  another 
plane  approaches  to  within  1 ,000  feet.  Testing  might  miss  a  particulat  case  in  which  the  soft- 
ware fails.  Such  bugs  need  to  be  eliminated  before  the  software  can  be  released.  Yet  how  can 
a  programmer  be  sure  that  the  code  is  error-free,  especially  when  lives  hang  in  the  balance? 

Kathi  Fisler,  assistant  professor  of  computer  science,  along  with  a  research  colleague 
at  Btown  University,  is  working  to  guarantee  that  ctitical  software  systems  are  free  of  such 
behavioral  errors.  They  are  developing  computer-aided  verification  techniques  that  will 
complement  current  testing  procedures  and  help  programmers  locate  mote  design  errors 
in  the  early  stages  of  development. 

The  complexity  of  today's  computing  systems  makes  thorough  testing  almost  impos- 
sible. "The  number  of  possible  test  cases  is  vastly  larger  than  the  numbet  of  atoms  in  the 
universe.  It's  literally  impossible  to  run  them  all  in  a  human  lifetime,"  says  Fisler.  "And, 
unfortunately,  a  successful  test  indicates  only  that  no  major  bugs  were  uncovered.  It  doesn't 
mean  that  the  design  is  etror-free." 

The  sheer  size  and  complexity  of  modern  systems  pose  the  biggest  obstacle  to  verifica- 
tion. To  be  feasible,  a  verification  tool  ideally  should  analyze  only  the  fraction  of  code  that 
pertains  to  a  given  requirement.  Unforrunately,  such  code  is  typically  scattered  throughout 
an  application,  making  it  difficult  to  isolate. 

The  solution  to  this  problem,  Fisler  believes,  ultimately  lies  in  creating  different  soft- 
ware architectures.  Research  has  shown  that  feature-oriented  software  simplifies  other  key 
engineering  problems,  such  as  system  evolution  and  maintenance;  it  also  helps  create  families 
of  related  products  that  share  similar  sets  of  features,  like  telephony  systems  with  different 
combinations  of  features,  such  as  call  waiting  and  callet  ID. 

Fisler  is  developing  techniques  that  utilize  feature  orientation — both  to  make  verifica- 
tion easier  and  to  amortize  high  testing  costs  across  designs  in  the  same  product  line. 
"Society's  reliance  on  software  infrastructure  makes  its  reliability  increasingly  important," 
she  says.  In  othet  words,  she  who  gets  the  most  bugs  out,  wins — and  makes  life  run  more 
smoothly  for  all  of  us  in  the  process.       — CC 


Programmers  write  large  programs  as  a  series  of 
smaller  modules  and  create  whole  programs  by 
combining  modules.  In  Fig.  1,  the  circles  represent 
different  steps  in  the  program.  The  shaded  boxes 
represent  modules,  the  X's  denote  combining  them 
into  a  program.  Assume  this  is  an  e-mail  system 
ond  the  red  circles  represent  the  code  for  the  e-mail 
forwarding  feature.  "A  verification  tool  must  isolate 
the  red  circles  to  efficiently  check  the  feature.  The 
challenges  are  identifying  the  red  circles,  then 
verifying  them  alone  while  determining  how  their 
behavior  affects  the  behavior  of  the  whole  pro- 
gram," says  Kathi  Fisler.  "If  programmers  create 
modules  around  individual  features  to  begin  with 
[as  in  Fig.  2],  isolating  the  red  circles  becomes 
easier.  We  simply  capture  and  then  exploit  the 
programmers's  knowledge  of  which  code 
implements  which  feature." 


"The  number  of  possible  test  cases  is  vastly  larger  than  the  number  of  atoms 
in  the  universe.  It's  literally  impossible  to  run  them  all  in  a  human  lifetime." 


Router 


Database 


Mail  Tool 


Fig.l. 


Router  Database        Mail  Tool 

Auto-Reply  Syff 

Forwarding 


Fig.  2. 


Transformations    j    Summer  2  0  03      1  5 


The  Rise 


the 


V 


By  Amy  Spielberg 


Dave  Jenney  '53  helped  create 

a  helicopter  that  changed  the 

face  of  American  combat 


wSEffi 


If  David  Jenney  didn't  exist,  he  would  be  fun  to 
invent:  A  brilliant  mechanical  engineer  who  admittedly 
isn't  much  good  under  the  hood  of  a  car;  a  distinguished 
gentleman  who  knows  the  sweat  and  pain  of  long-distance 
running. 

He  can  discourse  on  the  dissymmetry  of  local  flow 
velocity  across  helicopter  rotor  blades,  yet  his  most  recent 
engineering  feat  is  a  squirrel  baffle  for  the  birdfeeder.  His 
invention  looks  uncannily  like  a  one-gallon  milk  jug  with 
the  handle  cut  off.  You  can  see  it  from  the  breakfast  nook 
in  the  warm  and  tidy  home  that  Jenney  and  his  wife, 
Janet,  share  in  his  hometown  of  Mattapoisett,  Mass. 

He  is  a  champion  sailor  who  enjoys  the  sun  and 
bracing  salt  air  while  considering  the  mathematics  of 
variable  forces  at  work  on  the  vertical  planes  of  sail  and 
keel.  It's  not  that  he  can't  relax;  it's  just  that  he  can't  stop 
himself  from  seeing  the  possibilities  in  the  world  around 
him -and  most  of  all,  the  possibilities  in  himself. 


mj 


s\KotsKV  aV£«*5 


Imagining  the  future 
of  rotary  flight 

In  the  100  years  since  the 
Wright  brothers  flew  at  Kitty 
Hawk,  the  men  and  women  who  build  aircraft 
have  tried  to  go  faster.  Engineers  and  test  pilots  continue  to 
push  the  envelope  of  airframe  and  engine  design,  along  with 
the  limits  of  human  endurance. 

In  designing  helicopters,  engineers  face  a  unique  speed 
barrier:  whereas  a  fixed-wing  aircraft  will  stall  when  it  goes  too 
slow  for  its  wings  to  provide  lift,  a  helicopter  will  stall  when  it 
goes  too  fast,  but  for  the  same  reason — its  rotary  wings  can't 
provide  sufficient  lift.  In  a  dry  bit  of  understatement  typical 
of  his  personality,  Jenney  puts  it  this  way:  "Blade  stall  is  to 
be  avoided — not  analyzed." 

The  weight  and  performance  capabilities  of  early  helicop- 
ters were  modest  "to  say  the  least,"  says  Jenney,  who  spent  40 
years  in  the  business.  "They  were  slow  and  vibrated  so  as  to 
shake  your  fillings  loose."  Still,  helicopters  were  doing  things 
that  no  other  machines  could  do,  and  Jenney  found  himself 
at  the  forefront  of  dramatic  advances  in  helicopter  design. 

To  put  his  lengthy  career  in  perspective,  consider  this 
sentence  from  Jenney 's  1996  lecture  to  the  American  Helicopter 
Society,  speaking  of  the  early  days  of  helicopter  design:  "A 
favored  text  [proposed]  a  numerical  solution  of  the  equations  of 
motion  of  an  offset  flapping  blade,  but  it  required  a  computer 
to  solve  those  equations."  But  it  required  a  computer. 

The  Slide  Rule  Age 

When  Dave  Jenney  and  his  team  of  engineers  began  crafting  the 
evolution  of  the  helicopter  in  the  early  1950s,  the  sole  computer 
at  United  Aircraft  Research  Labs 
(forerunner  of  Sikorsky)  was  a 
brand  new  IBM-701.  It  filled  a 
large  air-conditioned  room. 

While  waiting  for  technology 
to  catch  up,  Jenney  and  his  fellow 
engineers  wielded  slide  rules  with 
the  speed  and  single-minded  devo- 
tion of  samurais.  There  were  no 


high- 


rkst; 


iign -speed  workstations  on  every 
desk,  no  CAD/CAM,  no  virtual 
modeling. 


Dave  Jenney  keeps  a  model  of  the 
Comonche  in  his  study.  Beginning  this 
year,  more  lhan  1,000  of  them  will  be 
built  for  Ihe  U.S.  Army 


In  I  V/U,  when  the  U.S.  Army  called  tor  a  new  transport  helicopter  with  a 
third  engine  to  be  built  on  an  existing  two-engine  platform,  Jenney's  team  of 
engineers  at  Sikorsky  answered  with  the  Black  Hawk.  It  featured  new  airfoils 
and  blade  shapes,  vibration  absorbers,  and  most  revolutionary  of  all,  a  canted 
tail  rotor  that  kept  the  aircraft  in  balance  while  allowing  room  for  a  third 
engine.  Today  the  UH-60A  Black  Hawk  is  the  Army's  primary  utility/assault 
helicopter,  used  for  air  cavalry,  electronic  warfare  and  medical  evacuation. 
In  assault  operations,  it  can  move  a  squad  of  1 1  combat  troops  and  equipment, 
or  carry  the  105-mm  M102  howitzer,  30  rounds  of  ammo  and  a  six-man  crew. 
Since  1973,  Sikorsky  has  built  more  than  2,000  UH-60s  for  government  use. 


The  mechanics  of  helicopter  flight  are  so  complex,  the 
variables  so  great,  that  the  details  required  to  adequately  model 
the  wake  and  the  blades  remain  a  challenge  even  for  today's 
fastest  computers.  "Prediction  of  loads,  vibrations  and  noise 
still  requires  some  degree  of  empiricism,"  says  Jenney. 

The  advent  of  early  computers,  as  large  and  sluggish  as 
they  were,  together  with  routine  testing  in  the  100-mph  wind 
tunnel  at  the  research  labs,  helped  designs  advance  quickly. 
While  computer-aided  design  was  just  emerging,  the  usefulness 
of  the  helicopter  was  being  demonstrated  in  dramatic  fashion 
over  the  battlefields  of  Korea.  It  was,  says  Jenney,  "a  great  time 
for  an  engineer  to  enter  the  helicopter  field." 

Over  rhe  course  of  his  career,  Jenney  consistendy  delivered 
innovative  concepts  for  rotary-wing  aircraft,  including  new  airfoils, 
blade  shapes  and  vibration  absorbers.  He  also  bridged  the  gap 
between  theory  and  practice  by  developing  analytical  methods  and 
demonstrating  steady  improvement  through  experimentation. 

Among  the  significant  achievements  of  the  Jenney-led 
design  teams  at  Sikorsky  are  early  vertical  takeoff  and  landing 
aircraft  and  the  Rotor  Systems  Research  Aircraft,  described  by 
Jenney  as  a  "complex  flying  rotor  laboratory,"  created  for  NASA. 

"He  was  an  engineer's  engineer,"  says  Art  Linden,  a 
longtime  colleague.  "He  always  stayed  close  to  the  technical 
arguments,  and  if  he  wasn't  winning  his  point,  he  would  draw 
back,  put  his  argument  together,  and  come  back  at  it  again." 
(Linden  retired  in  2000  as  vice  president  of  Sikorsky's  program.) 

Off-vertical  thinking 

The  design  concept  that  Jenney  is  most  known  for  is  the 
canted  tail  rotor.  Now  it's  a  familiar  sight  on  the  world's  most 
advanced  helicopters,  including  the  famous  Black  Hawk.  The 
tilted  tail  was  an  innovative  solution  to 
a  practical  problem;  the  U.S.  Marine 
Corps  wanted  to  increase  the  lift  capaci- 
ty of  the  Sikorsky  model  CH-^3,  but 
couldn't  afford  a  new  aircraft  design 
program.  Adding  a  third  engine  mean! 
using  larger  main  and  tail  rotors,  but 
moving  the  tail  rotor  6  feel  aft  threw 
the  aircraft  out  OI  balance. 

lentKvs  solution  (he  credits  his 
design  team,  though  everyone  else 
credits  fenney)  was  to  cant,  ot  till, 
the  tail  rotor  20  degrees  <>ll  vertical, 
producing  enough  lili  CO  balance  the 


Velocity  Contours  in  Knots 
Parallel  to  Ground  at  4  Foot 
Height 


aircraft — now  with  a  third  engine — without  having  to  extend 
the  nose.  Pilots  frowned  at  the  idea  and  salesmen  resisted  some- 
thing that  looked  so  odd,  but  there  simply  was  no  denying  the 
results  it  delivered. 

Twenty  years  later,  the  U.S.  Army  Black  Hawk  that  Dave 
Jenney  helped  create  is  a  reliable  veteran.  In  various  configurations 
(U.S.  Air  Force  Pave  Hawk,  U.S.  Navy  Sea  Hawk,  U.S.  Coast 
Guard  Jay  Hawk)  it  is  used  for  air  assault,  air  cavalry,  electronic 
warfare,  search  and  rescue,  medical  evacuations,  disaster  relief — 
even  executive  transportation.  With  ballis- 
tically  hardened  flight  controls,  redundant 
electrical  and  hydraulic  systems,  a  self-sealing 
crash  resistant  fuel  system,  and  energy- 
absorbing  landing  gear  and  crew  seats,  the 
Hawk  has  proven  to  be  reliable,  durable  and 
survivable  in  the  toughest  condition. 

At  the  time  he  retired,  Jenney  was  still 
breaking  boundaries  as  engineering  director 
of  the  Comanche  program,  a  joint  venture 
of  Sikorsky  and  Boeing.  With  stealth  techno- 
logy, fly-by-wire  controls  and  a  composite 
fuselage,  the  Comanche  helicopter  will  carry 
rotary  aircraft  design — and  Dave  Jenney's 
legacy — well  into  the  21st  century. 


Jenney's  other  love  is  sailing;  he  is 
restoring  his  boat,  the  JANCAP. 


True  Grit 

Jenney's  mild  demeanor  belies  his  undeniable 
grit.  He  presents  himself  like  a  cerebral  academic: 
quiet,  gracious,  refined  and  unfailingly  polite.  It  is  counter- 
intuitive to  learn  that  he  has  completed  19  marathons. 

Most  people  would  consider  completing  even  one 
marathon  to  be  a  lofty  goal  and  noteworthy  achievement. 
Jenney  has  pushed  and  punished  his  wiry  frame  through  19, 
including  six  Boston  Marathons,  with  a  personal  best  of  two 
hours  and  53  minutes. 

"I  wanted  to  know  if  I  could  do  it,"  he  says,  matter-of-factly. 
"I  wanted  to  know  if  I  could  overcome  the  mental  as  well  as  the 
physical  barriers,  when  every  step  hurts,  but  you've  got  to  per- 
suade yourself  to  keep  going."  Regardless  of  the  obstacles,  Jenney 
has  a  blend  of  tunnel  vision  and  tenacity  that  allows  him  to  reach 
his  goals,  to  take  disappointment  and  setbacks  in  stride,  to  just 
keep  going.  At  72,  he  still  logs  25  miles  a  week  in  his  running 
shoes.  "I'm  not  speedy,"  he  says,  "but  I'm  persistent." 


Persistent  indeed.  In  1953,  fresh  out  of  WPI  (where  he 
studied  on  full  scholarship),  Jenney  joined  the  newly  formed 
helicopter  research  group  at  United  Aircraft  Research  Labs, 
which  would  become  United  Technologies  Corporation,  parent 
company  to  Sikorsky  Aircraft.  He  attended  the  University  of 
Connecticut  nights  to  collect  his  MSME.  Then,  still  working 
full  time,  he  started  out  in  pursuit  of  his  doctorate  in  mechani- 
cal engineering — a  pursuit  that  would  become  an  academic 
marathon.  Jenney  sat  for  his  qualifying  exam  the  day  after  he 
started  wotk  at  Sikorsky,  and  he  was  sent  back 
to  the  drawing  board,  his  thesis  being  deemed 
incomplete. 

For  sheer  outrageousness  it  is  hatd  to  beat 
Jenney's  doctoral  thesis.  He  proposed  a  rotor 
with  blades  thin  enough  to  roll  up  like  window 
shades.  The  rotor  of  Jenney's  "convertiplane" 
could  be  put  away  at  high  speed  when  a  wing 
would  assume  the  work  of  lift. 

True  to  form  (call  it  persistent,  tenacious, 
focused — crazy  also  comes  to  mind),  Jenney 
stayed  in  the  race,  working  the  problems  in  his 
thesis  at  night  and  on  weekends,  while  leading 
the  way  in  helicopter  research  and  design  by  day. 
He  succeeded  in  building  a  working  model. 
"The  high  point  of  my  thesis  defense — to  me, 
at  least,"  says  Jenney,  "was  starting  up  that  model 
and  watching  it  rise  from  the  conference  table." 
Dave  Jenney  completed  his  Ph.D.  in  1968,  about  the 
time  his  design  team  was  creating  the  S-67,  a  concept  machine 
that  would  set  the  helicopter  speed  record  of  221  mph.  It  took 
him  10  years  to  complete  his  doctorate.  It  took  his  design  team 
one  year  to  go  from  concept  to  speed  record.  The  S-67  never 
sold.  No  matter,  says  Jenney.  "We're  always  learning  things 
along  the  way." 

Ever  the  aerodynamicist,  even  in  retirement,  Jenney  says 
the  most  productive  direction  that  the  helicopter  industry  can 
take  is  to  dramatically  reduce  cost  and  improve  affordability. 
Reduced  costs  won't  result  from  innovations  in  accounting,  he 
counsels,  but  in  improving  aerodynamic  efficiency  and  fabrica- 
tion methods.  In  the  WPI  tradition,  engineers  need  to  look  on 
this  next  step  as  an  integral  part  of  their  job.  Dave  Jenney  likes 
to  imagine  the  market  potential  of  the  helicopter  industry  if 
costs  were  reduced  by  50  percent.  "That  would  be  a  man-on- 
the-moon  type  accomplishment,"  he  says,  as  he  laces  up  his 
running  shoes.  D 


Transformations    |    Summer   2003      1  9 


Innkeeping  has  its  moments,  and  Matt  Parker  '89  has  seen  his  share. 


By  Joan  Killough-Miller 


Photography  by  Terry  Pommet 


In  the  lull  of  a  Monday  afternoon  in  early  April, 
with  tourist  season  only  weeks  away,  Nantucket  is  hit  with  a 
snow  storm.  As  sleet  blankets  the  slender  green  shoots  that 
herald  the  island's  annual  Daffodil  Festival,  Matthew  Parker  is 
unperturbed.  "Daffodils  are  very  hardy,"  he  says  reassuringly. 
In  his  16  years  as  proprietor  of  the  Seven  Sea  Street  Inn,  Parker 
has  steered  the  family  enterprise  through  just  about  everything 
nature  can  dish  out — including  the  so-called  perfect  storm — 
and  has  faced  the  best  and  worst  of  human  nature,  as  well. 

The  life  of  an  innkeeper  is  the  subject  of  envy  by  those 
who  confuse  the  carefree  ambiance  enjoyed  by  guests  with  the 
challenging  career  of  managing  such  a  haven.  Part  of  the  job 
is  to  preserve  that  illusion.  Parker,  soft-spoken  and  genial  in 
wire-rimmed  spectacles  and  a  woolen  vest,  appears 
as  if  he  has  nothing  mote  pressing  on 
his  mind  than  a  sunny  day  at  the 
beach,  or  where  you,  his  guest, 
might  like  to  dine  this 
evening.  It's  your  vacation, 
after  all,  and  it's  his 
responsibility  to  make  it 
stress-free  and  special. 

"Innkeeping  is  a 
lot  of  hard  work,  and  a 
lot  of  hours,"  he  admits. 
Yet  it's  clear  he  wouldn't 
have  it  any  other  way.  "A 
dream  come  true"  is  how  Matt 
describes  the  opportunity  to  partner 
with  his  father,  Ken  Parker  '61,  in  launch- 
ing Seven  Sea  Street.  Ken  owned  the  nearby 
Tuckernuck  Inn  until  he  sold  it  in  2001.  (He  retired  from  full- 
time  innkeeping,  but  has  since  helped  his  daughter,  Monica, 
open  four  bed-and-breakfasts  in  Providence,  R.I.) 

It  took  seven  years  of  round-the-clock,  seven-days-a-week, 
live-in  innkeeping  before  Matt  and  his  wife,  Mary,  achieved 
their  goal  of  hiring  a  resident  manager  and  moving  into  a  home 


of  their  own  to  start  a  family.  They  now  work  alternate  days  at 
the  inn  and  share  the  job  of  raising  three  young  sons.  During 
the  month  of  January,  when  Nantucket  is  cold  and  gray  and 
empty,  they  escape  for  a  family  vacation  to  Naples,  Fla.  "These 
days,  we're  able  to  come  in  to  work  on  Monday  and  go  home 
for  the  weekend  on  Friday,  like  regular  people,"  Matt  rejoices. 
But  he  cautions  aspiring  innkeepers  to  think  carefully  about 
what  it  takes  to  get  established  in  a  high-stakes  business,  where 
sacrifices  and  hard  work  come  before  glamour. 

"We  must  have  made  thousands  of  blueberry  muffins," 
Parker  says  of  the  early  years,  when  the  young  couple  would  rise 
at  6:30  a.m.  to  ptepare  breakfast  and  remain  on  call  all  night 
for  locked-out  guests  and  false  fire  alarms.  "We  had  to  do  all 

the  housekeeping  ourselves,  we  had  to  clean  those 
toilets  ourselves.  When  a  husband  and 
»^^^__.  wife  are  in  a  business  partnership, 

as  well  as  a  marriage  partnership, 
and  they're  living  in  the  midst 
of  that,  the  strain  on  the 
marriage  can  be  enormous. 
For  many  people,  it's  a 
recipe  for  disaster."  For 
the  Parkers,  maintaining 
balance  berween  work 
and  home  became  their 
mantra,  even  more  so  once 
they  had  children. 
Even  with  a  manager  doing 
the  baking,  either  Matt  or  Mary  will 
be  on  hand  for  breakfast  to  "pour  coffee, 
catalyze  conversation,  and  let  people  know  that  they're 
catered  to  and  taken  care  of."  Guests  who  arrived  frazzled  by  the 
long  trip  have  been  transformed  by  a  tranquil  night  on  a  premi- 
um mattress.  It's  the  innkeeper's  skill  to  sense  who  wants  to 
chat,  who  needs  help  setting  up  plans  for  the  day,  and  who — 
honeymooners,  in  particular — cherishes  privacy.  (The  inn  will 
serve  breakfast  in  bed  on  request.) 


Transformations    \   Summer   2003     21 


Beds,  Breakfast  and  Business  Acumen 

Today's  bed-and-breakfast  traveler  seeks  country  charm  but 
demands  modern  amenities.  A  1989  article  in  The  New  York 
Times  featured  Seven  Sea  Street  Inn  as  an  example  of  the  evolu- 
tion of  B&B  accommodations  from  a  spare  room  at  Grandma's 
farm  to  luxury  resort  destinations.  Seven  Sea  Street  offers  in- 
room  refrigerators  and  TV/VCRs,  high-speed  Internet  access, 
and  a  Jacuzzi  spa,  all  artfully  couched  in  Early  American 
Nantucket  style,  with  ample  hand-stitched  quilts  and  oaken 
cabinetry.  A  ginger  cat  roams  the  premises,  ready  to  cozy  up 
with  guests  who  leave  their  doors  ajar. 

Today's  innkeeper  needs  to  be  an  adept  Webmaster  and  a 
savvy  marketer.  After  the  guests  head  off  to  the  beach,  Parker 


runs  housekeeping  and  check-in  reports  on  his  iMac.  "Hope- 
fully, through  it  all,  the  phone  is  ringing,"  he  says.  "That's  the 
name  of  the  game  here."  When  prospects  call,  nine  out  of  10 
have  visited  the  inn's  Web  site,  checked  rates  and  availability, 
and  taken  the  virtual  tour.  "You've  already  got  a  highly  qualified 
caller,"  Parker  points  out.  "Which  is  great — it's  easier  for  me 
than  trying  to  create  a  visual  picture  with  words."  His  advertis- 
ing budget  has  shifted  from  print  media  to  "pay  per  click" 
placements  on  search  engines  such  as  Google  and  Overture. 
Specialized  property  management  software  lets  him  react  swiftly 
to  market  shifts  by  uploading  room  discounts  to  global  distribu- 
tion systems,  such  as  Travelociry.com  and  Trip.com.  "From  a 
management  point  of  view,  you  have  so  much  more  control  over 
your  seasons  and  your  inventory,"  he  says.  "The  small  inn  has 
never  been  able  to  do  that  before.  It  levels  the  playing  field  for 
us,  and  it's  great  for  the  consumer,  too." 


For  all  the  technology,  innkeeping  is  still  a  people  business, 
and  sometimes  other  people's  business  can  get  sticky.  One  of 
Parker's  most  difficult  moments  came  when  a  wife  called,  after 
seeing  the  credit  card  charges,  to  ask  who  had  accompanied 
her  husband  at  the  inn.  Another  couple,  who  had  enjoyed 
many  wedding  anniversaries  at  Seven  Sea  Street,  couldn't  give 
up  the  tradition  after  they  had  broken  up.  The  woman  booked 
a  visit  with  her  new  boyfriend,  and  the  man  showed  up  the 
same  weekend.  There  are  sweet  memories,  too.  Once,  when  a 
distraught  newlywed  had  lost  his  wedding  ring  at  the  beach, 
Parker  dispatched  a  retired  friend  with  a  metal  detector.  "It 
wasn't  a  happy  ending,  in  the  sense  that  he  never  did  find  the 
ring,"  he  says.  But  this  couple  appreciated  the  extra  effort  so 
much  that  they've  been  coming  back  for 
anniversaries  ever  since. 

Nantucket  can  be  a  harsh  environment, 
and  there  are  some  things  that  modem  innova- 
tions can't  change.  Rainy  weather  can  breed 
dissatisfied  guests  ("You  can  go  to  the  museums 
and  art  galleries  only  so  many  times,"  Parker 
says  sympathetically).  The  island's  isolation,  so 
prized  by  visitors  and  residents,  can  be  a  night- 
mare when  the  inn's  water  heater  bursts  on 
Labor  Day  weekend.  When  violent  weather  hits 
(such  as  the  late-October  "perfect  storm"  that 
sank  the  Andrea  Gail  in  1991),  there's  nothing 
to  do  but  hunker  down  for  three  days  and  feed 
your  anxious  guests  cornflakes  and  granola — for 
breakfast,  lunch  and  dinner.  "Sea  Stteet  was  a 
river,"  Parker  recalls.  "We  laugh  about  it  now, 
but  the  waters  were  within  inches  of  the  door." 

Matt  Parker  says  he  sometimes  toys  with 
the  idea  of  buying  another  inn,  but  "luckily, 
my  wife  makes  me  think  twice  about  that."  For 
now,  his  fantasy  is  to  retire  and  have  time  to  sit  up  in  his  inn's 
cozy  libtary  and  read  the  leather-bound  classics  there — without 
anyone  interrupting  to  ask  for  restaurant  recommendations. 
He  admits  that  back  in  the  old  days  of  live-in  innkeeping,  there 
were  times  he  felt  like  hiding  from  the  guests.  Now,  with  a 
normal  workday  and  a  private  family  life,  he  watches  departing 
guests  begrudgingly  head  back  to  the  daily  grind  and  he  knows 
he's  lucky — he's  always  happy  to  go  in  to  work  on  Monday.  D 

Think  yon  have  what  it  takes  he  an  innkeeper?  Visit 
unvw.tvpi.edtt/-*  Transformations  and  take  the  Aspiring 
Innkeepers  quiz  from  the  Professional  Association  of 
Innkeepers  International.  You'll  also  find  signature  recipes 
from  all  of  the  alumni-owned  B&Bs  featured  on  our  pages. 


22     Transformations   \  Summer  2003 


Common  Ground: 

Bed  &  Breakfasts  owned  and  operated  by  WPI  alumni 


Victorian  Retreat 

Dorothy  and  Richard  Davis  '6 1 
The  Pedigrift  House 

Special  features:  Fresh  flowers  on  arrival;  evening  snack  of  fruit  cobbler  a  la  mode. 

Worst  moment:  Collapsing  bed  slats  in  the  middle  of  the  night. 

Lessons  learned:  You  must  have  a  sense  of  humor.  Guests  easily  pick  up  any  lack 
of  enthusiasm  for  the  job. 

Words  of  wisdom:  Pace  yourself.  Do  the  things  that  you  enjoy  and  hire  others  to 
do  what  you  don't  like  to  do.  I  do  the  books  and  the  promotion,  a  throwback  to  my 
marketing  days  in  Silicon  Valley.  Dorothy  enjoys  cooking  and  gardening. 

If  you  go:  407  Scenic  Dr.,  Ashland,  OR  97520 
800-262-4073,  fax  541-482-1888;  www.pedigrift.com 


Green  Mountain  Getaway 

Betsy  and  Jon  Anderson  '75 
Betsy's  Bed  &  Breakfast 

Special  features:  Exercise  room  with  weight  machine,  treadmill  and  stationary  bike; 
multicultural  breakfasts  featuring  traditional  New  England  fare  (I'm  from  Vermont) 
or  Betsy's  "southern  comfort  food,"  including  Tex-Mex  migas,  fried  green  tomatoes 
and  grits. 

Worst  moment:  A  predawn  chimney  fire.  Betsy  gave  full  refunds  to  all  guests,  over 
my  ptotests  that  they  had  gotten  a  partial  night's  sleep.  [Jon's  a  lawyer,  after  all!] 

Lessons  learned:  Betsy  believes  being  a  little  introverted  is  a  good  thing. 

Words  of  v^isdom:  We  learned  a  whole  host  of  things  we  needed  to  know  by  fol- 
lowing the  project  approach  I  learned  at  WPI.  The  B&B  has  been  our  best 
investment  yet. 

If  you  go:  74  East  State  St.,  Montpelier,  VT  05602 
802-229-0466;  www.central-vt.com/web/betsybb 


Captain  Slocomb  Slept  Here 

Judy  and  Bob  Maynard  '63 
The  Captain  Slocomb  House 

Special  features:   Pool  and  patio,  croquet,  and  four  acres  to  explore 
with  our  golf  cart  or  on  foot. 

Worst  moment:  Had  to  call  911  for  a  guest  who  came  in  from  a  walk  and 
was  having  an  allergic  reaction  to  tree  pollen.  When  the  police  arrived,  they 
asked  if  it  was  something  he  had  eaten! 

Lessons  learned:  Early  on,  guests  asked  for  breakfast  at  10  a.m.  and  were  still 
at  the  table  at  one  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  We  now  serve  from  7:30  to  9  a.m. 


Words  of  wisdom:  If  you  like  people  and  don't  mind  hard 
work,  try  it. 

If  you  go:  6  South  St.,  Grafton,  MA  01519 
508-839-3095 


\ 


I 


V 


Transformat  i  o  n  s    \   Summer  2  003     23 


WHAT'S  NEXT? 

The  Class  of  2003  grew  up  fast  in  the  face  of  a  sour  economy,  domestic  terrorism  and  war. 
What  does  the  future  hold  for  WPI's  newest  alumni? 


Graduation  must  be  near.  See  the  way  the  seniors 
walk?  It's  not  a  strut;  too  arrogant.  No,  they  saunter — but  with 
more  bounce — as  they  cross  the  quad  on  their  way  to  final  classes. 
It's  a  hopeful  walk,  a  confident  walk.  A  walk  of  conviction. 

The  Class  of  2003  is  optimistic,  in  spite  of  things.  Resilience 
has  been  its  trademark.  Case  in  point:  by  March,  the  class  was 
on  track  to  topple  the  senior  class  gift  record.  By  May,  it  had 
raised  more  than  $13,300,  with  a  record-setting  participation 
rate  of  37  percent,  besting  the  school  record  by  a  full  10  percent- 
age points.  Even  as  some  were  unsure  what  life  after  graduation 
held  for  them,  WPI's  newest  alumni  generously  gave  back  to  their 
alma  mater,  and  gave  hope  to  the  students  who  would  follow. 

"We  had  to  grow  up  fast,"  says  Janelle  Smith  '03.  "When 
we  came  here  as  freshmen  we  were  told  engineering  was  'it' — 
we'd  be  making  gobs  of  money,  we'd  have  a  ticket  to  anywhere. 
Then  September  1 1  happened.  Next  it  was  the  Enron  and 
WorldCom  scandals.  And  then  war  in  Iraq.  It's  been  sobering." 

The  numbers  tell  the  story.  Results  of  a  2002  nationwide 
survey  by  NACE,  the  National  Association  of  Colleges  and 
Employers,  held  that  among  1,500  employers,  hiring  expecta- 
tions fell  36  percent  from  2001 .  This  year,  the  same  pool 
expects  hiring  to  remain  flat.  As  a  result  of  the  flagging  job 
market,  more  grads  are  deciding  to  stay  in  school.  Last  year, 
WPI  saw  a  10  percent  increase  in  students  pursuing  advanced 


degrees.  While  it's  no  time  to  be  picky,  according  to  NACE  this 
year's  graduates,  perhaps  jaded  by  the  corporate  excesses  they've 
seen,  are  more  discriminating  than  ever,  citing  an  organization's 
integrity  as  the  most  important  criteria  for  choosing  an  employ- 
er; business  ethics  rank  a  close  second.  (In  contrast,  last  year's 
grads  rated  integrity  seventh;  ethical  business  practices  barely 
registered  at  ninth.) 

Grads  without  hot  prospects  have  had  to  stay  flexible. 
Katie  Gardner  03  didn't  interview  for  a  single  job  until  April. 
Her  only  promising  offer  was  from  a  company  in  Amsterdam. 
Finally,  in  early  May,  she  accepted  a  job  with  a  pharmaceutical 
company  closer  to  home,  in  Hawthorne,  N.Y. 

If  anything  can  be  said  about  the  Class  of  2003  as  a  whole, 
it's  that  its  blinders  are  off.  Idealism  is  the  rightful  currency  of 
graduating  seniors,  but  for  members  of  this  class,  it  is  tempered 
with  wisdom,  the  kind  that  comes  onlv  from  experience.  As 
Gardner  put  it  in  her  senior  class  address  at  commencement, 
"just  like  college  wasn't  exactly  what  the  brochure  promised,  the 
events  that  will  shape  the  rest  of  our  lives  are  sure  to  he  beyond 
our  imagination." 

If  lite  is  like  an  elevator  ride.  WPI's  newest  alumni  arc 
poised  at  the  control  panel.  They  might  find  themselves  making 
a  few  unplanned  stops  on  the  way  up,  but  they  are  confident 
they'll  eventually  reach  the  top. 


By  Carol  Cambo         Photography  by  Patrick  O'Connor 


2  4     Transformation!    \   Summer       '  ; 


Kathleen  A.  Gardner    Marketing  Associate 


Major:  Technical  writing,  with  minors  in  biology  and 
international  studies. 


What's  Next:  "As  a  writer  in  the  marketing  depart 
at  QED  Communications  Inc.  [in  Hawthorne,  N.Y.,  a 
Division  of  Quintiles  Transnational] ,  I  facilitate  continuing 
medical  education  programs  as  well  as  market  new  drugs 
direct  to  physicians." 

Typical  Starting  Salary:  $30,000-$38,000 
(QED  does  not  disclose  salary  data.) 

My  WPI:    "I  came  here  thinking  I  would  be  a  veterinarian; 
I  had  worked  for  three  summers  in  a  vet's  office.  Then  I  dis- 


covered I'm  allergic  to  cats,  so  I  had  to  change  direction.  I 
read  the  WPI  course  catalog  from  front  to  back  and  decided 
on  technical  writing.  My  grandmother  had  a  long  batde  with 
breast  cancer;  it  has  since  become  'my  issue.'  My  major  proj- 
ect was  creating  a  comprehensive  public  health  message  for 
women  at  high  risk  of  breast  cancer  as  a  secondary  cancer." 

Five  Years  Out:  "Working  at  a  hospital  or  pharmaceutical 
company  and  pursuing  master's  degrees — in  communications 
and  in  public  health." 

Little-Known  Fact:  Katie  trained  as  an  operatic 
coloratura  soprano  in  high  school. 


The  Officer 


rshalltcjvlfi,  Iowa1    / 


I 


■ 


Scott  A.  Martin    Second  Lieutenant 

Major:  Management  engineering 

What's  Next:  Six  months  of  training  at  The  Basic  School, 
Quantico,  Va.,  to  be  followed  by  3.5  years  of  mandator)'  duty. 

Salary:  $40,000/year,  plus  meals,  housing  and  clothing. 

My  WPI:  "Even-thing  I  did  at  WPI  involved  working  in 
groups.  This  taught  me  management  skills;  I  saw  how  groups 
of  people  think  and  I  learned  how  to  motivate  them.  I  learned 
not  to  be  afraid  of  confronting  someone  who  wasn't  pulling 
his  or  her  weight.  As  a  U.S.  Marine,  I'll  be  in  charge  of  a  lot 


of  people  and  millions  of  dollars'  worth  of  equipment — thats 
a  lot  of  responsibility.  I'm  ready  for  it." 

The  Real  Scott:  "At  WPI  I  lived  two  lives:  the  gregarious 
student  who  helps  out  in  the  Admissions  Office  and  the 
leader  who  isn't  afraid  to  raise  his  voice — a  lot." 

Five  Years  Out:  "Hopefully,  owning  my  own  business. 
I've  always  envisioned  owning  my  own  pub. 

Little-Known  Fact:  Scon  speaks  fluent  German. 


Janelle  A.  Smith 

Major:  Management  eni_ 
in  finance 

What's  Next:  General 

Salary:  "Enough  to  star 


r  Cohfigijjrarion  Specialist 


concentration 


house!" 


I  I 


My  WPI:  "I  transferred  here  from  the  University  of  Rhode 
Island  after  discovering  that  it  wasn't  the  right  school  for  me. 
I  liked  WPI  because  even  though  I  was  focused  on  finance,  I 
also  got  the  math  and  science  background.  The  project  pro- 
gram put  me  ahead  of  the  pack  in  terms  of  job  opportunities. 


^TF~S= 


I  did  my  major  project  with  Lehman  Bros,  in  Manhattan.  I 
had  two  job  offers  in  the  city,  but  ultimately  I  decided  New 
York  wasn't  for  me;  too  fast-paced,  too  expensive,  and  too  far 
away  from  friends  and  family." 

The  Real  Janelh  :  "I'm  a  driven  and  assertive  person — 
which  can  drive  others  crazy!  And,  I  love  to  shop." 


MBA,  Six  Sigma  certified, 
1  a  home  on  the  beach." 


Five  Years  Ouf  '  c:    "  „,     ^ 

still  with  GE.  In  1( 

Little-Known  Fact:  "My  favorite  thing  is  to  spend  an 
entire  day,  8-to-5,  on  the  beach.  It's  untouched  beauty  to  me." 


he  Vet 


\ 


Christina  M.  Watson    Veterinary  Student 


Major:  Biochemistry,  with  a  minor  in  international  studies 

What's  Next:  University  of  Illinois,  College  of  Veterinary 
Medicine 

Tuition:  S40,000/year 

My  WPI:  "When  I  was  interviewing  for  vet  school,  I  was 
asked,  'Why  are  you  taking  the  hardest  path  to  become  a 
veterinarian  [pursuing  a  biochemistry  degree  rather  than  an 
animal  science  degree  at  a  community  college]?'  I  answered 
that  I  love  to  know  why  things  happen,  the  science  of  things. 
Also,  if  I  didn't  get  into  vet  school,  I  knew  I'd  have  a  great 


degree  to  fall  back  on.  The  project  program  made  a  differ- 
ence, too.  I  did  my  interactive  project  at  a  zoo  in  Australia 
and  worked  at  the  Tufts  vet  school  for  my  major  project, 
studying  prolactin  levels  in  rats." 

Five  Years  Out:  "I  hope  to  work  as  a  racetrack  veterinar- 
ian with  horses.  It's  exciting,  I  did  it  as  a  summer  job,  but  it's 
male  dominated — much  like  WPI!  If  not,  then  working  at  a 
small  animal  practice." 

Little-Known  Fact:  "Watson"  has  a  hamster  named  I. ola. 


Andrew  E.  Keefe    Electric  Power  Engineer 


Major:  Electrical  engineering 

What's  Next:  Working  at  DRS  Electric  Power 
Technologies  in  Hudson,  Mass. 

Salary:  $58,000 

My  WPI:  "I  came  here  for  the  global  program.  I  applied 
early  admission  and  nowhere  else.  I  went  to  Bangkok  for  my 
interactive  project  and  designed  a  fuel  cell  controller  for  an 
e-plane.  When  people  ask,  I  say  I  majored  in  energy.  I  was 
able  to  tailor  my  own  program  at  WPI." 


The  Real  Andrew:  Professional  dancer/dance  instructor. 
"I've  been  dancing  since  I  was  8  years  old." 

Five  Years  Out:  Married  to  high  school  sweetheart, 
Stacie,  developing  new  energy  technologies,  and  participating 
in  the  formation  of  new  energy  policies. 

Little-Known  Fact:  His  favorite  onstage  role  is  the 
Nutcracker  prince. 


_ Trans foiinatlou-i..L  S 


By  Ray  Bert  '93 


Shane  Chalke  moves  fast. 

His  garage  is  littered  with  the  accoutrements  of  speed:  a 
Maserati,  a  partially  built  airplane  frame,  a  snowmobile,  and 
enough  motorcycles  (and  parts  thereof)  for  a  Hell's  Angels 
startup.  Chalke  has  raced  his  bikes  and  his  car  competitively; 
he  pilots  both  helicopters  and  small  planes,  and  just  for  good 
measure  he's  an  accomplished  professional  jazz  trumpeter. 

But  Chalke's  need  for  speed  goes  beyond  his  hobbies: 
he's  also  an  extremely  successful  technology  entrepreneur  who, 
bored  with  the  slow  pace  of  large  companies,  built  two  of  his 
own  from  the  ground  up.  Many  people — maybe  most  people — 
have  one  characteristic  or  one  hobby,  skill  or  accomplishment 
that  stands  out,  that  makes  them  interesting  to  the  casual 
observer.  What  stands  out  about  Chalke  is  just  how  many  ways 
he  stands  out. 

Shane's  garage,  tucked  toward  the  back  of  his  house  on  a 
pastoral  100-acre  estate  in  Middleburg,  Va.,  is  one  of  two 
axes — the  other  being  his  family — around  which  his  non-work 
life  turns.  It's  his  workshop  and  his  refuge,  where  he  retreats 
"really  early  in  the  morning  before  everyone  else  is  up,  or  really 
late  after  everyone  has  gone  to  bed."  The  motorcycle  assembly 
apparatus  and  innumerable  other  parts,  tools  and  mechanical 
gewgaws,  the  fact  that  it  doubled  as  a  heliport  when  he  used  to 
fly  himself  back  and  forth  to  Manhattan — everything  about  the 
space  screams  "engineer." 

Except  that  he  isn't.  "It's  really  by  accident  that  I  didn't  end 
up  an  engineer,  because  my  love  is  with  mechanical  things," 
Chalke  says.  "When  I  was  a  kid,  I  was  always  building  things — 


taking  the  lawnmower  engine  and  trying  to  put  it  on  the  bicy- 
cle. I  built  a  25-foot  kite  that  I  flew  around  in  a  bit."  Despite 
his  educational  and  career  moves  away  from  engineering, 
Chalke  insists  that  he  didn't  entirely  change:  "Building  software 
is  almost  the  same  thing — you  get  the  immense  satisfaction  of 
seeing  something  go." 

Always  the  math  and  science  whiz  in  high  school,  Chalke 
drifted  toward  actuarial  science,  finance  and  computer  pro- 
gramming at  WPI.  "What  intrigued  me  was  that  you  could 
advance  on  purely  objective  means,  rather  than  political,"  he 
says.  To  become  an  actuary  you  take  a  series  of  10  exams  that 
generally  takes  between  five  and  eight  years.  Salaries  and 
progress  are  based  on  the  exams;  in  other  words,  no  speed  lim- 
its. After  graduating  from  WPI  with  a  mathematics  degree  in 
just  two  and  a  half  years,  Chalke  finished  his  exams  in  four 
years  (he  moves  fast,  remember?). 

After  stints  at  two  Massachusetts  insurance  companies, 
Shane  landed  in  California  in  1981  with  TransAmerica,  work- 
ing in  the  R&D  department.  He  was  soon  put  in  charge  of  all 
R&D  financial  products.  But  by  1983  he  was  "itchy,"  he  says, 
impatient  with  the  pace  and  attitude  toward  innovation. 

So  at  the  age  of  25,  with  loans  from  a  bank  and  his  parents, 
Chalke  started  his  first  company,  Chalke,  Inc.,  in  Los  Angeles. 
He  struggled  and  came  "within  inches"  of  running  out  of 
money,  but  then  got  a  big  break:  the  company's  first  customer, 
E.F.  Hutton,  asked  him  to  design  a  series  of  products  for  its 
brokerage. 

(Continued  on  page  47) 


sri-M** 


$££i 


^H 


Keeping  pace 


Chalke  '78 


immm 


"It's  really  by  accident 

that  I  didn't  end  up  an  engineer, 

because  my  love  is  with  mechanical  things." 


Transformations    \   Summer  2003     3  1 


ections 


11 


Fred  Costello  '59,  new  president  of  the  Alumni  Association 


Fred  Costello  retired  from  Union 
Carbide  Corporation  several  years 
ago.  Now  he  and  his  wife,  Nancy, 
spend  seven  months  a  year  in  Bonita 
Springs,  Fla.,  and  the  remainder  in 
Washington,  Conn. 

Q:  What  are  your  goals  for  the 
coming  year? 

A:  Our  objective  is  to  continue 
encouraging  alumni  to  be  involved 
in  some  way  with  WPI.  We  plan  on 
doing  that  by  keeping  them  informed  about  what's  going  on  at 
their  alma  mater.  We  know  that  we  need  to  improve  our  career 
development  capability,  especially  for  more  recent  alums.  We 
have  to  make  it  easy  and  attractive  for  alumni  to  use  WPI  as  a 
career-planning  resource.  We  also  see  a  need  to  revitalize  our 
regional  alumni  clubs,  and  we  plan  to  work  first  with  those 
closest  to  home.  We  envision  these  regional  clubs  not  just  as  a 
social  network,  but  as  an  important  communications  vehicle; 
for  instance,  letting  alumni  know  how  they  can  support  the 
university's  marketing  efforts. 

Q:  In  what  ways  have  you  stayed  involved  with  WPI? 

A:  I  have  always  enjoyed  being  involved,  especially  helping  plan 
our  reunions.  (We're  now  working  on  our  45th!)  I've  also  served 


as  our  class  representative  on  the  Alumni  Council,  as  a  member 
of  our  class  board  of  directors,  and  as  a  member  at  large  on  the 
Alumni  Funds  Board. 

Q:  Why  did  you  stay  so  involved? 

A:  I've  always  had  a  strong  affinity  for  WPI  because  I  attended 
here  on  a  full-tuition  scholarship.  It  was  $600  a  year,  which  was 
a  lot  of  money  back  in  those  days.  Without  the  help,  I  wouldn't 
have  been  able  to  attend  college. 

Q:  What's  the  most  important  thing  you  learned  at  WPI? 

A:  I  wasn't  the  best  student  in  the  world  and,  frankly,  I  was 
more  interested  in  extracurricular  activities,  like  sports  and 
student  government  and  my  fraternity.  WPI  has  always 
encouraged  students  to  get  involved  in  campus  activities  in 
addition  to  pursuing  a  degree.  Through  this  total  educational 
experience  I  learned  to  work  with  people  to  get  things  done, 
which  was  an  invaluable  asset  in  my  business  career. 

Q:  What's  your  personal  motto? 

A:  Worry  about  things  you  can  do  something  about.  To  heck  with 
the  rest  of  it! 


In  June,  the  annual  President's  Advisory  Council  (PAC]  recognition  dinner  was  held  at  the  New  England  Air  Museum  in  Windsor  Locks,  Conn. 
PAC  members  (donors  of  $1 ,500  or  more  to  WPI)  were  among  the  first  to  see  the  museum's  newest  exhibit,  a  handsomely  restored  B-29 
bomber.  That  same  evening,  President  Edward  Alton  Parrish  presented  Richard  Whitcomb  '43  with  the  WPI  Presidential  Medal  in 
honor  of  his  groundbreaking  work  in  the  field  of  aviation  [Transformations,  Fall  2002).  The  dinner  was  a  precursor  to  a  series  of  events  this 
fall,  including  a  special  issue  of  Transformations,  honoring  the  100th  anniversary  of  powered  flight. 


3  2     Transfor  m  a  1 1 »  «  <    |  S  u  m  met   2 


Never  Mind  the  Weather 

It  may  have  rained  on  their  parade — the  traditional  Reunion 
Parade,  that  is — but  nothing  could  dampen  the  spirits  of  alumni 
and  friends  who  turned  out  by  the  hundteds  to  celebrate 
Alumni  Reunion  Weekend,  June  5-8.  This  year  marked  WPI's 
first  Alumni  College,  with  informative  sessions  led  by  faculty 
and  alumni  on  the  cutting  edge  of  their  fields.  Topics  ranged 
from  bioengineering  and  fuel  cell  technology  to  antiques 
appraisal  and  Wine  Tasting  101. 


At  the  Alumni  Association  annual  meeting,  outgoing  president 
Dusty  Klauber  '67  recapped  a  year  of  strides,  and  a  new  slate 
of  officers  was  unanimously  elected.  Distinguished  alumni 
and  dedicated  supporters  were  honored  at  the  annual  awards 
luncheon,  where  President  Parrish  accepted  generous  gifts  from 
the  Reunion  Classes.  There  was  time  for  merriment  as  well, 
as  classmates  gathered  for  dining,  dancing  and  rekindling 
friendships  on  the  campus  whete  it  all  began. 


Transformations    \    Summer   2003     33 


33 

Center,  Fla. 

42 


John  Henrickson 

is  retired  and 
living  in  Sun  City 


Fran  Oneglia  is 

retired  as  president 
ofO&G  Indus- 
tries, contractor  for  Connecti- 
cut's $31.8  million  Church 
Street  South  Extension  Project, 
which  will  span  the  Metro- 
North  Rail  Yard  to  link  down- 
town New  Haven  with  the 
Long  Wharf  waterfront  area. 
The  project  got  much  attention 
this  spring,  when  hundreds 
gathered  by  the  railroad  tracks 
at  midnight  to  watch  as  a  single 
crane  placed  the  320-foot,  890- 
ton  arched  steel  truss.  Spectator 
comments  on  the  precisely 
timed  erection  sequence  ranged 
from  "like  clockwork"  to  "totally 
awesome"  to  "an  engineering 
marvel." 


43 


Averill  Keith  has 

moved  to  San 
Diego,  Calif. 

Bob  Seaton  is  a  volunteer  with 
AMP-PEER:  Amputees  Helping 
Amputees,  a  program  of  Magee 
Rehabilitation  Hospital.  After 
having  his  left  leg  amputated  in 
1986,  he  continues  to  enjoy 
golfing  and  boating,  as  well  as 
his  grandchildren.  He  produced 
a  film  to  help  others  grasp  his 
message:  "There  is  a  life  after 
amputation,  and  here's  a  guy 
who  lived  it  and  enjoyed  it. 
Believe  me,  if  you  want  to  do  it, 
you'll  do  it."  Bob  lives  in 
Norristown,  Pa.,  and  is  retired 
from  Allen-Bradley  Co.,  now 
Rockwell  Automation. 

Doug  Noiles  and 

his  wife,  Edna,  are 
-JL      J-     the  generous  bene- 
factors who  provided  three  years 
of  funding  for  WPl's  new  direc- 
tor of  K- 1 2  Outreach  (see  p.  8). 

Louis  Katz  retired 
from  the  technical 
"T  U    staffofMITRE 

and  earned  a  degree  as  a  legal 
assistant.  He  is  now  a  certified 


paralegal  practicing  in  the  law 
offices  of  Richard  Chaifetz  Esq., 
in  Columbia,  Md.  "I  have  10 
grandchildren,"  he  writes.  "Two 
are  physicists,  one  of  whom  is 
working  on  dark  matter  and  the 
other  on  gravitational  waves." 

Boakfar  Ketunuti 

and  his  wife, 
Chris,  sent  greet- 
ings on  Songkran,  the  Thai 
New  Year,  which  is  celebrated  in 
April,  with  a  weekend  of  wild 
water-throwing  festivals.  "It's  a 


he  writes,  "to  share  quiet 
moments  with  our  loved  ones 
and  sail  through  this  patch  of 
rough  sea." 


63 


Kurt  Anderson  of 

Slingerlands,  N.Y., 
has  been  enjoying 
retirement  and  doing  some  con- 
sulting for  the  last  seven  years. 

Robert  Mellor  lives  in  North- 
bridge,  Mass.,  where  he  serves 
on  the  board  of  selectmen. 

George  Vittas  is  senior  vice 
president  of  DMJM  Aviation 
Inc.  in  Fort  Worth,  Texas. 

Richard  Healing 

was  sworn  in  as  a 
\^/     -1-     member  of  the 
National  Transportation  Safety 
Board  on  March  28,  2003.  He 
was  previously  director  of  trans- 
portation safety  and  security  for 
Battelle  Memorial  Institute, 
responsible  for  Battelle's  rela- 
tionship with  the  FAA.  Before 
that  he  served  as  director,  safety 
and  survivability,  for  the 
Department  of  the  Navy.  In 
2001,  lie  was  honored  with  the 
Navy's  Distinguished  Civilian 
Service  Medal  lor  his  work  on 
sharing  military  aviation  safety 
information  with  the  civilian 
aviation  community.  Healings 
term  on  the  XI  SB  will  expire 
in  December  2006. 


Mason  Somerville  is  the 

fourth 
president 
ofSUNY 
Institute  of 
Technology 
(SUNYIT), 
a  part  of  the 
State  University  of  New  York 
system.  He  assumed  his  new 
duties  in  July  2002,  and  was 
officially  inaugurated  on  April 
25,  2003.  Somerville  was  previ- 
ously dean  of  the  College  of 
Engineering  and  Technology  at 
Northern  Arizona  University  in 
Flagstaff,  and  before  that  was 
dean  of  the  College  of  Engi- 
neering and  professor  of  mech- 
anical engineering  at  Texas  Tech 
University.  Under  his  leader- 
ship, SUNYIT  will  complete  its 
transition  from  an  upper-divi- 
sion/graduate study  program  to 
a  four-year  institution  provid- 
ing a  full  range  of  undergradu- 
ate and  graduate  study. 

X^"  ^^w    Lt.  Gen.  Dave 
Heebner  (Ret.) 
teturned  to  cam- 
pus on  Commencement  week- 
end for  a  commissioning  cere- 
mony to  promote  Brig.  Gen. 
Kevin  Campbell  to  major  gen- 
eral. Campbell  administeted  the 
armed  forces  oath  of  office  to 
ROTC  graduates  during  WPI's 
135  Commencement  Exercises 
on  May  1 7.  The  rwo  generals 
have  much  in  common.  They 
are  both  Worcester  natives  and 
graduates  of  the  Bay  State 
Battalion  Army  ROTC  pro- 
gram, as  well  as  veterans  of 
Desert  Shield  and  Desert  Storm. 

Howard  Shore,  a  San  Diego 
Superior  Court  judge,  was  pro- 
filed in  DJC Law  recently.  He- 
is  often  required  to  rule  on  dif- 
ficult mailers,  such  as  appoint- 
ing a  conservator  for  elderly  or 

mcni.ilh   ill  clients,  01  graining 

permission  to  withdraw  lift 
support  from  critically  ill 

patients.  Shore  explained  thai 
he  looks  in  the  Talmud — the 
commentary  on  |ewish  law — 
fbi  the  strength  ol  charactei  to 


handle  the  emotionally  de- 
manding decisions  that  come 
before  him.  After  receiving  a 
law  degree  from  the  University 
of  San  Diego  in  1972,  Shore 
served  as  county  prosecutor  and 
was  appointed  a  judge  in  1990. 

Fran  Barton  was 

appointed  execu- 
\— /  V- /     tive  vice  president 
and  chief  financial  officer  of 
Atmel  Corp.,  a  semiconductor 
firm  located  in  San  Jose,  Calif. 

Victor  Calabretta  was  named 
2003  Engineer  of  the  Year  by 
the  Rhode  Island  Society  of 
Professional  Engineers.  He  is 
executive  vice  presidenr  of  oper- 
ations for  the  Maguire  Group. 

"It's  been  a  while,"  writes  John 
Farley  from  Fairfield,  Iowa, 
where  he  lives  and  makes  music. 
"Imagine  a  singer/songwriter/ 
performer/world-peace-warrior 
stew  that  is  a  blend  of  Hima- 
layan yogi,  '60s  Bob  Dylan, 
John  Prine,  Abbie  Hoffman, 
and  Lenny  Bruce.  That's  John 
Farley."  You  can  sample  his 
music  at  www.cdbaby.com 
/johnfarleyl  or  www.cdbaby 
.com/johnfarley2. 

Steve  Phillips 

was  recognized  by 
\~r  ^/      Graphic  Design 
U.S.A.  as  one  of  their  "People 
to  Watch"  for  2003.  He  is 
founder  and  president  of 
Phillips  Design  Group,  provid- 
ing strategic  brand  development 
and  creative  services  to  corpo- 
rate clients.  Steve  and  his  wife, 
Paula,  live  in  Boston's  Back  Bay 
and  have  rwo  grown  children. 

James  Ryan  is  a 

partner  in  Green 
\J     River  Associates,  a 
technology  consulting  firm  in 
Worcester.  He  lives  in  West 
Boylston,  where  he  has  been 
active  in  local  politics. 

Paul  Lacouture 

was  selected  by 

JtLi    MillburyHigh 

School's  Class  of  2003  as  the 


featured 
commence- 
ment speaker 
for  gradua- 
tion cere- 
monies held 
at  Mechanics 
Hall,  Worcester.  A  1968  gradu- 
ate of  MHS,  he  is  president  of 
Verizon's  Nerwork  Services 
Group.  His  innovations  in  the 
computer  and  telecommunica- 
tions industry  were  recently 
commemorated  with  WPI's 
Hobart  Newell  Award,  given  for 
contributions  to  the  field  of 
electrical  engineering. 


opens  in  Las  Vegas  in  Augusr, 
gives  viewers  intimate  exposur 


73 


Patrick  Daly  was 

appoinred  perma- 
nent director  of 
physical  plant  at  the  University 
of  Massachusetts  Amherst  in 
March  2003,  after  serving  as 
interim  director  since  November. 
He  has  been  on  staff  since  1987 
as  director  of  engineering.  Daly 
oversees  a  staff  of  more  than 
450  employees  with  a  $40  mil- 
lion budget. 

Joel  Loitherstein  is  chairman- 
elect  of  the  Metto  West 
Chambet  of  Commerce;  he  will 
take  office  at  the  end  of  the 
year.  He  continues  as  president 
of  Loitherstein  Environmental 
Engineering  in  Framingham, 
but  still  finds  time  for  long- 
distance bicycle  rides  on  behalf 
of  The  Jimmy  Fund.  Last  year 


Dean  Kamen  '73  received  the 
2003  Common  Wealth  Award 
for  Science  and  Invention.  His 
fellow  honorees  were  Bob  Dole 
(Governmenr),  Susan  Stroman 
(Dramatic  Arts),  Sam  Donald- 
son (Mass  Communications) 
and  Joyce  Carol  Oates  (Liter- 
ature). The  shared  prize  of 
$250,000  comes  from  a  trust  set 
up  by  the  late  businessman  and 
philanthropist  Ralph  Hayes  to 
honor  outstanding  achievements 
in  seven  areas  of  human  endeav- 
or, which  may  also  include  pub- 
lic service  and  sociology. 


he  rode  1,700  miles,  from 
Topeka,  Kan.,  back  to  Boston, 
in  rwo  weeks.  This  fall  he  plans 
to  cycle  the  length  of  the 
Mississippi  River,  from 
Minnesota  to  Louisiana. 

Alden  Bianchi  has 

published  Benefits 
JL     Compliance:  An 
Overview  for  the  HR  Professional. 
"If  you  do  not  have  time  to 
pore  through  thick  legal  policy 
manuals  but  your  job  requires 
topical  awareness  of  mandatory 
legislative  issues  that  affect  your 
employer,  rhen  this  book  is  for 
you,"  says  the  book's  publisher, 
WorldatWork.  Bianchi  contin- 
ues as  a  partner  with  the  law 
firm  of  Mirick  O'Connell 
Demallie  &  Lougee  in  the 
Worcester  office. 

Steve  Dacri  materialized  in 
Worcester  County  in  May  to 
give  a  one-night  performance  at 
the  Cheng  Du  restaurant  in 
Westborough,  where  he  per- 
formed his  Xtreme  CloseUp 
Magic  show.  The  show,  which 


to  sleight-of-hand  tricks  per- 
formed tableside  and  beamed 
via  a  roving  camera  to  1 7  TV 
screens  throughout  the  audience. 

As  the  newly  elected  director  of 
the  IEEE  Northern  Virginia 
Secrion,  Ed  Gordon  participated 
in  Congress- 
ional Visirs 
Day  in  April, 
an  annual 
event  spon- 
sored by 
the  IEEE's 
Science-Engineering-Technology 
Work  Group.  Along  with  200 
science  and  engineering  profes- 
sionals, he  traveled  to  Washing- 
ton to  advocate  for  federal 
investment  in  technological 
research.  Gordon  also  serves  as 
regional  vice  chair  for  Region  II 
(Mid-Atlantic)  of  American 
Mensa.  He  lives  in  Ashburn,  Va. 


Trans  format  tons    \   Sui 


2  0  03     3  5 


Dean  Stratouly  was  named 
2003  president  of  the  Greatet 
Boston  Real  Estate  Board.  He 
is  co-founder  and  president  of 
Congress  Group  Ventures  Inc., 
a  New  England  real  estate  firm 
involved  in  renovation  and 
restotation  projects  in  and 
around  Boston. 

Robert  Apkarian 

talked  about 
^/      motorcycles, 
molecular  structure  and  rock- 
and-roll  in  a  profile  by  the 
student  newspaper  at  Emory 
University,  where  he  is  director 
of  the  Integrated  Microscopy 
and  Microanalytical  Facility. 
Citing  lyrics  of  The  Doors,  he 
said  the  music  of  his  college 
years  inspired  him  to  look 
deeply  into  the  structure  of 
things.  He  also  credited  WPFs 
"avant  garde"  curriculum  with 
teaching  him  not  to  pigeonhole 
himself  academically.  He  and 
his  wife,  Emory  language  pro- 
fessor Juliette  Stapanian 
Apkarian,  also  stay  involved 
with  their  ancestral  homeland, 
Armenia,  by  supporting  efforts 
to  rebuild  that  country's  scien- 
tific research  capabilities. 

Fun,  Fashions 
^\     and  Father  Scan/on 

S     was  the  title  of 

Judy  Nitsch  s  slide  show  on 

WPI  in  the 
1970s,  pre- 
sented 
March  3 1 
in  Olin 
Hall.  Her 
audience 
included 
the  kindly 
campus 
chaplain 
who 

looked  out 
for  WPI's 
pioneering  women,  and  an 
amused  group  of  current  WPI 
students — some  of  whom  are 
the  offspring  of  those  '70s  class- 
mates. 


76 


Sandra  (Reardon) 
DiPietro  started  a 
new  job  in  April 
as  an  account  executive  with 
Kaye  Insurance  Associates  in 
Westport,  Conn.,  servicing 
commercial  property  and  casu- 
alty accounts.  Peter  DiPietro 
continues  with  GE  Commercial 
Insurance  Co.,  industrial  risk 
insurers.  They  have  two  daugh- 
ters: Stephanie,  who  just  fin- 
ished her  second  year  at  Roger 
Williams  Law  School,  and 
Amanda,  who  works  at  Johnson 
&  Wales  University. 

Thomas  McAloon  is  a  self- 
employed  consultant  for  inter- 
national relief  and  development. 
He  lives  on  Swans  Island, 
Maine. 

Scott  Mclntyre  was  recently 
promoted  from  senior  associate 
to  vice  president  of  STV  Inc., 
an  employee-owned  subsidiary 
of  STV  Group  Inc.  He  joined 
the  company  in  1994  and  has 
been  involved  in  large  design- 
build  projects,  such  as  the 
Hudson-Bergen  Light  Rail 
Transit  System  and  the  John  E 
Kennedy  International  Airport 
AirTrain  Light  Rail  System. 
Mclntyre  lives  in  Valhalla,  N.Y. 

Ron  Medrzychowski  was 

promoted  to 
director  of 
nuclear  proj- 
ects and 
repair  engi- 
neering at 
General 

Dynamics  Electric  Boat,  where 
he  has  worked  since  graduation. 
In  his  new  assignment,  he  is 
responsible  for  all  activity  asso- 
ciated with  nuclear  engineering 
for  repair  work. 

7  f^     Mike  Ahern  is 

director  of  distri- 
\^J     bution  engineering 
at  Northeast  Utilities,  the  pat- 
ent company  of  Connecticut 
Light  &  Power.  Western  Massa- 
chusetts Rlcctric  Co.  and  Public 
Service  nl  New  1  [ampshire.  I  [e 


Artist  gets  behind  the  camera  to  create 

Pollock  Squared 

Bill  Rabinovitch  '58  wants  the  world  to  know  the  "real"  Jackson 
Pollock— or  a  least  a  different  Pollock  than  the  one  depicted  in  the 
Hollywood  film  by  Ed  Harris  about  the  abstract  expressionist  whose 
paint-splattered  canvases  revolutionized  the  art  world  in  the  1950s. 
Rabinovitch  has  spent  the  last  three  years  filming  Pollock  Squared, 
with  the  help  of  prominent  artists,  critics,  historians  and  scholars.  "It's 
a  brisk  and  unorthodox  low-tech  film,"  he  says,  "with  a  pickup  team 
of  NYC  artists  acting  out  of  heart,  not  out  of  Hollywood." 

Rabinovitch,  a  former  mechanical  engineer  and  jet  pilot,  is  a  working 
painter  and  a  videographer  of  New  York's  contemporary  scene.  His 
work  hangs  in  galleries  and  public  spaces  including  New  York  City's 
Canal  Street  Post  Office  and  WPI's  Fuller  Laboratories. 

Pollock  Squared  takes  a  revisionist  view  that  Rabinovitch  calls  "a  bold 
improv  interpretation  of  one  of  the  most  thought-provoking  artists  of 
the  20th  Century."  It  begins  where  the  Hollywood  version  left  off, 
imagining  that  Pollock  survived  the  car  crash  that  in  reality  ended  his 
short,  tormented  life  in  1  956.  In  Rabinovitch's  version,  Pollock  travels 
through  time  for  fantastical  encounters  with  the  century's  important 
artists,  including  van  Gogh,  Picasso  and  Warhol. 

Legend  has  it  that  Pollock's  friends  jump-started  his  8/ue  Poles  painting 
by  dribbling  paint  on  canvas,  in  an  attempt  to  pull  the  artist  out  of  a 
period  of  depression  that  had  paralyzed  his  work.  Rabinovitch  gath- 
ered some  of  his  own  artist  friends  on  the  grounds  of  the  Pollock- 
Krasner  House  on  Long  Island  for  an 
apocryphal  recreation  (below)  of  the 
famous  painting.  Now  he  is  appeal- 
ing to  his  friends  and  classmates  for 
financial  support  to  underwrite  pro- 
duction and  distribution  of  his  film. 
For  more  information  on  the  project, 
go  to  www.pollocksquared.com. 
Contact  Bill  at  rabinart@aol.com 
or  21 2-226-2873. 


30     Transformatiom   \  Summer    '00 


and  his  wife,  Kathy,  live  in  Old 
Saybrook,  Conn.  Their  daugh- 
ter, Allison,  will  be  a  freshman 
at  St.  Anselm's  College  this  fall; 
their  son,  Jonathan,  will  attend 
Xavier  High  School.  Mike 
regrets  that  he  couldn't  attend 
the  25th  reunion. 

John  Harmon  was  DuPont 

Scientist  of 
the  Month 
fot  April 
2003.  He 
helped  devel- 
op a  preci- 
sion molding 
process  that  has  reduced  pro- 
duction cycle  time  and  expense 
for  the  company's  Coriari*  sur- 
faces. He  joined  DuPont  after 
graduation  and  earned  an  MBA 
at  RPI  in  1981.  John  currently 
works  at  the  company's  Yerkes 
Plant  in  Buffalo,  N.Y.,  riding  17 
miles  round-ttip  each  day  on  a 
bike  specially  outfitted  for  win- 
ter travel. 

John  McGee  is  a  teaching 
assistant  in  the  Department  of 
Statistics  at  Virginia  Tech, 
where  he  is  pursuing  a  Ph.D. 
in  statistics  with  application  to 
bioinformatics,  after  a  career 
focused  on  mathematical  and 
statistical  algorithm  develop- 
ment. He  and  his  wife,  Donna 
Philbrook  McGee  '80,  live  in 
Christianburg,  Va.,  where  they 
are  working  to  form  a  Spanish- 
speaking  group  within  their 
church  congregation. 

Wesley  Wheeler  was  appointed 
president  of  North  American 
operations  for  ICN  Pharma- 
ceuticals, based  in  Costa  Mesa, 
Calif. 

Chuck  Berger 

V- 1    serves  as  town 
_S      engineer  for 
Watetfotd,  Conn.,  after  20 
years  with  the  state's  Depart- 
ment of  Environmental 
Protection.  He  lives  in  Winsted 
with  his  wife,  Amy,  and  their 
three  children. 


Vance  Spillman  is 

$    vice  president  and 
V_/   V^/     genetal  manager 
of  Sunrise  Technologies  in 
Raynham,  Mass.  He  recently 
married  Brenda  Collette. 

Richard  Whalen  and  his  wife, 
Iris,  announce  the  birth  of  their 
son,  Alexander  Miles,  on  Dec. 
12,  2002.  They  live  in  Framing- 
ham,  Mass. 


82 


Frank  Hines  and 

his  wife,  Jeannie, 
announce  the  birth 
of  their  thitd  son,  Benjamin 
Edward,  on  March  27,  2003. 
"Juggling  an  infant  with  oldet 
boys  Frankie,  9,  and  Sam,  6,  is 
presenting  a  wide  range  of  new 
joys  and  challenges,"  he  says. 
Frank  continues  to  work  as  an 
innovation  consultant  for 
Creative  Realities,  based  in 
Boston. 


83 


Doug  Acker  and 

his  wife,  Jan, 
adopted  their 
4-year-old  son,  Zachary,  from 
Russia  back  in  December  2001. 
Doug  is  still  working  for  BMC 
Software.  They  live  in  Missouri 
City,  Texas. 

Joe  Morgan  is  the  new  vice 
president  and  chief  technology 
officer  for  Standatd  Register  He 
will  continue  to  serve  as  president 
and  CEO  of  the  company's 
subsidiary,  SMARTworks,  LLC. 

Ronald  Ranauro  is  executive 
vice  president  worldwide  busi- 
ness development  and  general 
manager  of  Gene-IT  a  Paris- 
based  company  that  recently 
moved  its  R&D  operations  to 
Worcester.  He  was  co-founder 
and  CEO  of  Blackstone 
Computing. 

Ralph  Rondinone  lives  in 
Sterling,  Mass.,  with  his  wife, 
Melissa,  and  their  four  children. 
He  was  recently  appointed  to 
the  Wachusett  Regional  High 
School  Building  Committee. 

Mark  Scott  continues  at 
Sikorsky  Aircraft,  where  he  has 
worked  for  the  last  20  years.  He 
completed  master's  degree  pro- 
grams at  the  University  of 
Maryland  and  MIT. 


Where  in  the  World?  When  Bob  Oborne,  senior 
advancement  researcher  in  University  Relations,  traveled  to  the  New 
Orleans  Heritage  &  Jazz  Festival  this  spring,  he  took  his  WPI  baseball  cap 
along  with  him.  During  his  stay,  he  asked  notable  musicians  to  sign  the  cap, 
including  pianist/singer  Marcia  Ball  (inset).  Send  us  a  picture  and  tell  us 
where  you've  worn  your  WPI  letters  lately. 


Patricia  Bray's 

novel  Devlin's 
\^J      JL    Luck,  received  the 
2002  Compton  Crook  Award 
for  best 
novel  in  the 
science  fic- 
tion/fantasy 
field,  from 
the  Baltimore 
Science 

Fiction  Society.  (See  WPI  Book- 
shelf, this  issue,  for  a  write-up 
of  the  recently  released  sequel.) 
Bray  lives  in  upstate  New  York 
and  combines  her  writing  with 
a  full-time  career  as  a  project 
manager  for  IBM. 

Jean  Salek  Camp  writes  that 
she  is  putting  het  project 
management  skills  to  use  at 
Unlimited  Consttuction 
Services  on  resort  and  commer- 
cial development  projects  in 
Kauai,  Hawaii.  Last  year  she 
completed  an  assignment  as 
project  manager  for  Kauai's 
new  power  plant.  She  and  het 
husband,  David,  also  completed 
consttuction  on  their  home  at 


the  beach.  "Landscaping  comes 
next,"  she  says.  Jean  has  been 
involved  in  MentorNet,  an 
e-mail  program  that  matches 
experienced  engineers  with 
young  women  interested  in 
pursuing  technical  careers.  "If 
we  really  want  to  make  an 
impact,"  she  says,  "we  have  to 
statt  when  the  students  are 
young." 

Eric  Thune  was  appointed  vice 
president  for  North  American 
sales  at  GetSilicon  Inc.  in  Santa 
Clara,  Calif. 

Daniel  Ward  works  as  a  sales 
manager  for  Applied  Materials 
in  Boise,  Idaho.  He  has  three 
children — Hunter,  6,  Alex- 
andra, 5,  and  Samantha,  2. 

Rongrong  Wu  (G)  lives  in 
Acton,  Mass.,  with  her  hus- 
band, Weigeng  Shi,  and  theit 
son  David.  A  recent  article  in 
The  Boston  Globe  focused  on  the 
many  Asian  professionals  drawn 
to  the  region  by  educational 
and  employment  opportunities. 
"Acton  has  proven  to  be  a  smart 
move  for  us,"  she  told  the 


Transformations    \   Summer   2003     37 


WPI  Bookshelf 


DEVLIN'S 
'lONOR 


Devlin's  Honor 

by  Patricia  Bray  '84 
Spectra  (Bantam) 


- ,     t     I  -  ^3 
/-    .1     — 

d     '     *=t 


PATRICIA 

BRAY 


The  second  book  in  Bray's  "Sword  of 
Change"  series  chronicles  the  adventures  of 
Devlin  Stonehand  of  Duncaer  as  he  returns  to 
his  homeland  in  search  of  the  long-lost  Sword 
of  Light.  Before  he  can  claim  the  sword,  Devlin 
must  confront  his  past,  quell  an  uprising  by  his 
own  people  and  subdue  a  master  mage.  Bray, 
who  also  works  full  time  at  IBM,  has  published  six  historical  novels 
set  in  Regency-era  England.  She  will  conclude  her  epic  fantasy  trilo- 
gy with  Devlin's  Justice  in  2004. 


Grace,  Grit  and  Growling:  The 
Hartford  Dark  Blues  Base  Ball 
Club,  1874-1877 


by  Dave  Arcidiacono  '87 

Self-published;  available  though  the  Vintage 
Base  Ball  Factory  at  www.vbbf.com 


Back  in  the  days  of  vintage  "base  ball"  — 
when  the  sport  was  spelled  with  two  words 
and  games  were  cheered  on  by  the  likes  of 
Mark  Twain— the  legendary  Hartford  Dark 
Blues  team  president  Morgan  Bulkeley  blazed  the  frail  for  today's 
National  League.  Arcidiacono's  second  self-published  work  includes 
period  photographs,  bibliography,  index,  and  appendices  of  team 
and  player  statistics.  He  is  also  the  author  of  Middletown's  Season 
in  the  Sun:  The  Story  of  Connecticut's  First  Professional  Baseball  Team. 


Shadows  and  Light:  A 
Photographic  Exploration 
of  the  Seas  in  Black  and 
White 

by  Jonathan  Bird  '90 

Jonathan  Bird  Photography 

From  barnacle-crusted  wrecks  to 
the  flowing  tendrils  of  sea 
anemones,  Bird's  latest  undersea  photographs  capture  the  beauty  of 
the  ocean  in  73  haunting  black-and-white  scenes.  After  1  2  years  of 
filming  and  photographing  the  colorful  creatures  that  inhabit  the 
underwater  world,  Bird  returned  to  the  black-and-white  developing 
techniques  he  learned  during  college,  to  discover  a  new  means  of 
creating  striking  and  surreal  images.  The  soft-cover  book  is  printed 
on  high-quality  paper  with  a  high-gloss  lacquer  coating  to  enhance 
the  beauty  of  the  images. 


Globe,  citing  ample  job  options 
for  software  engineers  and  a 
community  that  celebrates  cul- 
tural diversity.  "Our  lives  are 
full,  our  son  is  happy,  so  we  feel 
that  Acton  has  been  a  success." 

Craig  Falkenham 

lives  in  Derry, 
V-J  ^/     N.H.,  and  serves 
as  area  director  for  Maxim,  a 
semiconductor  company  based 
in  California. 

John  Joseph  was 

"X    named  vice  presi- 
\^J  V_«/    dent  of  marketing 
for  EqualLogic  Inc.,  with  re- 
sponsibility for  the  company's 
PeerStorage  IP-based  network 
storage  arrays. 

Todd  Moline  is  president  of 
CE  Contractors  in  Winchester, 
Mass. 

Carol  Wilder  continues  with 
Intel  in  the  capacity  of  silicon 
product  planning  in  the  Intel 
Communications  Group.  She 
writes,  "My  daughter  and  I  will 
be  relocating  to  sunny  (kidding!) 
Portland,  Ore.,  from  Sacra- 
mento, Calif." 


87 


Karyn  Van  De 
Mark  and  Jeffrey 
Denker  '88  are 

proud  to  announce  the  birth  of 
Jenna  MacMillan,  on  Aug.  19, 
2002.  She  joins  her  very  proud 
big  sister,  Katie,  who  is  4'/2. 
Karyn  continues  as  an  associate 
scientist  III  in  the  Discovery 
Biology  Group  at  Biogen. 
Research  done  on  the  role  of 
a-lipoic  acid  in  arresting  tumor 
cell  growth  during  her  previous 
employment  at  the  Cancer 
Center  of  Boston  University 
Medical  School  was  published 
in  the  Joimiitl  of  Cellular 
Physiology  (Vol.  194:325-340, 
Feb  2003).  Jeff"  is  employed  by 
Brooks  Automation  (formerly 
PRI  Automation)  as  principal 
mechanical  engineer. 


88 


3  8     Transformation!   \  Summer  2003 


Ann  (Palmer) 
Anderson  and  hei 
husband,  Doug, 
announce  the  birth  ol  their 
third  clulil,  1  ik  Kenneth,  on 

\l  i\    '  i    Jllllj    I  h   is  now  .i 


happy  1 -year-old,  with  a 
5-year-old  brother,  Kevin,  and 
a  4-year-old  sister,  Jill.  The 
Andersons  live  in  Oviedo,  Fla. 

Maya  Keshavan  (M.S.  '90)  and 
her  husband,  Michael 
Kirschner  '82,  announce  the 
birth  of  a  daughter,  Mira,  on 
May  28,  2002.  She  joins  her 
brother,  Ravi,  who  recently 
turned  3. 

Jeff  LaSalle  (M.S.  FPE)  found- 
ed SAFE  Consultants  in 
Philadelphia.  The  acronym 
sums  up  the  new  company's 
focus:  Security  And  Fire 
Engineering.  Jeff  has  hired  a 
staff  of  University  of  Maryland 
and  WPI  grads  that  includes 
Brian  Lukus  '03.  Current  proj- 
ects include  the  Philadelphia 
Phillies'  new  ballpark,  the 
Philadelphia  Museum  of  Art, 
the  historic  Atlantic  City 
Boardwalk  Hall,  and  multiple 
projects  for  the  Lancaster 
General  Health  Systems. 

Anthony  Pechulis  married 
Diane  Gawinski  on  Nov.  2, 
2002.  He  recently  received  a 
doctorate  in  chemistry  from 
RPI  and  works  as  a  research 
chemist  for  Albany  Molecular 
Research. 

Michael  Lilley 

V_I    writes  that  he  is 
V_^/  ^/      still  working  in  the 
business  process  improvement 
area,  mostly  in  IT,  but  has 
recently  become  licensed  as  a 
certified  public  accountant  in 
Massachusetts.  He  lives  in 
Wren  t  ham. 

.    /">      Randolph  Beltz 

holds  the  post  of 
^S     V_/     electrical  engineer- 
ing manager  -it  BA1    Svsuin.x. 
1  1c  lives  in  1  yndeborough. 
N.H..  where  he  is  active  in  local 
politics. 

Christopher  Buntc-I  is  an 

associate  with  I  low  rc\   Simon 
Arnold  Cs  White,  practicing 

patent  prosecution,  licensing 
and  litigation  law  in  cases  relat- 
ing to  biotechnologj  .md  chem- 
istry. I  le  recentl)  published  an 
article  in  Texas  Lawyer  on  price 
competition  and  generic  dings. 


HOMECOMING    •   CI 


asses  or 


'93,  '98,  '03   •    Oct.  10-11,  2003 


Miklos  Kiss  left  active  duty 
with  the  Army  in  1996  to  earn 
a  Ph.D.  in  physics  at  North 
Carolina  State  University  in 
December  2002.  His  thesis  was 
titled  "Application  of  diffracrion 
enhanced  imaging  for  obtaining 
improved  contrast  of  calcifica- 
tions in  breast  tissue."  He  is 
now  a  research  associare  in  the 
University  of  Wisconsin's 
Department  of  Medical  Physics. 

Ira  Nydick  is  on  assignment  in 
Japan  for  Panasonic  Technology, 
a  division  of  Matsushita  Corp. 


91 


Robert  Gregory 

is  an  engineer 
with  the  Naval 
Undersea  Warfare  Cenrer  in 
Newport,  R.I.  He  is  currently 
pursuing  postgraduate  studies 
through  the  U.S.  Navy. 

Michael  Messer  has  rerurned 
from  an  overseas  posting  at 
RAF  Lakenheath,  UK,  where 
he  spent  three  years  flying  the 
F-15.  After  completing  upgrade 
training,  he  now  serves  as  a 
T-38  instructor  at  Sheppard 
AFB  in  Wichita  Falls,  Texas.  He 
and  his  wife,  Buffi,  have  three 
children — Carolyn,  6,  Griffin, 
2,  and  their  newest  arrival, 
Lucas  Patrick,  born  May  21, 
2003.  They  are  all  enjoying  the 
hot  norrhwest  Texas  sun  after 
three  years  of  rain  in  England. 

Valerie  Mason  is 

superintendent 
_S    ■"  '    °f  needle  manu- 
facturing for  United  States 
Surgical,  a  division  of  Tyco 
Healthcare.  Her  responsibilities 
include  overseeing  rhe  daily 
manufacture  of  specialty  surgi- 
cal needles  used  in  suturing. 
Valerie  and  her  husband, 
Michael,  welcomed  son  number 
rhree,  Christopher  Robert,  on 
March  18,  2003.  He  joins  his 
brothers,  Michael,  4'/2,  and 
Nicholas,  2V2,  in  rheir  home  in 
Oxford,  Conn. 


93 


Tracy  Coifman  s 

wedding  to  Agnes 
Rios  Gomez  took 


':' 

1  ?: 

i  sBb\ 

! 

y 

place  in  Puerto  Rico  on  May 
10,  2003.  Attendees  included 
Derek  Cygan,  Phil  Marks, 
John  Adams  '92,  Andrew 
Hoyen  '92,  and  John  Murphy 
'92.  Coifman  completed  a  dual 
MBA  degree  this  year  from  the 
Executive  MBA-Global  pro- 
gram offered  by  the  London 
Business  School  and  Columbia 
University,  alternating  between 
New  York  and  London.  He  also 
completed  project  work  and 
classes  in  Hong  Kong  and  Rio 
de  Janeiro.  Tracy  and  Agnes 
now  reside  in  San  Juan,  where 
Tracy  is  vice  president  of  Able 
International/Tril  Export  of 
Puerto  Rico.  They  can  be  con- 
tacted at  tcoifman@com- 
puserve.com. 

Timothy  Coleman  is  COO 

and  president  of  Biocache 
Pharmaceuticals  in  Richmond, 
Tenn.  He  is  working  on  an 
MBA  degree  from  Boston 
University. 

James  Kelly  married  Kathryn 
Fischer,  a  fellow  employee  at 
Narragansett  Bay  Commission, 
on  Oct.  26,  2002.  After  a  hon- 
eymoon in  Playa  Del  Carmen, 
Mexico,  they  reside  in  East 
Providence,  R.I. 

Terra  Peckskamp  announces 
her  engagement  to  Jim  Ervin 
of  Syracuse,  N.Y.  She  serves  as 
assistant  director  of  residence 
life  at  Syracuse  University, 
where  she  is  working  part  time 
on  her  Ph.D.  in  higher  educa- 
tion administration.  Terra 
writes,  "A  fall  2004  wedding 
is  planned,  followed  by  a  disser- 
tation defense  (I  hope!)." 

Capt.  David  Willis  is  serving 
with  the  U.S.  Army  on  Staten 
Island,  N.Y. 


Ted  Dysart  and 

his  wife,  Erica, 
JL    are  pleased  to 
announce  the  birth  of  their  son, 
Theodore  Leslie  Thornton 
Dysart  Jr.,  or  "TJ,"  on  April  28, 
2003.  TJ  was  8  lbs.,  14  oz.  and 
20V2  inches. 

Dena  Niedzwiecki,  M.D.,  is 
a  board-certified  pediatrician 
practicing  in  Bristol,  Conn. 

Kyle  Outlaw  and  his  wife, 
Maureen,  announce  the  birth  of 
their  son,  Riley  Zack,  on  May 
1,  2003.  He  joins  his  2-year-old 
sister,  Peighton,  as  the  newest 
member  of  the  family. 

Robert  Rouleau  and  his  wife, 

Karin,  live  in  North  Situate, 
Mass.  He  works  for  PTC  in 

Needham. 


Zachary  Sacks  is  living  in 
Modiin,  Israel. 


95 


Paul  Beliveau  and 

his  wife,  Evelyn, 
are  proud  to 
announce  the  birth  of  Grace 
Evelyn,  born  Oct.  6,  2002.  She 
joins  her  brother,  Paul,  and  sis- 
ter, Amber  Mae,  in  their  home 
in  Walpole,  N.H. 

Chris  Dagdigian  is  a  co- 
founder  of  The  BioTeam,  a  con- 
sulting firm  made  up  of  four 
former  Blacksrone  Computing 
consultants  who  specialize  in  IT 
infrastructures  for  the  biotech- 
nology industry.  They  utilize  a 
"SWAT  team"  approach  of  get- 
ting in  and  out  quickly,  and 
meeting  a  client's  need  with 


Public  Eye 


The  June  issue  of  Yankee  Magazine  gave  a  plug  to  The 
Passive  Solar  House  by  James  Kachadorian  '61,  as  a  resource 
for  designing  environmentally  efficient  and  beautiful  homes... 
The  Boston  Globe  profiled  Bob  Sinicrope  '71,  a  longtime 
music  teacher  at  Milton  Academy,  highlighting  his  jazz  band's 
concert  tour  of  South  Africa,  which  included  a  performance  at  the 
U.S.  Embassy... Vermont  Business  Magazine  interviewed 
Jay  Thayer  '74,  vice  president  of  the  Vermont  Yankee  nuclear 
reactor  in  Vernon. ..Picker  Engineering  Program  Chair  Domenico 
Grasso  '77  leads  the  TOYtech  (Teaching  Our  Youth  Technology) 
project  at  Smith  College.  His  report  on  the  program,  which  chal- 
lenges engineering  students  to  design  toys  that  introduce  children 
to  the  principles  that  underlie  technology,  ran  in  Black  Enter- 
prise Magazine.  .Barbara  (Gibney)  Haller  '83  has  gotten  a 
lot  of  press  in  the  Telegram  &  Gazette  on  her  campaign  for 
re-election  role  as  a  Worcester  District  4  city  councilor  and  for  her 
efforts  to  clean  up  her  Main  South  neighborhood  though  a  crime- 
watch  program... Matthew  Streeter  '00  co-authored  a  Scientific 
American  article  on  genetic  programming,  a  new  breed  of 
software  that  uses  Darwinian  logic  to  "evolve"  inventions  that 
solve  complex  problems. 


to 
O 

Z 

«/> 
«/> 

D 


minimum  fees  and  overhead. 
Their  work  and  their  bare- 
bones  (no  offices!)  business 
strategy  has  won  attention  from 
Bio-IT  World.  Clients  include 
Apple  Computer,  Harvard 
University  and  several  Boston 
hospitals. 

Neil  Doherty  is  commander  of 
the  Army's  A  Company,  27th 
Engineer  Battalion  at  Fort 
Bragg,  N.C. 

Suzanne  Timmerman 
Edmonson  and  her  husband, 
Michael,  are  thrilled  to 
announce  the  adoption  of  their 
son,  Nathaniel  Andre.  "He  was 
born  on  Aug.  16,  2002,  and 
was  placed  in  our  arms  on 
March  11,  2003,"  she  writes. 


They  live  in  Derby,  Kan.,  where 
Suzanne  works  for  Boeing. 

Todd  Goyette  and  his  wife, 
Janice,  announce  the  birth  of 
their  second  daughter,  Rebecca 
Michelle,  on  April  11,  2003. 
They,  and  their  other  daughter, 
Abigail,  live  in  Millbury,  Mass. 
Todd  recently  passed  rhe 
Principles  of  Engineering  Exam 
(Electrical)  in  Massachusetts. 

David  Jakad  completed  a  full- 
time  MBA  program  at  Babson 
College  and  received  his  degree 
on  May  17,  2003. 
Joseph  Laydon  married 
Christina  Pierrello  on  Nov.  16, 
2002.  He  serves  as  town  plan- 
ner for  Wayland,  Mass. 


What's  News? 

Please  let  us  hear  from  you  with  news  of  your  career, 

marriage,  family,  address  change— whatever. 

Why  not  send  us  a  photo  of  yourself  for  publication. 

And,  please  include  your  spouse's  full  name  when 

sending  wedding  or  birth  announcements. 


Please  check  preferred  mailing  address. 
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Class 

□  Home  Address 

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State 

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D  Business  Address 

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State 

ZIP 

Corporate  Parent  Company 

E-mail  Address 

Personal/career  news  for  Transformations: 

Ben  Lipchak  produced 
"Reservoir,"  a  CD  of  original 
piano  music  by  Holden  resident 
Alicia  Bessette,  on  Wachusett 
Records.  He  maintains  a  digital 
recording  studio  in  his  home  in 
Sterling,  Mass. 

Rodney  Lukowski  is  a  fixed- 
income  analyst  for  Intex 
Solutions  in  Needham,  Mass. 

%    David  Burnham 
married  Hien 
Ngoc  Pham,  a 
graduate  of  Economic 
University  in  Ho  Chi  Minh 
City,  on  Jan.  4,  2003.  He  is  a 
consulting  network  engineer 
with  Verizon  in  Boston. 

Joseph  Choiniere  works  for 
Sun  Microsystems  in  Cohoes, 

N.Y. 

Amy  (Plack)  Marr  (M.S.  '00) 
was  recently  promoted  to  direc- 
tor of  Web  development  at 
WPI.  She  and  her  husband, 
Greg  Marr  '95  (M.S.  '97,  '01), 
are  expecting  their  first  child 
this  fall. 

Martha  Nalewajk  works  for 
Abbott  Bioresearch  Center  in 
Worcester.  She  was  married  to 
Jon-Paul  Rogers  recently. 

Kimberley  Sieber  married 
Daniel  Loach  recently.  She  is  an 
electrical  engineer  with  Telica  in 
Marlborough,  Mass. 

Michael  DeFronzo 

is  director  ot 
technology  for 

CancerSource  in  Waltham, 

Mass. 

Ki  isic  ii  Magnifico  and  Jason 

Becker  tied  the  knot  on  Aug.  3, 
2002.  She  works  for  Fidelity 
Investments,  and  he  works  for 
Wyeth  Pharmaceuticals.  They 
live  in  Pclham,  N.H. 

Alison  Possas  became  engaged 
to  Christopher  Johnson  on 
April  25,  2003.  They  are  plan- 
ning an  April  2(10-1  wedding  cm 

I  ong  Island.  N.Y.  Both  are 

senior  engineers  .11  Pratt  & 
Whitney  in  Fast  I  l.irttord. 
Conn. 


i  Rood, 


Sylvia  Puchovsky  and  Andrew 
Messier  were  married  recently. 
She  works  for  Amersham 
Biosciences  in  Westbotough, 
Mass,  and  he  is  employed  by 
I/O  Integtity  in  Medway.  They 
live  in  Waltham. 

~V    f*\     Chad  Binette 

(M.S.  FPE  '00) 
^S     V*J     passed  the  P.E. 
exam  recently.  He  lives  in 
Waltham,  Mass.,  and  works  at 
Engineering  Planning  and 
Management  Inc.  as  a  member 
of  the  fire  protection  engineer- 
ing group. 

Slade  Brockett  completed  a 
three-year  tour  on  the  attack 
submarine  USS  Providence,  then 
transferred  to  shore  duty  in 
London  in  November  2002.  He 
and  his  wife,  Mary,  are  happy  to 
announce  the  birth  of  their  sec- 
ond child,  Annika  Katherine, 
on  Feb.  7,  2003. 

Matthew  Connors  and  his 

wife,  Katherine,  live  in  Hopkin- 
ton,  Mass.  He  is  a  senior  sys- 
tems analyst  with  Lycos  Co. 

Jill  Ann  Johnson  and  Aaron 
Korthas  '99  were  married 
recently.  She  is  an  associate 
engineer  at  Rolf  Jensen  Associ- 
ates, and  he  is  an  actuarial  ana- 
lyst at  Watson  Wyatt  Worldwide. 
After  a  honeymoon  in  Aruba, 
they  are  living  in  Worcester. 

Prudence  (Martin)  and  Aaron 
Jones  are  proud  to  announce 
that  they  passed  the  Professional 
Engineering  Exam  and  are  both 
practicing  P.E.s  in  the  state  ot 
Colorado. 

Navy  Lt.  Jason  Kipp  has  com- 
pleted a  deployment  to  the 
Mediterranean  Sea  .md  the 
Arabian  Cull  aboard  the  USS 
Portland,  as  part  of  Operation 
Iraqi  Freedom. 

Michelle  LaFond  .md  Joseph 
Raab  announced  their  engage- 
ment from  Norcross,  Ga.,  where 

she  is  an  environmental  engi- 
neer lot  I  NMs  International 

and  he  is  a  gas/steam  turbine 

field  engineer  lor  General 

Electric  They  plan  to  marr) 

.Hi  Sept.  27. 


HOMECOMING    •   Cla 


sses  or 


'93,  '98,  '03   •    Oct.  10-11,  2003 


This  photo  of  Janel  Lanphere 
receiving  Boston  Scientific 
Corp.'s 
Technical 
Excellence 
Award  was 
inadvertently 
omitted  from 
her  class  note 
in  the  last  issue  of  Transforma- 
tions. Since  then,  Janel's  project 
team  has  been  honored  with  the 
John  Abele  Science  and  Tech- 
nology Award.  We  also  misstat- 
ed the  school  where  she  earned 
her  master's  degree  in  biomed- 
ical engineering.  It  is  the  Uni- 
versity of  Toledo,  not  Toronto. 

Nilufer  Saltuk  and  Paul  Soucek 
were  married  in  Denver  on  May 
17,  1003,  by  Paul's  brother, 
Robert.  Steve  Davis,  Prudence 
(Martin)  and  Aaron  Jones,  and 
Shannon  Hogan  '97  parried 
the  night  away  at  the  wedding. 
The  couple  honeymooned  at  a 
resort  in  Antalya,  Turkey,  then 
went  to  Istanbul,  where  the 
bride's  parents  hosted  a  second 
receprion  overlooking  the 
Bosporus. 

Michael  Samson  is  a  software 
engineer  for  American  Power 
Conversion,  West  Kingston,  R.I. 

Lisa  Sorgini  is  USFilters 
Memcor  product  specialist  for 
rhe  western  United  States  and 
Canada.  Her  article  on  EPA- 
compliant  microfiltrarion  mem- 
branes for  the  Carmichael 
Water  District  in  Scaramento 
Counry,  Calif.,  appeared  in 
Water  World. 

Michael  Stark  and  his  wife, 
Amanda,  belaredly  announce 
the  birth  of  their  son,  Jon.  He 
was  born  on  April  5,  2002;  just 
a  week  after  Mike  started  his 
new  job  as  an  invesrigaror  with 
the  New  Hampshire  State  Fire 
Marshal's  Office  in  Concord. 

Patrick 
V,l  V.  1     O'Sullivan 

^/  ^/     (USAF)  was 
deployed  to  an  undisclosed 
location  in  support  of 


Operation  Iraqi  Freedom.  He 
writes,  "I  was  promoted  to 
captain  on  March  2,  2003.  My 
current  position  is  a  communi- 
cations-information officer  in 
support  of  the  E-3  AWACS 
missions  over  Iraq.  My  wife, 
Vicky  (Dnlac),  and  I  have  one 
son,  Mack,  who  was  born  on 
Dec.  31,  2000.  We  are  hoping 
ro  be  assigned  ro  Hanscom  AFB 
in  the  fall." 

Matthew  Poisson  (USAF)  was 
deployed  to  the  Middle  East, 
from  his  base  in  Spangdahlem, 
Germany.  In  February,  when 
war  with  Iraq  was  still  immi- 
nent, he  wrore  that  he  was  fly- 
ing the  Block  50  F-16  Viper  in 
supporr  of  enforcing  the  south- 
ern No  Fly  Zone,  while  await- 
ing further  tasking.  The  best 
way  to  reach  him  in  the  desert 
is  at  matthew.poisson@auab 
.aorcentaf.af.mil. 

Katie  Taylor  and  Kevin  Boyd 

were  married  Oct.  19,  2002,  in 
Waterville,  Maine.  The  bridal 
party  included  Adam  Howes, 
Leigh  Anderson,  Linda 
(Cappuccia)  Grelotti  and  Beth 
Schweinsberg  '00.  The  couple 
moved  to  Kingston,  N.Y.,  for 
Kevin's  new  job  at  IBM  and 
Katie's  accelerated  doctor  of 
pharmacy  program  ar  Albany 
College  of  Pharmacy. 


01 


00 


Charles  Bristol  is 

a  project 

manager/ 
estimator  for  Construction 
Materials  Service  in 
Marlborough,  Mass. 

Stephen  Sacovitch  is  a 

master's  degree  candidate 
in  WPI's  FPE  program.  He 
also  serves  as  an  Air  Force 
first  lieutenant  stationed  at 
Wrighr-Patterson  Air  Force 
Base. 

Jocelyn  Songer  is  enrolled  in 
the  joint  Ph.D.  program  in 
speech  and  hearing  bioscience 
and  technology  at  Harvard  and 
MIT.  She  recently  traveled  to 
Daytona  Beach,  Fla.,  to  give  a 
poster  presentation  on  her 
research  at  the  annual  conven- 
tion of  the  Association  for 
Research  in  Otolaryngology. 


John  Benda  is  on 

naval  assignment 
in  the  Persian 
Gulf,  aboard  the  USS  Ashland, 
where  he  serves  as  communica- 
tions officer.  He  expects  a  pro- 
motion to  lieutenant  junior 
grade  soon. 

Marie  Charpentier  and  George 

Oprica  '00  were  married  on 
Sept.  28,  2002,  in  Spencer, 
Mass.  Members  of  the  wedding 
party  included  Brooke 
(LeClair)  Daniels,  Natalie 
Chin,  Ryan  Wilbur,  Heather 
Moran  '00  and  Joseph 
Charpentier  '96.  The  couple 
honeymooned  at  Walt  Disney 
World  in  Florida  and  now 
resides  in  Worcester. 

Theodoros  Panagiotopoulos 

wed  Athina  Pangos  on  Nov.  10, 
2002.  They  live  in  Clearwater, 
Fla.,  where  he  is  a  process  engi- 
neer for  Honeywell,  and  she 
works  as  an  ophthalmic  assis- 
tant while  attending  the 
University  of  South  Florida. 

Sean  Toomey  (M.S.  FPE) 
earned  his  P.E.  license  in  the 
state  of  New  Hampshire.  He 
lives  in  Manchester  and  works 
for  SFC  Engineering 
Partnership. 


02 


David  Ludwig 

was  featured  in  the 
(Milford,  Mass.) 
Daily  News,  in  an  article  about 


men  who  wear  kilts.  He  is  a 
bagpipe  player  and  software 
engineer  with  an  interest  in 
game  design. 

Michael  Perkins  is  a  field  engi- 
neer with  Whiting-Turner  in 
New  Haven,  Conn. 


Matt  Motyka 

,     (M.S.)  is  asset  and 
liability  manager 
for  First  Federal  Bank,  a  fast- 
growing  regional  bank  with 
branches  from  New  Jersey  to 
Maine.  He  was  among  the  first 
graduates  of  WPI's  professional 
masrer's  degree  in  financial 
mathematics. 


Graduate  Management 
Pro°T3.m 

JeffStutzman  (MBA  '03) 

(far  right)  is  founder  of  ZNQ3, 


an  information  security  com- 
pany headquartered  in  Man- 
chester, N.H.,  along  with  MBA 
alums  Luis  De  la  Cruz  '00, 
left,  and  Ed  Wright  '02.  Their 
anti-hacking  product,  Bead- 
window!Intrusion  Prevention 
System,  took  top  honors  in 
the  Collaborative  for  Entre- 
preneurship  &  Innovation  at 
WPI's  All-Out  Business  Plan 
Challenge,  and  second  place  in 
the  Venture  Forum's  Business 
Plan  Contest.  Jeff,  who  also 
serves  as  manager  of  informa- 
tion security  for  Cisco  Systems 
in  the  Americas,  is  teaching  a 
graduate  course  in  information 
security  management  in  E-term. 

|    School  of  Industrial 
1    Management 

i     Leon  Lavallee  '97  has  been 
promoted  to  director,  technical 
support,  at  Hyde  Tools  in 
Southbridge,  Mass.,  where  he 
has  worked  since  1972.  His 
responsibilities  include  quality 
assurance  and  ISO  9002  com- 
pliance in  the  machine  shop 
and  the  engineering  depart- 
ment. 


Transformations    \   Summer   2  003     4  1 


lit 


Edward  M.  Gillies  Jr.  '28  of 

Wauconda,  III,  died  March  11, 
2002.  He  was  the  retired  reg- 
ional credit  manager  of  The 
General  Tire  and  Rubber  Co., 
where  he  worked  for  many 
years,  serving  in  rhe  company's 
New  York,  Ohio  and  Georgia 
offices.  Gillies  married  Violet 
Prochal  in  1933;  the  couple  had 
one  son.  He  belonged  to  Sigma 
Alpha  Epsilon. 

Transformations  recently  learned 
of  the  death  of  Robert  L. 
Cotton  '29  of  Jamaica,  N.Y., 
in  2000.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Hannah,  a  son  and  a  daughter. 
Cotton  was  the  retired  director 
of  Radio  Free  Europe's  studios 
in  Lisbon,  Portugal.  A  former 
basketball  team  captain  and 
four-time  letter-winner,  he 
belonged  to  Skull. 

Hilding  O.  Carlson  '31  of 

Norwood,  Mass.,  died  June  9, 
2002.  A  longtime  publicist  for 
Factory  Mutual  Engineering 
Corp.,  he  retired  as  manager  of 
publications.  He  was  an  only 
child  and  a  bachelor,  but  had 
many  cousins  and  a  foster  child 
in  Greece  through  an  interna- 
tional agency. 

Richard  G.  Marden  '31  of 

Topsham,  Maine,  died  April  29, 
2002.  Predeceased  by  his  wife, 
June  (Parker),  he  leaves  two 
sons,  four  grandchildren  and 
two  great-grandchildren. 
Marden  was  a  Navy  veteran  of 
World  War  II  and  the  Korean 
War,  and  served  in  the  Naval 
Reserves  until  1964,  when  he 
retired  as  a  commander.  He 
earned  a  master's  degree  in  edu- 
cation at  Boston  University  and 
was  chairman  of  the  science 
department  at  Classical  High 
School  in  Worcester  for  32 
years.  He  later  taught  at 
Falmouth  High  School  for 
eight  years.  He  belonged  to 
Sigma  Alpha  Epsilon. 

Alfred  Gaunt  Parker  '33  of 

Cleveland  died  April  25,  2002. 
He  was  widowed  by  his  first 
wife,  Virginia,  and  his  second 
wife,  Elizabeth,  who  died  last 


year.  Survivors  include  a  daugh- 
ter, two  sons,  three  stepsons, 
1 1  grandchildren  and  a  great- 
grandchild. Parker  was  the 
rerired  technical  director  of 
Foster  Wheeler  Corp.  He 
belonged  to  Phi  Gamma  Delta. 

Edmund  A.  Perry  '33  of 

Mississauga, 
Ontario, 
died  June  1 1, 
2001.  He  is 
survived  by 
his  wife, 
Jean,  and 
two  sons.  Perry  was  retired  from 
Hollinger  Mines  Ltd.  He 
belonged  to  Phi  Gamma  Delta. 

Chester  G.  Dahlstrom  '34  of 

Wilmingron,  Del.,  died  Jan.  17, 
2003.  He  lost  his  wife,  Ruth,  in 
1980,  and  his  youngest  daugh- 
ter in  2000.  He  is  survived  by  a 
daughter  and  two  grandchil- 
dren. Dahlstrom  was  retired  as  a 
design  group  supervisor  after  a 
37-year  career  with  DuPont  Co. 
He  attended  WPI  on  a  scholar- 
ship from  his  father's  employer, 
Wyman-Gordon,  giving  him  a 
much-appreciated  opportunity 
to  receive  a  college  education 
during  the  depression.  He 
belonged  to  the  Alden  Society. 

Henry  H.  Franklin  '34  of 

Peterborough,  N.H.,  died  Feb. 
13,  2002.  Twice  married,  he  is 
survived  by  two  sons,  three 
daughters,  eight  grandchildren 
and  1 5  great-grandchildren.  He 
was  predeceased  by  a  son.  A 
member  of  Sigma  Phi  Epsilon 
and  Skull,  Franklin  earned  his 
bachelor's  degree  from  Bowdoin 
College  in  1935  and  his  law 
degree  from  Northeastern 
University  in  1940.  He  retired 
from  private  legal  practice  in 
1991. 

Donald  Millan  '35  of 

Shrewsbury,  Mass.,  died  Nov. 
1 5,  2002.  His  wife,  Phyllis,  died 
in  1996.  Survivors  include  a 
son,  a  daughter,  three  grandchil- 
dren and  two  great -grandchil- 
dren. MacMillan  was  retired 
from  American  Steel  and  Wire. 

where  he  served  .is  .in  electrical 


engineer.  He  belonged  to 
Lambda  Chi  Alpha. 

Benjamin  H.  Smith  '36  of 

Monticello,  Minn.,  died  May 
24,  2002.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Jeannette,  four  sons,  a  daughter, 
six  grandchildren  and  a  great- 
grandchild. Smith  was  a  retired 
senior  design  engineer  for 
Brown  Boveri  Turbomachinery. 
A  member  of  Sigma  Xi,  he 
received  a  master's  degree  from 
the  University  of  Pittsburgh  in 
1935. 

Stedman  West  Smith  '36, 
M.D.,  of 
Salisbury, 
Md.,  died 
Oct.  14, 
2002.  A 
gynecologist 
and  obstetri- 
cian for  more  rhan  50  years, 
he  was  a  graduate  of  Brown 
University  and  McGill  Medical 
School.  His  wife,  Dorothy 
(Damon),  died  in  1970. 
Survivors  include  a  daughter, 
a  son,  two  grandchildren  and 
three  great-grandchildren. 

C.  Chapin  Cutler  Sr.  '37  of 

Waterford,  Maine,  died  Nov. 
30,  2002.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Virginia  (Tyler),  a  son,  a  daugh- 
ter and  four  grandchildren.  A 
longtime  electronics  researcher 
at  Bell  Laboratories,  Cutler 
developed  radar  systems  for 
military  and  aerospace  projects. 
After  retiring  from  Bell  in  1979, 
he  taught  applied  physics  at 
Stamford  University.  Cutler 
held  more  than  70  patents.  He 
received  an  honorary  doctorate 
from  WPI  in  1975  and  the 
Robert  H.  Goddard  Alumni 
Award  tor  Outstanding  Pro- 
fessional Achievement  in  1982. 

Howard  Osborn  '37  ot 

Sebring,  Fla., 

died  April 
15,  2002. 
1  le  leaves  his 
wile.  Arleen. 
two  sons  and 
several 

grandchildren.  A  native  ol 
Dana,  Mass.,  before  the  son 


struction  of  the  Quabbin 
Reservoir,  he  became  a  civil 
engineer  and  served  in  the 
Panama  Canal  Zone  for  35 
years  as  chief  superintendent  of 
the  maintenance  division. 

A.  Hamilton  "Ham"  Powell  '37 

of  Leesburg,  Fla.,  died  Aug.16, 
2002.  A  longtime  manager  at 
General  Electric,  he  later  served 
as  director  of  engineering  at 
Arrow-Hart  and  spent  several 
years  as  a  consultant  to  United 
Engineers  and  Consrructors 
before  he  retired.  Powell  mar- 
ried A.  Muriel  Wood  in  1938. 
He  had  one  son,  who  prede- 
ceased them.  He  was  a  member 
of  Tau  Beta  Pi,  Sigma  Xi  and 
Phi  Gamma  Delta. 

Richard  F.  Burke  Jr.  '38  of 

Worcester  died  Sept.  18,  2002. 
He  leaves  his  wife,  Louise 
(McNamee),  two  daughters, 
two  sons,  10  grandchildren  and 
five  great-grandchildren.  Burke 
was  president  and  founder  of 
Burke  Engineering  Associates. 
He  was  a  1978  recipient  of  the 
Herbert  E  Taylor  Alumni 
Award  for  Distinguished  Service 
to  WPI  and  a  founding  member 
of  Phi  Kappa  Theta. 

Frederick  Esper  '38  of  Natick, 
Mass.,  died 
Dec.  22, 
2002.  He  is 
survived  by 
his  wife, 
Najla  Ann 
AM    (Abdelnour), 
two  daughters,  a  son  and  three 
grandchildren.  Esper  was  retired 
from  Lois  Berger  Group  as  vice 
president  of  the  New  England 
office.  He  served  as  chief  engi- 
neer on  the  design  of  several 
sections  of  Boston's  South  East 
Expressway  and  Central  Artery 
in  the  1950s  and  1960s. 

Robert  V.  Karakoosh  '38  of 

Woodbridge, 

(  onn..  died 

Nov.  (>.  2002. 
Predeceased 
bv  his  litsi 
wili    Varcenig 
i  fashjian), 


4  2     Transformatiom   j  Summer  2003 


he  leaves  his  wife,  Pauline 
(Manookian),  two  sons,  a 
daughter,  five  grandchildren 
and  a  great-grandson. 
Karakoosh  was  a  retired  partner 
in  Danjon  Manufacturing 
Corp.,  a  manufacturer  of  gun 
drills.  He  belonged  to  Lambda 
Chi  Alpha. 

Albert  J.  LaPrade  '38  of  West 
Warwick,  R.I.,  died  Jan.  15, 
2002.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Lorraine  (Collette),  a  son  and 
two  daughters.  LaPrade  was  a 
retired  chemist  who  worked  for 
Narragansett  Electric  Co.  He 
earned  his  bachelor's  degree 
from  Clark  University  in  1939. 


John  S.  "Jack"  Mudgett  '38  of 

^F"  ^,,, 

Wilbraham, 

Mass.,  died 

(*V^ 

Nov.  25, 
2002.  He 
leaves  his 

-iSfc^i 

wife  of  23 
years, 

Barbara  (Baldwin).  He  was  pre- 
deceased by  his  first  wife, 
Barbara  (Rogers),  after  34  years 
of  marriage.  Mudgett  worked 
for  Strathmore  Paper  Co.  for  44 
years  and  retired  as  chief  engi- 
neer. He  belonged  to  Phi  Sigma 
Kappa,  Tau  Beta  Pi,  Skull  and 
Sigma  Xi. 

Paul  H.  Vaughan  '38  of 

Granby, 
Conn.,  died 
Sept.  21, 
2002.  He  is 
survived  by 
his  wife, 
Lydia 

(Nurk),  a  daughter  and  five 
grandchildren.  He  was  prede- 
ceased by  a  son.  An  electrical 
engineer,  Vaughan  spent  his 
career  with  Combustion 
Engineering  Inc.  He  pursued 
many  projects  after  retirement, 
including  gardening  and  the 
design  and  construction  of  a 
solar  heating  system  for  his 
house. 


Samuel  A.  Aaron  '39  of 

Bedford, 
Mass.,  died 
Jan.  6,  2003. 
A  member  of 
Sigma  Xi,  he 
received  a 
master's 
degree  from  WPI  in  1940. 
Aaron  was  a  high  school  teacher 
in  New  York  State  for  many 
years.  Surviving  family  members 
include  a  sister,  two  nieces  and 
a  grandnephew. 

William  R.  Ahern  '39  of 

Fairfield, 
Conn.,  died 
Oct.  29, 

2002.  Pre- 
deceased by 
his  wife,  Rita 
(Thompson), 

he  leaves  two  sons,  two  daugh- 
rers  and  six  grandchildren. 
Ahern,  who  belonged  to  Sigma 
Alpha  Epsilon,  earned  a  master's 
degree  in  electrical  engineering 
from  WPI  in  1941.  A  38-year 
veteran  of  NBC,  he  retired  as 
on-air  technical  manager. 

Norman  A.  Packard  '39  of 

Dover, 
Mass.,  died 
March  16, 

2003.  Wid- 
ower of  the 
late  Janet 
(Parsons), 

he  leaves  three  sons,  a  daughter, 
10  grandchildren  and  5  great- 
grandchildren. Packard  retired 
in  1980  after  a  career  in  engi- 
neering management  that 
included  Walenat  Inc.,  Stanley 
Tool  Co.,  Roberr  Shaw  Controls, 
and  Nautilus  Corp.  He 
belonged  to  Sigma  Phi  Epsilon 
and  graduated  from  the  School 
of  Industrial  Management  in 
1960.  Packard's  WPI  lineage 
includes  his  father,  Ronald  A. 
Packard,  Class  of  1908;  his 
brorher,  Donald  R.  Packard  '42, 
who  died  last  year;  and  his 
granddaughter,  Sharon  E. 
Taubenfeld  '87. 


Fritz  E.  Johanson  '40  of 

Holden, 
Mass.,  died 
May  1,2002. 
His  wife, 
Majken 
(Olson),  sur- 
vives him. 
Johanson  was  retired  from 
Norton  Co.  as  international 
sales  manager,  with  more  than 
40  years  of  service.  A  former 
president  of  Tech  Old  Timers, 
he  was  honored  with  the  1990 
Herbert  F.  Taylor  Alumni 
Award  for  Distinguished  Service 
roWPI. 

George  M.  Moore  Jr.  '40  of 

Newton, 
N.H.,  died 
Dec.  22, 
2002.  His 
wife,  Norma 
(Fraser),  died 
in  2001. 
Moore  was  a  rented  electrical 
engineer  who  spent  the  last  19 
years  of  his  career  with  Instru- 
mentations Laboratory  Inc.  He 
served  on  the  Newton  planning 
board  and  belonged  ro  the 
Masons. 

Cyril  W.  Tourtellotte  '40  of 

East  Walpole,  Mass.,  died  Dec. 
24,  2002,  from  injuries  sus- 
tained in  an  automobile  acci- 
dent two  months  earlier.  He 
leaves  his  wife,  Mary  (Case), 
a  daughter  and  rwo  grandchil- 
dren. Tourrellotte  was  retired 
from  MIT,  where  he  served  in 
the  Radiation  Laboratory  dur- 
ing World  War  II,  and  later  in 
rhe  Laboratory  for  Nuclear 
Science. 

Col.  Graham  T.  Douglass  '41 t 

U.S.M.C.  (Ret.),  died  July  26, 
2002.  A  longtime  resident  of 
Southern  Pines,  N.C.,  he  rerired 
from  the  military  in  1966  and 
managed  electric  utilities  for 
Carolina  Power  and  Lighr  Co., 
Pinehurst  Inc.  and  Diamond- 
head.  Survivors  include  his  wife, 
Frances  (Horgan),  three  daugh- 
ters, a  son  and  three  grandchil- 
dren. Douglass  belonged  to 
Lambda  Chi  Alpha. 


Harold  R.  Shailer  Jr.  '41  of 

Ormond 
Beach,  Fla., 
died  Jan.  1 1, 
2003.  He 
leaves  his 
wife  of 
20  years, 
Virginia,  a  son,  a  daughter,  a 
stepson,  a  stepdaughter,  four 
step-grandchildren  and  three 
step-great-grandchildren.  Shailer 
retired  from  Northeast  Utilities 
as  a  manager  after  35  years  of 
service.  He  belonged  to  Phi 
Sigma  Kappa. 

Allan  Ramsay  Jr.  '42,  a  resi- 
dent of  Branford,  Conn.,  and 
Naples,  Fla.,  died  April  24, 
2002.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Margaret  (Fogerty),  a  daughter, 
two  grandchildren  and  two 
great-grandchildren.  Ramsay 
worked  at  Olin  Corp.  as  an 
engineer  for  31  years  and  retired 
in  1983.  He  belonged  to  Phi 
Gamma  Delta  and  Tau  Beta  Pi. 

Victor  Tolis  '42  of  Spencer, 
Mass.,  died  Dec.  21,  2002.  He 
is  survived  by  his  wife,  Effie 
(Mocas),  a  son,  a  daughter,  four 
grandchildren  and  six  great- 
grandchildren. Tolis  received  a 
master's  degree  in  education 
from  Worcester  State  College. 
He  served  on  the  faculty  of 
David  Prouty  Junior  High 
School  for  34  years  and  retired 
as  principal  in  1982.  He 
belonged  to  Sigma  Alpha 
Epsilon. 

John  M.  "Jack"  Townsend  '42 

^         "^«   of  Guilford, 
I    Conn., 
I    retired 
founder  and 
chairman  of 
Algonquin 
Industties, 
died  Oct.  30,  2002.  He  is  sur- 
vived by  his  wife,  Jeanette 
(Harrison),  three  sons  and  two 
grandchildren,  and  was  prede- 
ceased by  a  daughrer.  Townsend 
was  a  1954  graduate  of  Rutgers 
University  Graduate  School  of 
Marketing.  He  starred  Algonquin 
Industries  in  1968  and  served  as 


Trans  ft 


or mat i  on  s 


|   Summer  2003     43 


chairman  and  chief  executive 
officer  until  his  retirement 
1982.  He  was  awarded  several 
patents  and  received  the  Robert 
H.  Goddard  Alumni  Award  for 
Outstanding  Professional 
Achievement  in  1982. 

USAF  Col.  Paul  G.  Atkinson 

OJr.  '43  (Ret.)  of  Valley  Forge, 
Pa.,  died  Oct.  1,2002. 
Surviving  family  members 
include  his  wife,  Fairinda 
(Lamb),  two  sons,  Paul  G. 
Atkinson  III  '83  and  John.  D. 
Atkinson  '83,  and  three  daugh- 
ters. Atkinson  was  a  graduate  of 
the  U.S.  Military  Academy  at 
West  Point.  He  also  earned  a 
master's  degree  in  aerospace 
engineering  from  California 
Institute  of  Technology  and  an 
MBA  from  Ohio  State 
University.  He  retired  from  the 
Air  Force  in  1972,  after  a  dis- 
tinguished career  in  the 
Pentagon's  rocket  propulsion 
research  laboratories.  He  was  a 
member  of  Phi  Gamma  Delta 
and  the  Legion  of  Valor. 

Earl  G.  Page  Jr.  '43,  retired 
chief  executive  officer  of 
Grinnell  Fire  Protection 
Systems,  Inc.,  died  Nov.  15, 
2002.  A  longtime  resident  of 
Warwick,  R.I.,  he  and  his  wife, 
Joan  (Moran),  also  had  a  home 
in  Palm  City,  Fla.  Other  sur- 
vivors include  his  son  Stephen 
C.  Page  74,  another  son  and 
two  daughters.  Page  was  instru- 
mental in  the  development  of 
quick-reaction  sprinkler  sys- 
tems, earning  special  commen- 
dation from  former  President 
Ronald  Reagan;  he  received  the 
1983  Robert  H.  Goddard 
Alumni  Award  for  Outstanding 
Professional  Achievement. 

Donald  M.  Roun  '43  of 

Casselberry,  Fla.,  died  Aug.  9, 
2002.  A  former  national  mar- 
keting manager  for  General 
Electric,  he  later  managed  the 
Home  Products  Division  for 
Crane  Co.  He  also  owned  a 
music  store  in  Lexington,  Mass. 
Roun  is  survived  by  his  wife. 
Marcia,  a  son,  three  daughters 


and  four  grandchildren.  He 
belonged  to  Theta  Chi. 

Einar  A.  Eriksen  '44  of  Valley 
Stream,  N.Y., 
died  Aug.  8, 
2002.  He 
leaves  his 
wife,  Peggy 
(nee  Eriksen), 
a  son  and 
two  daughters.  Eriksen  was  a 
retired  manufacturing  engineer- 
ing manager.  In  the  early  1 960s 
he  oversaw  the  design  and 
installation  of  mechanical 
equipment  in  the  first  penicillin 
production  facility  in  Korea.  He 
later  retired  from  Waldes  Truarc, 
where  he  served  as  plant  manag- 
er in  charge  of  the  production 
of  Truarc  retaining  rings.  He 
belonged  to  Alpha  Tau  Omega. 

David  L.  Haight  '44  died  July 
7,  2002,  at  his  home  in  Briar- 
cliff  Manor,  N.Y.  He  was  a  co- 
founder  of  Haggerry  Millwork 
Corp.,  which  he  ran  for  more 
than  50  years,  retiring  in  2001. 
He  is  survived  by  his  wife, 
Elinor  (Horning),  two  sons,  a 
daughter,  and  four  grandchil- 
dren. His  son  David  died  in 
1970.  Haight  belonged  to 
Alpha  Tau  Omega. 

Daniel  Koval  '44,  a  former 

mathematics 
professor, 
died  Oct.  1, 
2001.  He 
leaves  his 
wife,  June, 
rwo  sons  and 
two  grandchildren.  Koval 
earned  a  master's  degree  and 
a  doctorate  in  mathematics  at 
Boston  University  and  taught 
at  Atlantic  Union  College  and 
Columbia  Union  College.  He 
later  moved  to  Angwin,  Calif, 
to  join  the  faculty  of  Pacific 
Union  College,  from  which  he 
retired  in  1988. 

Earl  J.  Balkon  '46  of  Grand- 
ville,  Mich.,  died  March  28, 
2001.  Surviving  family  mem- 
bers include  his  wile,  Virginia, 
and  five  children.  Balkon  w.is 
retired  as  general  manager  lor 


Resurrection  Cemetery  in 
Grand  Rapids. 

George  R.  Morin  Jr.  '46  of 

Wells  Beach, 
Maine,  died 
Dec.  3, 
2002.  He 
leaves  his 
wife,  Patricia 
(Baxendale), 
eight  children  and  17  grandchil- 
dren. Morin  was  retired  from 
Green  Mountain  Metals  Inc., 
which  he  founded  in  1961  and 
sold  in  1985.  He  remained 
active  in  the  real  estate  market 
until  his  death. 

George  C.  Nylen  '46  of 

Tonawanda, 
N.Y.,  died 
Dec.  7, 
2002. 

Predeceased 
by  his  wife, 
S   Joanne,  he  is 


survived  by  a  son.  Nylen  was  a 
.research  engineer  with  Allied 
Chemical  Corp.  He  belonged  to 
Sigma  Phi  Epsilon,  Tau  Beta  Pi 
and  Sigma  Xi. 

Henry  J.  Bove '47  of 
Havertown,  Pa.,  died  Nov.  2, 
2002.  He  is  survived  by  his 
wife,  Viola  (Ferrigno),  a  son 
and  three  grandchildren.  Bove 
was  an  expert  in  process  design 
for  the  chemical  and  power 
industries.  His  career,  which 
included  22  years  with  Day  & 
Zimmerman  and  25  years  with 
United  Engineers,  focused  on 
the  design  ot  air  pollution  con- 
trol systems  for  coal-burning 
units.  He  retired  in  1997  as  vice 
president  for  project  engineer- 
ing for  Raytheon  Engineers  and 
Constructors,  a  former  division 
of  Raytheon.  Bove  was  a  mem- 
ber of  Phi  Kappa  Theta,  Pi 
Delta  Epsilon,  Sigma  Xi  and 
Ttu  Beta  Pi. 

Robert  W.  Dillard'49ol 
Harvard.  Mass..  died  M.iv  2~, 
2001.  He  leaves  his  wile,  loan 
(Allen),  a  son.  three  daughters 
and  (bur  grandchildren.  Dill.mi 
was  .i  purchasing  agem  fbi  New 
I  ngland  Powei  Sen  ice  (  o.  I  le 


previously  worked  for  General 
Electric  and  Sylvania  Co. 

Clifton  C.  Nickerson  '49  of 

West  Boylston,  Mass.,  died 
Nov.  11,  2002.  He  leaves  his 
wife,  Catherine  "Sandy" 
Nickerson,  and  three  sons. 
Nickerson  retired  in  1998  as 
president  and  chief  executive 
officer  of  Image  Concepts 
Technologies,  which  he  founded 
in  1985.  He  previously  worked 
for  Norton  Co.  and  several 
other  area  companies.  He 
belonged  to  Sigma  Phi  Epsilon. 

Albin  O.  Pearson  '49  of  Hayes, 
Va.,  died  Oct.  23,  2002.  He 
leaves  his  wife,  Barbara,  a  son, 
two  stepsons  and  a  step-grand- 
son. Pearson's  career  with  NASA 
was  focused  on  regenerative  life- 
support  systems  and  remote 
sensing  of  water  pollution.  He 
authored  35  papers  and  held 
one  patent.  After  retiring  from 
NASA  as  head  of  the  Marine 
Environments  branch,  he  joined 
Bionetics  Corp.  and  later  retired 
as  vice  president  of  marketing 
and  new  business.  He  belonged 
to  Alpha  Tau  Omega. 

Arthur  W.  Smith '49  of 

Harwich,  Mass.,  died  Oct.  30, 
2002.  He  was  the  widower  of 
Geraldine  (Farrey)  and  the 
father  of  two  sons  and  a  daugh- 
ter, who  survive.  Smith  earned 
his  bachelor's  degree  from  Clark 
University-.  He  taught  high 
school  mathematics  in 
Shrewsbury  and  Worcester. 

Donald  W.  Dodge  '50  of 

Wilmington,  Del.,  died  July  7, 
2002.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Bernice,  a  son,  a  daughter  and 
four  grandchildren.  A  longtime 
chemical  engineer.  Dodge 
earned  a  master's  degree  I  mm 
WP1  in  1952  and  a  doctorate 
from  the  University  of  Dela- 
ware. He  managed  the  develop- 
ment ot  many  key  products  lot 
DuPoni  Co..  including  Kapton, 
a  product  used  in  the  Apollo 
lunar  space  modules,  and  other 
polymers.  He  belonged  to  l.ui 
Beta  I't  and  Sigma  Xi. 


44     Transformations   |  Summer   200 


Col.  Frank  W.  Harding  III 
'50,  USAF  (Ret.),  died  Aug.  1 1, 
2002,  at  his  home  in  Irvine, 
Calif.  An  avid  sailor,  his  adven- 
tures in  the  Caribbean  were 
chronicled  in  Santana  magazine 
and  excerpted  in  the  WPI 
Journal.  Harding  served  in  the 
Army  during  World  War  II, 
then  served  in  the  Air  Force  for 
30  years.  After  retiring  from 
military  service,  he  joined 
Rockwell  Corp.  as  director  of 
procurement  tor  aerospace  proj- 
ects. A  member  of  Phi  Gamma 
Delta,  he  held  an  MBA  from 
George  Washington  University 
and  was  a  recipient  of  NASA's 
Silver  Snoopy  award.  He  leaves 
his  wife,  Diane,  two  sons  and 
six  grandchildren.  He  was  pre- 
deceased by  his  first  wife,  Ann 
(Olsen),  and  two  sons. 

Francis  E.  Kearney  '50  of 

Chesterfield, 
Mo.,  died 
Oct.  8, 
2002.  He 
leaves  his 
wife,  Ruth 
(McTighe),  a 
son,  a  daughter  and  four  grand- 
children. Kearney  earned  an 
MBA  at  American  International 
College  in  1962.  A  longtime 
chemical  engineer,  he  retired 
from  Monsanto  Co.  in  1991  as 
director  of  production  safety. 
He  belonged  to  Phi  Kappa 
Theta. 

Transformations  recently  learned 
of  the  death  of  John  R. 
Kendall  '50  of  Media,  Pa.,  in 
1999.  A  membet  of  Lambda 
Chi  Alpha,  he  worked  for  BMC 
Co.  and  Turner  Construction  Co. 

William  F.  Dewey  Jr.  '51  of 

Westmoreland,  N.H.,  died  Dec. 
8,  2002.  He  is  survived  by  his 
wife,  Elizabeth  (Patrick),  a 
daughter,  four  sons  and  four 
grandchildren.  Dewey  was  a 
mechanical  engineer  for  Wyman- 
Gordon  and  the  founder  of 
Dewey  Associates.  He  belonged 
to  Phi  Sigma  Kappa. 

Edward  C.  Moroney  Jr.  '51 

died  Nov.  19,  2002,  at  his 


home  in  Vienna,  Va.  His  wife, 
Lorraine,  survives.  He  was  the 
father  of  Paul  V.  Moroney  79, 
three  other  sons  and  a  daughter. 
He  also  leaves  four  grandchil- 
dren. Moroney  was  president 
and  co-founder  of  Steele  and 
Moroney  Inc.,  from  which  he 
retired  after  25  years.  He  previ- 
ously worked  for  the  Depart- 
ment of  Transportation  and  for 
Spencer,  White  and  Prentiss,  an' 
excavation  firm.  He  belonged  to 
Phi  Kappa  Theta. 

Dick  van  den  Berge  '51  of 

Windsor  Locks,  Conn.,  died 
Dec.  18,  2002.  He  emigrated 
from  Holland  after  World  War 
II  and  earned  his  bachelor's  and 
master's  degrees  at  WPI.  Van 
den  Berge  was  retired  from 
Hamilton  Standard,  where  he 
served  as  a  senior  analytical 
engineer.  He  is  survived  by  his 
brother,  Rudolph  van  den  Berge 
'56,  a  sister,  his  nephew  Robert 
Vozzola  '80,  and  several  other 
nephews  and  nieces. 

Edward  G.  Samolis  '52  of 

Camillus,  N.Y.,  died  July  16, 
2002.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Suzanne  (Milazzo),  two  sons, 
two  daughters  and  five  grand- 
children. Samolis  was  retired 
from  Robson  Woese  Consulting 
Engineers,  where  he  headed  the 
electrical  department.  He 
belonged  to  Phi  Kappa  Theta, 
Eta  Kappa  Nu,  Tau  Beta  Pi,  Pi 
Delta  Epsilon  and  Skull. 

Walter  E.  Levine  '53  of  Port 
Huron,  Mich.,  died  Sept.  14, 
2002.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Sharon,  two  sons  and  a  daugh- 
ter. Levine  was  retired  as  man- 
ager of  application  equipment 
for  Acheson  Colloids  Co.  He 
belonged  to  Alpha  Epsilon  Pi. 

G.  Raymond  Polen  '53  of 

Parsippany,  N.J.,  died  Sept.  2, 
2002.  He  is  survived  by  his 
wife,  Elizabeth  (Perry),  a  son,  a 
daughter  and  a  granddaughter. 
Polen  retired  from  Boonton 
Electronics  as  vice  president  of 
engineering  in  1991,  after  21 
years  of  service,  then  founded 
Raytronix  Desk  Top  Publishing. 


He  belonged  to  Sigma  Phi 
Epsilon  and  Eta  Kappa  Nu. 

Raymond  R  Porter  '53  of 

Canton,  Ohio,  died  Jan.  9, 
2003,  after  a  courageous  battle 
with  cancer.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Nona,  a  son,  two  daughters  and 
seven  grandchildren.  Porter 
earned  his  Ph.D.  from  the 
University  of  Rochestet  in 
1958.  His  achievements  as  a 
research  chemist  included  for- 
mulating rocket  fuels,  gas-proof 
fabrics  for  military  uses,  and 
specialized  rubber  to  improve 
the  safety  of  automobile  tires. 
His  employers  included 
Degussa  Corp.,  Acushnet  Co. 
Research  &  Development 
Laboratory,  and  General 
Electric.  Porter  was  the  author 
of  several  technical  articles  and 
held  more  than  20  patents. 

Dale  E.  Westbrook  '53  of 

Bowie,  Md.,  died  May  15, 
2001.  A  retired  deputy  chief 
of  hydrographic  surveys  for 
the  National  Oceanic  and 
Atmospheric  Administration's 
National  Ocean  Survey,  he 
married  Ellen  Rasmussen  in 
1956  and  had  three  sons.  He 
belonged  to  Lambda  Chi  Alpha. 

Elmer  M.  "El"  Corujo  '54 

of  Marco 
Island,  Fla., 
died  Dec. 
10,2001.  He 
leaves  his 
wife,  Patricia, 
two  sons, 
three  daughters  and  several 
grandchildren.  Corujo  was 
director  of  Latin  American 
operations  for  Harris  Corp.  He 
belonged  to  Phi  Gamma  Delta 
and  Skull. 

Allan  J.  Costantin  '54  of 

Cincinnati  died  Aug.  23,  2002. 
He  was  a  sales  and  matketing 
manager  with  Crown  Cork  & 
Seal  Co.  A  member  of  Phi 
Kappa  Theta,  Costantin  earned 
an  MBA  from  Rutgers  Univer- 
sity. He  is  survived  by  his  wife, 
Em,  four  sons,  two  daughters 
and  1 1  grandchildren. 


Robert  W.  Fish  '54  of 

Birmingham, 
Ala.,  died 
May  27, 
2002.  He 
leaves  his 
wife, 

Dolores,  five 
children,  10  grandchildren  and 
two  great-grandchildren.  He 
was  the  brother  of  Leonard  W 
Fish  '49,  who  survives,  along 
with  another  brother  Robert 
Fish  served  in  the  U.S.  Army 
Corps  of  Engineers.  He  spent 
his  career  with  U.S.  Steel  and 
retired  as  a  senior  wire  rope  and 
specialist  engineer.  He  later 
served  as  a  consultant  to 
Thomas  Contactors.  He 
belonged  to  Theta  Chi  and 
played  varsity  football. 

Transformations  recently  learned 
of  the  death  of  Robert  B. 
Brodie'55in  1999.  A  1962 
graduate  of  New  York  Law 
School,  he  also  held  a  master's 
degree  in  electrical  engineering 
from  New  Jersey  Institute  of 
Technology.  Brodie  served  as  a 
patent  attorney  for  Western 
Electric,  Raytheon  and  IBM. 
He  and  his  wife,  Edith 
(Malone),  relocated  to  San  Jose, 
Calif,  in  the  1970s. 

James  H.  Colton  '56  of 

Raymond,  N.H.,  died  Nov.  1, 
200 1 .  His  wife,  Linda,  a  daugh- 
ter and  a  grandchild  survive. 
Colton  served  as  plumber  and 
mechanic  at  Phillips  Exeter 
Academy  for  30  years,  where  he 
was  known  as  the  "bearded  elf" 
who  could  fix  just  about  any- 
thing. A  Korean  War  veteran, 
he  learned  to  speak  Hindi  while 
on  assignment  with  the  Peace 
Corps  in  India. 

James  H.  Brigham  '57  (SIM) 

of  Northborough,  Mass.,  died 
Oct.  25,  2002,  at  the  age  of  80. 
A  1943  graduate  of  Northeast- 
ern University,  he  worked  at 
Bay  State  Abrasives  for  44  years 
and  retired  in  1987  as  sales  and 
marketing  manager.  Predeceased 
by  his  wife,  Barbara  (Libbey), 
he  leaves  two  sons,  a  daughter 
and  five  grandchildren. 


Trans  ft 


or  ma  t  ion  s 


|    Summer  2003     45 


Charles  H.  Kelsey  Jr.  '57  of 

Berlin,  Mass.,  died  Nov.  2, 
200 1 .  He  earned  a  masrer's 
degree  at  Northeastern 
University  and  was  a  self- 
employed  consulting  engineer. 
His  wife,  Nancy,  survives. 

James  P.  Ricardi  '58  (SIM), 

Oage  79,  died  Sept.  24,  2002,  at 
his  home  in  West  Boylston, 
after  a  long  battle  with  cancer. 
He  leaves  his  wife,  Lorraine 
(St.  Andre),  two  sons  and  five 
grandchildren.  Ricardi  was  re- 
tired as  plant  manager  for  James 
Monroe  Wire  and  Cable  Co. 

Transformations  recently  learned 
of  the  death  of  James  M. 
Lawson  '59  (SIM)  of  Rochdale, 
Mass.,  in  2000.  He  was  presi- 
dent and  director  of  O.  S. 
Walker  Co.  He  and  his  wife, 
Marion,  had  four  children. 

Fred  W.  Kloiber  '60  of  Hilron 
Head  Island,  S.C.,  died  Nov. 
19,  2001.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Rosemary,  and  two  daughters. 
Kloiber  was  retired  from 
Norden  Systems,  where  he 
worked  as  a  project  engineer. 
He  belonged  to  Sigma  Xi,  Tau 
Beta  Pi  and  Eta  Kappa  Nu. 

Glendon  C.  Home  '62  (SIM) 
of  Westborough,  Mass.,  died 
Ocr.  20,  2002,  at  the  age  of  81. 
He  leaves  his  wife,  Dorothy 
(Dutcher),  and  several  nieces 
and  nephews.  Home  worked  for 
Leland-Gifford  Co.  for  41  years 
and  retired  as  director  of  pur- 
chasing and  traffic.  He  later 
worked  ar  Lindco  as  a  purchas- 
ing agent  for  five  years.  Along 
with  his  wife,  Home  operated 
the  Hornet's  Nest  antique  shop 
for  12  years. 

Howard  W.  Milke  '64  (MNS) 
of  Ogunquit,  Maine,  died 
June  11,2002.  He  was  81. 
A  graduate  of  Johns  Hopkins 
University,  he  was  a  retired 
research  engineer  for  GTE 
Sylvania.  Surviving  family 
members  include  his  wife,  Jean 
(Hatch),  a  son,  two  daughters, 
and  seven  grandchildren. 


Rollin  K.  Corwin  '65  of 

Houston,  Texas,  died  Jan.  5, 
2003,  after  a  battle  with  lung 
cancer.  He  worked  in  rhe  power 
utility  industry  before  srarting 
HiCor,  a  ceiling  fan  business,  in 
the  early  1970s.  The  fans,  man- 
ufactured in  Houston,  Taiwan 
and  Hong  Kong,  became  a  pop- 
ular during  the  energy  shortages 
of  that  era.  A  member  of  Phi 
Gamma  Delta,  Corwin  is  sur- 
vived by  his  wife,  Patricia 
(McGrady),  and  two  sons. 

Transfo7~mations  recently  learned 
of  the  death  of  George  T. 
"Jud"  Oldham  '65  in  2000.  A 
U.S.  Air  Force  veteran,  he  was 
a  pilor  for  Pacific  Southwest 
Airlines  and  U.S.  Air.  Oldham 
and  his  wife,  Lorraine,  lived  in 
Poway,  Calif.  He  belonged  to 
Sigma  Phi  Epsilon. 

Stephen  J.  Formica  '66  of 

Bernardsville,  N.J.,  died  Jan.  8, 
2002.  He  is  survived  by  his 
wife,  Patricia,  a  son  and  a 
daughter.  Formica  held  a  mas- 
ter's degree  in  operations 
research  from  Cornell  Univer- 
sity and  an  MBA  from  Fairleigh 
Dickenson  University.  He 
worked  for  Millenium  Corp. 
and  had  previously  worked  for 
AT&T  Network  Systems  and 
Bell  Labs.  He  belonged  to  Phi 
Kappa  Theta,  Tau  Beta  Pi  and 
Et  Kappa  Nu. 

Wallace  P.  Fini  '67  of  San 

Diego  died 
May  4,  2003. 

A  Navy 


veteran,  he 
retired  with 
the  rank  of 
commander 
and  joined  Life  Cycle  Engineer- 
ing as  a  program  manager. 
Surviving  family  members 
include  a  son  and  a  daughter. 
He  belonged  to  Pi  Delta 
Epsilon  and  Alpha  Psi  Omega. 

George  N.  Shepard  '68  of 
Cumming,  Ga.,  died  March  20. 
2002.  He  lews  his  wife. 
Kathleen,  two  sons,  four  daugh- 
ters and  six  grandchildren. 


Shepard  worked  for  The 
Foxboro  Company  and  later 
joined  Georgia  Power. 

Stephen  I.  Zuckerman  '69 

of  Washington,  D.C.,  died  Sept. 
9,  2002.  A  longtime  self- 
employed  computer  consultant 
and  contractor,  he  later  worked 
for  Verizon.  In  1982,  he  mar- 
ried Theresa  (Stranges)  of  Rio 
de  Janeiro,  Brazil,  who  survives. 
The  couple  visited  Brazil  yearly, 
where  Zuckerman  learned 
Portuguese  and  made  many 
friends.  He  belonged  to  Alpha 
Psi  Omega. 

William  P.  Hanley  '72  (SIM) 
of  Framingham,  Mass.,  died 
Nov.  20,  2002,  at  the  age  of  79. 
Predeceased  by  his  wife,  Jean 
(DelPrete),  he  leaves  a  son,  a 
daughter,  and  a  granddaughter. 
Hanley  was  a  controller  for  the 
former  Worcesrer  Gas  &  Light 
Co.  for  40  years. 

Paul  H.  Clark  '73  of 

•  Westborough,  Mass.,  died  Jan. 
19,  2003.  He  worked  for 
Digital  Equipment  Corp.  and, 
later,  3Com  Corp.  Clark 
belonged  to  Phi  Gamma  Delta. 
Surviving  family  members 
include  his  mother,  a  sister,  a 
niece  and  a  nephew. 

Gary  J.  Velozo  '74  of  Somerset, 
Mass.,  died  Aug.  16,  2002.  He 
leaves  his  wife,  Janice  (Ellsworth), 
a  son,  a  daughter,  two  stepsons 
and  four  grandchildren.  Velozo 
was  a  senior  engineer  at  Polaroid 
Corp.,  where  he  had  worked 
since  1978.  He  belonged  to 
Alpha  Tau  Omega  and  Pi  Tau 
Sigma. 

James  A.  Rudolph  '79  of 

Stoneham,  Mass.,  died  April  2. 
2002.  He  leaves  his  partner, 
Harold  Harder,  his  mother  and 
two  brothers.  Rudolph  was  an 
engineer  at  Gillette,  and  previ- 
ously worked  for  High  Voltage 
Engineering.  I  le  enjoyed  col- 
lecting and  restoring  old  cars. 

Craig  R.  Abraham  '81  of 

Ashland,  Mass.,  died  Sept.  20. 
2002.  Diagnosed  with  leukemia 


in  July  2001,  he  succumbed  to 
complications  of  a  bone  mar- 
row transplanr.  He  leaves  his 
wife,  Louise  (Joyce),  and  three 
sons.  Abraham  earned  an  MBA 
at  Babson  College  in  1989.  He 
joined  Stratus  Computer  in 
1988,  where  he  continued 
while  the  company  evolved  into 
Ascend  Co.,  Lucent  Technolo- 
gies and  most  recently  DNCP 
Solutions. 

Felix  J.  Kokernak  '81  (PLE) 

of  Grafton,  Mass.,  died  July  12, 
2001,  at  the  age  of  76.  He 
earned  a  certificate  in  Plant 
Engineering  from  WPI  in 
1981.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Irene 
(Bianchi),  two  sons,  a  daughter, 
two  grandchildren  and  four 
great-grandchildren.  Kokernak 
was  a  retired  electrician  and  a 
member  of  the  International 
Brotherhood  of  Electricians. 

Richard  Maryyanek  '94  (SIM) 
of  Northbtidge,  Mass.,  died 
Nov.  18,  2002,  after  being 
stricken  ill  at  home.  He  was  64. 
His  wife,  the  former  Eleanor 
Whitney,  died  two  weeks  earli- 
er. A  daughter,  a  son  and  a 
granddaughter  survive. 
Maryyanek  was  a  retired  senior 
product  engineer  who  worked 
at  Cabot  Safety  Corp.,  formerly 
American  Optical  Co.,  for  40 
years. 


46     I  r,t?is  formations    \   Summer   2003 


Fast  Company 

Continued  from  page  31 

Things  took  off  from  there.  Within  a  few  years,  Chalke 
began  marketing  his  home-grown  software  directly  to  financial 
institutions,  so  they  could  design  their  own  products.  He 
ultimately  built  the  company  to  nearly  $14  million  in  revenue 
and  around  100  employees  before  merging  it  with  another 
similar  company  and  then  taking  the  combined  entity  public 
in  the  spring  of  1996 — right  in  the  middle  of  the  tech  boom. 
Speed  is  good,  but  timing  is  even  better. 

Chalke  stayed  on  for  about  a  year  after  it  went  public 
before  leaving  to  start  his  second  company,  AnnuityNet.  This 
time  there  was  no  need  to  start 
up  on  a  shoestring,  and  he 
raised  about  $40  million  in 
venture  capital  for  the  dot-com, 
which  intended  to  build  the 
technical  platform  to  sell 
annuities  (a  specialized  type 
of  mutual  fund)  direct  to 
consumers  over  the  Internet, 
reducing  investment  costs  much 
as  companies  like  ETrade  did 
with  stocks.  "Annuities  have 
the  highest  commissions  in  the 
industry,"  Chalke  says.  His 
direct-sales  model  aimed  to 
save  investors  money  by  helping 
them  to  avoid  those  steep 
commissions. 

"It  took  me  two  years  to 
prove  that  that  couldn't  be 
done,"  he  says  with  a  laugh. 
"I  said,  'The  world  shouldn't 
be  this  way.'  Well,  it  is.  We  had 
good  technology,  but  people 
didn't  want  it."  With  the 
company  going  nowhere  and 
the  dot-com  bubble  bursting, 
Chalke  changed  the  business 
model  in  2000. 

He  couldn't  do  anything  about  the  commissions,  but  there 
was  another  problem  he  could  solve:  "All  the  companies  selling 
annuities  were  doing  it  with  big  stacks  of  forms  and  Bic  pens," 
Chalke  says.  "Very  out  of  date."  AnnuityNet's  new  business 
model  was  to  provide  order  exchange  to  the  brokers, 
automating  their  processes.  The  reformulated  strategy  was 
a  near-instant  hit,  and  the  company's  45  customers  now 
constitute  approximately  40  percent  of  the  annuity  market. 

"The  lesson  I  keep  learning  over  and  over  again  is  that  you 
have  to  be  totally  without  hesitation  to  nuke  your  business 


AnnuityNet  recently  merged  with  Wachovia  Insurance  Agency,  Inc.;  Chalke, 
shown  here  at  his  home,  will  remain  as  president  and  CEO  of  AnnuityNet. 


model  if  it's  not  working  fast,"  Shane  says.  "I  probably  should 
have  done  it  even  quicker.  But  inventors  like  what  they  invent. 
The  attitude — mine  included — is  'the  world's  not  smart 
enough  for  me.'" 

Chalke  is  smart,  all  right,  and  what's  more,  he's  got  style. 
His  various  collections  showcase  his  preference  for  uniqueness 
over  simply  the  latest  and  greatest.  His  Maserati  is  a  1977  Bora, 
a  limited  edition  that  he  readily  admits  he  bought  because  it 
was  the  car  he  lusted  after  as  a  teenager.  Shane's  motorcycle 
collection  includes  a  Rokon  Trailblazer,  a  civilian  version  of 

a  military  bike  designed  for 
desert  operations,  which  he  put 
to  good  use  during  Virginia's 
recent  snowy  winter  to  tow  his 
daughters,  Priscilla  and  Jillian, 
back  up  snow-covered  hills 
after  sledding.  He  also  owns  a 
rare  MV  Agusta  that  he  bought 
from  a  museum  in  Tokyo,  a 
"one  of  a  kind"  bike  with,  as 
he  puts  it,  a  "colorful  but 
unverified  history."  And  some 
of  his  interesting  items  are 
biological,  not  mechanical: 
Nikita,  a  rare  and  brilliandy 
colored  Hyacinth  macaw,  holds 
court  in  the  kitchen,  and  a 
pair  of  peacocks  strut  in  the 
backyard. 

Variety — whether  in  his 
hobbies  or  pets  or  business 
moves — is  clearly  something 
that  appeals  to  him.  Chalke 
admits  that  despite  Annuity- 
Net's  success — or  maybe  more 
accurately  because  of  it — he'll 
soon  enough  be  ready  to  try 
something  else;  he  needs  to 
scratch  the  startup  itch  again, 
to  fly  by  the  seat  of  his  pants  once  more  in  a  fast-paced 
environment. 

His  biggest  task,  however,  will  be  living  up  to  a  promise 
he  made  to  his  wife,  Monique:  that  he'd  take  a  year  off  after 
AnnuityNet.  What  will  keep  his  motor  running  during  a  year 
without  work?  "I  don't  know.  Something.  I  can't  imagine  just 
sequestering  myself  in  my  garage  playing  with  motorcycles  in 
the  day  and  playing  jazz  at  night... actually,  wait  a  minute,  that 
sounds  pretty  good!"  One  thing's  for  sure:  when  the  time 
comes,  you  can  bet  he'll  think  of  something.  Fast. 


Trans  fo 


rmati  o  ns 


Su  j 


2003     47 


Time  Machine 


William  R.  Grogan  '46 


The  Worcester  Twister 

Fifty  years  ago  a  tornado  wreaked  havoc  on  Worcester  County.  Some  of  us  will  never  forget. 


At  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of  June  9,  1953,  the  WPI  faculty 
entered  Boynton  Hall  for  its  last  meeting  of  the  year.  Professor 
Francis  J.  Adams  of  the  Electrical  Engineering  Department,  secretary 
of  the  faculty,  took  attendance,  as  he  always  did,  entirely  from 
memory.  Physics  professor  Ralph  Heller  arrived  late,  as  he  always  did, 
and  apologized  profusely.  The  business  was  conducted  efficiently 
since  there  was  little  voting  in  those  days.  Who  in  that  secure  setting 
could  have  imagined  that  within  the  hour  many  of  their  homes 
would  be  destroyed — and  many  of  their  lives  changed  forever? 

At  4:55  p.m.  the  sky  suddenly  grew  dark  and  the  fourth  deadliest 
tornado  in  American  hisrory  bore  down  on  the  town  of  Holden,  just 
north  of  Worcester.  The  twister  was  extremely  powerful  and  reached 
a  width  of  one-half  mile.  Fifteen  minutes  later  it  entered  the  city  of 


Gary.  The  house  began  to  shake  violently,  the  windows  blew  out 
and  the  side  of  the  house  buckled.  With  Gary  in  her  arms  she  rushed 
to  the  enclosed  stairway  to  avoid  flying  glass.  This  is  where  Charlie 
and  fellow  coach  Merl  Norcross  found  them,  over  an  hour  later. 
Marianne's  older  son,  Chipper,  8,  was  visiting  a  friend  down  the 
street.  The  mother  of  Chipper's  friend  had  put  both  boys  behind  the 
sofa  and  lay  on  rop  of  them.  They  escaped  harm,  but  just  across  the 
street  two  children  were  nor  so  lucky.  They  perished  in  the  wake  of 
the  twister. 

With  WPI  students  already  gone  for  the  summer,  Sanford  Riley 
Hall  was  empty.  It  was  quickly  pressed  into  service  as  a  shelter.  A 
doctor  and  a  few  nurses  staffed  the  makeshift  hospital  and  neighbots 
brought  sheets,  blankets  and  coffee.  All  through  the  night,  National 


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In  June  of  1953,  the  Worcester  tornado  claimed  the  lives  of  94,  including  several  faculty  members  at  Assumption  College,  now  Quinsigamond  Community 
College,  making  it  the  fourth  deadliest  twister  in  U.S.  history.  The  Burncoat  Street  area  was  also  severely  hit. 


Worcester  at  Brattle  Street.  In  just  moments  it  ravaged  Norton 
Company,  then  headed  for  Assumption  College  (now  Quinsigamond 
Community  College).  The  campus  was  reduced  to  rubble  and  several 
faculty  members  were  killed. 

The  funnel  moved  to  the  Burncoat  Street  area,  then  entered 
Great  Brook  Valley,  which  at  the  time  was  a  low-cost  housing  project 
for  WWII  veterans  and  their  families.  Many  children  lived  there — 
and  many  children  died  there  that  fateful  day. 

As  clapboards,  roofing  shingles,  letters  and  bank  checks  from  the 
Worcester  area  rained  onto  the  streets  ot  Wcllcslcy  and  Quincy  35 
miles  to  the  east,  the  Boston  weather  bureau  issued  the  first  tornado 
warning  in  New  England's  history.  It  was  5:45  p.m. 

Many  Wl'l  (acuity  and  stall  who  lived  in  the  affected  areas  lost 
their  homes.  Marianne  McNultv,  wife  oi  the  late  WPI  coach  Charlie 
McNulty.  vividly  recalls  being  home  alone  with  her  2-year-old  son. 


Guard  trucks  deposited  victims  at  the  door,  while  ambulances 
howled  endlessly  throughout  the  city. 

1  spent  the  night  at  Sanford  Riley  recording  who  was  there 
and  an  estimate  of  their  condition  lor  the  local  radio  stations. 
Meanwhile,  students  ran  the  information  over  to  Professor  Hobart 
Newell  at  WPI's  ham  station,  W1YK.  to  be  relayed  to  frantic 
relatives  across  the  country. 

Since  the  National  Guard  was  occupying  Alden  Memorial 
Auditorium.  WPI's  commencement  was  held  outside  for  the  first 
time.  On  June  13.  graduation  ceremonies  lor  the  <  liss  ol  1953  took 

place  on  the  football  held.  Amid  the  pomp  and  circumst.iiKc  it  was 
hard  to  imagine  that  just  live  days  earlier  a  great  storm  had  ravaged 
Worcester  County,  Fifty  years  later,  the  memories  ol  |une  9,  19 
though  laded — remain  vivid  to  mam. 


4  8     Irani  formations    \   Summer   2003 


Graduate  Program 

Earn  a  master's  or  graduate 

certificate  in  one  of  more  than 

50  programs,  on  a  full-  or  part-time 

basis,  at  WPI's  Worcester,  Waltham 

or  Southborough  campuses,  or 

through  distance  learning.  Contact 

508-831-5301  orgse@wpi.edu. 

Graduate  Management 

VPI  offers  one  of  the  nation's  leading 

ihigh-tech  MBAs  as  well  as  master's 

and  graduate  certificate  programs 

focused  on  the  management  of 

I  technology.  Contact  508-831  -521 8 

or  mgt@wpi.edu. 

Continuing  and 
Professional  Education 

More  than  60  seminars  and 

certificate  programs,  including 

Information  Technology,  Project 

Management  Development  and 

Quality  Improvement  (Six  Sigma), 

are  offered  in  Southborough, 

Waltham  and  Chelmsford. 

Contact  508-480-8202 

or  continuinged@wpi.edu. 

Advanced  Distance 
Learning  Network 

Complete  a  graduate  certificate  or 

master's  degree  when  and  where  it 

fits  into  your  life.  Programs  vary 

rom  Wireless  Communications  and 

Environmental  Engineering  to  Fire 

Protection  Engineering  and  our 

technology  MBA.  Contact 

508-831-5220  or  adln@wpi.edu. 

Corporate  Education 

'*IPI  customizes  graduate  educational 
programs  in  response  to  corporate 
eeds.  On-site  and  accelerated  pro- 
grams are  created  for  corporations 
throughout  the  world.  Contact 
508-831-6789  or  e-mail 
corped@wpi.edu. 


WPI's  graduate  and 

continuing  education 

programs  open  doors  to 


today's  rapidly  changing 
global  marketplace. 


kY/TWT-Tni  rra  n 


WPI  Alumni 
Never  Change  Their  Stripes 

Come  Back  to  Where  You  Always  Belong 

Homecoming  2003 

October  10-11 


Friday 

Alumni  and  Friends  Fly-In 
Athletic  Hall  of  Fame  Induction 
Class  of  2003  Reunion  Activities 

Saturday 

Varsity  Football  vs.  Norwich 

Parade  of  Floats 

Class  Boards  of  Directors  Meeting 

Freshman/Sophomore  Rope  Pull 

Reunions:  Classes  of  '88,  '93,  '98  and  '0 

For  mere  information,  contact 
the  Office  of  Alumni  Relations 
at  508-831-5600  or 
homecoming@wpi.edu,  or  visit 
www.wpi.edu/4- Alumni. 


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Science  and  Technology. 

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JOURNAL      OF      PEOPLE      AND      CHANGE 


I 


WPI  and  the  Century  of  Powered  Flight 

What  Goes  Up  Must  Come  Down 

Robert  Rodier '51 


The  Unfriendly  Skies 

Hie  future  of  air-based  defense 

Why  I  Fly 

Maj.  Stacey  Bonasso  '90 


I  Profiles  in  Giving 


On  Building  Technological  Leadership 

Leading  Avaya,  which  designs,  builds  and  manages 
communications  networks  for  more  than  one  million 
businesses  worldwide,  WPI  alumnus  and  trustee  Don 
Peterson  '71  has  a  unique  understanding  of  WPI's  need  to 
keep  technologically  current  and  competitive.  This  insight 
led  Peterson  to  support  the  donation  of  networking 
equipment  and  wiring  that  enabled  the  university  to 
support  gigabit  speed  for  all  its  individual  users. 

"It  has  been  rewarding  to  help  WPI  create  one  of  the 
most  advanced  university  computer  networks  in  New 
England,"  Peterson  says.  "And,  by  helping  WPI  offer  a 
cutting-edge  education,  we  help  enable  the  university  to 
prepare  the  innovators  and  leaders  that  our  company 
and  our  society  will  need  in  the  years  ahead." 

WPI's  network  is  critical  not  only  to  its  mission  of 
research  and  education,  but  also  for  day-to-day  operations, 


Donald  K.  Peterson  '71 

Chairman  and  CEO:  Avaya  Inc.,  Basking  Ridge,  N.J. 
Gift  Arrangement:  Corporate  Gift-in-Kind 


a  key  consideration  in  the  aggressive  three-year  upgrade  of 
the  campuswide  networking  infrastructure. 

"I  am  fortunate  to  lead  a  company  that  values  quality 
education  and  is  willing  to  invest  in  the  institutions  that 
provide  tomorrow's  technological  leaders,"  Peterson  says. 
"Of  course,  these  gifts  benefit  Avaya  as  well.  We  now  enjoy 
enhanced  visibility  on  campus.  The  students  who  use  this 
equipment  today  may  be  our  customers — or  our  leaders — 
tomorrow." 

The  Right  Connection:  Building  a 
Corporate  Partnership  With  WPI 

Do  you  work  for  a  company  that  might  want  to  make 
such  a  "gift-in-kind" — a  gift  of  company-manufactured 
equipment  or  software — to  WPI?  Would  your  company 
be  interested  in  investing  in  other  programs,  from  research 
to  scholarships  to  outreach  programs?  WPI's  Office  of 
Corporate  Relations  would  be  happy  to  work  with  you  and 
your  corporation  to  make  gifts  and  build  relationships. 

Relationships  between  WPI  and  corporations  benefit 
both  partners.  Companies  recruit  talent  on  campus,  retrain 
employees  with  WPI's  on-  and  off-site  programs,  and 
further  research  and  development  using  the  university's 
students,  faculty  and  facilities.  Together  with  corporations, 
WPI  helps  build  the  pipeline  of  engineering  and  science 
students,  especially  women  students  and  students  at  color. 
The  Office  of  Corporate  Relations  is  ready  to  help  your 
company  build  a  valuable  relationship  with  WPI  today. 


If  you  would  like  to  join  Don  Peterson  and  the  many  others  who  support  WPI 

through  building  partnerships  between  their  employer  and  the  university,  please  contact 

Denise  Rodino,  executive  director  of  corporate  relations,  at  508-83 1  -5607  or  drrodino@wpi.edu. 


Alumni  Association  Calendar 


2003 

Dec.  3  WPI  Holiday  Concert 

Worcester  Alumni  Club  members  gather  for  a  holiday  celebration. 
Reception,  Higgins  House,  6  p.m.;  concert,  Alden  Memorial, 
7:30  p.m.** 

Dec.  1 0  Tech  Old  Timers 

Holiday  music  performance.  Odeum,  Campus  Center;  coffee  at 
9:45  a.m.,  meeting  at  10:30.  Lunch  available  immediately 
following  program.  ** 


2004 

Jan.  1 4  Tech  Old  Timers 

A  Peace  Corps  experience  in  Siberia.  Odeum,  Campus  Center; 
coffee  at  9:45  a.m.,  meeting  at  10:30.  Lunch  available  immediately 
following  program.  ** 

Jan.  14,  21  &  28  Technologies  That  Are  Changing 
Our  World 

Speaker  series  featuring  WPI  faculty.  Cahners  Theatre,  Boston 
Museum  of  Science,  Science  Park,  Boston,  7  to  8:30  p.m.,  free. 
For  more  information,  617-589-0419  or  www.mos.org/lectures. 

Jan.  1 7  Second  Annual  Young  Alumni  Winter  Social 

Owen  O'Leary's  Restaurant,  Framingham,  8  to  1  1  p.m. 
$  1 0  at  the  door.  * 

Feb.  3-4  FORUM  2004:  The  WPI  China  Connection 

WPI  alumni  and  friends  present  workshops  on  conducting  business  in 
the  Far  East.  SRI  International,  333  Ravenswood  Ave.,  Menlo  Park, 
Calif.  For  information,  508-831-6024  or  forum2004@wpi.edu. 

Feb.  4  Greater  Boston  Alumni  Club 

GOLD  Council  sponsors  Alan  Glou  on  "It's  Not  Who  You  Know, 
It's  Who  Knows  You."  Westin  Hotel,  Waltham,  Mass.,  6:30  to 
8:30  p.m.  $15.** 

Feb.  1 1  Tech  Old  Timers 

WPI  "Down  Under"—  an  Australian  experience,  as  told  by  three 
students  from  the  Class  of  2004.  Odeum,  Campus  Center,  coffee  at 
9:45  a.m.,  meeting  at  10:30.  Lunch  available  immediately  following 
program.  ** 

March  1  Florida  Social 

Sunshine  State  alums  gather  to  socialize.  The  Provence,  Naples, 
5:30  to  8  p.m. 

March  6  Alumni  Leadership  Council  Meeting 

Odeum,  Campus  Center,  8:30  a.m.  to  2  p.m.  * 

March  1 0  Tech  Old  Timers 

"A  Bird's  Eye  View  of  Worcester:  A  History  As  Told  Through  Its 
Buildings,"  with  Elizabeth  Bacon,  education  director  for  Preservation 
Worcester.  Odeum,  Campus  Center,  coffee  at  9:45  a.m.,  meeting  at 
10:30.  Lunch  available  immediately  following  program.  ** 

March  20  Cats  Matinee 

Join  WPI  alumni  at  a  special  performance  of  this  classic 
Broadway  musical.  The  Bushnell,  Hartford,  Conn.,  2  p.m.  Orchestra 
seats  $42.75.* 


April  7  Tech  Old  Timers 

Heifer  Project  International.  Odeum,  Campus  Center, 
coffee  at  9:45  a.m.,  meeting  at  10:30.  Lunch 
available  immediately  following  program.  ** 

April  1 2  Traditions  Day 

See  the  campus  by  candlelight  during  the 
Candlewalk,  a  guided  four  led  by  Student  Alumni 
Society  members  the  evening  of  April  1  1 .  April  1  2 
is  a  daylong  celebration  of  WPI  traditions, 
including  history  exhibits,  Pennant  Rush,  Cageball 
event,  Alma  Mater  Contest  and  WPI  Jeopardy. 

May  1 2  Tech  Old  Timers  Ladies  Day 

Historic  papers  signed  by  the  famous  and 
infamous.  Odeum,  Campus  Center;  coffee  at 
9:45  a.m.,  meeting  at  10:30.  Lunch  available 
immediately  following  program.  ** 

May  22  Commencement 

June  10-13  Reunion  Weekend 

Even  if  it's  not  your  reunion  year,  you're  invited 
to  check  out  the  fun  and  informative  workshops 
offered  as  part  of  the  Alumni  College.  ** 

June  28  WPI  Alumni  Golf  Tournament 

Elmcrest  Country  Club,  105  Somersville  Rd., 
East  Longmeadow,  Mass.  * 

July  24  Resorts  of  the  Rockies 

This  trip  heralds  the  resurrection  of  the  Alumni 
Travel  Program!  Join  a  1  2-day  tour  of  the 
Canadian  Rockies,  from  Banff  to  Vancouver. 
$2,649  per  person,  includes  round-trip  airfare 
from  Boston.  For  further  infor-mation,  contact 
Rosenlund  Travel  Service  at 
508-791-2337. 

October  1  Canyon  Country 

See  the  best  of  the  West  on  a  nine-day  tour,  from 
the  Grand  Canyon  and  Las  Vegas  to  Monument 
Valley.  $1,949  per  person,  includes  round-trip 
airfare  from  Boston.  For  further  information,  contact 
Rosenlund  Travel  Service  at  508-791-2337. 

October  8-9  Homecoming  2004 

Football,  soccer  games,  barbecue,  rope  pull, 
family  carnival,  and  more.  * 


ip8 


*  Contact  508-831-5600  or  regional-events@wpi.edu. 
**  Contact  508-831-5600  or  alumni  office@wpi.edu. 


i.edu/+Alu 


L      U      M      E  1 


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FALL    2  00  3 


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1 2  Information  Please:  A  Search  Engine 
With  Soul 

Jim  Baum  '87  is  leading  a  revolution  that  changes  the  very  way  we  organize 
and  access  information  online.  By  Eileen  McCluskey 

Special  Section:  100  Years  of  Powered  Flight 
1 6  Many  Small  Steps,  One  Giant  Leap 

An  introduction  to  WPI's  role  in  aviation  and  a  timeline  that  chronicles 
100  years  of  innovation.  By  Michael  W.  Dorsey 

1  8  What  Goes  Up  Must  Come  Down 

From  Apollo  parachutes  to  pilot  ejection  systems,  Robert  Rodier  '51  has 
engineered  many  soft  landings.  By  Amy  Spielberg 

22  The  Unfriendly  Skies 

WPI  alumni  are  helping  build  costly  air-based  defense  systems  that  can  think, 
see  and  fight  like  never  before.  By  Wendy  Wolfson 

27  The  Next  1 00  Years 

From  spacecraft  propulsion  to  nanosatellites,  WPI  faculty  and  students  are 
helping  shape  the  next  century  of  aviation.  By  Eileen  McCluskey 

32  Why  I  Fly 

F-16  pilot  Maj.  Stacey  (Cotton)  Bonasso  '90  tells  us  what  keeps 
her  reaching  ever  higher. 


On  the  Cover:  Maj.  David  P.  Smilh  '89  stands  under  the  massive 
engine  of  a  C-5  cargo  plane.  He  was  a  ROTC  cadel  at  WPI  and 
he  studied  aerospace  in  the  Mechanical  Engineering  Department. 
After  graduation  he  was  commissioned  in  the  Air  Force  and  flew 
passenger  and  cargo  planes  for  1 0  years,  and  later,  commercial 
jets  for  American  Airlines.  Now  a  reservist  with  the  337th  at 
Weslover  Air  Force  Base  in  Chicopee,  Mass.,  he  recently  flew  to 
Turkey,  Kyrgyzstan,  Kuwait  and  Baghdad  on  missions  to  support 
operations  Enduring  Freedom  and  Iraqi  Freedom.  He  lives  in 
Worcester  with  his  wife,  Morgan,  and  their  three  children 


4  Campus  Buzz 


'     48  Ti 


Time  M 


4/5/6  Campus  Buzz 

Marketing  campaign  milestones;  President  Parrish  to  depart. 


34/35  Alumni  Connections 

The  annual  Legacy  Lunch  strengthens  family  ties  to  WPI. 


7  A  Few  Words 

Sheila  Widnall,  MIT  professor  of  aerodynamics,  former 
secretary  of  the  Air  Force,  and  member  of  the  Columbia 
shuttle  accident  investigation  board,  on  women's 
changing  roles  in  science  and  the  military. 

8  Explorations:  Costa  Rica  Calling 

Can  we  really  widen  a  student's  worldview  and  make  the 
world  a  better  place  in  just  14  weeks?  By  Carol  Cambo 


36  Class  Notes 
48  Time  Machine 

Of  Hardware  and  History:  Scott  Ashton  '92  helps  pilot 
the  New  England  Air  Museum. 


On  the  Web  www.wpi.edu/+Transformations 

The  conversation  doesn't  end  here.  Be  sure  to  check  out  the  online  edition  of  the 
Fall  2003  Transformations,  where  you'll  find  extra  features  and  links  related  to  the 
stories  in  this  issue.  While  you're  online,  send  us  your  news,  write  a  letter  to  the 
editor,  or  chat  with  fellow  WPI  grads  in  the  Alumni  Cafe. 


Staff:  Director  of  Communications:  Michael  W.  Dorsey;  Editor:  Carol  Cambo;  Alumni  News  Editor:  Joan  Killough- 
Miller;  Design  Director:  Michael  J.  Sherman;  Design:  re:design  pascal;  Production  Manager:  Bonnie  McCrea; 
Production  Maven:  Peggy  Isaacson;  Department  Icons:  Art  Guy  Studios. 

Alumni  Communications  Committee:  Robert  C.  labonte  '54,  chairman;  Kimberly  A.  (Lemoi|  Bowers  '90, 
James  S.  Demetry  '58,  William  J.  Firla  Jr.  '60,  William  R.  Grogan  '46,  Amy  L.  (Plack)  Marr  '96, 
Roger  N.  Perry  Jr.  '45,  Harlan  B.  Williams  '50. 

Transformations  (ISSN  1538-5094),  formerly  the  WPI  Journal,  is  published  four  times  a  year  in  February, 
May,  August  and  November  for  the  WPI  Alumni  Association  by  University  Marketing. 
Printed  in  USA  by  Mercantile/Image  Press. 

Diverse  views  presented  in  this  magazine  do  not  necessarily  reflect  the  opinions  of  the  editors  or  official  WPI  policies.  We  welcome  letters  to  the  editor.  Address  correspondence  to  the  Editor, 
Transformations,  WPI,  100  Institute  Road,  Worcester,  MA  016092280.  Phone:  508-831-6037;  Fax:  508-831-5820;  e-mail:  transformations@wpi.edu;  Web:  www.wpi.edu/+Transformations. 
Periodical  postage  paid  at  Worcester,  Mass.,  and  at  additional  mailing  offices.  Postmaster:  please  send  address  changes  to  address  above.  Entire  contents  ©  2003,  Worcester  Polytechnic  Institute. 


The  University  of 
Science  and  Technology. 
And  Life., 


m 


Branding  Campaign  Hits  Its  Stride 


w^ 


Congratulations, 

you  just  made 

your  first  discovery. 


WPl  is  one  of  a  select  number  of  universities  where  todays 
leading  science  and  technology  companies  choose  to  recruit. 


EMCTcradyoc  Enon-Mobu.  GE.  Abbott  Laboratories. 

I  bey  don't  come  to  Worcester  Polyrechn  k  Imnruir  just  for  our  beautiful  campus. 

Or  foi  a  burger  and  Frio  at  the  historic  Boulevard  Diner.  They  come  became 

our  cumculum  combines  theory  with  practice  and  coniineniK  produces 

well-rounded,  field-tested  graduates  who  are  prepared  to  make  an 

impact  right  away.  Discover  more,  including  why  so  many  WPl  students 

go  on  to  study  ar  the  country's  most  prestigious  graduate  sdnnls. 


Visit  us  today  a 


wpi.edu/rinfo 


IWPI 


".rMTPiniv=«f  jjyfiii-s^^. 


If  you  think  you've  been  hearing 
more  about  WPl  lately,  you're 
right.  If  you  tuned  in  anywhere 
in  central  New  England  this  fall, 
you  likely  caught  sight  of  the 
WPl  television  commercial. 
And  drivers  on  Institute  Road 
are  now  greeted  by  sleek  new 
campus  signs  planted  on  the 
hillsides.  These  are  just  two  of 
the  noticeable  benchmarks  of 
the  university's  marketing  cam- 
paign, now  in  its  second  year. 

"Anecdotally,  we  know  there's  a 
growing  buzz  about  WPl,"  says 
George  Flett,  associate  vice 
president  of  marketing.  "But 
even  better,  the  numbers  prove 
it.  For  instance,  awareness  of 
WPl  among  parents  of  prospec- 
tive students  in  Hartford  and 
New  Haven,  Conn.,  has 
jumped  nearly  20  percent." 


Many  of  the  program's  early 
components  reach  out  to  parents 
and  others  who  influence  students 
currently  shopping  for  colleges. 
In  addition  to  the  flight  of  TV 
commercials  that  recently  ran  in 
the  Boston,  Hartford  and  New 
Haven  markets,  WPl  launched 
a  banner  ad  on  a  key  national 
college  Web  site  and  placed  a 
■^  full-page  ad  in  U.S.  News  & 
World  Report's  America's  Best 
Colleges  2004,  the  most  widely 
used  college  guidebook.  These 
ads  coincided  with  WPI's  rating 
of  No.  55- overall  on  U.S. 
News'  all-important  annual  list 
of  top  national  universities.  "We 
designed  the  ads  to  achieve 
greater  national  awareness  by 
focusing  on  the  success  of  our 
students,  with  a  goal  of  driving 
readers  to  our  admissions  Web 
site,"  explains  Flett. 

▼  The  all-new  admissions 
Web  site,  that  is.  Tara  Myers, 
director  of  e-marketing  at  WPl, 
the  Web  Development  Office, 
and  members  of  the  Office  of 
Admissions  worked  with  the 
internationally  acclaimed 
New  York-based  design  firm 
EuroRSCG  Circle  to  revamp 


the  university's  undergraduate 
admissions  portal  to  be  more 
student-friendly.  The  catch 
phrase  "You  are  different  .  .  . 
and  being  different  allows  you 
to  make  a  difference"  sets  the 
tone  for  the  site  and  highlights 
how  a  WPl  education  allows 
students  to  make  a  difference  in 
the  world.  The  site  now  features 
live  chats,  links  to  videos  of 
WPI's  global  project  program, 
and  plenty  of  cross-referencing 
so  visitors  don't  lose  access 
to  information  once  they've 
clicked  down  a  particular  path. 

Also  this  past  summer,  WPI's 
Venice  Project  Center  became 
a  media  darling.  The  August 
issue  of  Wired  magazine 
included  a  story  about  the 
massive  floodgate  project  in 
Venice,  titled  "The  Lost  City 
of  Venice."  Global  program 
manager  Fabio  Carrera  was 
quoted  liberally  about  WPI's 
Venice  project  center.  New 
England  Cable  News  picked 
up  on  the  story  and  interviewed 
WPl  professors  and  students 
about  the  work  being  done  in 
the  threatened  Italian  city. 


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4    Transformation!   \   Fall  2005 


A  Boston  public  television 
viewers  got  an  eyeful  of  WPl  in 
late  August  when  47  students 
and  members  of  the  faculty  and 
administration  volunteered  on  a 
Tuesday  evening  to  help  WGBH 
during  its  pledge  drive.  The 
telephone  brigade  received 
nearly  400  pledges  and  raised 
awareness  of  WPl  among 
consumers  who  already  support 
educational  programming. 


H 


▼  Closer  to  home,  the  new 
campus  signs  are  a  striking 
symbol  of  change.  Trimmed  in 
brushed  aluminum  and  mounted 
on  granite  — a  blend  of  modern 
materials  and  traditional  stone, 
like  that  found  across  campus  — 
the  bright  crimson  signs  bear  the 
redesigned  logo.  In  late  August  it 
was  neck  and  neck:  who  would 
arrive  first— the  new  students  or 
the  new  signs?  The  Chelmsford 
granite  for  the  sign  bases  was 
delayed  because  it  was  a  small 
custom  order.  With  just  hours 
to  spare,  the  grounds  crew 
mounted  the  new  signs  in  time 
for  the  start  of  the  school  year. 


President  Parrish 
Announces  Departure 

In  September,  President  Edward  Alton  Parrish  announced  to  the 
WPI  community  his  plan  to  retire  from  his  post  June  30,  2004. 


"I  have  long  held  the  view  that  one  should  not  serve  in  an  administrative  position  for  longer  than 
10  years,  so  that  new  ideas  about  old  problems  will  be  more  likely  to  surface.  I  am  now  entering  my 
ninth  year  as  president  of  WPI,  so  this  will  be  the  appropriate  year  for  me  to  retire,"  wrote  Parrish  in 
a  September  letter.  "Furthermore,  the  completion  of  a  major  capital  campaign  is  a  perfect  time  for  a 
university  to  find  new  leadership." 

A  search  committee  has  been  formed  and  the  process  of  finding  a  successor  to  President  Parrish  is  under 
way.  In  the  spring  2004  issue  of  Transformations,  look  for  a  feature  story  recapping  Ed  Parrish's  tenure. 


Spring  Groundbreaking  Expected 
for  New  Admissions 


For  years  WPI  has  wrestled  with  the  need  to  provide  new  and  expanded  space  for  undergraduate 
admissions  and  financial  aid,  and  to  create  additional  on-campus  parking.  A  new  plan,  endorsed 
by  the  Board  of  Trustees,  solves  these  two  major  problems  and  goes  one  step  further:  it  calls  for 
re-greening  the  Quadrangle. 

In  approximately  two  years  WPI  will  have  a  new  admissions  building,  an  underground  parking  garage, 
and  an  expanded  vehicle-free  Quad.  Thanks  to  a  generous  gift  from  a  WPI  graduate  and  his  wife, 
construction  on  the  new  admissions  building  begins  in  late  spring  2004.  The  university  hired  Boston- 
based  CBT  Architects  to  design  a  building  for  the  east  end  of  the  Quad,  between  Sanford  Riley  Hall 
and  Alumni  Gymnasium,  where  admissions  visitor  parking  is  currently  located.  From  here,  visitors  will 
have  easy  access  to  the  Campus  Center,  academic  buildings,  residence  halls  and  the  athletic  facilities. 

The  parking  issue  will  be  tackled  as  part  of  the  $25  million  project.  This  past  summer  engineers  began 
taking  core  samples  to  determine  the  feasibility  of  constructing  a  parking  garage  for  500  vehicles 
beneath  the  Quad.  That  would  allow  for  an  expanded  green  space  on  top.  "The  plan  calls  for  the 
planting  of  new  trees  and  no  parking  at  all,  just  a  small  service  road,"  explains  Steve  Hebert,  treasurer. 
The  bricks  bearing  names  of  donors  that  make  up  the  current  walkway  across  the  Quad  will  be 
incorporated  into  the  new  design. 

The  hope  is  that  construction  will,  at  most,  last  a  year  to  15  months.  An  interim  plan  to  accommodate  the 

parking  needs  of  the  university  during  construction  still  needs  to  be  created.  "I  won't  kid  you,  it  will  be  a 

zoo  here,"  said  President  Parrish  at  a  September  meeting  of  the  faculty.  "But  just  think  what  it  will  be  like 

once  it's  finished.  With  parking  removed  from  the  Quad,  WPI  will  finally  have  a  large  peaceful  green 

oasis  in  the  heart  of  the  campus." 

Transformations    \   Fall  2003     5 


s 


m 


WPI  Mourns  the  Loss  of  Venerable  Professor,  Librarian 


Herbert  Beall  joined  the  faculty  in  the  Chemistry 

Department  at  WPI  in  1968  and  had  remained 

here  until  his  passing  in  late  August.  He  received 

his  undergraduate  degree  in  chemistry  from  the 

University  of  Wisconsin,  Madison,  and  his  Ph.D. 

in  chemistry  in  1967  from  Harvard  University  as 

a  graduate  student  of  William  Nunn  Lipscomb  Jr., 

who  won  the  Nobel  Prize  in  chemistry  in  1977. 

Herb  published  over  70  articles  in  several  areas  of 

chemistry,  including  boron  chemistry,  chemical  education,  the  use 

of  language  in  chemistry,  and  gold  and  coal  chemistry.  He  was 

also  the  author  and  co-author  of  several  textbooks,  including 

Chemistry  for  Engineers  and  Scientists  and  A  Guide  to  Writing 

About  Chemistry.  A  lecture  series  will  be  established  at  WPI  in 

Herb's  honor. 


Carmen  Brown  was  a  part 
of  Gordon  Library  since  it  was 
completed  in  1  967. 
Her  35-year  career 
demonstrated  a 
passion  for  WPI,  its 
community  of  students, 
faculty  and  staff,  and 
the  library  itself.  She 
retired  from  WPI  on 
June  30,  2003. 
Carmen  was  the  first  female 
academic  advisor  and  advised 
students  for  many  years.  She 
was  also  a  mentor  to  women 
students  and,  in  general, 
reached  out  to  women 
colleagues  on  campus.  She 
graduated  from  James  Millikin 
University  with  a  bachelor  of 
arts  degree  and  the  University 
of  Illinois  with  a  master's 
degree  in  library  science. 


Camp  Reach  Claims  National  Award 


WPI's  Camp  Reach  is  not  your  typical  pre-teen  girls'  summer  camp. 
There  are  few  pillow  fights  and  no  macaroni  sculpture.  Instead, 
young  women  about  to  enter  seventh  grade  have  fun  with  technology, 
tackle  real  problems,  and  get  up  close  and  personal  with  the  way 
things  work. 

At  the  end  of  two  weeks,  this  year's  campers  advised  how  best  to 
equip  classrooms  in  the  American  Red  Cross's  new  regional  training 
facility,  outlined  a  plan  for  creating  a  computer  study  room  at  the 
Henry  Lee  Willis  Community  Center,  and  designed  a  field  day  for 
the  Flagg  Street  School  Community  Playground  Initiative. 

Camp  Reach  received  the  2003  Women  in  Engineering 
Program  Award  for  its  role  in  encouraging  young  women  in 
engineering  and  science  and  as  an  outstanding  model  program. 


"We  were  thrilled  to  receive  this  national 
award,"  says  Chrys  Demetry,  associate 
professor  of  mechanical  engineering,  who 
co-directs  Camp  Reach  with  Stephanie 
Blaisdell,  director  of  diversity  and  women's 
programs.  "I  think  what  stands  out  about  our 
camp  is  that  we  don't  wave  goodbye  to  these 
girls  after  the  two  weeks  are  over.  Many  of 
our  campers  have  come  back  to  be 
counselors.  One-third  of  those  eligible  to 
come  back  this  year  inquired  about  doing  so. 
We  think  that's  amazing  since  it's  an  unpaid 
position,  and  often  the  counselors  will  work 
from  7  a.m.  'til  10  at  night." 

Women  in  Engineering  Programs  &  Advocates  Network  is  a  national 
nonprofit  organization  of  over  600  individuals  representing  nearly 
200  engineering  schools,  Fortune  500  corporations  and  nonprofit 
organizations.  Its  Women  in  Engineering  Program  Award  recognized 
Camp  Reach  for  improving  the  educational  environment  for  women 
in  engineering. 

"The  award  is  also  a  fitting  tribute  to  Denise  Nicoletti  who  was 

the  passion  behind  this  program  for  its  first  six  years,"  says  Demetry. 
Nicoletti  was  the  first  tenured  female  professor  of  electrical  and 
computer  engineering  at  WPI.  She  and  Demetry  wrote  the  original 
grant  for  Camp  Reach  and  started  the  program  with  funding  from  the 
National  Science  Foundation  in  1997.  Nicoletti  was  killed  in  an  auto 
accident  in  the  summer  of  2002. 


6     Transformation!    |   /•'/<//  200  '■ 


'The  biggest  misconception  about  sexual  Harass 


Sheik  Widnall 

Former  Secretary  of  the  U.S.  Air  Force 
and  honorary  WPI  degree  recipient 


Sheik  Widnall  will  receive  an  honorary 
docror  of  engineering  degree  from  WPI  in 
2004.  She  was  the  first  woman  appointed 
to  the  engineering  faculty  at  MIT,  and  the 
first  woman  to  head  a  branch  of  the  military, 
serving  as  secretary  of  the  U.S.  Air  Force 
under  President  Bill  Clinton.  Her  expertise 
in  aerodynamics  made  her  a  valuable  addi- 
tion to  the  team  investigating  the  breakup  of 
the  space  shuttle  Columbia,  which  released 
its  report  in  August.  She  is  a  leadet  in  mat- 
ters of  sexual  harassment,  discrimination 
and  academic  integrity. 

What  were  the  greatest  challenges 
for  the  Columbia  Accident  Investi- 
gation Board?  What  will  its  findings 
mean  for  the  future  of  the  space 
program? 

The  challenges  in  conducting  the  accident 
investigation  were  many.  First,  this  was  a 
high-profile  case  with  significant  public, 
congressional  and  administration  interest. 
The  standards  for  establishing  the  "facts" 
were  very  high.  The  board  needed  to  be 
totally  independent  of  NASA,  yet  work 
closely  with  it  to  obtain  the  data  we  needed 
to  establish  the  facts  upon  which  to  base 
our  recommendations.  Our  recommenda- 
tions speak  to  the  importance  of  insuring 
safety  in  the  manned  space  program.  As  our 
report  describes,  NASA  has  been  under 
enormous  schedule  and  cost  pressure,  has 
constantly  over-promised  the  technology  it 
could  deliver,  and  has  shortchanged  safety 
to  accomplish  other  goals.  Our  recommen- 
dations are  directed  to  establish  an  indepen- 
dent and  effective  voice  for  safety  within  the 
manned  space  flight  program. 

How  has  the  role  of  women  in  the 
military  changed? 

Women  are  an  extremely  important  part  of 
today's  military.  We  saw  that  in  Desert 
Storm,  and  in  all  operations  since.  In  the 
Air  Force  virtually  all  roles  are  open  to 
women.  The  exceptions  are  special-ops 
helicopter  pilots  and  the  PJs — pararescue 
jumpers  who  slide  down  ropes  into  combat 
situations  to  aid  ground  troops.  [See  the 


movie  "Black  Hawk  Down"  for  an  example 
of  a  PJ  mission.]  Today's  military  could  not 
function  without  women.  To  my  way  of 
thinking,  the  military  offers  substantial 
oppottunity  to  women,  and  they  are  evalu- 
ated on  their  contributions  to  the  mission. 

Should  women  be  involved  in 
combat  roles? 

The  issue  is  the  ability  to  do  the  job,  not  to 
remain  unharmed  in  a  combat  role.  Women 
can  be  fighter  pilots,  fly  all  aircraft  types,  go 
into  all  combat  situations  in  the  Air  Force, 
except  as  mentioned  before. 

Ground  combat  is  a  complex  role.  It 
tequires  sttength,  group  bonding,  self-sacri- 
fice, and  focus  on  the  mission.  The  nation's 
current  belief  is  that  women  might  be  a 
distraction  in  some  small-group  combat 
roles,  dettacting  from  the  mission.  On  the 
other  hand,  in  modern  warfare,  the  front 
lines  are  less  well-defined,  and  military 
women  often  find  themselves  in  harm's  way. 
Their  performance  has  been  exemplary. 

What  is  the  biggest  misconception 
about  sexual  harassment? 

That  if  the  perpetrator  didn't  mean  it,  it's 
not  harassment.  It's  the  victim  who  defines 
the  situation.  For  example,  one  of  our  pro- 
fessors insisted  on  putting  offensive  pictutes 
on  his  door,  which  upset  the  women  grad- 
uate students.  I  had  to  explain  to  him  that 
it  was  not  what  he  thought  but  what  the 
women  students  thought  that  was  the  con- 
trolling variable.  Also,  technically,  harass- 
ment requires  a  supervisor-subordinate 
relationship  of  some  sort. 

Is  it  true  that  women  think  and 
learn  differently? 

I  believe  that  women  are  better  integratots, 
more  holistic  in  their  approach  to  problem 
solving.  They  are  not  satisfied  to  spend 
three  years  learning  the  bits  and  pieces,  but 
want  to  see  how  these  fit  together  to  solve 
important  societal  problems.  I  believe  that 
a  revolution  in  undergraduate  engineering 
education  is  required  not  just  for  women 
but  to  improve  the  effectiveness  of  engi- 


neering in  this  country.  Unless  we  develop 
more  of  a  holistic  approach  to  problem 
solving,  we  will  become  a  niche  profession. 

What  can  engineering  schools  do  to 
bring  more  women  into  the  field? 

The  most  important  thing  MIT  did  was  to 
admit  more  women.  MIT  developed  data  to 
show  that  the  math  SAT  underpredicts  the 
performance  of  women.  With  this  informa- 
tion, we  raised  our  percentage  of  women 
students  from  26  to  38  in  one  year.  It's  been 
climbing  evet  since.  There  are  important 
critical  mass  effects  when  the  percentage 
rises  and  this  tends  to  improve  even  further 
the  performance  of  women  students. 

What  gave  you  the  confidence  to 
pursue  and  succeed  in  this  career 
path?  Were  there  any  obstacles? 

My  father  was  very  supportive,  as  was  my 
mother.  My  mother  worked  when  I  was 
young  and  that's  the  model  I  had  for  my 
life.  When  I  encountered  obstacles,  I  went 
sideways.       — JKM 


Trans fo 


rmatio  n s 


|   Fall  2003     7 


W  Explorations 


By  Carol  Cambo 


L*i= 


SM 


H.    j 


Ba— ^.  Project  advisor 


s"eD  weeks       °  **"*  that  after 
««*  ^es'lBhZZ\l^   *one  and 

-othl,  and  requlrea  JJ- x ;*U  So 

iltie  new  work. 

Por  ne,    as   a   firat   t. 

ej»««*    ^   sleeD "  8dTisor.    I 

t0   "ad   the   ^LTf   liUl-   I   ^ed 
understand   the  If13    °aref«^. 

out   how   best    to   reJ  ""*   fisure 

aiout    oosta  Rica's        /Df0rmatl0° 
students.    The   t  """   to  **• 

"— 1» .,L    ;ost ^"rt-t 

■  **ir   of   TE7A «.^   -ferwear  and 
"""6  *offle   soffle   art"!        *   llte   t0 
a   4*«»i»«   that    dewcta  V  ^^   °* 
H1««-    %   chief    ™'    Ufe    lD   °°sta 

<^iBg  and  fooith  b  r  orazy 

tfle  part  of  »        °enavior  on 
of  sone  students. 


Before  1968,  this  volcano  was 
considered  to  be  just  a  mountain, 
known  as  Arenal  Mountain.  That 
year,  Crater  A  provoked  a  pyro- 
clastic  explosion  (burning  cloud) 
that  destroyed  the  villages  of 
Pueblo  Nuevo  and  Tabacon, 
devastating  10  square  miles 
and  killing  nearly  90  people. 


Can  we  really  make  the  world  a  better  place 
and  widen  students'  worldview  in  just  14  weeks? 
A  journal  of  one  interactive  project  experience. 

April  2,  2003  It's  just  after  six  o'clock  in  the  evening  and  two  tables  are  heaped  with 
pizza  boxes  in  Salisbury  Lounge.  Outside,  icy  rain  is  turning  lingering  snow  banks  to  mush. 
Twenty-one  sophomores  slouch  in  chairs  and  sip  cans  of  soda.  Tonight  they're  force-fed  all 
the  dos  and  don'ts  of  their  interactive  project  trip  to  Costa  Rica:  Drink  bottled  water.  Don't 
call  emergency  numbers  if  you  are  locked  out  of  your  room  at  2  a.m.  If  you  use  illegal  drugs, 
you  will  be  sent  home.  Think  twice  about  getting  tattoos  and  nose  rings — HIV/AIDS  can 
be  transmitted  this  way. 

Seven  three-person  teams  are  preparing  to  spend  nearly  two  months  in  San  Jose, 
the  capital  of  Costa  Rica,  and  complete  projects  at  the  decade-old  WPI  center. 
Despite  the  laundry  list  of  regulations,  sunny  Costa  Rica  sounds  like  heaven, 
even  if  the  biggest  oral  and  written  report 
of  your  life  is  due  at  the 
end  of  the  trip. 


HOTOGRAPHS 
NOT  BEND 


H.J.    ilanaari 
slowly   «-*♦,.,  ioho   «nd 

»•*-«  i.    * ::;: the  sh—  of 

*"»«   volc.no  «.    "  *""'""'*  « 

weekend,    „„.,'     '   8rou»-    *M. 

Bi^orhooe8i0h:neS07^t^^wnfl0O0 

-'  •«.  the, .,.  :r    ;r  «  •-. 


8     Trans  format  torn   |  Fall  2003 


No  artificial  ingredients,  that's  Costa  Rica's  official  tourism 
slogan.  Home  to  banana  plantations,  flaming  volcanoes,  misty 
black  sand  beaches  and  a  thriving  modern  capitalist  economy,  it's 
a  politically  and  economically  stable  country.  Costa  Rica  offers  a 
Central  American  culrure  where  democracy,  economic  develop- 
ment, and  concern  for  the  environmenr  are  a  way  of  life.  It  also 
has  its  shate  of  problems,  such  as  outdated  waste  management 
pracrices,  endangered  wildlife  including  the  marine  tortoise,  and 
environmental  hazards  such  as  improper  disposal  of  dry-cleaning 
solvents.  Matt  Benvenuti  '05  is  working  with  CNP+L,  the  agency 
in  control  of  environmental  waste,  to  develop  ways  to  encourage 
proper  disposal  of  dry-cleaning  solvents. 

Everyone  makes  it  to  San  Jose  without  incident.  On  the  first 
weekend,  professors  Manzari  and  Susan  Vernon-Gerstenfeld  give  the 
kids  a  walking  tour  of  the  city,  then  drop  them  off  and  challenge  them 
to  find  their  way  back  to  the  hotel  on  their  own.  On  Monday, 
project  work  begins  in  earnest. 


«nv  1?  zoo: 


Matt    Benvenuti    ' 05 


„.„   Benvenu.x  interactive    project 

Tbe    biggest    ^le;fimf  frLe.    if.   *■•»  ^' 
is   the    accelerated  time  sentation 

I  thought   we   had  our     roj.  >J  g 

together  but    then  we    got  ,ltb   it. 

from  our  advisors   on  wha ^   report   t0 
we    eventually   have   to   pre  ^  ^   perfeot. 

our   project    .^^0{   pe0ple   .11!  -ver 

be  easy,  hut  x 

10  minutes  I  need  to. 

,,.M.  would  he  the 
X  thought  the  group  experien         ^ 

hardest  part.  It  ■   «   *   rselTe6  a  "well-oiled 

maohine.   V       UDderBtanding. 

th.  same  level  ^ 

X  >ave  never  been  £-*-  ^  .  problem.  I  - 
Spanish  language-  Tha  ^  Qthers. 

accepted  that  I  -  «»«■        and  bammoc*s.  I 
I  plan  on  bringing  bac*  «        dry  cleaner 
anticipate  the  int-i*   «i    ^  q£  us     vb 
wlll  *.  the  W*-*^  rtraUfct  answere* 
tbe  l»^e-  ^  difflcult.  xfs  not  a 

1  *TJ1   vacation,  for  sure, 
seven-wees  «»- 


Matt  Benvenuti  ^^  tQ 

-  r:sr.  "^"^"•.nr.1- 

wlth  v.ater  odiles,    fish  and   a  we    sy;am 

iD  the    pond  below  ^    ^    oity 

Ibe    lev    P0i-   -  .^/^own  Florida  town      » 
— I  "/it-    la'l'heautiiul   Costa  Bica     we 

u      „v   Here   was    slow.    "    ™  inability 

Tbe    first    «^^  her   xow   P°«*    *"   ^    but   two 

settled   in   at    CPH^  enrolied   in   classes, 

,t    Spanish.    «e    are  .    .  +  „-,,,    not    enough  to 

*°    Ifoi   basic    Spanish   is    definitely 
Tarry   on  a   conversation.  ^ 

X   can't    get   used  to   the    ^"-^      ^erent    from  the 

^e   here.    Their   lifestyle    is   T«y  us    numerous 

Tst    pao!    of  Hew   To*   «  ^  ^  Sponsors    so   we 

*      to   aet    information   "»  still,    the 

STi   .  P"blem  we   were   -^/^Ucting 
IZ   ect    is   P-S—;-;;  "x'have'a   feeling  that    most 
our   interviews   next   «••> '  lT,   and  not   want   to 

talt  t0  US'    ld  t^  y   be   willing  to   admit    It* 
then  why   would  they  ^    ^    $5 

X   lite    the    price    of   ^^   thing,   here    are 
for   a  package    in  the  ^  ^^s. 

much  cheaper.    We    feel 


9  Exploration 


Matt  Benvenuti 
sa,  ,03.  definite^-  — ^  place.  0,   pro; 


.  good  cleaning.  W*  " 
needs  a  go  project 


just  lying  an 
snould  be  done 


ound 


the  e 


nd  of  this  week, 


minus  some 
The  group 


■  nded 


up   interviewing   -v  jrt   t0„  bad.    con 

one    interview   to   go  interviews.    V     M 

-   Md   ^    Tl-k    of    ^natives.    ^L   a   e         ste, 

tM*    dUe      1    chemicals    drain   intone        ^^^ 

dry.0leanrng   che  disgUstmg.    *•    »  ing 

directly,    «*"a*!tRt    there    is   no    chemical    reeve 

through  research  thai ^ther  ^   reoomffiend  the 

adhere    in   -ff^   recycling   plant    for 
construction  of  a 
everyone   to  use. 


June  in  Costa  Rica  unfurls  like  a  damp  beach  towel.  Nearly  every  morning 
the  students  wake  to  blue  skies.  By  noon  it's  hot  and  threatening  to  storm. 
Every  afternoon  it  pours,  and  the  rain  is  followed  by  warm,  humid  nights, 
perfect  for  prowling  around  the  city's  pubs  and  eateries. 
By  early  June,  advisor  Manzari  says  the  dry-cleaning  project  is  going  well.  One 
group  had  significant  hurdles:  the  group  working  with  the  Ministry  of  Environment 
and  Energy  (MINAE)  had  planned  to  test  its  educational  booklet  on  fifth  graders 
but  the  schools  have  been  on  strike  for  a  long  time,  making  it  impossible.  Nearly  a 
month  into  the  trip,  the  Presidenr  of  Colombia  visited  San  Jose.  Roads  were  closed 

and  armed  soldiers  stood  on  every  corner something  the  students  had  never  seen 

before.  One  girl,  was  sideswiped  by  a  motorcycle,  but  she  is  fine. 


PS 


+  i     (liatt's    mom) 
Rose    Benvenuti    tuat 


j2f 


* 


I  feel  like  we  have  been  marked 
a3  loud,  obnoxious  and  destructive 
Orleans.  A  couple  of  people  gave 
the  whole  group  that  reputation. 
Tnere  are  times  when  I  feel  Ilk. 
t   am  in  junior  high  all  over  again. 
Sometimes  I  think  if  1  had  stayed 
in  Worcester  for  my  project.  I  could 
have  done  less  work,  spent  the  summer 
with  my  girlfriend,  and  gotten  an  A. 


Rose    k»" m6| 

„,-.   has   been  very    nerve-wracking  ^^ 

Z  ci-1,   with  the   way   trf    -^ 

ana  Matt    never  hav-g  *«£  , 

It's    a   little    "rang'   *      ^^ .    But    when   I 

take   my    son  to   a   for   ign  ^^   ,.nat   „as 

oalled  the    -^   "£    seDse   that    the    group 

Tr.Z  amuch\Le   a   family 

was   ver^f  him. 

to    see    a   different    way    of    1  mlddXe 

to    see    a  w_    came    home    j-«  *v,-v   a 

and   realised  he    ha  bBok   and   let 

guess    I'm  -*"1"8   *°°;   aimself.    He    missed  his 
»*  T*  mgn     U-  lot   his   Paesport   and 
Hug^l    ^    Plane. 


lO    Transformations  \  Fall  2003 


c.n^iA 


Global  Perspective  Program  2003:  San  Jose,  Costa  Rica 


CNP+L:  WPI  is  helping 
determine  how  dry- 
cleaning  solvents  should 
be  used  and  discarded 
by  the  industry,  since 
many  are  known 
carcinogens. 


CICA:  A  research  unit 
within  the  University 
of  Costa  Rica  that  seeks 
to  manage  solid  waste. 

INTEL:  Intel  needs 
a  long-term  sustainability 
model  for  its  plants, 
specifically  for  the  pur- 
chase of  equipment 
and  supplies. 


Bomberos:  The  fire- 
fighters organization 
of  Costa  Rica  needs  a 
nationwide  system  for 
assessing  resources  in 
order  to  maximize 
services. 


MINAE:  This  organiza- 
tion collects  and  com- 
piles existing  research 
on  marine  tortoise 
species  that  live  and 
nest  in  the  country. 


INCOPESCA:  This 

agency  helps  assess 
the  market  for  the 
farm-raised  tilapia  and 
recommends  how  to 
improve  sales. 


Lankester  Botanical 
Gardens:  With  the 
largest  holdings  of 
orchids  in  Mesoamerican, 
Lankester  needs  a  data- 
base system  to  help  it 
tap  into  funding  sources. 


For  advisors  Manzari  and  Vernon-Gerstenfeld,  every  day  is  different,  but  every  day 
is  long.  Some  days  are  filled  with  meetings  with  sponsors.  Two  days  each  week  are  set 
aside  for  group  presentations.  When  everyone  regroups  at  the  end  of  each  workday,  the 
professors  meet  with  students  or  read  drafts  of  their  reports.  The  last  students  often  leave 
late  in  the  evening  or  stop  by  long  aftet  dark  to  deliver  pieces  to  be  read  for  the  next  day. 
The  groups  are  building  toward  their  final  presentations,  so  the  professors  provide 
ongoing  feedback  to  help  them  improve.  By  Sunday  night,  June  29,  reports  must 
be  bound  and  turned  in.  Monday  morning,  the  students  begin  their  all-important 
presentations  to  their  sponsors. 

The  groups  gave  their  final  presenrations  in  Costa  Rica  and  came  back  to  the  states  in 
time  for  the  July  4th  weekend.  Matt  returned  to  his  summer  job  as  grill  cook  at  Yogi  Bear's 
Sturbridge  Jellystone  Park  campground  in  Sturbridge,  Mass.  Susan  Vernon-Gerstenfeld's 
office  is  filled  with  stacks  of  five-inch-thick  reports  from  each  of  the  Costa  Rica  project  groups 
The  dry-cleaning  project  was  a  success,  she  says.  "We  were  told  by  one  of  the  officials  in 
charge  of  keeping  the  environment  clean  that  laws  will  be  changed  there  because  of  the 
group's  work." 


Matt   Benvenuti 
reat 


to    get 
Costa  Rica 
that 


on   the    trip 

•re   hack  home. 


Home    and   see    my 
and   am  glad 

iXl   still  hang 


end. 


-that  v.'< 
vthing  for 

better 


so  longi 
idea 


of 


girlfrre 
I  made  some 
out 
Having  °een  away 
appreciate  things 
what  is  truly 


It  was  gre 

I  had  i'un  in 
friends 
with  now 

irom  everyt 

more  and  have 

important  to  me. 

eot  definitely  has 
positive  change, 

ome    posm  „,-,  +  =    to   use.    n    •> 

t0   put    our   resultS  ,,as    important    to 

.-,    ...v,„   this   trip    ""  „,    „ 

as 
still 


Our  proj 
create  s 
to    others 


tne    potential   to 

it    will  he   up 
you  had 


hut 


If 


I    would   na,T*e 


me  t 


graduation   retirement 

&  .    „+      -hut    as 

important, 


it 


hut    as 
ah  out    me  , 


and 


to    fulfill   - 
one    reason 
ah  out 
it' 


it, 


other 

e  stone 
of 
The  pro- 
to  work 


me 


T  learned  more 

*  for  other  reasons 
important  for  o         ^ 

important  steppmb 

Hi„e  to  he  part 
of  getting 

another  culture. 
,eot  challenged 

I  ever  have 
expanded  my 

■  don't  kno 

»xplain  it , 

ike  this  pro- 

r;0::z:  m:k~— 

3      /mvself  hetter. 
iife  and  mysen 


That 
X  learned  more 

I  know  nov. 

ect  is  an 


The  proje 
the  unique  experience 


Harder  than 

•before.    It 
capabilities- 
now   to   hetter 
I    feel 


I if or ma 


VI 


A   Search   Lngine 
Uith   Soul 


JiJL  H 


,„en  McCluskey 
otos  by  Patrick  O'Connor 


Jim  Baum,  president  and  COO  of  Endeca,  sits  back  in  his  sunny 
office,  facing  his  visitor  with  a  warm  smile.  Framed  in  the  picture 
windows  behind  him,  the  Charles  River  glistens.  Incoming 
e-mail  messages  announce  themselves  every  few  seconds,  and  his 
phone  rings  off  the  hook.  Baum  likes  the  bustle.  Life  is  good. 
This  is  right  where  he  wants  to  be:  heading  a  fast-growing 
company  that  delivers  technology  that  changes  everything. 

Baum  and  Endeca,  a  software  company  specializing  in 
guided  navigation  systems  for  the  Web,  are  a  perfect  fit.  Baum 
has  always  enjoyed  making  computers  do  neat  tricks.  A  small- 
town boy  from  Burnt  Hills  in  upstate  New  York,  Baum 
describes  himself  as  "one  of  those  kids  who  took  things  apart 
and  put  (hem  back  together."  When  his  Dad  brought  home  .111 
early-model  Apple  computer,  "I  became  fairly  enamored  ol  that 


thing,"  he  says,  grinning.  He  taught  himself  how  to  program 
in  Assembly  and  Basic  and  was  soon  shooting  spaceships  in  a 
game  he  wrote  himself. 

At  WPI,  Baum  remembers  learning  Fortran  in  addition  to 
his  mechanical  engineering  classes.  He  recalls  Professor  Robert 
Norton  as  "a  cool  guy  who  linked  engineering  and  computers." 
This  was  in  the  mid-1980s,  when  most  software  programs  were 
still  punched  out  on  cards  for  computers  the  size  oi  conference 
rooms. 

Poised  at  the  head  ol  an  exciting  new  software  company, 
Baum  is  not  l.ir  from  his  boyhood  1l.1v.  in  Burnt  1  lilK.  I  le  I  eels 
he's  playing  .1  pivotal  role  in  launching  .1  technological  revolu- 
tion. "This environment  is  invigorating,    tie  says,    1  know 
every  day  whether  we're  mining  the  ball  forward.'' 


12     Transformations   |   Fait 


The  Online  Revolution 

Here's  what  Baum's  Endeca  is  doing  for  rhe  Internet  today: 
Imagine  you're  shopping  for  a  birthday  gift  for  your  niece. 
She's  nine  years  old  and  you're  not  sure  whether  she's  still  into 
Barbies  or  would  rather  have  the  latest  Harry  Potter  book.  You 
go  online  shopping  for  the  solution. 

You're  not  alone.  The  U.S.  Department  of  Commerce  esti- 
mates that  retail  e-commerce  sales  for  the  first  quarter  of  2003 
jumped  nearly  26  percent  in  one  year.  Billions  of  dollars  are 
changing  hands  online — almost  $12  billion  in  the  first  three 
months  of  this  year  alone. 

Companies  that  want  to  get  in  on  this  action  wisely  place 
their  wares  on  the  Web.  This  is  true  across  every  sector  of  the 
economy,  from  music  to  mutual  funds,  books  to  Barbies.  How 


The  U-S.  Department  of  Commerce 
estimates  that  retail  e-commerce  sales 
for  the  first  quarter  of  2DD3  jumped 
nearly  Eh    percent  in  one  year- 


do  companies  help  shoppers  delve  into  their  wares,  particularly 
if  the  customer  has  only  a  vague  idea  of  what  she  wants? 
Shopping  online  often  feels  like  entering  a  dark  room  and 
groping  for  something  that  must  be  in  there,  but  can't  be  found. 

Enter  Endeca.  Founded  in  1999,  the  software  company 
promised  a  revolutionary  approach  to  online  search  and  naviga- 
tion. Endeca  has  kept  its  word  to  investors  by  reeling  in  well- 
established  clients  and  making  them  very  happy. 

The  florist  1 -800-Flowers.com  started  using  Endeca  just  in 
time  for  Mother's  Day,  its  busiest  shopping  day  of  the  year.  The 
Web  site's  enhanced  capabilities  led  to  more  fruitful  searches; 
customers  could  easily  find  the  perfect  arrangement  for  mom. 
The  company's  conversion  rates — the  ratio  of  searches  to 
sales — shot  up  by  double  digits,  and  it  measured  a  20  percent 
increase  in  successful  searches.  Performance  speeds  doubled. 

"Our  business  strategy  is  focused  on  providing  customers 
with  an  exemplary  online  shopping  experience.  Endeca  InFront 
with  Guided  Navigation  and  dynamic  merchandising  allows  us 
to  provide  shoppers  with  an  easy  and  interactive  way  to  locate 
gifts  for  important  occasions,"  says  Robert  Wilson,  director  of 
Web  site  and  direct  marketing  for  1 -800-Flowers.com. 

Endeca's  clients  see  positive  results  quickly,  from  a  dramati- 
cally improved  user  experience  to  the  fruits  of  that  improve- 
ment, including  increased  sales  and  profitability,  plus  substantial 
hardware  and  software  savings.  Endeca's  customer  base  has 
grown  exponentially,  from  just  a  handful  of  clients  in  2001 
to  more  than  75  today,  spanning  industries  from  electronics  to 
manufacturing  to  financial  services.  Even  more  telling  about 
the  technology's  versatility  is  the  fact  that  Endeca's  clients  span 
applications,  from  corporations'  enterprise  needs  and  business- 
to-business  uses  to  online  shopping. 

On  the  enterprise  side  of  its  client  list,  Putnam  Investments, 
a  global  money  management  firm,  revamped  its  401(k)  plan 
business.  Over  1,800  Putnam  employees  use  the  company's 
Plan  Sponsor  portal,  as  do  1 1,000-plus  human  resources 
managers,  senior  executives,  and  benefits  consultants  within 
Putnam's  customer  base  of  more  than  2,200  companies. 
When  Putnam  tolled  out  Endeca's  Insight  portal  late  last  year, 
client  service  reps  moved  from  merely  answering  data-driven 
questions  ("What  percentage  of  20-  to  30-year-olds  are 
enrolled?")  to  providing  informed  guidance  ("Based  on  your 
20-  to  30-year-old  enrollment,  here  is  the  best  program  for 
you.").  Plan  managers  quickly  navigate  Putnam's  huge  data  set 
along  a  variety  of  dimensions,  including  gender,  location,  age, 
and  product  type — without  assistance  from  technical  staff. 


Transformations    \  Fall  2003     1  3 


The  Endeca  revolution  is  powered  by  a  paradigm  shift 
in  technology.  Plain  vanilla  Web  sites  use  relational 
databases,  search  engines,  or  rigid  navigation  systems 
to  let  visitors  navigate  offerings.  All  three  tools  have 
problems.  They  overwhelm  users  with  unwieldy  lists  of 
results,  or  return  the  frustrating  "no  results  found,"  without 
indicating  where  to  go  from  there. 

For  instance,  if  you  type  "history"  in  the  search  box  at 
Amazon. corn's  bookstore  section,  the  query  chokes  the 
user  with  32,000  results.  "That's  because  it  doesn't  know  if 
'history'  is  part  of  a  title  or  a  description,"  explains 
Endeca's  product  marketing  manager,  Peter  Bell.  When 
users  try  to  dig  further  they  often  come  up  empty  "because 
there  are  so  few  possible  ways  to  access  each  record.  So 
the  catalog  is  essentially  invisible." 

Endeca  technology,  on  the  other  hand,  creates  hundreds  of 
browse  paths  to  each  record  in  a  given  data  set.  And  it 
doesn't  keep  all  that  juicy  information  to  itself;  instead  it 
organizes  and  displays  it  dynamically,  without  losing  sight 
of  the  original  query.  Web  sites  powered  by  InFront  and 
ProFind,  Endeca's  two  major  search  and  navigation 
products,  solve  the  opposing  problems  of  information 
overload  and  queries  ending  abruptly  with  zero  results. 

To  experience  this  improvement,  browse  Barnes  &  Noble's 
Web  site  for  the  Endeca  version  of  searching  for  "history." 
The  results  are  stunning.  Three  subsets  immediately  appear: 
nonfiction,  fiction  and  children.  Each  subset  is  organized 
by  a  host  of  subtopics,  from  the  obvious  (European)  to 
more  obscure  (cooking,  parenting  and  science  fiction). 
Click  under  "children"  and  new  subtopics  appear:  the 
child's  age  range,  featured  authors,  and  a  bunch  of  others, 
like  Black  U.S.  history— and  it's  all  for  kids.  This  is  a  whole 
new  ball  game:  users  can  find  books  through  this  interface 
that  they  might  never  have  known  existed. 

How  does  Endeca  work  its  magic?  "Our  navigation  engine 
starts  with  all  the  records  in  a  given  data  set,  whether  that's 
a  catalog  or  a  list  of  mutual  funds,"  says  Bell,  "and  works 
backward  to  build  out  every  valid  path  to  each  record." 

It's  like  creating  a  book  with  a  wonderfully  detailed  and 
accurate  index.  The  fact  that  the  Endeca  software  builds 
the  index  ahead  of  time  makes  it  extremely  fast;  results 
pop  up  immediately.  That  all  dead  ends  are  eliminated 
makes  for  a  far  more  satisfying  search-and-discover  user 
experience— whether  shopping  online  or  analyzing 
internal  company  data. 


HOW  DOES  THE  NEWEST 
ENTERPRISE  SEARCH 
TECHNOLOGY  WORK? 

Endeca  Guided  Navigation 
dynamically  helps  users  sift 
through  giant  data  sets — 
whether  they're  wine  cellars 
or  data  warehouses. 


Guided  Navigation  instantly 
analyzes  the  thousands  of 
search  results  to  generate  rele- 
vant categories  that  can  help 
you  narrow  your  search — 
instead  of  simply  overwhelming 
you  with  2,917  hits. 


Guided  Navigation  generates 
only  meaningful  next  steps  for 
refining  your  search,  never  a 
dead  end.  For  example,  since 
all  search  results  at  this  stage 
are  wines  from  only  two  coun- 
tries, only  United  States  and 
South  Africa  are  offered  as 
Country  categories. 


Guided  Navigation  creates  sen- 
sible and  relevant  value  ranges 
for  quantitative  parameters 
like  Price  Range — so  searchers 
quickly  understand  what's  avail- 
able to  them,  and  avoid  fruitless 
searches  for  unavailable  results. 


1  |  You  enter  the  keyword  "zinfandel"  to  start  your  search  lor  the 
perlect  wine  among  tens  ot  thousands  available. 


Narrow  Selection  By.... 
Wine  Types 


w.^«in  iin.m  unreo  »:n.»an  u,i.  p.w  »^  !■*»  ■'"■"  h.m  rmmn 

Year  Flmtl 


Categories  Matching  'zinfandel' 
Wine  Typo* 


Narrow  Selection  By. 


■■  U»  tall  i  RU  BUkl  i.1 


J 

""  "" 


3    You  choose  United  States  as  the  country  ol  origin. 


Because  it  always  pairs  search 
results  with  relevant  categories 
for  refinement,  Guided 
Navigation  pulls  more  value  out 
of  data — not  only  helping  users 
find  things  faster,  but  also 
revealing  other  ways  to  think 
about  the  data  (like  Ratings, 
Drinkability,  Flavors)  and  choices 
they  may  not  know  about. 


Yoo  choose  the  Nohett  i jt.nov 


14     Transformatiom   \  Fait    '00  ■ 


"Endeca    will     be    a     critical     component     of     IT 
infrastructure.     We'll     be    an     important     piece    of 
the     fabric     that     ties     together    all     the    different 


types    of     information,     regardless    of    their     form.' 


The  Right  Idea, 
the  Right  Time 

One  of  the  moving  forces  behind 
Endeca  is  Baum.  He  joined  the 
company  in  2001  after  estab- 
lishing himself  as  a  businessman 
who  recognizes  a  powerful  new 
technology  when  he  sees  it — and 
who  can  bring  that  idea  fruitfully 
to  market. 

From  1989  to  2000,  Baum 
played  a  key  role  in  nurturing 
Windchill,  Parametric  Tech- 
nology Corporation's  software 
application  that  targeted  the 

product  lifecycle  management  (PLM)  market.  With  this 
product,  says  Baum,  "we  defined  the  industry's  vision  for  PLM." 
Windchill  brought  a  coordinated,  Web-based  interface  to  all  of 
the  players  involved  in  a  product's  lifecycle — from  engineers  and 
manufacturers,  to  marketing  execs  and  salespeople.  Every  player 
could  access  the  latest  product  details  and  do  their  part  to  keep 
the  momentum  going,  thus  compressing  the  time  from  concept 
to  finished  product.  Under  Baum,  Windchill's  sales  grew  from 
$0  to  $200  million  in  its  first  two  years. 

Baum  got  the  call  to  check  out  Endeca  just  as  dot.coms 
were  falling  from  the  sky  like  so  many  shooting  stars.  He'd  seen 
plenty  of  Web-based  startups  that  didn't  have  much  substance 
behind  the  glitz.  "My  phone  rang  a  lot  with  headhunter  calls 
during  the  dot.com  boom,"  he  recalls.  "I  saw  a  lot  of  bad  ideas. 
Then  along  came  Endeca." 

At  Endeca,  Baum  found  both  a  substantive  idea  and  a 
kindred  spirit,  Steve  Papa,  Endeca's  energetic  and  bright  CEO. 
"Papa's  idea  was  that  the  problem  with  online  shopping  is  you 
can't  go  shopping,"  Baum  explains.  "Shopping  is  by  default 
more  a  process  of  discovery  than  of  searching  for  a  particular 
item.  Papa  knew  there  had  to  be  a  better  way  than  what  was 
available  at  the  time.  So  he  hired  a  world-class  technical  team 
and  they  developed  Endeca  technology." 


Zen  and  the  Art 
of  Information 

The  Endeca  story  is  much 
bigger  than  that  of  reshaping 
online  shopping,  or  even 
making  life  easier  for  knowl- 
edge workers.  Baum  begins 
to  sound  Zen-like  when  he 
speaks  of  the  future. 

"We  enable  category 
convergence,"  he  says. 
What's  now  seen  as  separate 
buckets  of  information — product 
data,  business  intelligence,  Web 
portals  like  Putnam's,  or  content  management — Baum  sees  as 
one.  "Those  buckets  were  artificially  created.  In  every  case,  what's 
needed  is  strong  information  access  and  retrieval.  People  need 
usable  information. 

"Endeca  technology  is  not  just  a  search  engine,"  Baum 
explains.  The  early  tools  Endeca  created  were  just  the  low- 
hanging  fruit.  Looking  higher,  Baum  sees  Endeca  branching 
out  into  the  very  infrastructure  of  Web-based  information 
technology.  With  a  line  into  IBM's  WebSphere  array  of  Web 
development  software  products,  Endeca's  already  realizing 
that  vision. 

"Endeca  will  be  a  critical  component  of  IT  infrastructure," 
Baum  predicts,  referring  in  part  to  the  budding  relationship 
with  IBM.  "We'll  be  an  important  piece  of  the  fabric  that  ties 
together  all  the  different  types  of  information,  regardless  of 
their  form." 

If  Baum  has  his  way,  all  Internet  experiences — all  quests 
for  information — will  be  far  more  satisfying  and  fruitful  than 
they  are  today  because  they'll  be  backed  by  an  infrastructure 
embedded  with  Endeca  technology.  In  other  words:  get  ready 
for  an  information  revolution.  D 


Transformations    \   Fall  2003     1  5 


1904 

As  the  Wright  brothers  grapple  with  flying  straight  and  level,  patent 
attorney  George  F.  Myers,  Class  of  1 888,  focuses  on  vertical 
flight  (he  filed  for  his  first  helicopter  patent  — unsuccessfully  — in 
1  897).  One  year  after  the  first  flight  at  Kitty  Hawk,  he  builds  a 
machine,  dubbed  the  "flying  doughnut,"  that  rises  six  inches  before 
its  engine  blows  up.  [In  1926  a  Myers  helicopter  flies  3,000  feet 
at  10  feet  off  the  ground.) 


1910 


Twenty-five  students  form  WPI's  first  Aero  Club.  Activities 
include  constructing  a  glider  with  a  20-foot  wingspan,  building 
and  flying  model  airplanes,  and  taking  flying  lessons  at  the 
Grafton  (Mass.)  Airport. 


1912 

Mechanical  engineering  professor  David 
L.  Gallup,  Class  of  1901,  launches  a 
course  in  Air  Engineering.  Gallup  later  gains 
recognition  for  his  pioneering  experiments  on 
the  design  of  aircraft  propellers,  conducted 
using  the  rotating  boom  at  Alden  Research 
Laboratory  in  Holden.  Several  Gallup 
propellers  are  in  the  Smithsonian  National 
Air  and  Space  Museum. 


Many  Small  Steps,  One  Giant  Leap 

Do  you  remember  your  first  airplane  ride?  The  giddy  thrill 
you  experienced  as  the  engines  roared  and  you  sped  down  the 
runway?  That  moment  of  panic  as  the  ground  slipped  away 
beneath  you?  The  awe  you  felt  at  seeing  the  world  for  the 
first  time  from  a  bird's  eye  view? 

For  centuries,  humans  watched  with  envy  as  birds  flaunted  their 
mastery  of  the  air,  and  they  dreamed  of  taking  wing  themselves. 
They  ventured  aloft  first  on  kites  and  gliders,  or  buoyed  by  balloons. 
Then,  on  a  cold,  windy  December  morning  in  1903,  they  found 
that  to  truly  conquer  the  air,  one  needed  not  just  wings,  but  power. 
Since  the  Wright  Flyer's  12-second  hop  across  the  sands  at 
Kitty  Hawk,  people  have  stretched  the  envelope  of  powered  flight 
to  remarkable  lengths.  Propelled  by  piston  engines,  jets,  rock- 
ets— even  human  muscles — powered  vehicles  have  gone  ever 
faster,  higher  and  farther.  They've  taken  people  around  the 
world,  into  space  and  to  the  moon.  They've  pushed  unmanned 
craft  to  the  very  edge  of  interstellar  space.  And  they've  funda- 
mentally transformed  our  notions  of  space  and  time. 

Through  a  combination  of  ingenuity,  grit,  and  scientific 
and  technical  know-how,  WPI  people  have  made  contributions 
small  and  large  to  many  of  the  milestones  of  powered  flight's 
first  century.  Over  the  past  year,  we've  shared  some  of  their 
stories  with  you  in  Transformations.  With  this  special  section, 
we  bring  our  coverage  of  this  milestone  in  human  evolution 
to  a  close — just  as  the  world  prepares  to  observe  the  100th 
anniversary  of  the  flight  that  started  it  all. 

In  the  next  14  pages,  you'll  read  a  few  more  chapters  in  the 
continuing  story  of  WPI  and  flight.  Beginning  below,  you'll  find 
a  chronicle  of  many  of  the  key  moments  in  powered  flight's  first 
100  years  that  have  been  engineered,  in  whole  or  in  part,  by  our 
alumni,  faculty  and  students.  And  you'll  read  why  one  graduate  feels 
most  at  home  when  she's  in  the  air. 

Which  brings  us  back  to  where  we  began:  to  the  sheer  joy  of 
flying.  For  behind  all  of  the  technological  breakthroughs,  the  theo- 
retical leaps,  and  the  engineering  brilliance  that  WPI  people  have 
contributed  to  the  evolution  of  powered  flight  lies  one  fundamental 
truth:  taking  wing  and  looking  down  on  the  world  is  one  of  the 
greatest  pleasures  known  to  mankind.  That's  why,  in  the  centuries 
ahead,  people  will  keep  trying  to  advance  the  frontiers  of  powered 
flight,  and  why  WPI  people  will  be  there  to  help  make  those 
dreams  take  wing.       — Michael  W.  Dorsey 


1917 

The  V-12  Liberty  engine,  the  standard  power  plant  for 
World  War  l-era  military  aircraft,  debuts.  Raymond 
P.  Lansing  '15,  an  engineer  for  Bendix  Aviation, 
wins  the  first  of  his  1  50  patents  for  the  first  direct- 
cranking  aircraft  starter,  which  Bendix  builds  for  the  Liberty. 
(Lansing  goes  on  to  become  vice  president  of  Bendix  Aircraft 
Corporation,  a  major  player  in  the  aircraft  instrument  and 
accessory  market.) 

Transformations    \  Fall  2003     1  7 


G  + 


149.8  in 


(12.48  ft) 


t  ■ 


What 


RJSER 


SWIVEL 


68.06  in 


r 


w 


1919 

The  NC-4  is  the  first  airplane 

to  cross  the  Atlantic  Ocean, 

making  the  trip  from 

Rockaway,  N.Y.,  to  Lisbon, 

Portugal,  in  several  hops  over 

the  course  of  57  hours.  The  plane,  built  by  Curtiss  Wright,  was 

developed  in  part  by  George  W.  Smith  Jr.  '15,  chief  engineer 

at  the  Naval  Aircraft  Factory  in  Philadelphia. 

18     Transformation!    \   Fall  J  on: 


1921 

A  Curtiss  Aeroplane  and  Motor  Co.  biplane  with 

a  revolutionary  D-l  2  engine  breezes  by  the  competition 

at  the  Pulitzer  Trophy  Race  on  Long 

Island.  The  engine  is  an  early  triumph 

for  young  motor  engineer  Arthur  Nutt 

'16,  a  future  inductee  into  the  Aviation 

Pioneers  Hall  of  Fame.  (Nutt  would 

oversee  the  development  of  the  Wright 

Whirlwind  and  Cyclone  engines.  The 

Cyclone  eventually  powered  90  percent 

of  the  world's  commercial  aircraft.) 


Robert  Rodier  '5 1  has  never  used  a  parachute. 

And  that's  OK  with  him.  Jumping  out  of  an  airplane  holds  no 
appeal.  On  the  contrary,  Rodier  has  spent  his  life  finding  ways 
for  people  and  things  to  come  down  easy. 

From  WWI  to  the  1930s,  parachute  technology  remained 
basically  unchanged — a  round  silk  parachute  was  used  almost 
exclusively  for  emergency  jumps.  In  World  War  II,  aircraft  flew 
faster  and  farther,  making  it  possible  to  deliver  troops  and  the 
materiel  of  war  straight  to  the  battlefield,  even  behind  enemy 


lines.  The  parachute's  role  as  a  strategic  combat  tool  paved 
the  way  for  its  accelerated  research  and  development. 

"Early  on,  parachute  design  was  'cut  and  try,'"  says  Rodier, 
who  began  his  career  at  the  Army  labs  in  Natick,  Mass.,  in 
1956.  "We  built  what  we  called  seam  and  joint  samples  that 
we'd  put  in  the  tensile  tester  to  enhance  our  confidence  that  our 
designs  were  sound.  We  worked  in  the  wind  tunnel,  too,  but 
most  testing  was  rudimentary.  Cut  and  try." 


AYS 


Parachute  engineer  Robert  Rodier  '51 
and  the  art  and  science  of  soft  landings 


Must 

Come 

Down 


By  Amy  Spielberg 

Photos  by  Patrick  O'Connor 


1926 

On  his  aunt's  farm  in  Auburn,  Mass., 
Robert  H.  Goddard  '08  launches 
the  world's  first  successful  liquid-fueled 
rocket,  the  same  technology  that 
would  send  satellites  into  space  and 
land  humans  on  the  moon  within  45 
years.  (Goddard  died  in  1945  before 
seeing  most  of  the  fruits  of  his  labor 
or  receiving  the  numerous  honors 
his  work  would  garner.) 


Richard  Byrd  becomes  the  first  person  to  fly  over  the 
North  Pole.  With  no  visual  landmarks  and  unable  to  use 
a  magnetic  compass,  he  navigates  with  the  sun  compass, 
an  invention  of  Albert  Bumstead,  Class  of  1898, 

chief  cartographer  for  the  National  Geographic  Society. 
(Bumstead's  invention  has  been  used  on  all  subsequent 
polar  expeditions.) 


Transformations    \   Fall  2003     19 


LOAD  STRUCTURE       . 
FLANGE  MOUNT' 
DEPLOYMENT  BAG" 

SABOT- 
RISER&  BRIDLE. 
PACK 


Jumping  out  of  an  air- 
plane carries  obvious  risks. 
Air  drop — delivering  troops 
and  heavy  equipment  by 
parachute — is  also  dangerous. 
One's  "office"  is  the  cold,  noisy 
fuselage  of  a  cargo  plane  where  one 
crawls  among  closely  packed  heavy 
equipment — with  a  large  door  wide 
open  at  high  altitude. 

"With  air  drops,"  explains  Rodier,  "there  were 
a  million  factors  to  account  for — drift,  altitude, 
speed — and  we  typically  dropped  from  as  low  an 
altitude  as  possible  to  narrow  our  margin  of  error." 
Rodier  and  his  fellow  engineers  were  breaking  new 
ground,  but  despite  their  best  efforrs,  they  some- 
times lost  cargo.  "But  it  was  only  equipment. 
When  you  talk  about  pilot  ot  crew  escape  systems, 
well,  there  were  some  unhappy  events.  They  used  to 
call  us  'rag  men.'  The  people  who  understand  what 
we  did  were  glad  to  have  us  around.  They  knew,  in 
certain  circumstances,  they  were  totally  dependent 
on  the  quality  of  our  work." 

In  1962  the  original  Mercury  astronauts  were 
household  names  and  heroes.  The  first  Gemini 
flight  was  still  several  years  away,  but  scientists  had 
already  begun  working  on  the  Apollo  systems  that 
would  carry  Armstrong,  Aldrin,  Collins  and  others 
to  the  moon,  and,  hopefully,  back. 

Rodier  was  destined  to  become  part  of  history. 
After  five  years  at  the  Army  labs,  his  work  had  been 
noticed.  North  American  Aviation  invited  him  to 
join  the  Apollo  team.  "So  I  saddled  up  with  my 
wife  and  three  kids  and  headed  west  to  California." 
Although  the  Apollo  earth  landing  system  drew 
heavily  on  the  Mercury  and  Gemini  designs, 
Rodier  says  Apollo  was  the  greatest  challenge 
of  his  career. 

"We  had  severe  design  limitation  with  tegard 
to  weight  and  volume.  We  had  little  room  to  work 


PILOT 

^ARACHUT! 

PACK 


Na 


PILOT  PARACHUTE  BRiOLE  LINE 
KOHTAft  PRESSURE 

■f  CARTRIDGES 


PRESSURE  VOLUME:  108  cm3  (6.8  in3} 


Pig.  4  Nsrtar  and  pilot  ,pAr*chutt 

"I  can  tell  you 
it  was  quite 

tricky  trying  to 

set  up  a  test 

that  would 

simulate  the 

violence  and 

chaos  of  an 

aborted  flight. 

Those  were 
nail-biting 

drop  tests." 


with.  And  we  didn't — 
we  couldn't — concern 
ourselves  with  the  capsule 
being  dynamically  out  of 
control,  since  this  was  a 
variable  that  was  impossible 
to  predict  or  govern.  We  had  to 
assume  that  we  were  dealing  with  a 
nominal  reentry.  Still,  falling  to  earth  from 
outer  space  made  for  deployment  conditions  that 
were  fairly  severe,  as  was  the  attention  and  scrutiny 
we  were  under." 

Millions  of  Americans  gathered  around  their 
television  sets  to  watch  the  Apollo  astronauts  end 
their  daring  missions  to  the  moon.  The  command 
module  swung  gently  under  billowing  parachutes 
as  Walter  Cronkite  waxed  eloquent  about  the  spirit 
and  meaning  of  manned  space  flight.  Bob  Rodier 
watched,  too,  with  a  supercritical  eye,  and  on  one 
occasion  was  surprised  by  what  he  saw. 

"I  remember  watching  one  return  on  television 
and  sitting  up  straight  when  I  saw  that  the  module 
was  coming  down  on  two  parachutes.  It  was  sup- 
posed to  be  coming  down  on  three!"  Rodier  later 
learned  that  a  purge  of  gases  from  an  unrelated  sys- 
tem had  destroyed  suspension  lines  on  one  of  the 
parachutes.  "We  had  built  sufficient  margin  into 
the  system  so  that  two  out  of  three  chutes  would 
work  safely.  Fortunately  it  worked  like  a  charm. 
But  I  had  never  seen  anything  like  that  before — 
or  since." 

Rodier  also  helped  design  the  abort  system  for 
the  Apollo  flights.  "I  can  tell  you  it  was  quite  tricky 
trying  to  set  up  a  test  that  would  simulate  the  vio- 
lence and  chaos  of  an  aborted  flight.  Those  were 
nail-biting  drop  tests." 

The  tests  that  Rodier's  team  conducted  dictated 
a  need  for  an  advanced  method  or  deployment. 
The  Apollo  abort  system  regulated  the  chute's 


Henry  J.  E.  Reid  '19  becomes  director  of 
the  Langley  Aeronautical  Laboratory  (now 
NASA's  Langley  Research  Center),  and  over  the 
next  35  years  helps  build  it  into  one  of  the 
world's  foremost  aeronautical  research  facilities. 
(Reid  also  designed  many  basic  instruments 
for  flight  research.) 


20     Trantformatiom   \  Fait 


Former  Naval  aviator  Paul  K.  Guillow  '20  starts  a 
company  in  Wakefield,  Mass.,  to  make  balsa  models 
of  famous  World  War  I  airplanes.  Nucraft  Toys  is  an 
immediate  success.  (Renamed  Paul  K.  Guillow  Inc., 
today  it  is  the  world's  largest  maker  of  simple 
hand-launched  balsa  gliders.)  ^t 

// 


opening  forces  by  reefing — 
opening  in  carefully  timed 
stages.  This  allowed  the  com- 
mand module  to  reduce  its 
velocity  and  come  under  con- 
trol in  increments. 
Fortunately,  the  Apollo  abort 
system  was  never  needed. 

Remembering  Bob 
Rodier's  career  is  to  follow 
the  advancement  of  air  and 
space  technology  in  the  sec- 
ond half  of  the  20th  century. 
By  the  1970s,  parachute  sys- 
tems were  designed  to  safely 
stabilize  pilots  who  might  be 
forced  to  eject  at  extremely 
high  Mach  speeds.  The 
parawing  gave  way  to  the 
parafoil — both  hybrids  of 
maximum  drag  decelerators 
and  rigid  wing  technology. 
When  designed  with  reefing 
systems  and  equipped  with 
precision  guidance  technology,  these  parachutes  have  almost 
unlimited  use. 

On  July  4,  1997,  such  a  guided  parachute  helped  the 
Mars  Pathfinder  slow  its  descent  through  the  thin  Martian 
atmosphere.  And  in  January  2004  a  similar  system  of  parachute 
and  airbag  will  guide  NASA's  Mars  Exploration  Rover  Mission 
to  a  gentle  landing  on  the  Red  Planet.  For  his  part,  Rodier  was 
directly  involved  in  the  parachute  system  that  would  guide 
NASA's  Jupiter  Galileo  Space  probe  through  the  hot  gas  and 
clouds  of  the  Jovian  atmosphere. 

When  he  retired  in  1996,  Rodier  was  working  on  the 
X-38,  the  International  Space  Station  Crew  Recovery  Vehicle, 
which  was  designed  to  use  a  7,500-square-foot  ram-air  inflated 
parafoil,  the  largest  parafoil  in  the  world. 


Despite  advanced  tech- 
nology, Bob  Rodier  will  tell 
you  that  some  jobs  call  for 
old-fashioned  bulk  and  mus- 
cle. The  recovery  system  for 
the  space  shuttle  solid  rocket 
boosters  is  a  case  in  point. 
The  booster  weighs  178,000 
pounds.  At  81  metric  tons, 
it  is  the  heaviest  operational 
payload  in  the  world.  It  needs 
a  lot  of  parachute  to  ease  it 
out  of  the  sky. 

"The  system  calls  for 
three  enormous  parachutes 
to  control  the  descent  of  the 
boosters.  The  chutes  weigh 
2,100  pounds  each,"  he  says. 
"The  sheer  amount  of  nylon 
that  goes  into  building  a  two- 
thousand-pound  parachute 
is  mind-boggling.  But  it  has 
proven  to  be  very  reliable." 
In  1994  Rodier  was 
recognized  for  his  lifelong  achievements.  He  received  the 
American  Institute  of  Aeronautics  and  Astronautics  Theodor 
W  Knacke  Aerodynamic  Decelerator  Systems  Award,  "for 
contributions  in  the  development  of  sophisticated  parachute 
recovery  systems  used  in  the  United  States  Space  Program, 
military  aircraft,  and  United  States  Army  Airdrop  Systems." 

"It's  important  to  plan  a  career,"  says  Rodier,  who  credits 
WPI  for  his  excellent  foundation  in  engineering.  "But  it's  also 
important  to  leave  yourself  open  to  opportunities  that  you  may 
never  have  imagined.  Some  of  the  most  interesting,  most  chal- 
lenging and  most  satisfying  things  I've  done  in  my  career — the 
things  I've  really  enjoyed — I  never  conceived  of  while  I  was  at 
WPI.  I  didn't  have  a  clue." 

Robert  Rodier  may  never  have  used  a  parachute.  But  he  is 
the  man  and  the  mind  behind  a  generation  of  soft  landings.  D 


1928 

WPI  launches  the  Aero  Program  for  a  select  group  of  mechanical 
engineering  majors,  under  the  direction  of  Professor  Kenneth  G. 
Merriam.  Several  alumni  and  friends  prominent  in  the  aviation 
field,  including  Capt.  Edwin  E.  Aldrin  of  the  United  States  Air  Corps, 
father  of  future  moon  walker  Buzz  Aldrin,  offer  advice  and  donate 
technology.  (Over  the  next  30  years,  Merriam's  program  prepared 
nearly  250  men  for  careers  of  achievement  in  aviation  and 
other  fields.] 


1942 

It.  Col.  James  Doolittle  leads  16  B-25s  from 

the  catrier  Hornet  on  a  daring  raid  over 

Tokyo.  The  power  and  air-speed  settings 

that  enable  the  bombers  to  reach  Japan  are 

the  work  of  Robert  E.  Johnson  '27,  an 

engineer  with  Curtiss-Wtight.  (Later,  as  chief 

field  engineer  for  the  company,  he  became  known  as  the  "father  of 

cruise  control"  for  his  pioneering  techniques  for  maximizing  cruise 

performance  in  multi-engine  aircraft.) 


IV... 


U.S.  defense  contractors  are 
building  costly  air-based  systems 
that  think,  see  and  fight  like  never 
before.  Will  this  prepare  us  for 
the  conflicts  of  tomorrow? 


By  Wendy  Wolfson   Photo  by  Patrick  O'Connor 


The  Tech  Air  Raid  Prevention  Squad  is 

formed.  Students  from  seven  fraternities  are 
on  watch  around  the  clock  to  protect  the 
campus  in  the  event  of  air  raids. 


22    Transformation!   \  Fall    '003 


1943 

P-47  Thunderbolts  powered  by  Pratt  &  Whitney 

R-2800  "Double-Wasp"  engines,  which  use 

water  injection  to  give  them  an  extra  burst 

of  power,  enter  service  in  Europe.  Pioneered 

by  engineer  Arthur  E.  Smith  '33,  at  right, 

water  injection  will  prove  to  be  an  important 

factor  in  the  Allied  air  supremacy  during  World 

War  II.  (Smith  later  became  chairman  of  United 

Aircraft,  forerunner  of  United  Technologies,  and  helped  the  company 

make  the  transition  from  the  Piston  Age  lo  the  Jet  Age.) 


NO  ADMITTANCE: 

Tom  Arseneault  '85  and 

Tom  Fitzpatrick  '68,  both  vice 

presidents  at  BAE  SYSTEMS 

in  Nashua,  N.H.,  knew  the 

aviation  defense  industry 

from  the  inside  out. 


143H 


1946 

General  Electric  begins 

making  its  J47  jet  engine, 

which  will  become  the  most 

widely  produced  engine  in 

the  world  and  the  first  turbojet  to  be  certified  for  commercial  use. 

Emeritus  trustee  Hilliard  W.  Paige  '41  managed  the  J47  (and 

later  the  J73)  development  and  production  from  1951  to  1956. 

(Paige  went  on  to  a  stellar  career  at  GE,  making  major  contributions 

to  missile  guidance  systems,  satellite  navigation  systems,  and  other 

areas  of  space  technology.) 


1951 

Richard  T.  Whitcomb  '43  conducts  the  key  tests  in  the 
transonic  wind  tunnel  at  Langley  Research  Laboratory  that 
lead  to  his  discovery  of  the  Transonic  Area  Rule,  the 
principle  that  makes  flying  beyond  the  speed  of  sound 
practical.  Three  years  later,  the  discovery  earns  Whitcomb 
the  coveted  Collier  Trophy.  (Whitcomb  went  on  to  develop 
the  supercritical  wing  and  winglets,  inventions  that  were 
also  recognized  with  his  recent  induction  into  the 
Inventors  Hall  of  Fame.) 

Transformations    \   Fall  2003 


23 


For  nearly  a  decade,  rhe  mantra  for  the  U.S.  Armed  Forces  has 
been  "transformation."  As  the  military  works  to  become  a  more 
agile  and  flexible  fighting  force,  advanced  aviation  technology  is 
crucial  to  the  process. 

The  complexity  of  today's  airborne  weaponry,  both  planes 
and  missiles,  especially  their  guidance  and  communications 
systems,  is  staggering.  So  are  the  capabilities.  Ground-  and 
sea-based  interceptors  can  shoot  down  high-altitude  ballistic 
missiles.  Fighter  planes  and  ships  are  invisible  to  radar.  A  device 
that  looks  like  a  baby  R2D2  sits  on  a  helicopter  and  spins 
around  to  train  a  laser  beam  at  the  nose  cone  of  a  missile  to 
blind  it.  Satellite-based  information  systems  scan  a  battlefield  and 
amass  millions  of  bits  of  intelligence.  Soldiers  can  tap  into  the 
network  and  retrieve  relevant  information  in  real  time.  Aircraft 
systems  are  so  complex  that  several  contractors 
are  needed  to  tackle  different  aspects  of  them. 

The  costs  of  these  platforms  stagger  as  well. 
"Is  this  stuff  affordable?"  asks  Steve  Kosiak,  a 
defense  policy  researcher  at  the  Center  for 
Strategic  and  Budgetary  Assessments  (CSBA), 
an  independent  think-tank  based  in  Washington, 
D.C.  "As  we  look  forward  to  the  retirement 
of  baby  boomers  at  the  end  of  this  decade, 
we  are  facing  a  much  bleaker  fiscal  picture  over 
the  next  few  years.  Yet,  costs  are  rising.  The 
Department  of  Defense  requested  that  the 
current  level  of  military  spending  of  over  $400 
billion  be  raised  to  over  $500  billion  in  2009. 
There  is  a  real  question  whether  this  kind  of  funding  is  possible 
or  practical,  given  the  other  budget  constraints." 

Thomas  Fitzpatrick  '68,  vice  president  and  deputy  general 
manager  of  the  electronic  warfare  and  electronic  protection 
division  at  BAE  SYSTEMS  of  Nashua,  N.H.,  is  leading  his 
company's  development  of  electronic  warfare  suites  on  the  F-22 
and  the  Joint  Strike  Fighter.  An  ROTC  student,  Fitzpatrick 
graduated  from  WPI  with  a  degree  in  mechanical  engineering 
"in  the  heat  of  the  debates  of  the  Vietnam  War,"  joined  the 
Army,  then  entered  private  industry  to  work  on  major  defense 
platforms,  such  as  the  Abrams  Tank. 

Fitzpatrick  agrees  with  Kosiak  that  despite  increases,  the 
military  budget  is  still  limited.  "At  any  point  in  time,  the 
defense  budget  will  contain  salaries  and  replenishment  of 


1952 


J.  Adams  Holbrook  '38,  in 

WPI's  Washburn  Shops,  adapts  a 

coupling  invented  in  the  1920s  by 

Louis  W.  Rawson,  Class  of  1  893, 

for  use  in  helicopters.  Rawson's  coupling  permits  a  motor  to 

come  up  to  speed  before  a  load  is  applied.  (The  patented 

coupling  is  incorporated  in  helicopters  made  by  Sikorski, 

Kaman  and  other  leading  manufacturers.) 


24    Transformations   |  Fall  2003 


.■7f9RT5TT3Ji 


munitions  used  in  Iraq,"  says  Fitzpatrick.  "There  are  operations 
and  support  costs.  We  are  replacing  an  aging  aircraft  fleet.  Each 
one  of  those  elements  of  defense  spending  is  constrained  by  the 
others.  We  cannot  do  that  and  pay  salaries  at  the  same  time." 
Unfortunately,  with  a  few  notable  exceptions,  such  as  the 
Internet,  resources  devoted  to  the  aviation  needs  of  the  military 
are  unlikely  to  result  in  innovation  for  the  civilian  sector.  "While 
all  of  us  in  the  defense  industry  invest  in  technology,  it  is  more 
applied  technology  than  basic  research,"  Fitzpatrick  says. 


Dozens  of  aviation  defense  contractors  helped  create  the  F-22,  the  world's  first   fighter 
to  introduce  all-aspect  stealth  as  well  as  supercruise  —  supersonic  flight  without 
afterburners.  The  F-22  goes  into  service  in  late  2004. 


The  multibillion  dollar  F-22  and  JSF  programs  are 
among  the  largest  government  aircraft  procurement  programs 
in  existence.  System  development  can  span  a  human  genera- 
tion. Development  of  the  F-22  began  in  the  early  1980s;  the 
plane  is  just  now  going  into  production.  On  a  similar  time 
frame,  the  JSF  is  now  edging  into  development.  "We  will  be 
involved  for  the  next  30  years  in  those  two  things,"  says 
Thomas  Arseneault  '85,  vice  president  of  engineering  at  BAE 
SYSTEMS.  "To  combat  obsolescence,  every  major  weapons 
system  is  now  designed  with  open  architecture  so  it  can  be 


1960 


C.  Chopin  Cutler  '37,  on  engineer  at 

Bell  Labs,  starts  a  recording  of  President 

Eisenhower's  voice  broadcast  coast  to 

coast  by  being  bounced  off  the  giant 

balloon-like  ECHO  satellite.  Cutler,  a  key 

player  in  the  Echo  project,  has  already 

won  acclaim  for  the  Culler  Feed,  a 

waveguide-antenna  system  for  radar  that  was  on  every  World  War  II 

allied  bomber  thai  flew  over  Japan,  and  radio  proximity  fuses  thai 

helped  win  the  Battle  of  Britain. 


pr 


1IIIIIIIIMIIII 


upgraded  as  technology  changes.  The  Department  of  Defense 
developed  this  strategy  from  watching  the  computer  makers." 

What  does  the  military  mantra  of  transformation  mean 
to  a  defense  contractor  like  BAE  SYSTEMS?  Arseneault  says, 
for  example,  that  a  single  plane  is  now  developed  in  different 
versions  for  the  Navy  and  the  Air  Force  instead  of  the  previous 
practice  of  each  service  developing  its  own  aircraft.  "There  is 
an  emphasis  on  C4ISR,  which  means  Command,  Control, 
Communications,  Computers,  Intelligence,  Surveillance  and 


The  joint  Strike  Fighter,  or  F-35,  embodies  the  U.S.  military's  mantra  of  transformation. 
More  than  80  percent  of  its  parts  are  common  to  all  three  JSF  variants  making  future 
upgrades  and  software  updates  easier  and  more  affordable.  Its  integrated  weapon 
system  allows  pilots  to  identify  and  strike  moving  targets  day  or  night,  in  all  weather. 
Because  of  its  multiplatform  communications  system— on-board  and  off-board  infor- 
mation fusion  — pilots  work  as  tacticians  rather  than  weapons  system  managers. 


Reconnaissance,"  says  Arseneault.  "The  idea  being,  how  does 
one  interconnect  all  these  systems?" 

"One  of  the  major  trends  right  now  is  designing  affordable 
platforms  from  the  ground  up  for  multifunctional  systems," 
says  Mike  Sarcione  '84,  chief  engineer  for  integrated  defense 
systems  engineering  at  Raytheon.  "The  idea  is  to  put  applica- 
tions onto  common  hardware,  but  define  the  functions  by 
software  that  can  be  easily  upgraded." 


An  area  of  expertise  for  Raytheon  is  stealth.  The  military 
wants  "low  observables  [such  as  stealth  bombers,  fighters  and 
surface  ships]  so  we  can  see  the  enemy  before  he  sees  us," 
says  Sarcione,  who  oversees  technology  strategy  across  all  of 
Raytheon's  business  units.  Raytheon,  along  with  Northrup 
Grumman,  is  involved  in  developing  sensors  and  radar 
systems  for  the  Navy's  new  DD-X  destroyer. 

These  sophisticated  communications  platforms  work  by 
creating  an  ever-better  buffer  between  our  troops  and  the 
enemy.  And,  according  to  Tom  Fitzpatrick,  that's  just  what 
Americans  want:  no  or  low  loss  of  life. 

"Perhaps  the  most  profound  changes  that  I've  seen  [in  my 
career]  are  driven  by  our  national  desire  to  protect  ourselves  and 
not  have  any  casualties,"  Fitzpatrick  says.  "We  are  trying  to  pro- 
tect our  warfighters  while  engaging  the  enemy  with  precision." 
This  has  translated  into  communications  programs  that  can 
provide  perfect  knowledge  of  where  the  enemy  is  located, 
enabling  our  forces  to  engage 
at  a  distance  with  precision 
guided  missiles.  "So,  the 
Abrams  tank  has  the  best 
armor  in  the  world,"  says 
Fitzpatrick,  "and  our  airplanes 
are  invisible  to  radar." 

In  other  words,  we're  well 
equipped  to  overwhelm  the 
enemy  by  technological  supe- 
riority in  a  conventional  war. 

Asymmetrical  warfare,  terrorism  and  post-conflict  occupation 
pose  different  challenges,  just  as  the  United  States  experienced 
on  its  own  soil  on  9-11  and  in  the  most  recent  conflicts  in  Iraq 
and  Afghanistan. 

Still,  studies  find  that  the  American  public  will  tolerate 
significant  casualties  if  they  perceive  goals  as  important,  says 
Kosiak.  But  can  a  military  geared  to  fighting  a  war  by  sophisti- 
cated weaponry  be  just  as  safe  from  harm  while  keeping  the 
peace  at  street  level?  "An  army  that  is  used  to  fighting  conven- 
tional conflicts,"  he  says,  "might  not  be  adapted  to  fighting  a 
guerrilla  conflict." 

"The  whole  idea  of  engaging  from  a  safe  distance  is 
something  you  cannot  do  when  occupying  a  country." 
Fitzpatrick  says.  "I  think  that  there  is  an  understanding 


In  a  1  992  WPI  Journal  article,  Cutler  recalled 
starting  the  tape  recorder  with  Eisenhower's 
message. "I  remember  starting  that  tape  with  my 
own  fingers,"  he  said.  "It  was  probably  the  most 
exciting  period  in  my  life,  because  everything  had 
to  be  done  on  the  second.  We  had  to  have  that 
antenna  pointed  exactly  right,  because  this  thing 
went  whizzing  from  horizon  to  horizon  in  just 
20  minutes." 


1961 

ROBIN,  a  sounding  rocket  system  developed  under  the  direction 
of  John  B.  Wright  '42  at  the  Air  Force  Cambridge  Geophysics 
Laboratories,  flies  for  the  first  time.  The  system  uses  a  falling  sphere 
to  measure  atmospheric  density,  temperature  and  winds  before  the 
launch  of  larger  rockets.  Wright  had  spent  many  years  at 
the  NASA  Langley  Research  Laboratory  as  a  project 
engineer  on  designs  for  transonic  and  supersonic 
aircraft,  including  the  B-52  and  the  D-558 
Skystreak  research  plane. 


on  the  part  of  the  terrorists  that  our  nation 
is  not  going  to  tolerate  this  for  very  long. 
The  continued  losses  will  have  an  effect  on 
the  population.  We  try  to  provide  our  soldiers 
with  every  element  of  life-saving  precaution 
we  can.  In  the  end,  technology  is  not  a 
perfect  answer." 

But  it  can  help.  Raytheon  is  now  develop- 
ing people-deterrence  technologies  under  the 
auspices  of  the  new  Department  of  Homeland 
Security.  "There  are  systems  in  development 


now  that  will  prevent  an  aggressor  from  getting  close  to  a  soldier. 
It  will  not  terminate  the  aggressor,  but  it  will  stop  him  in  his 
tracks,"  says  Sarcione.  "Development  had  been  ongoing  for  at 
least  four  years  prior  to  9-1 1.  It  is  based  on  traditional  technol- 
ogy that's  used  in  an  unusual  way." 


Likewise,  the  Wolfpack  project, 
being  developed  under  DARPA  (the 
Defense  Advanced  Research  Project 
Administration),  embodies  close-contact 
defense  high-tech  transformation  for  the 
individual  soldier.  Wolfpack  is  a  cluster 
of  autonomous  sensors  that  soldiers 
carry  in  their  backpacks  and  scatter  on 
the  ground.  Like  ants,  the  sensors  self- 
organize  into  packs  to  do  surveillance 
and  jam  enemy  communications. 
Critics  are  concerned  that  we 
aren't  investing  enough  money  on  these 
flexible,  smaller-scale  weapons,  and  are 
instead  putting  our  defense  dollars  and 
faith  in  huge  platforms — longer-term 
established  massive  programs  such  as 
the  JSF  and  the  F-22.  Some  worry  that  a 
disproportion^  amount  of  money  is 
being  funneled  into  short-range  tactical 
aircraft  instead  of  long-range  interdic- 
tion, especially  given  the  difficulties  we 
encounted  in  both  Afghanistan  and  Iraq 
in  getting  access  to  bases  in  the  region. 
The  defense  contractors  are  doing 
what  they  do  best,  organizing  programs 
of  technology,  logistics  and  labor  to  cre- 
ate sophisticated  weapons.  Platforms 
tend  to  be  self-perpetuating  unless 
curbed  by  budgetary  or  political 
restraint.  There  is  always  an  economic 
"^SB     tradeoff  between  guns  and  butter — or 
guns  and  guns.  For  industry  insiders, 
the  real  question  seems  to  be  whether  the  platforms  we  are 
committing  to  now  will  prepare  us  for  the  kinds  of  wars  we'll 
need  to  fight  in  the  future.  If  we  are  indeed  transforming 
ourselves,  to  what  end?  D 


1963 

The  X-15  rocket  plane,  designed  to  explore  the  limits 
of  winged  aircraft,  climbs  higher  (to  354,000  feet) 
than  any  other  plane.  X-15  pilots  (and  the  seven 
Mercury  astronauts)  received  their  acceleration 
training  in  dynamic  flight  simulators  developed  by 
Carl  C.  Clarke  '45,  utilizing  the  human  centrifuge  at  the  Aviation 
Medical  Laboratory  in  Pennsylvania.  (Clark  later  developed  the  first 
practical  airbag  safety  systems.) 

2  6    Transformation!   |  Fall  2003 


1965 

Gus  Grissom  and  John  Young  fly  into  space 
in  Gemini  III,  the  first  Gemini  mission,  atop  a 
modified  Titan  II  rocket.  Development  of  the 
Titan  series  of  missiles  at  the  Martin  Marietta 
Co.  was  directed  by  Albert  J.  Kullas  '38, 
director  of  engineering,  who  later,  as  a 
Martin  Marietta  vice  president,  secured  the 
contract  and  directed  the  initial  design  and 
engineering  of  the  two  Viking  spacecraft  that 
soft-landed  on  Mors  in  1 976  in  search  of 
life  on  the  Red  Planet. 


The  Next  IBM  Years 

Current  research  at  WPI  is  helping 
shape  the  future  of  flight 


By  Eileen  McCluskey 


Astro  Agriculture 

Project:  Growing  Plants  in  Low  Gravity 

The  Challenge:  How  do  you  feed  people  on  long-term  space 
flights,  on  space  stations,  or  on  planetary  or  lunar  bases? 
"You  can't  possibly  bring  enough  food  with  you,"  says  Pam 
Weathers,  professor  of  biology  and  biotechnology.  Her 

mist-based  irrigation  system  could  meet  the  challenge  of  grow- 
ing healthy  productive  plants  in  space. 

Funding  Source:  In  2002,  WPI  invested  $37,000  to  renovate 
Weathers'  lab.  After  pledging  $500,000,  NASA,  unfortunately, 
changed  its  priorities  and  pulled  out  of  the  project. 

The  Science:  Low-gravity  conditions,  like  those  in  space  flight, 
disrupt  the  movement  of  gases  in  liquids.  On  the  Mir  Space 
Station,  for  example,  plant  roots  suffered  from  a  lack  of  oxygen. 
This  resulted  in  unhealthy  plants  that  were  unable  to  complete 
their  life  cycles:  they  couldn't  flower,  develop  fruits  or  vegetables, 
or  produce  viable  seeds. 

Through  a  series  of  prior  experiments,  Weathers  and  colleagues 
had  designed  and  built  a  nutrient  mist  bioreactor.  This  inexpen- 
sive system  sprays  water  and  nutrients  onto  plant  roots.  The 
mist  droplets  measure  just  7-10  microns  in  diameter — 100 
droplets  would  fit  on  the  head  of  a  pin. 


Weathers  and  biology  grad  student  Joseph  Romagnano  '0 1 
(M.S.  '04)  planted  pea  seeds  in  clear  plastic  rain  gutters,  in  a 
kitty  litter-like  substance,  called  Turface,  which  traps  the  water 
and  nutrient  mist  for  the  roots  to  absorb.  The  source  of  gases — 
oxygen  and  carbon  dioxide — was  a  perforated  tube  that  ran 
along  the  bottom  of  the  box.  Mist  was  fed  into  one  end. 

Results:  At  the  end  of  seven  days,  roots  of  germinated  pea 
plants  had  grown  in  the  Turface.  After  analyzing  the  roots  and 
the  oxygen,  carbon  dioxide  and  ethylene  present  around  the 
roots,  Weathers  found  that  peas  indeed  grew  better  in  the  mist. 
Current  40-day  experiments  will  determine  how  well  the  peas 
grow  to  maturity,  hopefully  producing  viable  seeds. 

Roadblocks:  NASA's  retraction  of  funding  has  all  but  halted 
Weathers'  research  for  now. 

The  Promise:  Future  generations  may  one  day  pick  lettuce 
and  peas  in  Martian  greenhouses.  When  new  funding  comes 
through,  Weathers  will  extend  her  work  to  include  a  number 
of  other  crops  chosen  by  NASA  for  space  farming  purposes. 
The  next  step  is  to  launch  a  rocket  and  grow  dwarf  peas, 
lettuce  and  wheat  in  space. 


1967 

The  F-ll  1  all-weather 

fighter-bomber,  with  its 

distinctive  swing-wing       j  --^- 

design  and  terrain-  ^^ — 

following  radar,  enters  service.  Frederick  A.  Curtis  Jr.  '48, 
director  of  product  engineering  at  General  Dynamics  Convair 
division,  is  heavily  involved  with  the  engineering  of  the  plane, 
known  informally  as  the  Aardvark,  and  helps  address  metal 
fatigue  problems  that  arise  during  its  development. 


1969 

As  his  feet— the  first  ever  to  touch  the  moon's  surface- 
settle  into  the  dust  on  the  Sea  of  Tranquility,  Apollo  1 1 
astronaut  Neil  Armstrong  tells  an  awestruck  world, 
"That's  one  small  step  for  a  man,  one  giant  leap  for 
mankind."  Armstrong's  words  are  captured  by  a  headset 
developed  by  the  David  Clark  Co.  in  Worcester  under 
the  direction  of  R&D  head  Joseph  A.  Ruseckas  '65. 


Transformations    \   Fail  2003     27 


fhe  Next  IBM] 


Precision 
Parachutes 

Project:  Aerodynamics 
>f  Parachute  Inflation 


° 


The  Challenge:  Invented  more  than  200  years  ago,  the  seem- 
ingly simple  parachute  involves  complex  physics.  Hamid 
Johari,  professor  of  mechanical  engineering,  is  improving 
modeling  software  to  help  the  Army  develop  newer  designs  that 
will  lessen  the  shock  of  inflation,  slow  down  descent  speeds, 
reduce  unwanted  oscillations,  and  enable  precision  in  landings. 

Funding  Source:  The  Army  Research  Office  (ARO)  provided 
$186,000  from  1998  to  2001.  A  grant  modification  of  $63,500 
was  made  to  carry  the  research  through  2002,  and  Johari  antici- 
pates approval  of  another  three-year  grant  that  would  begin  soon. 

The  Science:  To  study  the  aerodynamics  of  canopy  inflation, 
Johari  needed  to  slow  the  action  to  make  detailed,  accurate 
measurements.  His  solution:  place  small-model  parachutes  in 
a  30-foot-long  water  tunnel. 

Measurements  are  made  using  lasers,  digital  cameras  and  the 
Particle  Image  Velocimetry  (PIV)  technique.  The  resulting  high 
fidelity  data  provides  simultaneous  measurements  at  many  spatial 
points.  Using  PIV,  Johari  "seeds"  the  water  tunnel,  or  flow  field, 
with  tiny,  hollow  glass  spheres  coated  with  silver.  Every  few  mil- 
liseconds, as  the  seeded  water  flows  past  the  parachute,  Johari 
flashes  laser  light  onto  the  field  and  takes  a  digital  photo.  The 
images  look  like  a  glass  snow-globe,  with  the  lit  particles  showing 


clear  patterns  around  the  parachute.  "From  the  displacement 
of  the  particles  you  can  figure  out  the  flow  dynamics," 
Johari  explains. 

Results:  Johari  has  found  that,  contrary  to  common  wisdom, 
a  parachute's  opening  shock — the  highest  force  on  the  canopy 
as  it  opens — occurs  due  to  the  rapidly  changing  flow  features 
around  the  canopy,  rather  than  the  enlargement  of  the  canopy 
volume.  He  has  also  discovered  a  new  vortex-shedding  frequency 
around  the  canopy — swirling  pockets  of  air  that  roll  off  the 
canopy  as  it  descends.  These  findings  will  guide  new  designs 
to  reduce  opening  shock  and  to  make  a  parachute's  descent 
more  predictable. 

Roadblocks:  Johari's  small  lab  precludes  testing  larger  model 
canopies  in  bigger  water  tunnels,  to  more  closely  mimic 
real-life  situations. 

The  Promise:  The  humble  parachute  is  expanding  its  role 
in  delivering  humanitarian  aid  in  remote  areas.  As  the  Army 
develops  its  modeling  tools,  parachute  design  costs  will  drop 
significantly,  resulting  in  safer,  more  accurate  parachutes.  Says 
Johari,  "You'll  be  able  to  pinpoint  where  you  want  the  package 
to  land,  and  you'll  be  able  to  make  the  drops  at  any  time  of 
the  day  or  night,  in  places  with  no  roads  or  runways." 


1970 

After  a  harrowing  flight  around  the  moon 
n  a  crippled  spacecraft,  the  crew  of 
Apollo  13  floats  toward  the  Pacific 
Ocean  under  three  huge  red  and  white 
parachutes.  The  sight  of  the  chutes, 
developed  by  Robert  W.  Rodier  '51, 
parachute  engineer  for  North  American 
Aviation,  which  built  the  Apollo  command  module,  heralds  the 
safe  return  of  every  Apollo  crew. 


1978 

The  first  UH-60  Blackhawk  helicopter  enters 
service  with  the  U.S.  Army.  The  design  of  this 
versatile  flying  machine,  which  features  a  number 
of  innovations  including  a  novel  canted  tail  rotor, 
was  directed  by  David  S.  Jenney  '53,  whose 
career  at  Sikorski  included  work  on  many  pio- 
neering helicopters,  including  the  new  Comanche 
(model  at  right)    (Harry  T.  Jensen  '33,  who 
became  vice  president  of  engineering  at  Sikorski, 
also  contributed  to  the  design  of  the  Blackhawk, 
the  Super  Stallion  and  the  S-76  ) 


Microcmnnel  Dismieter  =  2W  u.m 


MicroChannel  Potential 


Power  Player 

Project:  Spacecraft  propulsion 


The  Challenge:  Design  smaller  engines  for  ever-shrinking 
spacecraft.  Nikos  A.  Gatsonis,  associate  professor  of 
mechanical  engineering  and  director  of  WPI's  Aerospace 
Program,  is  developing  micro  and  nano  on-board  engines,  or 
thrusters.  These  devices  must  allow  for  delicate  maneuvers,  such 
as  those  required  when  aligning  constellations  of  satellites.  The 
thrusters  must  be  positioned  so  that  their  spent  fuel  (or  plumes) 
won't  contaminate  the  spacecraft's  surfaces  and  instruments,  or 
interfere  with  its  communications. 

Funding  Sources:  NASA's  Glenn  Research  Center,  the  Air 
Force  Office  of  Scientific  Research  (for  modeling  electric  micro- 
propulsion),  the  Johns  Hopkins  University  Applied  Physics 
Laboratory  (JHUAPL),  and  the  National  Science  Foundation 
(for  outstanding  issues  related  to  modeling  nano-sized  flows) 
have  together  supplied  in  excess  of  $1.3  million  for  the  project. 

The  Science:  Gatsonis'  experiments  study  interactions  of  plumes 
with  spacecraft.  He  develops  computational  models  that  help 
determine  where  to  place  the  thrusters  on  the  craft  and  he 
studies  thruster  fuel  flow  in  order  to  improve  performance. 

Gatsonis  recently  participated  in  the  Active  Plasma  Experiment 
(APEX)  North  Star  mission  led  by  JHUAPL.  The  team  flew  a 
sounding  rocket  equipped  with  diagnostic  instruments  through 


artificially  induced,  high-speed  plasma  plumes  similar  to  those 
produced  by  on-board  electric  propulsion  thrusters. 

The  next  generation  of  propulsion  systems  will  be  made  at  the 
nanoscale.  Gatsonis  is  developing  models  that  examine  liquid  and 
gaseous  flows  in  nanotubes — structures  about  the  size  of  a  virus. 

Results:  The  Glenn  Research  Center  used  Gatsonis'  research 
to  design  an  improved  electric  micropropulsion  device.  The 
device,  called  a  pulsed  plasma  thruster  (PPT),  measures  just 
one  square  inch  and  uses  solid  Teflon  for  fuel. 

Roadblocks:  Traditional  methods  break  down  when  analyzing 
propellant  flows  in  ever-smaller  propulsion  devices.  Ionized 
gases  and  electromagnetic  fields  in  the  devices  also  complicate 
matters.  The  lack  of  nano-sized  sensors  hampers  exploring  the 
structure  of  flow-fields  in  such  diminutive  domains. 

The  Promise:  Future  spacecraft  may  be  apple-sized,  with  on- 
board propulsion  and  other  fluidic  systems  measuring  as  big  as 
a  red  cell,  or  even  a  virus.  They  will  be  capable  of  independent 
analysis  and  decision  making.  "The  more  we  work  in  this  area, 
the  more  we  imitate  biological  systems.  We  will  eventually 
build  spacecraft  that  can  think  for  themselves  and  incorporate 
fluidic  systems  at  the  nanoscale"  says  Gatsonis. 


1979 

The  Gossamer  Albatross  wins  the 
$200,000  Kremer  Award  by 
becoming  the  first  human-powered 
plane  to  cross  the  English  Channel. 
The  plane's  propeller  is  designed  by 
E.  Eugene  Larrabee  '42,  an  MIT 
professor  known  in  the  aeronautics 
field  as  "Mr.  Propeller."  (In  2002,  he 
co-authored  Airplane  Stability  and 
Control:  A  History  of  the  Technologies 
That  Made  Aviation  Possible.) 


1985 

A  prototype  develpoed  by  WPI  students  makes  it  to  the  finals  of  a 
NASA  competition  to  design  a  better  space  glove.  WPI  doesn't  win, 
but  getting  to  the  finals  helps  spur  excitement  for  a  new  aero  option 
for  mechanical  engineering  students.  The  university  receives  $20,000 
from  NASA  to  create  the  Advanced  Space  Design  Project  Center, 
which  provides  opportunities  for  students  to  complete  space-related 
projects  in  conjunction  with  NASA  centers. 


Transformations    |    Fall  2003     29 


The  Next  WIN  Years 


The  Outer  Limits  of  Satellites 

Project:  University  Nanosat  Competition 

The  Challenge:  Design  a  satellite  the  size  of  a  basketball. 
Fred  Looft,  professor  and  department  head  of  electrical 
and  computer  engineering,  oversees  an  undergraduate  team 
that's  participating  in  a  competition  sponsored  in  part  by  the 
Air  Force  Office  of  Scientific  Research  (AFOSR). 

Funding  Sources:  AFOSR  has  provided  $100,000  over  2  years. 

The  Science:  Student  groups  pool  knowledge  to  build  the 
nanosats.  One  team  tackles  the  exterior  structure:  the  metal, 
frame,  solar  cells,  and  other  "packaging"  that  must  survive  the 
trauma  of  the  launch  and  the  harsh  conditions  of  space.  Another 
team  designs,  implements  and  tests  all  power-related  systems, 
like  circuitry  and  batteries.  The  communication  group  works 
on  radio  frequency  transmission  and  reception,  including  the 
receiver,  transmitter,  cabling,  antenna  and  networks. 

Results:  The  competition  will  be  judged  in  the  spring  of  2005. 

Roadblocks:  Several  competitors  are  universities  with  full  staffs 
and  an  established  infrasttucture.  "It's  tough  to  catch  up  with  folks 
who  already  have  programs  in  place,"  says  Looft,  "but  we  are 
doing  a  great  job  and  expect  to  do  very  well  in  the  competition." 

The  Promise:  In  a  distant  galaxy,  swarms  of  intelligent 
microsatellites  converge  on  an  asteroid  belt.  One  of  the  many 
survivors  spots  an  asteroid  with  characteristics  it  "knows"  are 
needed  for  research.  It  calls  to  several  of  its  baseball-sized  bud- 
dies to  fly  over  and  take  pictures  from  various  angles,  and 
together  they  beam  their  images  back  to  Earth. 


1989 

A  paper  in  the  British  science  journal 

Nature  by  WPI  chemistry  professor 

Robert  C.  Plumb  solves  a  mystery 

left  over  from  the  Viking  missions  that 

landed  on  Mars  13  years  earlier. 

Viking  experiments  designed  to  delect  the  presence  of  life  instead 

found  evidence  of  unusual  chemical  reactions  in  the  Martial  regolilh 

(soil).  With  persistence  and  elegant  chemical  experiments,  Plumb 

proves  that  irradiated  nitrates,  which  he  shows  must  exist  on  Mars, 

are  the  key  to  explaining  the  unexpected  results. 


1991 

A  GASCAN  (Getaway  Special  Canister),  containing  within  its  five 
cubic  feet  several  experiments  designed  over  nearly  a  decade  by 
some  250  WPI  students,  flies  into  orbit  on  the  shuttle  Columbia.  The 
experiments  included  growing  zeolite  crystals 
and  studying  fluid  behavior  in  microgravity. 


The  Smallest 
Airplanes 

Project:  Micro  Air  Vehicles 
or  Biologically  Inspired  Flight 


The  Challenge:  Micro  Aerial  Vehicles  (MAVs)  equipped  with 
cameras  and  sensing  equipment  would  be  useful  in  unmanned 
planetary  explorations,  investigating  disasters  on  Earth,  and  for 
battlefield  reconnaissance.  But  how  to  build  viable  aircraft  as  small 
as  a  sparrow  or  a  bee?  "As  you  build  smaller,  you  need  aircraft  that 
eithet  move  awfully  fast,  or  with  flapping  wings,"  says  David 
Olinger,  associate  professor  of  mechanical  engineering. 

Funding  Source:  The  NASA  Space  Grant  Consortium  pro- 
vides $10,000  a  year  for  the  undergraduate  side  of  Olinger's 
MAV  work.  Olinger  will  apply  for  additional  funding  from 
DARPA  (the  federal  Defense  Advanced  Research  Projects 
Agency)  to  suppott  graduate  research. 

The  Science:  In  what  he  tefers  to  as  "biologically  inspired 
flight,"  Olinger  and  grad  students  Sagar  Sathaye  and  Ian 
DeBarros  are  studying  pheasant  and  seagull  wings  to  detetmine 
the  best  model  fot  their  next  generation  of  planes.  They  won't 
have  flapping  wings,  but  may  featute  other  bird-like  attributes. 
Olinger  is  focusing  on  a  triangular  notch  in  the  middle  rear  of 
birds'  outstretched  wings.  Biologists  say  the  notches  ptovide 
mote  lift,  less  drag. 

"We're  asking  why  that's  ttue  and  whether  we  should  notch 
our  MAV  wings,"  Olinger  says.  The  scientists  place  prototype 
wings,  with  and  without  the  bird-inspired  notch,  of  lightweight 
plastic  in  a  state-of-the-art,  closed-end  wind  tunnel.  Ait  pres- 
sure is  measured  along  every  inch  of  the  wing's  curved  top. 


Results:    Olinget's  undergraduate  students  have  enteted  their 
pheasant-sized  propellei-driven,  electtic-powered  MAVs  into 
an  annual  competition  at  the  University  of  Florida  for  the  past 
three  years.  Prizes  are  awarded  for  the  smallest  aitctaft  that  can 
fly  specific  distances  and  can  relay  certain  images  visible  only 
from  the  air  back  to  the  students.  In  2001,  their  first  yeat  in 
the  contest,  Olinger's  students  placed  fourth. 

Roadblocks:  Olinger  needs  to  gather  more  data  that  will  tell 
him  whether  to  build  MAVs  with  notches,  or  with  another 
borrowed-from-bird  feature.  As  the  MAVs  become  smaller,  new 
instruments  will  be  needed  to  measure  forces  and  pressures  on 
the  wings. 

The  Promise:  An  unmanned  spacectaft  lands  on  a  distant 
planet.  Within  minutes,  hundreds  of  aircraft  the  size  of  hum- 
mingbirds  disperse  across  the  planet's  datk  landscape,  wings 
buzzing,  cameras  recording  images,  sensing  equipment  measur- 
ing chemical  compounds,  flashing  data  back  to  Eatth.  On  a 
battlefield,  a  soldiet  lifts  a  bird-sized  plane  from  her  knapsack 
and  sends  it  to  the  frontline,  where  it  relays  live  images  back  to 
her.  In  the  midst  of  a  flood,  rescuers  launch  their  MAVs  to  find 
out  where  help  is  most  desperately  needed.  Olinger  predicts 
that  the  next  generation  of  MAV,  the  sparrow-sized  models,  will 
be  built  within  a  year  or  two.  "They  will  get  smaller  quickly," 
he  says.  "Two  years  later,  they'll  be  half  that  size."  D 


1995 

The  shuttle  Columbia  lifts  off  from 

Kennedy  Space  Center  on  a  16-day 

science  mission.  Aboard  is  WPI's  first 

astronaut,  Chemical  Engineering 

Department  head  Albert  Sacco  Jr.  (now  a  professor  at  his  alma 

mater,  Northeastern),  mission  specialist  for  the  flight.  An  experiment 

to  grow  zeolite  crystals  in  space,  developed  by  Sacco,  professors 

Robert  Thompson  and  Anthony  Dixon,  and  many  WPI  students,  is 

included  in  the  Spacelab  mission. 


1996 

The  Learning  Factory,  an  off-campus  project  center  created  in 
conjunction  with  Pratt  &  Whitney,  is  founded  to  send  student  teams 
to  Pratt's  jet  engine  manufacturing  facility  in  East  Hartford,  Conn., 
to  help  the  company  identify  and  develop  solutions  to  problems  that 
impact  the  design  and  assembly  of  engines  that  power  more  than 
half  of  the  world's  commercial  fleet. 


Transformations    |   Fall  2  003     3  1 


What  keeps  one  aviator  climbing  ever  higher 


Stacey  Bonasso  graduated  in  1990  with  a  bachelor's  degree  in 
mechanical! aerospace  engineering  and  also  earned  a  master's 
in  aeronautics  and  astronautics  at  Stanford  University.  She 
joined  the  Air  Force  in  1990.  Now  she's  stationed  at  Vance 
AFB  in  Oklahoma,  where  she  introduces  younger  pilots  to 
the  joy  of  flight  in  high-performance  jets. 

October  in  the  Utah  high  desert:  salt  flats  and  mountain  ranges 
extend  for  hundreds  of  miles  under  a  canopy  of  piercing  blue 
sky.  I  imagine  for  a  moment  how  this  landscape,  so  devoid  of 
human  development,  must  have  looked  long  ago,  a  time  when 
there  were  no  machines  and  when  men  didn't  fly. 


Hurtling  through  the  autumn  air  at  480  nautical  miles  per 
hour  and  just  500  feet  above  the  ground,  I  realize  I've  been  dav- 
dreaming.  Time  to  get  back  to  the  task  at  hand — not  hitting 
the  ground  and  keeping  pace  with  my  flight  lead,  who  is  a  mile 
to  my  left.  Today's  mission  is  fairly  routine,  unlike  most  in  the 
F-16.  We  are  going  in  low  through  a  mountain  range  lor  cover, 
then  onto  the  salt  flats  for  our  target  run.  No  real  munitions 
today,  but  we'll  practice  dropping  Mark-82  bombs  on  enemy 
surface  attack  weapons. 

Flying  the  ridge,  we  make  the  move  toward  the  ravine  that 
will  take  us  through  the  other  side  to  our  target.  I  pick  up  my 


1997 

WPI  launches  a  project  center  at 
NASA's  Goddard  Space  Flight  Center  in 
Greenbelt,  Md.,  named  for  WPI  graduate 
Robert  H.  Goddard  '08.  Each  fall 
teams  of  students  complete  major 
projects  at  this  NASA  center  dedicated 
to  expanding  our  understanding  of  the 
Earth,  the  solar  system  and  the  universe. 

3  2    Transformations   \  Fall  2003 


2001 

NASA  cancels  funding  for  the  X-34,  which  was  to  be 
a  test  bed  for  technologies  that  could  lead  to  a  new 
generation  of  reusable  unmanned  launch  vehicles. 
The  innovative  spacecraft  was  developed  by  Orbital 
Sciences  under  the  direction  of  Robert  E.  Lindberg 
Jr.  '74,  who  also  contributed  to  Orbital's  successful 
Pegasus  launch  vehicle.  Lindberg  today  heads  the  new 
National  Institute  of  Aerospace. 


cross-check  now — no  time  for  daydreaming 
here.  We  fly  up  the  ravine  with  cliffs  close  on 
either  side  of  us.  I  trail  my  lead  by  4,000  feet, 
monitoring  him  and  making  sure  I  don't 
smack  the  sides  of  the  mountains.  My  flight 
lead  rolls  into  bank  and  then  disappears.  My 
turn  next.  Just  then  the  earth  drops  out  from 
beneath  me  as  I  make  the  crest.  I  roll  up  to 
nearly  inverted  and  pull  back  to  the  eatth 
below.  I  catch  a  glimpse  of  the  bright  fall 
foliage  peeking  out  from  underneath  autumn's 
first  snow.  As  I  roll  out  onto  the  salt  flats — 
8,000  feet  lower  than  when  I  started  the 
pull — I  remember  why  I  love  this  job.  I  thank 
God  that  men — and  women — fly. 

When  I  was  a  student  learning  about 
aeronautics  and  astronautics,  I  was  continually 
amazed  at  the  brilliance  and  innovation  of  the 
professors  and  even  some  of  my  fellow  students. 
It  was  people  like  them  who  redefined  fightet 
aircraft  design  with  statically  unstable  jets  that 
rely  on  complex  fly-by-wire  control  systems  to 
keep  them  from  falling  out  of  the  sky.  This  engi- 
neering breakthrough,  now  decades  old,  is  at  the 
heart  of  the  F-16's  awesome  maneuverability. 
Combined  with  its  superior  avionics  suite  and 
weapons  targeting  and  delivery  systems,  the 
F-16's  maneuverability  makes  it  the  world's  best 
multi-role  fighter  and  a  true  engineering  marvel. 
Yet  it  wasn't  until  the  first  time  I  strapped  myself 
into  an  F-16,  better  known  by  pilots  as  the 
Viper,  that  I  truly  appreciated  this  technological  work  of  art  and 
the  hundreds  of  engineers  who  had  made  my  dream  a  reality — to 
fly  one  of  the  most  advanced  fighter  aircraft  in  the  world  as  fast, 
as  low,  and  as  high-G  as  it  can  go.  And  when  I'm  in  the  cockpit, 
the  world-class  avionics,  incredibly  powerful  engine,  and  all  the 
advanced  systems  take  a  backseat  to  the  absolute  joy  of  flying.  I  am 
taken  by  the  sense  of  my  feet  leaving  this  earth;  not  simply  defying 
gravity — but  defying  it  with  purpose. 

The  experience  of  flying  the  F-16  has  been  an  amazing  gift 
in  my  life,  topped  only  by  my  marriage  to  my  husband,  Vince, 
fellow  Viper  pilot  tut ned  FedEx  pilot,  and  the  birth  of  our 


daughter,  Julia  Grace.  I  call  her  my  nine-G  baby  because  she 
flew  a  few  high-G  flights  in  the  Viper  before  I  knew  I  was  preg- 
nant. Julia  is  now  one,  and  quite  healthy  despite  the  high-G 
maneuvers,  and  I'm  back  in  the  air  again,  this  time  as  a  T-38 
instructor  pilot. 

While  it's  no  F-16,  the  T-38  holds  its  own  as  a  fast  and  fun 
flying  machine — just  ask  the  students  learning  to  fly  it.  It's  their 
first  experience  in  a  high-performance  jet  and  it's  nothing  short 
of  a  miracle.  With  its  older  technology  the  T-38  is  statically 
stable,  relying  on  pilot  input  with  the  help  of  hydtaulics  to 
move  the  flight  controls.  Although  not  as  maneuverable  as  the 
F-16,  it  can  still  pull  seven  G's,  fly  between  300  and  500  knots, 
and  perform  a  foil  array  of  aerobatics. 

Since  the  experience  is  a  notch  down  from  the  Viper, 
I  find  the  most  rewarding  aspect  of  flying  the  T-38  is  being  an 
instructor.  There  is  a  sense  of  satisfaction  in  teaching  a  student 
who  has  never  flown  a  high-performance  jet.  Six  months  later 
they  can  navigate,  fly  in  formation,  perform  aerobatics  and  be 
ready  to  train  in  a  combat  aircraft.  Their  motivation  is  inspiring 
and  I  am  reminded  of  a  day  not  long  ago  when  I  was  that  stu- 
dent who  could  think  of  nothing  else  but  getting  my  chance  to 
fly  a  fighter.  I  can  see  it  in  their  eyes.  The  dream  is  there  and  it 
pushes  them  on,  much  like  it  did  for  me.  They  dream  of  flying 
faster,  lower  and  higher — as  high-G  as  they  can  go. 

I  assure  my  students  that  as  long  as  there  is  air  in  the  sky, 
engineers  will  continue  to  build  jets  that  are  more  powerful, 
more  sophisticated  and  more  capable.  To  quote  a  famous  movie 
line,  "if  you  build  it,  they  will  come."  Thousands  of  young  men 
and  women  will  line  up  for  their  chance  to  fly  up  that  tavine 
and  crest  the  mountaintop.  They  will  come  bearing  dreams  of 
flight,  of  taking  it  to  the  limit.  They  will  come  with  dreams 
of  defying  gravity — with  a  purpose.  D 


2003 

The  WPI  faculty  approves  the  creation  of  a  new  major  program 
in  aerospace  engineering,  making  WPI  one  of  just  61  universities 
with  degree  programs  in  this  field.  The  program  is  directed  by 
mechanical  engineering  professor  Nikos  Gatsonis,  who  was 
named  director  of  the  Aerospace  Engineering  Program  in  1999. 


On  Dec.  17,  the  nation  will  focus  on  ceremonies  at  Kitty 
Hawk,  N.C.,  where  the  first  Wright  brothers'  flight  will 
be  commemorated.  Current  plans  call  for  guests  at  the 
festivities  to  witness  the  dawn  of  a  new  era  in  flight  when 
an  electric  airplane  developed  by  James  P.  Dunn  '67 
takes  wing.  The  plane,  flown  initially  on  batteries,  will 
ultimately  be  powered  by  a  hydrogen  fuel  cell. 


Transformations    |   Fall  2003     33 


WPI:  The  Next  Generation 


Trans  form  ill  ions    \    Fall   2003     34 


"I  had  almost  always  known  that  I  wanted  to  come  to  WPI. 
I  loved  the  atmosphere.  As  I  got  older  I  realized  that  WPI 
had  a  lot  to  offer  me,  that  I  could  get  a  great  education  as  well 
as  be  in  an  atmosphere  I  already  knew  and  liked." 


-Ashley  Towner  '07 


Carolyn  and  Wally  Towner,  both  members  of  the  Class  of  1 983 
met  on  their  first  day  of  school  in  the  fall  of  1979.  "I  was  mak- 
ing a  room-by-room  shopping  list  for  others  on  the  floor  for  an 
upcoming  'fluids  lab,'"  says  Wally.  "I  asked  Carolyn  if  she  or 
her  roommate  had  any  requirements  for  the  'lab'  and  her  first 
words  to  me  were  'so  you  think  you're  pretty  hot  stuff,  huh?'" 
Wally  didn't  understand  how  he  had  provoked  such  a  response 
from  a  stranger  and  began  a  political  campaign  "to  win  the  elec- 
tion and  set  the  record  straight.  I  guess  she  changed  her  mind." 
Wally  and  Carolyn  were  married  the  year  after  they  graduated 
from  WPI. 

This  fall,  the  latest  Towner  generation  enrolled  at  WPI. 
Ashley  Towner  '07,  the  eldest  of  three  Towner  offspring,  is 
currently  enrolled  in  civil  engineering,  "but  I'm  fairly  sure  I'm 
going  to  change  my  major  to  biotechnology,"  she  says.  "I  had 
almost  always  known  that  I  wanted  to  come  to  WPI.  I  loved 
the  atmosphere.  As  I  got  older  I  realized  that  WPI  had  a  lot  to 
offer  me,  that  I  could  get  a  great  education  as  well  as  be  in  an 
atmosphere  I  already  knew  and  liked." 

"Carolyn  and  I  are  excited  that  Ashley  is  attending  our 
alma  mater,  but  we  didn't  lobby  her.  WPI 
sold  itself,"  Wally  says.  "In  our  house  college 
is  not  an  option  and  it  has  to  be  a  technical 
school.  That's  where  you  learn  how  to  break 
down  problems  and  come  up  with  solutions 
in  a  technical  environment.  However,  if  our 
kids  are  rock  stars  or  professional  athletes, 
the  'technical  college  is  not  an  option  rule' 
can  be  waived!" 


The  Towners  were  one  of  dozens  of  families  who  attended 
the  Alumni  Association  Legacy  Lunch  August  22.  The  annual 
back-to-school  rite  is  a  tradition  for  newly-admitted  students 
whose  parents  or  grandparents,  (or  this  year,  in  the  case  of 
Elizabeth  McCoskrie  '07,  both  her  great-  and  great-great  grand- 
fathers) attended  the  university.  For  alumni  it's  a  chance  to 
reminisce  about  their  college  years  with  their  kids  and  honor 
their  family's  long-standing  connections  to  WPI.  The  new 
students  also  gain  an  appreciation  for  WPI's  135-year  history 
and  what  it  means  to  be  a  part  of  that. 

Throughout  the  first  week  of  the  new  academic  year  mem- 
bers of  the  Alumni  Association  and  Tech  Old  Timers  helped 
welcome  all  students  to  campus,  some  by  lending  a  hand  carry- 
ing boxes  to  dorm  rooms.  Association  president-elect  Morgan 
Rees  '61  and  trustee  Steve  Rubin  '74  spoke  to  incoming  students, 
reminding  them  to  balance  learning  and  fun,  and  to  use  the 
association  as  a  resource. 

The  welcoming  events  capped  a  summer-long  series  of 
barbeques  across  southern  New  England  in  Fairfield  County 
and  Hartford,  Conn.,  and  Smithfield,  Rhode  Island,  that 
reached  out  to  new  students.  "It  was  a 
chance  for  newly-admitted  students  to  talk 
to  recent  grads  and  to  one  another,"  says 
Beth  Howland,  director  of  Alumni 
Relations,  "so  they  had  some  information 
about  WPI  and  also  familiar  faces  and 
names  once  they  arrived  on  campus."  The 
mixers  were  so  well-received,  says  Howland, 
her  office  plans  to  expand  the  program  next 
year  and  add  events  in  Framingham,  Mass., 
[     and  southern  New  Hampshire. 


Ralph  Smith  43  with  grandson,  Wray  Smith  '07 


Tran sfo rm at ions    \   Fa  11  2003     35 


39 


Howard  "Doc" 

Blanc hard  was 
Rock  &  Gem 
magazine's  Craftsman  of  the 
Month  for  November  2003. 
The  issue  featured  his  ammo- 
nite stamp  holder.  An  active 
member  of  the  Southern 
Nevada  Gem  and  Mineral 
Society,  he  lives  in  Las  Vegas. 
After  suffering  a  heart  attack 
in  1986,  Howard  had  to  sell 
Blanchard  Marine  Corp.  and 
give  up  flying.  He  became  a 
rated  flight  instructor  in  1950, 
while  stationed  at  Wright- 
Patterson  AFB,  and  obtained  a 
Japanese  license  while  serving 
there  during  the  Korean  War. 


40 


Dorothy 
Wilson,  first 
wife  of  the  late 
Philip  Bartlett,  died  in  June 
2003.  Surviving  family  mem- 


bers include  a  daughter,  Linda 
Bartlett  Burrowes,  and  a  son, 
Philip  Bartlett  Jr.  70. 

George  Bingham  writes  from 
Portland,  Ore.,  where  he  is  re- 
tired after  30  years  with  Ebasco 
Services  and  seven  years  as  chief 
engineer  of  the  Bonneville 
Power  Administration.  His 
career  took  him  all  over  the 
world,  including  six  years  in 
Greece,  electrifying  the  country 
under  the  Marshall  Plan,  as 
well  as  trips  to  Lahore,  Pakistan, 
and  Ceylon  (now  Sri  Lanka). 
"Putting  together  this  account 
has  reminded  me  of  how  much 
fun  I've  had  as  an  engineer, 
since  graduating  from  WPI,"  he 
writes.  "I  had  to  stop  skiing  last 
year.  Now  I  play  ping-pong 
instead,  but  I  still  try  to  keep 
my  slide  rule  busy,  so  to  speak. 
And,  yes,  I  have  a  computer, 
too.  My  e-mail  address  is 
gstorrsbng@aol.com." 


Milton 
Meckler's  article 

JL        "Planning  in 
Uncertain  Times"  was  pub- 
lished in  the  June  2003  issue  of 
Industrial  Engineer.  The  former 
president  and  CEO  of  The 
Meckler  Group,  he  is  now  a 
principal  of  P2S  Engineering 
Inc. 

Wes  Wheeler  has  moved  to 
the  woods  of  North  Stamford, 
Conn.,  where  he  stays  active  as 
a  representative  for  shipyards 
around  the  world — in  particu- 
lar, Blohm+Voss  of  Hamburg, 
Germany.  He  also  serves  as  an 
arbitrator  and  marine  forensic 
expert.  "I  am  now  a  non-lawyer 
member  of  the  Maritime  Law 
Association  as  well  as  the 
Society  of  Maritime  Arbitrators. 
I  also  do  occasional  ship  survey- 
ing and  husbanding." 


51 


>    A  special  compilation  of  photos  and  memorabilia  from 
class  members'  years  at  WPI  was  on  display  at  Gordon  Library  for  Reunion  2003  and 
then  at  the  Campus  Center  during  Homecoming  last  month.  Although  it  was  not  a  reunion  year, 
class  members  decided  the  time  was  right  to  share  their  Tech  memories  and  keepsakes  with  the  cam- 
pus community  and  returning  alumni.       The  project  began  with  a  collection  of  class  reunion  pho- 
tos that  Vartkes  "Ziggy"  Sohigian  assembled  and  had  framed,  along  with  an  image  of  Bovnton  Hall. 
Inspired  by  these  resurrected  treasures,  Sohigian  consulted  with  Alumni  Office  and  library  staff  to 
uncover  historical  documents  and  artifacts  from  the  WPI  Archives  and  Special  Collections.  The 
exhibit  was  skillfully  assembled  by  head  archivist  Rodney  Gorme  Obien. 


Members  of  the  Class  of  1951  and  their  guests  at  the  opening  of  their  photo  exhibit.  From  left,  Bruce  Bailey, 
Duncan  Munro,  Ed  Johnson,  Ruth  Munro,  Lois  Johnson,  Belly  Spiller,  Merrill  Spiller,  Al  Anderson,  Felice  Coffey 
|ol  center,  front),  Noncy  Anderson,  Arl  Fisher,  Matilda  Sohigian,  Ziggy  Sohigian,  lee  Fairbanks,  Judy  Fisher, 
Dick  Coffey,  Dora  Miller,  Irv  Orrell  and  Stan  Miller. 


59 


Len  Dutram 

and  his  wife, 
Lee,  live  in 


Collegeville,  Pa.  Their  1989 
Ferrari  rook  firsr  place  in  rhe 
Concours  d'Elegance  held  in 
Reading  in  June.  Len  keeps  in 
touch  with  fellow  physics 
majors  Joe  Lenard  of  Pough- 
keepsie,  N.Y.,  and  Frank 
Pakulski  of  Burlington,  Vt. 

Edwin  Tenney  works  in  the 
Buell  Division  of  Fisher 
Klosterman  Inc.  in  Lebanon, 
Pa.,  where  he  designs,  sells  and 
services  fluid-bed  cyclone  sys- 
tems for  oil-refining  and  petro- 
chemical operations  worldwide. 

David  Ekstrom 

is  president  and 
V^/  ^_s        general  manager 
of  Bematek  Systems  Inc.,  where 
he  recently  received  a  parent  for 
a  multi-shear  mixing  head. 

Richard  Kashnow  has  been 
appointed  to  the  board  of 
directors  of  Ariba  Inc. 

Jack  Kelley  was 

profiled  in  the 
April  2003  issue 
of  Constructor,  He  is  president 
of  Nickerson  &  O'Day  in 
Winrhrop,  Maine. 

Phil  Ryan  is  CEO  of  Mer- 
chants Automotive  Group  in 
Hooksett,  N.H.  The  Merchants 
group  includes  new  and  used 
auto  dealerships,  a  corporate 
leasing  program,  16  rental  loca- 
tions, and  a  parts  and  service 
division.  Phil  says  he  is  excited 
about  joining  the  company 
after  working  in  a  consulting 
capacity,  and  he  looks  forward 
to  growing  the  existing  business 
units  and  pursing  other  invest- 
ment oppottunities. 

Charlie  Sisitsky 

serves  on  the 

Board  of 
Selectmen  in  Framingham, 
Mass. 


70 


Merico  "Rico" 
Argentati  retired 
in  2000,  after  29 
years  as  a  member  of  the  tech- 
nical staff  of  Bell  Laboratories 
(under  AT&T  and  Lucent 
Technologies).  In  August  2003 
he  received  his  Ph.D.  in  applied 
mathematics  from  the  Univer- 
sity of  Colorado,  a  lifelong  goal 
to  which  he  has  devoid  much 
of  his  time  since  retirement. 
The  title  of  his  thesis  was 
"Principal  Angles  Between  Sub- 
spaces  as  Related  to  Rayleigh 
Quotient  and  Rayleigh  Ritz 
Inequalities  With  Applications 
to  Eigenvalue  Accuracy  and  an 
Eigenvalue  Solver."  His  research 
interests  include  numeiical  lin- 
ear algebra,  eigenvalue  prob- 
lems and  finite  element  meth- 
ods. Rico  lives  with  his  wife, 
Shannon,  in  Denver.  In  addi- 
tion to  his  independent  mathe- 
matics research,  he  enjoys 
hiking  and  camping  in  the 
Colorado  mountains. 

Dominic  Forcella  was  elected 
to  a  two-year  term  on  The 
Blues  Foundarion's  board  of 
directors.  He  is  a  former  presi- 
dent of  the  Connecticut  Blues 
Society  and  author  of  the  weekly 
"Blues  Beat"  column. 


71 


Wayne  Holmes 

('86  M.S.  FPE) 
was  elected  a 
fellow  of  the  Society  of  Fire 
Protection  Engineers.  He  serves 
as  vice  president  of  HSB  Profes- 
sional Loss  Control  in  the  com- 
pany's Hartford,  Conn.,  office. 

Jim  Kaufman  (Ph.D)  is  presi- 
dent of  Laboratory  Safety 
Institute  in  Natick,  Mass.  The 
organization,  which  seeks  to 
improve  laboratory  safety  in 
public  schools  and  colleges,  has 
offered  seminars  at  WPI. 


Public  Eye 


Charles  Durkin  '65,  chairman  of  the  Northeast  Power 
Coordinating  Council,  was  quoted  in  Newsday  and  inter- 
viewed on  PBS's  NewsHour  with  Jim  Lehrer  in  the  wake 
of  the  summer's  power  failures  in  New  York  and  other  eastern 
cities.  Durkin,  who  previously  worked  for  Con  Ed,  was  asked  to 
compare  the  2003  blackout  to  the  one  that  paralyzed  New  York 
in  1977...  Mass  High  Teeh  profiled  Gazelle  Systems'  new 
CEO,  Stephen  Pytka  '68,  in  its  "Movers  &  Innovators"  column  ... 
The  Boston  Herald  sports  pages  included  a  "Pro  File"  of  New 
England  PGA  president  Jack  Gale  '70,  who  is  the  head  profes- 
sional at  Dublin  [N.H.]  Lake  Golf  Club  ...  Judge  Paul  Losapio  '73 
made  Newsweek's  "Perspectives"  page  with  his  comment  on  a 
high-profile  case  in  which  he  sentenced  a  man  to  1  8  months  of 
jail  for  licking  a  stranger's  feet  in  a  Massachusetts  supermarket  ... 
Robert  Raslavsky  '78,  one  of  the  original  10  "Worcester  Scene" 
photographers,  was  the  prime  force  behind  an  art  exhibit,  "The 
'Worcester  Scene'  Photographers  ...10  Years  After,"  which 
opened  at  the  Worcester  Historical  Museum  in  July.  The 
Telegram  &  Gazette  covered  the  show  and  wrote  of 
Raslavsky 's  career  in  aerial  photography,  from  Alaska  to  the 
Bahamas  ...  In  its  July  issue,  Golf  Magazine  ran  a  profile  of 
course  designer  Mark  Mungeam  '83,  calling  him  "refreshingly 
low-key  and  modest,"  and  "a  traditionalist  with  a  fondness  for  all 
things  old"...  Professor  Fabio  Carrera  '84's  work  with  students  at 
WPI's  Venice  Project  Center  was  featured  in  the  Wired  maga- 
zine story  "The  Lost  City  of  Venice."  Carrera  was  also  inter- 
viewed for  the  BBC  Radio  program  "Europe  Today"...  WPI 
Web  designer  Troy  Thompson  '95  was  named  one  of 
Worcester  Business  Journal's  "40  Under  40"  for  2003. 
He  was  honored  for  creating  the  Social  Web  and  for  work  done 
by  his  company,  Daedal  Creations,  on  Web  sites  for  area  non- 
profits, including  AIDS  Project  Worcester,  ARTSWorcester  and  the 
Massachusetts  Reading  Association  ...  Defending  champion  Matt 
Gissel  '01  competed  in  the  2003  National  Monopoly 
Championship.  He  was  bankrupted  by  stiff  competition, 
which  included  his  father,  Robert  Gissel. 


Transformations    \   Fall  2003     3  7 


O 


m 

w 

O 


o 


George 
Grunbeck 

joined  R.W. 


Beck  Inc.  in  Boston  as  a  strate- 
gic business  development  con- 
sultant and  seniot  operations 
and  performance  engineer.  He 
provides  support  to  clients  in 
the  operation  of  existing  power 
generation  plants. 

Mark  Whitley  is  vice  president 
of  operations  at  Quicksilver 
Resources,  a  natural  gas  and 
crude  oil  production  company 
in  Fort  Worth,  Texas. 

Douglas  Briggs 

is  general  man- 
JL       ager  at  Lincoln 
Precision  Machining  Co.  He 
and  his  wife,  Ruth,  have  four 
children. 


75 


John  Kelly 

owns  and 
operates  Kelly 
Green  Acres  Farm  in  Blandford, 
Mass.,  where  he  is  active  in 
town  politics.  He  is  also  presi- 
dent of  the  New  England 
Vegetable  and  Berry  Growers 
Association  and  managing 
general  partner  of  AGRA-Net 
Systems. 

John  Casey  was 

named  president 
of  Electric  Boat 

in  October.  He  joined  the 

company  in 
1979,  and 
was  previ- 
ously vice 
president  of 
operations. 
Casey  and 

his  wife,  Deirdre,  live  in 

Westerly,  R.I.,  and  have  two 

college-age  children. 

Kevin  Healey 

is  a  project 
executive  with 
William  A.  Berry  &:  Son  Inc. 

Gary  Loeb  moved  to  West 
Grove,  Pa.,  just  a  few  miles 
from  the  Delaware  border,  with 
his  wife,  Leslie,  and  children, 
Rachel  and  Adam.  He  is  now 


corporate  performance  manager 
for  Exelon  Power's  fossil  genera- 
tion group.  His  manager  is 
WPI  grad  Dave  Harris  '85. 

Consigli 
Construction 
V-/       vice  president 
Mike  Walker  has  15  WPI 

alumni  on  board,  including  1 1 
project  engineers.  Apparently 
the  Consigli-WPI  connection  is 
going  strong  for  the  Milford, 
Mass.,  company,  with  more 
new  grads  joining  the  firm  each 
year. 

Chris  Mather 

was  named  CEO 
and  a  director  of 
Ion  Optics  in  Waltham,  Mass. 


81 


Walter  Flanagan 

was  named  a  vice 
president  at 
Wright-Pierce,  where  he  leads 
the  building  design  services 
practice.  He  lives  in  Topsham, 
Maine. 

Stuart  Shapiro  (Ph.D.),  far 
right,  is  group  leader,  microbi- 
ology, and  deputy  director, 


biological  research,  at  Basilea 
Pharmaceutia  AG  in  Basel, 
Switzerland.  He  and  his  wife, 
Corine  (Bloch),  and  their  chil- 
dren live  in  Kilchberg.  The 
photo  shows  him  in  consulta- 
tion with  faculty  of  the 
Frantisek  Palacky  University 
School  of  Medicine  in  the 
Czech  Republic,  where  he  was 
a  guest  lecturer  in  the  autumn 
of  1999.  A  profile  of  Stuart 
appeared  in  SIM  News,  the 
newsletter  of  the  Society  for 
Industrial  Microbiology. 

Scott  Mathews 
is  principal  engi 
neer  for  the 
Steward  Observatory  .11  the 


University  of  Arizona.  He  is 
a  contributor  to  Bloomsbury 
Review,  a  literary  magazine 
based  in  Denver,  and  the 
author  of  a  page-a-day  science 
calendar  (see  WPI  Bookshelf). 
Scott  lives  in  Tucson  with  his 
wife,  Landry,  their  teenage  son 
and  two-year-old  daughter. 

Mark  Scott  is  a 

20-year  veteran 
at  Sikorsky 
Aircraft,  with  mastet's  degrees 
from  the  University  of  Mary- 
land and  MIT. 

Michael 
Atamian  works 
\J      JL       in  San  Diego  as 
a  senior  analyst  fot  Metron 
Inc.,  a  consulting  firm  that  spe- 
cializes in  using  modeling  and 
simulation  techniques  to  assist 
corporate  and  government 
clients  with  projects  ranging 
from  software  design  to  devel- 
oping future  weaponry  for  the 
Navy.  He  is  also  working  on  a 
master's  degree  in  forensic  sci- 
ences. "On  the  personal  side, 
I  continue  to  enjoy  traveling 
abroad  whenever  possible,  and 
experiencing  the  cultural  diver- 
sity of  the  world.  So  (to  para- 
phrase a  friend's  comment),  I 
haven't  embarrassed  the  alma 
mater  yet,  but  there  is  still 
time!" 

Kevin  Conlon  and  his  wife, 
Erin,  welcomed  their  fifth 
child,  Kelly  Allison,  on  Sept. 
26,  2003.  She  joins  her  sisters, 
Meghan,  Brenna  and  Cara,  and 
her  brother,  Kyle. 

Deborah  Harrow  and  Mark 
Blessing  were  married  in  a  civil 
ceremony  in  London,  where 
Debbie  is  vice  president,  client 
services,  for  Fidelity  Invest- 
ments. Mark  is  director  of 
European  marketing  lor  BEA 
Systems.  The  couple  also  had  ,i 
religious  ceremony  ol  marriage 


in  Avallon,  France,  on  Aug.  2, 
2003,  which  included  Chris 
Erikson  '83  and  Karen 
(Eklof)  Erikson. 

In  August  2002,  Bob  Kilroy 
and  his  wife,  Deb,  traveled  to 
China  to  adopt  a  10-month-old 
girl,  Julia  Fan.  Their  older 
daughter,  Shauna,  is  13.  Bob  is 
an  attorney  with  Testa,  Hurwitz 
&  Thibeault  in  Boston. 

Jim  Melvin  was  a  finalist  in  the 
2003  New  England  Business 
and  Technology  Awards.  The 
names  of  the  10  most  influen- 
tial e-business  leaders  in  the 
region  were  announced  in 
October. 

Keith  Ruskin  (with  wife, 
Andrea,  and  son,  Daniel)  is 


director  ol  neurosurgical  anes- 
thesia at  Yale  University,  where 
he  is  an  associate  professor  of 
anesthesiology  and  neuro- 
surgery. His  group  cues  lor 
patients  undergoing  surgery  on 
the  brain  or  spinal  cord.  "The 

work  is  challenging,  but  inter- 
esting and  very  gratifying."  he 
notes.  "When  1  am  not  ai 
work,  I  cm  usually  be  found 
either  at  home  with  mv  family 
or  in  the  air.  I  recendy  added  a 

new  rating  to  m\  pilot  CCrtifi 

cate,  and  my  family  has  been 
living  'Ruskinair'  .ill  ova  New 
England." 


38     Transformation!    \   Fall  2003 


Congratulations  to  Paul  Testa, 

who  was  named  New  Hamp- 
shire Secondary  School  Chem- 
istry Teacher  of  the  Year  by 
the  New  England  Institute  of 
Chemists.  He  has  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Winnacunnet  High 
School  science  department 
since  1985. 

Paul  Chodak  is 

managing  direc- 
tor of  corporate 
technology  development  at 
American  Electric  Power.  This 
year  he  was 
selected  as 
one  of  83 
engineers 
nationwide 
to  partici- 
pate in  the 
National  Academy  of  Engi- 
neering's ninth  annual  Frontiers 
in  Engineering  symposium  held 
in  September. 

Philip  Colarusso 

is  a  marine  biol- 
S±J  \^y       ogist  with  the 
EPA  in  Boston.  A  Washington 
Post  profile  described  his 
research  on  some  of  the  region's 
most  controversial  issues, 
including  the  environmental 
impact  of  the  Branton  Point 
power  station  and  the  proposed 
windmills  on  Nantucket  Sound. 


Correction 

Classmates  of  Matt  Parker  '85, 
profiled  in  our  summer  issue 
("The  View  From  Seven  Sea 
Street,"  page  20),  may  have 
been  summarily  confused:  we 
incorrectly  identified  his  gradu- 
ation year  not  once,  but  twice. 
We  claimed  he  was  Class  of 
1987  on  the  cover  of  the  issue, 
and  Class  of  1989  on  the  first 
page  of  the  story.  We  did, 
thankfully,  manage  to  list  his 
class  year  correctly  on  the  table 
of  contents.  We  regret  the  error 
and  apologize  for  any  inconven- 
ience it  may  have  caused. 


Desmond  Cook  received  the 
Circle  of  Excellence  Award  at 
Cytec  Industries,  where  he  is  a 
senior  process  engineer  in  the 
company's  Fortiet.  La.,  plant. 
He  was  recognized  for  using  Six 
Sigma  tools  to  improve  acry- 
lonitfile  reactor  performance 
during  methanol  injection, 
resulting  in  improved  sales, 
teduced  emissions  and  enor- 
mous savings  in  energy  costs. 
Cook  and  his  wife,  Robin,  have 
an  infant  daughter. 

Christian  Gellrich  is  a  senior 
research  engineer  at  SRI 
International  Research.  His 
recent  article  on  airdrop  behav- 
ior of  parachuted  cargo  pallets 
appeared  in  GPS  World. 

Jeffrey  Klofft  is  the  new  vice 
president  of  engineering  at 
Reflectent  Software  in  Lowell, 
Mass. 

Todd  Moline  married  Tracey 
Macksoud  on  May  3,  2003.  He 
is  president  of  CE  Contractors 
in  Winchester,  Mass. 

David 
Arcidiacono 

writes,  "On  May 
5,  2003,  Grant  Arcidiacono 
joined  his  older  siblings,  John, 
Drew  and  Elyse,  as  parr  of  the 
Arcidiacono  clan.  I  continue  to 
work  at  Sikorsky  Aircraft, 
where  I've  been  since  gradua- 
tion." 

Daniel  McNamara  joined 
StarGen,  a  semiconductor  firm 
in  Marlborough,  Mass.,  as 
director  of  sales  for  the  eastern 
United  States. 

Rhonda  (Lamparelli)  Wight 

and  her  husband,  Kevin, 
welcomed  home  a  daughter, 
Lindsay  Marie,  on  April  29, 
2003.  Lindsay  joined  her  older 
brother,  Brandon,  3'/2. 

Steve  Woodard  (M.S.)  was 
made  a  vice  president  at  the 
environmental  consulting  firm 
Wood  &  Curran,  where  he 
leads  the  industrial  wastewatet 
team.  He  is  also  an  adjunct  pro- 
fessor at  the  University  of 
Maine. 


88 


Brian 
Bagdonovich  is 

a  mechanical 
engineer  with  the  U.S.  Army 
Natick  Soldiet  Center's  airdrop 
technology  team.  He  married 
Rosemarie  Harrington  on  May 
17,  2003. 

Joe  Brown  and  his  wife,  Vicki, 
are  proud  to  announce  the 
birth  of  their  second  son, 
Matthew  Preston,  on  Dec.  8, 
2002.  The  whole  family  moved 
from  Greenville,  S.C.,  to 
Clermont-Ferrand,  France, 
where  Joe  will  continue  his 
work  with  Michelin. 


Jennifer  (Almquist)  Butkus 

and  her  husband,  Michael, 
along  with  their  4-year-old 
daughter,  Abigail,  welcomed  a 
son,  Nathaniel  Joseph,  into  the 
family  on  Dec.  28,  2002. 
Jennifer  continues  as  chief  of 
the  environmental  management 
division  at  the  U.S.  Military 
Academy  at  West  Point. 

Robert  Michaud  is  president 
and  a  founding  partner  of 
MDM  Transportation 
Consultants.  The  company 
opened  its  Marlborough,  Mass., 
office  in  August  2003. 


What's  News? 

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marriage,  family,  address  change— whatever. 

Why  not  send  us  a  photo  of  yourself  for  publication. 

And,  please  include  your  spouse's  full  name  when 

sending  wedding  or  birth  announcements. 


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Fax  -508-83 1  -5820   E-mail  -  jkmiller@wpi.edu 

Web  — www.  wpi, edu/+ Transformations  (Class  Notes  are  automatically  forwarded  to  the  editor) 


WPI  Bookshelf 


Get  Off  and  Push:  The  Story  of  the 
Gilmere  &  Pittsburgh  Railroad 

by  Thornton  Waite  '71 

Brueggenjobann/Reese  Inc. 

Thornton  Waite's  latest  book  on  Idaho  rail- 
road history  tells  the  story  of  a  line  that  should 
never  have  been  built.  Designed  by  a  WPI 
graduate  — Nathan  Rockwood,  Class  of 
1907— it  was  completed  in  1910  to  serve  a 
mine  that  never  produced  enough  ore  traffic  to  make  it  profitable. 
Today,  only  a  few  old  railroad  ties  and  cars  remain.  Waite's  other 
books  include  historical  works  on  the  Yellowstone  and  Montana 
branches  of  the  Union  Pacific.  He  says  that  he  intends  to  keep  his 
day  job  as  a  project  engineer  with  Bechtel  Idaho. 

Space:  A  Photo  &  Fact  Anthology  (2004  Calendar) 

by  Scott  Mathews  '82 
Accord  Publishing  Ltd. 

Each  page  of  this  "page-a-day"  desk 
calendar  features  a  glossy  color  photo- 
graph with  an  informative  caption 
written  by  the  Steward  Observatory's 
principal  engineer,  Scott  Mathews. 
The  striking  images  come  from  the  Hubble  Space  Telescope  and 
from  Voyager,  Viking  and  other  NASA  missions.  They  include 
spectacular  views  of  planets,  stars  and  galaxies,  along  with  photo- 
graphs of  the  spacecraft  and  astronauts  who  made  the  missions 
possible.  Important  dates  in  the  history  of  space  exploration  are 
noted,  along  with  cosmic  events  to  observe.  There  is  also  space 
to  note  your  own  appointments  and  events  back  here  on  Earth. 

Virtual  LEGO:  The  Official  LDraw.org  Guide  to 
LDraw  Tools  for  Windows 

by  Ahui  Herrera  '00  (MBA)  (with  co-authors 
Tim  Courtney  and  Steve  Bliss) 

No  Starch  Press 

LDraw  is  a  suite  of  3-D  modeling  software 
that  lets  LEGO®  enthusiasts  create  computer 
models  without  actually  buying  (and  storing!) 
thousands  of  the  tiny  plastic  interlocking 
bricks.  Herrera  and  his  colleagues  at 
LDraw.org  have  created  a  handbook  for  the  virtual  LEGO  communi- 
ty of  enthusiasts.  This  comprehensive  guide  shows  readers  how  to 
construct  original  structures  using  compatible  CAD  software  and 
how  to  create  precise  documentation  so  those  spectacular  projects 
can  be  replicated  or  shared  with  friends.  The  companion  CD-ROM 
(included)  provides  all  the  software  needed  to  get  started.  Herrera, 
who  works  for  the  U.S.  Department  of  Defense  as  a  federal  investi- 
gator, is  founder  and  president  of  A&M  Productions,  a  small  compa- 
ny that  specializes  in  software  applications  of  toy  enthusiasts.  He 
also  manages  the  help  desk  and  tutorial  sections  of  lDraw.org. 


Susan  Stuart,  D.O.,  joined  the 
medical  staff  at  South  County 
Hospital  in  Wakefield,  R.I.  She 
completed  her  pediatrics  intern- 
ship and  residency  at  the  Naval 
Regional  Medical  Center  in 
Portsmouth,  Va. 

Nicole  (Bartek)  Yingling 

and  her  husband,  Jeff,  are 
proud  to  announce  the  birth 
of  a  daughter,  Madeline  Nicole, 
on  Dec.  31,  2002.  She  joins 
her  brothers,  Adam,  5'/2,  and 
Matthew,  4,  in  their  Gettys- 
burg, Pa.,  home.  They  are  also 
happy  to  announce  the  opening 
of  their  new  dental  practice, 
Gettysburg  Endodontics,  on 
June  3,  2003,  with  Jeff  as  office 
manager  and  Nicole  as  endo- 
dontist.  "After  1 1  years  in  the 
Air  Force,  it's  nice  to  finally 
settle  down!"  she  writes. 


89 


Patrick 
Brennan's  New 

Voices  monolog 
Old  Flame  was  produced  at  this 
year's  Summer  Shorts  drama 
and  music  festival  in  Waltham, 
Mass. 

Cynthia  Gould  spent  her  sum- 
mer vacation  exploring  hydro- 
thermal  vents  in  the  ocean 
floor.  A  science  teacher  at 
Southeast  School  in  Leominster, 
Mass.,  she  was  part  of  a  research 
expedition  to  prepare  for  the 
NEPTUNE  Project,  a  joint 
U.S. -Canadian  effort  to  estab- 
lish a  permanent  seafloor  obser- 
vatory to  monitor  earthquake 
activity  along  the  Juan  de  Fuca 
geological  plate. 

James  Schoonmaker  is  presi- 
dent and  CEO  of  Liquid 
Machines,  an  inrormation- 
secttriry  software  startup  in 
Lexington,  Mass.  He  was  pro- 
filed in  Mass  High  Tech  recently. 

Lars  Bcattie 

completed  .1  resi- 
dency .it  the 
NYU/Bellevue  Hospital  Center 
and  li.is  started  work  .it  Mount 
Sinai  School  ol  Medicine, 
where  Ik  trains  new  residents  in 


the  emergency  department. 
His  clinical  time  is  spent  at  the 
Level  I  Trauma  Center  of  Elm- 
hurst  Hospital  in  New  York 
City. 

Michael  Donahue  and  his 
wife,  Kenda,  announce  the 
birth  of  Alex  Michael  on  June 
24,  2003. 

Bill  Keefe  teamed  up  with  an 
old  high  school  friend  to  pur- 
chase Bradco  Chair  Co.  in 
Lisbon,  Maine,  this  year.  A 
graduate  of  the  University  of 
Maine  School  of  Law,  he  previ- 
ously lived  and  worked  in  the 
Boston  area. 

Chris  Manton  is  a  software 
engineer  with  Google  in  San 
Mateo,  Calif. 

Ker  Zhang  (Ph.D.),  CEO  of 
VTA  Telecom,  was  appointed 
to  the  board  of  directors  of 
Communications  International. 


91 


Rob  Bennett 

married  Alana 
Moore  in 

Honolulu,  on  March  29,  2003. 

They  live  in  Seattle,  where  Rob 

is  vice  president  of  marketing 

for  Pure  Networks. 

Robert  Gregory  continues  at 
the  Undersea  Naval  Warfare 
Center  in  Newport,  R.I.  He 
married  Kristine  Canepa  on 
May  17,  2003. 

Felipe  Holguin  joined  the 
newly  formed  Miami  office  of 
Huron  Consulting  as  a  manag- 
ing director.  He  brings  experi- 
ence in  Latin  American  busi- 
ness from  his  previous  positions 
with  Banc  of  America  Securities 
and  Smith  Barney. 

Daniel  Mcldrum  is  vice  presi- 
dent of  sales  at  Electro 
Abrasives  Corp.  He  previously 
worked  fbi  s.tim-t  iobain, 

Scott  Plicta  was  promoted  to 
vice  president  and  CO-CIO  "I 

Bentley  Systems  Ins.  iii  Exton, 
Pa.  \\  hen  not  burning  the  mid- 
night oil  .it  work,  he  and  his 

wife.  Sharon,  are  lms\  with 
then  rwo-yeai  old  twins,  and 


4  0     Transformation!   \  Fall  2003 


with  rearranging  their  home  to 
make  room  for  their  third 
child,  due  in  December. 


92 


Lisa  (Harlow) 
and  Eric 
Patacchiola  '93 

are  proud  to  announce  the 
birth  of  their  daughter,  Sarah 
Jean,  on  June  1 1,  2003.  They 
live  in  Quincy,  Mass. 

Maureen  Hoke  has  returned  to 
O'Brien  &  Gere  Engineers  as  a 
senior  project  manager  in  the 
Edison,  N.J,  office.  She  previ- 
ously ran  her  own  consulting 
firm  in  Norwich,  Conn.,  for 
two  yeats,  and  worked  for 
Keystone  Associates  in 
Binghamton,  N.Y.,  from 
1998  to  2003. 

Kim  (Bloch)  and  Scott 
Sullivan  '91  had  a  son, 
Benjamin,  on  Feb.  12,  2003. 
They  live  in  Amston,  Conn. 


93 


Beth 
Abramovitz 

and  Edward 


Diamantis  announce  their 
engagement.  Ed  is  serving  with 
the  Army  in  Baghdad,  as  a  cap- 
tain. When  he  returns,  he  will 
resume  work  as  supervisor  of 
computer  netwotk  operations 
for  Time  Warner  Cable's  New 
York  and  New  Jersey  offices. 
Beth  works  for  Langan  Engi- 
neering and  Environmental 
Services  in  Doylestown,  Pa.  She 
will  receive  her  M.S.  in  civil 
engineering  from  Drexel 
University  in  June. 

Susan  (Cusick)  Hill,  her 

husband,  Bruce,  and  daughter 
Veronica  Claire  announce  the 
birth  of  Alexander  Joseph  on 
May  19,  2003.  They  live  in 
Poughkeepsie,  N.Y. 

James  Murphy  was  married 
on  June  20,  2003,  to  Isabella 
Yi-Wei  Tai,  a  graduate  student 
at  UConn,  where  he  earned  a 
master's  degree  and  a  doctorate. 
He  is  now  doing  postdoctoral 
research  at  the  Yale  School  of 
Medicine. 


Schirmer  Engineering  selected 
Michael  Rzeznik  (M.S.  FPE) 

to  manage 
its  newly 
opened  New 
York  regional 
office  in 
Carmel,  N.Y. 


f> 


John  Chap- 
delaine  moved 
JL       from  Erie,  Pa., 
to  Connecticut,  where  he  is 
now  a  senior  quality  engineer  at 
the  Schick  factory  in  Milford. 

Stephen  and  Heather 
(Polacek)  '93  Kapushoc 

announce  the  birth  of  a  son, 
Lucian  Thomas,  on  April  17, 
2003.  They  are  all  living  hap- 
pily in  Cheshire,  Conn. 

It's  twins  for  Tim  Mclnerney 

and  his  wife,  Zoe-Maja. 
Alexander  Liam  and  Connor 
Leif  were  born  on  Nov.  27, 
2002.  "Both  boys  are  doing 
well,"  writes  Tim,  "and  their 
parents  are  very,  very  tired." 


95 


Jeff  Baron 

was  married  to 
Kimberly  Ansell 
on  July  26,  2003.  Brian  Smith 
was  best  man,  and  Marc 
Kazigian  read  the  wedding 
blessings  during  the  ceremony. 

Brian  Cohen,  a  software  engi- 
neer at  Cisco  Systems,  is  work- 
ing on  an  MBA  from  WPI. 

Joshua  Greene  (M.S.  FPE) 
is  associate  manager  for  the 
Chicago  office  of  Rolf  Jensen  & 
Assoc.  His  article  on  applica- 
tion of  smoke  control  codes 
appeared  in  HPAC  Engineering 
recently. 

Amanda  Huang  married  Jose 
Francisco  Losada  at  Higgins 
House  on  Feb.  1,2003.  The 
couple  honeymooned  in  Bel- 
gium, France  and  Holland, 
before  rerurning  home  to 
Shrewsbury,  Mass.  After  receiv- 
ing her  MBA  from  Babson 
College,  Amanda  is  a  program 
manager  at  EMC  in  Hopkinton 


WPI  S  ALUMNI  E-NEWSLETTER 

The  Bridge 


Staying  connected  to  WPI  is  as  easy  as  reading  your  e-mail. 

Got  10  seconds?  That's  all  it  takes  to  sign  up  for 
The  Bridge,  WPI's  monthly  electronic  newsletter 
packed  with  timely  news  and  events.  With  a  few 
clicks  of  your  mouse  you'll  receive  the  latest  WPI 
news  and  events  in  your  inbox  every  month. 

www.wpi.edci/+filcimni/enews.html 

The  Bridge  is  published  by  the  Alumni  Association  and  the  editorial 
staff  of  Transformations  magazine.  It  is  intended  for  WPI  alumni 
and  the  greater  university  community. 


and  Jose  is  a  manager  at 
Verizon.  Shown  here  with  the 


bride  are  Wendy  Butkus  Kelly, 
Susan  Moreira  Chavez  '96, 
Polyxane  Mertzanis  Muller 
and  Kristin  Sullivan  Rider. 

Heidi  Huggett  married  Marc 
O'Connor  on  April  26,  2003. 
WPI  classmates  at  the  wedding 
included  maid  of  honor 
Jennifer  Rice,  Jennifer 
Burzynski  and  Jay  Lamb. 
Heidi  is  in  her  third  year  of 
residency  in  internal  medicine 
at  New  England  Medical 
Center  in  Boston. 

David  Jakad's  Entrepren- 
eurship  Network  launched  a 
new  talk  show  on  AM  tadio 
station  WBZT  in  West  Palm 
Beach,  Fla.  Targeted  at  prospec- 
tive entrepreneurs  in  the  West 
Palm  Beach,  Boca  Raton  and 
Ft.  Lauderdale  area,  the  show 
features  interviews  with  success- 
ful business  owners  and  service 
providers,  including  attorneys, 


venture  capitalists  and  financial 
advisors.  His  Web  site  is 
jakad.com. 

Jim  Lagrant  and  his  wife, 
Trish,  announce  the  birth  of  a 
daughter,  Sophie  Rose,  on  June 
21,  2003.  They  live  in  Oxford, 
Pa.  Jim  works  as  process  engi- 
neer in  the  fuel  cell  technology 
group  at  WL.  Gore  &  Assoc. 
Trish  is  pursing  a  master's 
degree  in  education. 

Joseph  Michienzi  joined  R.W. 
Beck  in  Boston  as  an  operations 
and  performance  engineer. 

Kristin  (Sullivan)  and  James 
Rider  '94  announce  the  birth 
of  rwin  daughters,  Julia  and 
Leah,  Dec.  12,  2002.  They  live 
in  Shrewsbury,  Mass. 

On  Sept.  28,  2003,  Bill 
Stanksky  married  the  love  of 
his  life,  Sherry  Hanchuruck. 
"The  downpour  of  rain  in 
Connecticut  that  day  did  not 
dampen  our  spirits,"  he  writes, 
"and  we  appteciated  our  two- 
week  honeymoon  in  Hawaii  all 
the  more!"  Bill  is  a  D.C.  at  the 
Tolland  Chiropractic  Center. 

Patrick  Sullivan  works  for 
Kidde-Fenwal  in  Ashland, 
Mass. 


Transformat ions    \    Summer   2003     41 


CO 
CD 


96 


Jessica  (Soucy) 
and  Jeffrey 
Barnes  pub- 
lished their  latest  manuscript  in 
Science  magazine.  It  appears  in 
the  October  17  issue  with  the 
title  "Requirement  of  Mam- 
malian Timeless  for  Circadian 
Rhythmiciry." 

Sue  (MacPherson)  and  Eric 
Kristoff  '94  proudly  announce 
the  birth  of  their  first  child, 
Perrin  Joseph,  on  May  23, 
2003.  In  addition  to  parental 
duties,  Sue  is  managing  loco- 
motive crashworthiness  activi- 
ties at  Foster-Miller,  and  Eric  is 
a  senior  Internet  developer  at 
PTC.  They  live  in  Leominster, 
Mass. 

Christian  Kuiawa  works  for 
American  Power  Conversion  in 
West  Kingston,  R.I. 

Amy  (Plack)  and  Greg  Marr 

'95  welcomed  their  first  child, 


Ainsley  Elizabeth,  into  the 
world  on  Oct.  1,  2003.  As  is 
only  fitting  for  the  daughter 
of  WPI's  director  of  Web 
development,  Ainsley  has 
her  very  own  Web  site  at 
http://baby.themarrs.net/. 

Carla  (Caputo)  and  Jeffrey 
Modderno  '95  announce  the 


Jesse  Parent  is  director  of 
Internet  technology  at 
Datamark  Inc.,  a  small  direct 
advertising  firm  in  Salt  Lake 
City.  He  has  been  attending 
and  performing  at  improv 
events  around  the  country, 
including  the  6th  Annual 
Chicago  Improv  Festival  and 
the  5th  Annual  Del  Close 
Improv  Marathon  in  New  York 
City. 

Rich  Santora  matried  Michelle 
Mach  recently.  He  serves  as  a 
process  engineer  and  fused 
material  manager  in  Incom 
Inc.,  a  manufacturer  of  fused 
fiber-optic  materials  in  Charlton, 
Mass.  He  also  works  as  a  para- 
medic for  Worcester  EMS. 

Brian  I  akin 
and  his  wife, 
Michelle, 
announce  the  birth  of  their 
daughter,  Shayna  Naomi,  on 
Aug.  12,  2003.  They  live  in 
Hamden,  Conn. 

Many  WPI  friends  joined 
Rebecca  Prince  and  Lawrence 
Byrne  '99  for  their  wedding 
on  July  5,  2003.  After  a  honey- 
moon in  Thailand,  they  reside 
in  Cranston,  R.I.  Rebecca 
works  in  Worcester  as  research 
engineer  and  coordinator  for 
UMass  Medical  School. 
Lawrence  is  a  research  engineer 
at  Busek  Co. 

Philip  Roy  and  Kimberly 
Haggerty  were  married  Aug.  4, 
2001.  They  live  in  Hamden, 
Conn.  He  completed  his  MBA 
at  Southern  Connecticut  State 
University  in  December  2002, 
and  is  now  a  senior  design  engi- 
neer at  United  Surgical  Corp.,  a 
division  of  Tvco. 


Giving  Tree  Bears  Fruit 

Class  of  2003  senior  gift  chairs,  from  left,  Anthony  Montano, 
Allyson  Barford,  Christina  Watson  and  Scott  Martin,  cultivat- 
ed a  fresh  crop  of  support  for  WPI.  Their  "Giving  Tree"  ban- 
ner sprouted  another  leaf  or  cherry  with  each  new  donor. 
The  $13,300  gift  total  boasted  a  record-setting  37  percent 
participation  rate,  raising  the  bar  by  a  full  1  0  percentage 
points.  Their  generosity  was  commemorated  with  a  tree  plant- 
ed in  Reunion  Plaza. 


Dianna  Carlson 
and  Jared 
V_ J       Berube  were 
married  in  May  2003.  She 
works  for  Pratt  &  Whitney 
while  pursing  an  MBA  at 
Nichols  College.  He  works  for 
United  Abrasives. 

Julie  Davis  is  engaged  to  Keith 
Richard.  They  plan  to  marry  on 
Sept.  5,  2004.  Julie  recently  cel- 
ebrated het  fourth  year  at 
Genzyme  Corp.  in  Cambridge 
with  a  promotion  to  principal 
research  associate. 

James  Formato  (M.S.)  teaches 
physics,  astronomy  and  plane- 
tary science  at  St.  Bernard's 
High  School  in  Fitchburg, 
Mass. 

Christopher  Gauvin  is  a  senior 
quality  engineer  with  Davol 
Inc. 


Michael  Olivieri  and  Laura 
Cooper  '99  wete  married  May 
24,  2003.  She  is  a  pediatrics 
resident  at  Hasbro  Children's 
Hospital  in  Providence.  He  is  a 
consultant  for  Accenture  in 
Boston. 

Karla  (Eignor)  and  John 
Reynolds  '96  welcomed  their 
first  child  on  June  6,  2003.  Her 
name  is  Rebecca  Clara. 

Amy  Sinyei  completed  her 
MBA  at  the  University  of 
Rhode  Island.  She  is  currently 
looking  for  a  new  career  in 
Rhode  Island,  where  she  has 
purchased  a  home  with  her 
fiance,  Mark  Andrade,  and 
their  puppy,  Kansas. 


birth  of  their  daughter,  Rebecca 
Rose,  born  Aug.  1 ,  2003.  They 
live  in  Northbridge,  Mass,  with 
their  dog,  Tucker. 


Honoring   Greatness:   Distinguished  Alumni  Awards 


The  Alumni  Association  Citations  Committee  is  seeking  nominations  for  the  2004  Distinguished  Alumni  Awards. 
Established  in  1961,  the  awards  recognize  professional  achievement  by  WPI  alumni  and  service  involvement 
with  the  Alumni  Association  and  the  university.  For  a  full  description  of  the  awards,  citations  of  past  recipients, 
and  to  submit  a  nomination: 

www.  wpi.edu/+Alumni/ Awards 


Tim  Bosco 

moved  to  Pitts- 
burgh to  pursue 
a  graduate  degree  at  Carnegie 
Mellon.  He  writes  that  his 


Boston  Eagles  aviation  program 
(bostoneagles.ttipod.com)  will 
be  on  hiatus  until  he  graduates 
in  May  2005.  A  licensed  pilot, 
Tim  started  the  all-volunteer 
program  at  Hanscom  Field  to 
help  get  young  people  excited 
about  flying. 

Linda  (Cappuccia)  and  Robert 
Grelotti  '98  are  pleased  to 
announce  the  birth  of  their 
daughter,  Michele  Ann,  on 
April  10,  2003.  They  live  in 
Newington,  Conn. 

Jeffrey  Roberts  lives  in  Vernon, 
Conn.,  with  his  wife  and 
daughter.  He  is  vice  president 
for  sales  and  marketing  at 
Roberts  &  Sons  Printing,  the 
firm  founded  by  his  parents 
in  1981. 

Marine  Corps 
1st  Lt.  Andrew 
Careau  recently 
returned  from  an  eight-month 
deployment  in  Liberia  with  the 
26th  Marine  Expeditionary 
Unit. 

Jim  and  Katrina  (Miller) 
Walter  live  in  Poway,  Calif, 
where  they  are  dollar-a-game 
coaches  for  the  San  Diego 
SunFire  women's  tackle  football 
team.  Katrina,  a  lineman  for 
the  team,  is  recuperating  from  a 
knee  injury.  Jim  serves  as  offen- 
sive line  coach,  and  Katrina 
assists  with  coaching  and  film- 
ing. He  works  as  a  protein 
chemist  and  she  is  a  chemical 
engineer. 


01 


1st  Lt. 

Michael 

DiCaprio 

is  serving  as  a  platoon 
leader  in  Alpha  Com- 
pany, 84th  Engineer 
Battalion  of  the  25th 
Light  Infantry  Division. 
Stationed  at  Schofield 
Barracks  in  Hawaii,  he 
recently  deployed  to  the 
Philippines,  where  he 
and  his  platoon  worked 
on  constructing  schools 
for  rural  communities. 

Michael  Jacene  recently 
moved  back  to  Massa- 
chusetts, where  he  is 
working  for  Depuy 
Acromed  in  Raynham. 
He  and  his  wife,  Sara, 
are  expecting  their  sec- 
ond child  in  February. 

Peter  Kudarauskas 

works  for  the  EPA  in 
Boston,  and  is  a  second 
lieutenant  in  the  Army 
National  Guard. 


Suzanne  Armitstead 
and  Jim  Thatcher  '00 

were  married  on  Sept.  28, 
2002.  The  wedding  party 
included  Shauna  Malone, 
Nick  Cannata  '01,  Kurt 
Onofrey  '04  and  Suzanne's  sis- 
ter, Michelle.  After  a  honey- 
moon in  the  Caribbean  and 
Orlando,  they  are  living  in  their 
new  home  in  Bedford,  N.H. 

Donald  Contois  ('03  M.S. 
FPE)  left  his  digs  at  the  West 
Auburn  Fire  Station  and  moved 
to  Brimfield,  Mass.,  after  com- 
pleting his  master's  degree.  He 
continues  as  a  fire  protection 
engineer  with  R.W.  Sullivan  in 
Boston. 

Meghan  Fraizer  has  started 
her  own  business,  making 
custom  quilts.  Visit  her  at 
www.megsquilts.com. 


If  it's  easier  for  you  to  call,  our 
toll-free  number  is  1-888-wpi- 
books.  And  if  you  happen  to 
be  nearby,  come  visit  us  at 
the  Campus  Center. 


security  information)  degree, 
in  exchange  for  two  years  of 
service  to  the  federal  govern- 
menr  after  graduation,  in  an 
information  assurance  posi- 
tion. 


Jody  Kenniston  ('03  M.S.  CE) 
is  a  project  engineer  with 
Consigli  Construction. 

Steven  Posnack 

received  a 
National  Science 
Foundation  grant  to  attend  the 
new  Johns  Hopkins  Informa- 
tion Security  Institute,  as  one  of 
20  students  funded  through  the 
government's  Scholarship  for 
Service  program.  The  funding 
will  enable  him  to  complete  an 
MSSI  (master  of  science  in 


Graduate  Management 
Programs 

Karen  Kiver  '93  (MBA)  is  an 
administrator  at  Clark  Manor 
Healthcare  Center 
in  Worcester. 


School  of  Industrial 
Management 

Jim  Bates  '85  serves  as  admin- 
istrative assistant  in  Upton, 
Mass.,  where  he  lives  with  his 
wife,  Bette  Jane,  and  their  three 
children. 


On  Duty  in  Iraq  As  Transformations  went  to  press,  the  following  Army  officers  were  serving  in  Iraq:  1st  Lt.  Nicholas  Macsata  '01,  para- 
chute rigging  platoon  leader,  82nd  Airborne  Division  (to  deploy  December  2003);  2nd  Lt.  James  Hart  '02,  anti-tank  platoon  leader,  Delta 
Company,  1-105  Parachute  Infantry  Regiment,  82nd  Airborne  Division;  and  2nd  Lt.  Christopher  Cammack  '03,  3/29  Field  Artillery 
Battalion,  3rd  Brigade  Combat  Team,  4th  Infantry  Division.  Marine  reservist  Cpl.  Justin  Lutz  '02  rerurned  in  September  from  active  duty 
in  Iraq  and  Kuwait,  where  he  served  with  the  6th  Motor  Transport  Battalion. 

Transformations    \   Fall  2003     43 


m 
0) 

o 

3 


Jacob  J.  Jaffee  '28  of  Shrews- 
bury, Mass., 
died  July  17, 
2003.  He 
leaves  his 
wife,  Doris, 
a  son,  a 
daughter 
and  four  grandchildren.  His 
first  wife,  Freida  (Baskin), 
died  in  1979.  Jaffee,  a  graduate 
of  New  England  School  of 
Accounting,  worked  as  a  certi- 
fied public  accountant  in 
Worcester  for  53  years.  He 
belonged  to  Alpha  Epsilon  Pi 

Albert  S.  Corbin  '30  of 

Clifton,  Va.,  died  March  5, 
2001.  A  retired  real  estate  oper- 
ator, he  married  Jeannette 
Howard  in  1933.  He  belonged 
to  Phi  Sigma  Kappa. 

Vernon  E.  Wade  '30  of  York, 
Pa.,  died  Feb.  27,  2003.  He 
leaves  his  wife,  E.  Elizabeth 
(Farrar),  two  sons,  eight  grand- 
children and  eight  great-grand- 
children. Wade  was  retired  as 
chief  chemist  for  Kelly 
Springfield  Tire  Co.  He 
belonged  to  Sigma  Phi  Epsilon. 

Henry  H.  Terry  '31  of  Naples, 
Fla.,  died  Feb.  1,2003. 
Predeceased  by  his  wife,  Ruth 
(Eckhardt),  he  leaves  a  son,  a 
daughter,  four  grandchildren 
and  a  great-grandson.  Terry 
joined  Martin  Marietta  in 
1959  as  director  of  plant  engi- 
neering and  retired  in  1976. 
He  belonged  to  Sigma  Phi 
Epsilon. 

Transformations  recently 
learned  of  the  death  of  Joseph 
P.  Tulka  '31  in  1999.  Husband 

of  Mary  Psichos,  he  was  a 
retired  agent  for  Metropolitan 
Life  Insurance  Co. 

Robert  W.  Blake  '33  of 

Binghamton,  N.Y.,  died  March 
15,  2003.  Predeceased  by  his 
wife,  Barbara,  he  leaves  a  son,  a 
daughter,  nine  grandchildren, 
five  great-grandchildren  and  a 
very  close  friend,  Virginia 
Keefe.  Blake  was  a  longtime 
electrical  engineer  for  New 


York  Srate  Electric  and  Gas 
Corp.  He  belonged  to  Theta 
Chi. 

Guy  A.  Cummings  '33  of  Sun 

City,  Calif.,  died  April  21, 
2003.  A  retired  sales  manager 
for  Udylite  Corp.,  a  division  of 
Occidental  Petroleum,  he  is 
survived  by  a  niece  and  three 
nephews.  He  belonged  to 
Alpha  Tau  Omega. 

Harold  Narcus  '34  of 

Worcester  died  July  10,  2003. 
His  wife,  Eva  (Gilvarg),  died  in 
1986.  Survivors  include  a  son, 
two  daughters,  four  grandchil- 
dren and  a  great-grandchild. 
Narcus  was  president  and  tech- 
nical adviser  of  the  former 
Electro-Chemical  Industries. 
He  later  served  as  an  engineer- 
ing consultant  to  Notton  Co. 
and  its  successor,  Saint-Gobain 
Ceramics  &  Plastics.  Narcus 
was  the  author  of  Metallizing 
of  Plastics  and  of  numerous 
technical  articles.  He  belonged 
to  Alpha  Epsilon  Pi. 

Shepard  B.  Palmer  Jr.  '34  of 

Norwich,  Conn.,  died  July  21, 
2003.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Geneva  (Smith),  three  daugh- 
ters and  three  grandchildren. 
Palmer  was  a  partner  in 
Chandler  &  Palmer  (later 
Chandler,  Palmer  &  King) 
from  1 939  until  his  retirement 
in  1978. 

Lester  L.  Libby  '35  of  Los 

Altos,  Calif., 
died  Dec. 
21,  2002. 
He  leaves 
his  wife, 
Grace,  and 
two  daugh- 
ters. Libby  s  pioneering  work  in 
electronics  and  aerospace  engi- 
neering has  been  preserved  in 
the  Stanford  and  Silicon  Valley 
Archives  Project.  The  papers 
donated  by  his  family  include 
notes  and  workbooks  from  his 
studies  ,i(  W'l'l,  including 
rough  dr.ilis  ol  the  thesis  for 
his  1936  master's  degree  in 
electrical  engineering.  Libby 
was  a  member  ol  Sigma  Xi. 


Alan  E  Shepardson  '36  of 

Pittsfield,  Mass.,  died  Feb.  24, 
2003.  His  wife,  the  former 
Matjorie  Shumaker,  died  in 
1999.  Surviving  family  mem- 
bers include  two  daughters  and 
three  sons.  Shepardson  was  a 
chemical  consultant  for  Cort- 
land Grinding  Wheels  and 
Bendix  Corp.  He  belonged  to 
Phi  Gamma  Delta. 

Jarl  A.  Carlson  '37  of 

Bedford, 
N.H.,  died 
Jan.  8, 
2003. 

Predeceased 
by  his  first 
wife,  Elsa 
(Bottcher),  he  leaves  a  son,  a 
daughter,  three  grandchildren, 
six  great-grandchildren  and  his 
former  wife,  Emily  Carlson. 
Jarl  Carlson  was  retired  from 
New  England  Steel  Fabricators. 
He  belonged  to  Phi  Sigma 
Kappa. 

Lawrence  F.  Powers  '37  of 

Hopkinton,  N.Y.,  died  Jan.  18, 
2003.  Survivors  include  his 
wife,  Sara  (Beecher),  two  sons 
and  a  daughter.  Powers  was  a 
retired  designer  for  Niagara 
Mohawk. 

Richard  A.  Prokop  '37  of 

Clarendon 
Hills.  111., 
died  June 
15,  2003. 
Predeceased 
by  his  wife, 
Leota 

(Palmer),  he  leaves  two  daugh- 
ters and  a  grandson.  Prokop 
was  a  paint  chemist  at  DeSoto 
Inc.,  where  he  also  served  as 
sales  and  operations  manager. 
A  Presidential  Founder  he 
established  the  Richard  Prokop 
Fund,  which  supports  general 
operations  at  WPI.  He 
belonged  to  Theta  Chi. 


M.  Blair  Whitcomb  '37  of 

North 
Charleston, 
S.C.,  died 
Feb.  24, 
2003.  He 
was  a  retired 
engineer  for 
General  Electric.  His  wife, 
Dorothy  (Crocker),  prede- 
ceased him.  A  daughter,  a  son, 
and  two  grandchildren  survive. 
Whitcomb  belonged  to 
Lambda  Chi  Alpha. 

Ralph  L.  Berry  '38  died 
Match  12,  2003,  at  his  home 
in  Easton,  Mass.  Ptedeceased 
by  his  wife,  Helen  (Marden), 
he  leaves  a  son,  a  daughter  and 
two  grandchildren.  Berry  was 
owner  and  operator  of  the 
Ralph  L.  Berry  Radio  & 
Television  Repair  Service  until 
he  retired  in  1975.  He  contin- 
ued as  pianist  and  organist, 
playing  lunchtime  concerts  at 
senior  citizen  functions.  He 
belonged  to  Lambda  Chi 
Alpha. 

Robert  P.  Day  '38  of 

Wethersfield,  Conn.,  died  June 
12,  2003.  He  spent  his  career 
with  Industtial  Risk  Insurers, 
where  he  helped  establish  fire 
safety  standards  for  the  nuclear 
power  industry.  He  retired  as 
chief  engineer.  Predeceased  by 
his  wife,  Beatrice,  he  is  sur- 
vived by  his  son  James  A.  Day 
'65,  another  son  and  a  grand- 
daughter. He  belonged  to 
Lambda  Chi  Alpha. 

Cmdr.  Robert  A.  Evans  '38  of 
Ocala,  Fla.. 
died  July  2}. 
:(K)2.  His 
wife,  Bertie, 
survives. 
Evans  was 

retired  Irom 
Northeast  Utilities  as  vice  presi- 
dent ol  generation  engineering. 
1  le  belonged  to  I'i  Tau  Sigma 
and  Phi  i  i.imm.i  I  )elca. 


44     Transformation)   \   hall  2003 


Transformations  recently 
learned  of  the  death  of 
William  F.  O'Brien  '38  in 

1998.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Dorothy  (Kelly),  and  three 
children.  O'Brien  was  retired 
from  the  U.S.  Treasury.  A  grad- 
uate of  Boston  University,  he 
belonged  to  Sigma  Alpha 
Epsilon. 

Wilfred  T.  "BUI"  Blades  '40 

of  Naples,  Fla.,  died  Dec.  29, 

2001.  His  wife,  Violet,  died  in 

2002.  Survivors  include  two 
sons,  a  daughter,  ten  grandchil- 
dren and  three  great-grandchil- 
dren. Blades  was  retired  from 
U.S.  Steel,  where  he  supervised 
the  company's  early  quality 
assurance  teams.  He  belonged 
to  Sigma  Alpha  Epsilon. 

William  T.  Christopher  '40  of 

Lansdale,  Pa.,  died  Oct.  25, 

200 1 .  He  was  a  retired  engi- 
neer for  Rose  Printing  Co. 
Survivors  include  his  wife, 
Katherine,  three  sons  and  two 
daughters. 

Carl  G.  Flygare  Jr.  '40  of 

Holden, 
Mass.,  died 
May  6, 
2003.  He 
leaves  his 
wife, 
Eleanor 

(Mancevice),  a  son,  two  daugh- 
ters and  three  grandchildren. 
Flygare  was  a  mechanical  engi- 
neer for  Norton  Co.  for  35 
years.  He  belonged  to  Phi 
Sigma  Kappa. 

Kenneth  H.  McClure  '40, 

retired  chairman  of  K.  H. 
McClure  &  Co.,  died  Oct.  13, 

2002.  A  graduate  of  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania,  he 
belonged  to  Alpha  Tau  Omega. 
Surviving  are  his  wife,  Mary 
(Rule),  and  three  daughters. 

Sherman  Gilbert  "Buck" 
Davis  '41  of  South  Dennis, 
Mass.,  died  Jan.  31,  2003. 
He  leaves  his  wife,  Lillian 
(Moldaw),  a  son  and  a  daugh- 
ter. Davis  transferred  to  the 
University  of  Massachusetts  in 


1939  and  earned  his  bachelor's, 
master's  and  doctoral  degrees 
there.  He  was  the  retired  direc- 
tor of  product  development  for 
the  GIBCO  division  of  Dexter 
Corp.  He  belonged  to  Sigma 
Xi  and  Pi  Tau  Sigma. 

George  P.  Scott  '43  of 

Vermillion, 


(Hampshire),  four  daughters,  a 
son,  10  grandchildren  and  one 
grear-grandchild.  A  longtime 
chemistry  professor  at  the 
University  of  South  Dakota, 
Scott  served  as  head  of  the 
Honors  Department  for  many 
years. 

William  J.  Cogoli  '44  of 

Shrewsbury, 
Mass.,  died 
June  1 1, 
2003.  His 
wife,  Shirley 
(Ledoux), 
died  in 

1998.  Survivors  include  a  son, 
a  daughter  and  two  grandsons. 
Cogoli  was  a  mechanical  engi- 
neer at  Rockwood  Sprinkler  for 
17  years,  and  later  at  American 
Optical  Corp.  for  20  years.  He 
belonged  to  Phi  Kappa  Theta. 

Harrison  Bragdon  '45  of 

Lamoine, 
Maine,  died 
Jan.  10, 
2002.  His 
wife,  Joan, 


Bragdon  was 
self-employed  as  a  consulting 
engineer.  He  belonged  to 
Sigma  Alpha  Epsilon  and 
Sigma  Xi. 

Henry  L.  Merritt  '45  of 

Hartland,  Vt.,  died  May  9, 
2003.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Cordelia  (Newton),  two  daugh- 
ters, three  stepdaughters,  and  a 
granddaughter.  He  was  prede- 
ceased by  a  daughter.  Merritt 


was  a  partner  in  Vermont  Log 
Buildings  and  a  self-employed 
carpenter.  He  also  hatched 
chickens  and  produced  maple 
syrup  from  800  sugar  maple 
trees  he  planted  in  1946. 

Charles  F.  Keith  '46  of 

Lancaster,  N.H.,  died  Feb.  18, 
2003.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Margaret  (Ridgely),  a  son,  a 
daughter  and  two  grandchil- 
dren. He  was  predeceased  by  a 
son.  Keith  joined  Stinehour 
Press  as  a  pressman  and  estab- 
lished himself  as  a  scholarly 
editor  and  book  designer.  A 
collection  of  his  work  is  on 
permanent  display  at  Tabor 
Academy. 

Charles  B.  Miczek  '46,  former 
vice  president  and  director  of 
engineering  for  Stone  & 
Webster,  died  Feb.  28,  2003.  A 
longtime  resident  of  Braintree, 
Mass.,  he  is  survived  by  his 
wife,  Theresa  (Henault),  a  son, 
four  daughters  and  five  grand- 
children. He  belonged  to  Phi 
Kappa  Theta. 

Robert  C.  Mark  '47  of 

Midlothian, 
Va.,  died 
Feb.  5, 
2003.  His 
wife, 

Cecelia,  and 
three  sons 
survive  him.  Mark  was  retired 
from  General  Electric  with  40 
years  of  service,  first  in  manu- 
facturing engineering  and  later 
in  personnel  management. 

Walter  A.  Skers  '47  of  Solon, 
Ohio,  died  Feb.  25,  2003. 
Predeceased  by  his  wife, 
Elizabeth,  he  leaves  his  friend 
and  companion,  Rose 
Mestancik.  Skers  was  retired  as 
chief  industrial  engineer  for 
National  Acme  Co.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Alden  Society. 


Lawrence  F.  Hine  '48  of 

Milford, 
Mass.,  died 
June  20, 
2003.  He  is 
survived  by 
his  wife, 
Louise 

(Whittemore),  three  daughters 
and  five  grandchildren.  Hine 
was  retired  as  an  officer  and 
director  of  Carreau  Smith  Inc. 
He  was  a  member  of  Sigma  Phi 
Epsilon. 

Benjamin  D.  Richter  '48  of 

Fort  Worth,  Texas,  died  Sept. 
26,  2001.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Janet,  two  sons,  a  daughter  and 
six  grandchildren.  Richter  was 
a  retired  marketing  executive 
for  Texas  Industries.  He 
belonged  to  Sigma  Phi  Epsilon. 

Stanley  E.  Rose  '48  of  Salem, 
Mass.,  died  June  14,  2003.  He 
leaves  his  wife,  Jeanne  (Hirsch), 
two  sons,  a  daughter  and  seven 
grandchildren.  Rose  was  a 
member  of  the  research  and 
development  staff  of  MITRE 
Corp.,  where  he  worked  on 
guidance  systems  for  tracking 
antiballistic  missiles.  He  later 
formed  Stanley  E.  Rose 
Associates.  He  belonged  to 
Alpha  Epsilon  Pi. 

George  J.  Zewski  '48  of  West 
Palm  Beach,  Fla.,  died  March 
20,  2003.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Frances,  two  daughters,  five 
grandchildren  and  three  great- 
grandchildren. He  was  a  retired 
aeronautical  engineer  for  Pratt 
&  Whitney,  where  he  helped 
develop  the  jet  engine  for  the 
SR-71  Blackhawk  aircraft,  and 
fuel  pumps  for  the  space  shut- 
tle. He  belonged  to  Sigma  Xi. 

Louis  J.  Dougall  '49  of 

Worcester  died  July  8,  2003. 
Predeceased  by  his  wife,  Ann 
(Bruozis),  he  leaves  a  son,  a 
daughter  and  two  grandchil- 
dren. Dougall  was  a  retired 
auditor  with  the  Massachusetts 
Department  of  Revenue. 


Transformations    |   Fall  2003     4  5 


A.  Paul  Feeney  '49  of  Vero 
Beach,  Fla.,  died  July  12,  2003. 
He  leaves  his  wife,  Mary 
Louise,  seven  daughters  and  six 
grandchildren.  Feeney  was 
retired  from  Pratt  &  Whitney, 
where  he  worked  for  35  years. 
He  belonged  to  Phi  Kappa 
Theta. 

John  E.  McCarthy  '49  died 
Jan.  4,  2002.  A  self-employed 
consultant,  he  lived  in 
Downey,  Calif.,  with  his  wife, 
Faith  (Bonesio).  He  belonged 
to  Theta  Chi. 

Tsu-Yen  Mei  '49,  a  professor 
of  hydraulic 
and  hydro- 
electric engi- 
neering at 
Tsinghua 
University 
in  Beijing, 
China,  died  May  27,  2003.  He 
leaves  his  wife,  Margaret  Lui,  a 
son  and  two  grandsons.  Mei 
earned  a  master's  degree  in  lib- 
eral arts  at  Illinois  Institute  of 
Technology,  and  returned  to 
China  in  1954  to  engage  in 
teaching  and  research.  He 
belonged  to  Tau  Beta  Pi  and 
Sigma  Xi. 

Joseph  R.  Winslow  '49  of 

Hgk.      I   Washington, 
tap     "ft**        Iowa,  died 
—  J      Feb.  20, 

2003.  He  is 
survived  by 
his  wife, 
Alice 

(Magnusson),  three  daughtets, 
a  son  and  eight  grandchildren. 
Winslow  was  retired  from  the 
Rock  Island  Arsenal.  He  held 
several  patents  for  innovations 
in  the  fire-fighting  industry.  He 
belonged  to  Theta  Chi. 

Lawson  Traphagen  "Trap" 
Hill  Jr.  '50  died  April  22, 
2003.  He  was  president  of  Hill 
Brothers,  a  catalog  shoe  com- 
pany with  six  retail  stores  in 
the  Boston  area,  and  founder 
ot  several  other  mail  order  and 
marketing  consulting  firms. 
Hill  published  several  books  on 


the  subject,  including  How  to 
Build  a  Multimillion  Dollar 
Catalog  Mail  Order  Business  by 
Someone  Who  Did.  Survivors 
include  his  wife,  Marcia,  of 
Jackson,  N.H.,  a  son,  a  daugh- 
ter and  five  grandchildren. 

Transformations  recently 
learned  of  the  death  of 
Arlington  Kenneth  Stewart 

'50  in  1993.  Husband  of 
Margaret  (Bladder),  he  was  a 
former  president  of  Teledyne 
Pines,  a  division  of  Teledyne 
Inc.  Stewart  earned  a  mastet's 
degree  in  electrical  engineering 
at  WPI  and  belonged  to 
Sigma  Xi,  Tau  Beta  Pi  and 
Eta  Kappa  Nu. 

Alton  L.  I 'en  ni  in  an  '51  died 
March  15,  2003.  He  leaves  his 
wife,  Vivian,  two  sons,  a 
daughter  and  three  grandchil- 
dren. Penniman  was  an  electri- 
cal engineer  for  Philadelphia 
Electric  Co.  He  retited  to  Cape 
Cod  and  spent  winters  in  the 
Coachella  Valley  of  California, 
where  he  and  his  wife  later 
built  a  permanent  home  in  La 
Quinta.  He  belonged  to  Phi 
Sigma  Kappa. 

Donald  K.  White  '51  of 

Livonia,  Mich.,  died  Nov.  24, 

2002.  A  retired  sales  engineer 
for  Norton  Co.,  he  belonged 
to  Alpha  Tau  Omega.  Survivors 
include  his  wife,  Janet,  and  two 
sons. 

David  R.  Fairbanks  '52  of 

Holliston,  Mass.,  died  June  18, 

2003.  He  worked  for  Raytheon 
and  later  retired  from  Draper 
Laboratories,  where  he  special- 
ized in  thermal  analysis,  design 
and  testing.  A  sister  and  two 
nieces  survive  him.  Fairbanks 
belonged  to  Pi  Delta  Epsilon. 

Tauno  K.  Wuorinen  '53  ot 

Notth  Reading,  Mass..  died 
Dec.  27,  2002.  He  leaves  his 
wile.  Kaarina,  and  two  daugh- 
ters. He  was  predeceased  by  a 
son.  Wuorinen  was  retired 
from  Cambridge  Hlectric  & 
I  ight  as  .in  electrical  engineer. 


Charles  W.  Fall  '56  of 

Syracuse,  N.Y.,  died  June  30, 
2003.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Janice 
(Perry),  two  daughters,  a  son 
and  eight  grandchildren.  Fall 
was  retited  from  Carrier  Corp. 
with  39  yeats  of  service.  He 
belonged  to  Phi  Sigma  Kappa. 

James  W.  Green  '56  died 
May  25,  2003,  at  his  home  in 
Shrewsbury,  Mass.  He  was 
retired  from  a  30-year  career 
with  Polaroid  Corp.  as  a 
mechanical  engineer.  Two 
daughters  and  four  grandchil- 
dren survive  him.  Green 
belonged  to  Sigma  Alpha 
Epsilon. 

Stewart  L.  Staples  '58  of 


lucson, 

Ariz.,  died 

kn  «J 

June  5, 

2003. 
Owner  and 

/      TL 

operatot  of 

H        #■ 

Staples 

Building  and  Development 
Corp.  until  1997,  he  also 
worked  with  local  companies 
on  retail  and  residential  proj- 
ects in  the  Southwest. 
Surviving  family  members 
include  a  son,  five  daughters 
and  eight  grandchildren.  A  son 
and  a  grandson  died  before 
him.  He  belonged  to  Sigma 
Phi  Epsilon  and  Skull. 

John  B.  Vesey  '58  of  Sterling, 
Va.,  died  June  19,  2002.  He 
leaves  his  wife,  Dorothy,  and 
four  children.  A  graduate  of 
Covenant  Theological  Semi- 
nary, he  was  principal  of 
Keystone  Christian  Academy 
and  president  ot  Mediator 
Ministries. 

Carl  M.  Frova  '59  ot  Simi 
Valley, 
Calif.,  died 
at  home  on 
June  30. 
20(13.  after  a 
four-year 
battle  w  nli 

amyotrophic  lateral  sclerosis, 

also  known  as  Lou  Gehrig's  dis 

case.  I  le  leave  Ills  wife, 


Barbara,  a  son,  two  daughters 
and  five  grandchildren. 
Another  daughter  predeceased 
him.  He  was  an  executive  with 
Emerson  Electric  Co.  and  later 
established  a  housecleaning 
service,  The  Maids  of  Ventura 
County.  Frova  received  the 
Courage  Award  and  was  recog- 
nized by  Jerry  Lewis  for  his 
efforts  on  behalf  of  the 
Muscular  Dysttophy 
Association. 

John  F.  "Jack"  Joyce  III  '60 

(MNS)  of  Harwich,  Mass., 
died  Jan.  14,  2003.  He  leaves 
his  wife,  Elizabeth  (Benoit),  a 
son,  two  daughters  and  three 
grandchildren.  A  V-12  graduate 
of  Bates  College,  Joyce  was 
retired  from  a  teaching  career 
that  included  posts  in 
Rockland  and  Framingham. 

William  M.  Spry  '60  was 

found  dead  in  his  Stow,  Mass., 
home  on  April  19,  2003,  along 
with  his  wife.  Police  are  investi- 
gating his  death  as  a  murder- 
suicide.  Spry  was  retired  from 
Digital  Equipment  Cotp.  He 
belonged  to  Sigma  Phi  Epsilon. 

Richard  Lyon  Jr.  '62  (MNS) 
ot  Hubbatdston,  Mass.,  died 
June  27,  2003,  at  the  age  of 
72.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Marion 
(Rhodes),  seven  sons,  two 
daughtets,  20  grandchildren 
and  three  great-grandchildren. 
A  graduate  ot  Colby  College, 
he  taught  in  the  Athol, 
Templeton,  Gardner  and 
Quabbin  Regional  high  schools 
and  retired  in  1990. 

Howard  L.  "Jack"  McGill  '62 
of  Yarmouth  Port.  Mass..  died 
March  _.  2003.  after  a  battle 
with  csciphage.il  cancer.  He 
started  ai  WPI  with  the  Class 
ol  1962  and  received  his 
B.S.E.E.  in  1965.  He  leaves  his 
wife,  Grace  (Tabacco),  a  sou. 
two  daughters,  and  lour  grand- 
children. McGill  was  retired 
from  ( lillette  ( lo.  .is  ,i  program 
manager,  aftei  30  years  ol 
service, 


46     Transformation!   \   Fall  2003 


Edward  J.  Nelpi  '62  (SIM)  of 
Westborough,  Mass.,  died  July 
23,  2003.  He  was  88.  His  wife, 
Mary  (Egasti),  survives,  along 
with  rwo  daughters,  two  grand- 
children and  a  great-grand- 
child. Nelpi  was  a  customer 
service  manager  at  Bay  State 
Abrasives,  where  he  worked  for 
43  years. 

Charles  R.  Elfreich  '63  of 

Keene,  N.H.,  died  Sept.  10, 

2002.  A  self-employed  civil 
engineer  in  Westchestet 
County,  N.Y.,  he  moved  to 
New  Hampshire  in  2000  to 
work  on  state  traffic  and  trans- 
portation projects.  Survivors 
include  two  sons,  a  daughter, 
five  grandchildren  and  his  for- 
mer wife,  Mary  Lou  Cannone. 
He  belonged  to  Phi  Kappa 
Theta. 

Peter  A.  Michaelian  '63 

(SIM)  of  Fitchburg,  Mass., 
died  Feb.  18,  2001,  at  age  71. 
He  leaves  his  wife,  MaryAnn 
(Barbara),  a  son,  a  daughter 
and  a  grandson.  His  first  wife, 
Norma  (Dean),  died  in  1981. 
Michaelian  was  retired  from 
the  post  of  vice  president  of 
human  resources  at  the  former 
Foster  Grant  Co. 

Stephen  B.  Brownell  '64  of 

Brandon,  Fla.,  died  March  18, 

2003.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Kathleen,  three  daughters  and 
two  gtandchildren.  He  was 
retired  as  founder  and  principal 
of  Brownell  Construction  Co. 
A  member  of  Theta  Chi,  he 
earned  a  mastet's  degree  from 
Stanford  University. 

WPI  Athletic  Hall  of  Fame 
member  Kenneth  B.  Adrian 

'65  of  Safety  Harbor,  Fla.,  died 
April  25,  2003.  A  consultant 
for  ADP  Inc.,  he  leaves  his 
wife,  Jean.  Adrian  was  captain 
of  the  WPI  golf  team.  He 
belonged  to  Sigma  Phi  Epsilon. 


Fotmer  Newspeak  editor 
Gerard  G.  Charest  '66  died 
July  16, 
2003,  at  his 
Rochester, 
Mass., 
home.  He  is 
survived  by 
his  wife, 
Lotraine  (Beaulieu),  two  sons, 
a  daughter  and  rwo  grandchil- 
dren. Charest  was  vice  presi- 
dent  of  Tibbetts  Engineering 
Cotp.  He  belonged  to  Phi 
Kappa  Theta. 

John  J.  Szostek  '69  of 

Rehoboth,  Mass.,  died  June  19, 
2003.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Cheryl  (Guglielmo),  a  son  and 
a  daughter.  Szostek  was  presi- 
dent and  owner  of  INFO- 
LITE,  a  maker  of  lighted  dis- 
play signs.  He  previously  was 
vice  president  of  BLH  Electric. 
He  belonged  to  Sigma  Alpha 
Epsilon. 

Robert  D.  Williams  '71  of 

Newington,  Conn.,  a  sales  and 
production  executive  for  the 
ptinting  industry,  died  May  18, 
2003.  He  is  survived  by  a 
brother.  Williams  belonged  to 
Pi  Delta  Epsilon  and  Alpha  Psi 
Omega  honor  societies. 

William  A.  Pepe  '74  of  Baton, 
Rouge,  La.,  died  May  5,  2003. 
He  worked  for  Honeywell 
Corp.  for  more  than  30  years 
as  an  HF  technology  leader  in 
the  special  chemicals  business. 
A  member  of  Theta  Chi,  he  is 
survived  by  a  sistet. 

Kenneth  T.  Kinchla  '76 

(SIM)  of  Burlington,  Mass., 
died  March  15,  2003,  at  age 
64.  He  was  the  owner  of 
Applied  Computer  Systems. 
Survivors  include  his  wife, 
Joanne  (Kilbane),  a  daughter, 
three  sons,  three  step-daughters 
and  12  grandchildren. 

Edward  O.  Desjourdy  '77 

(SIM)  of  Boynton  Beach,  Fla., 
died  May  31,  2003.  He  leaves 
his  wife,  Lena  (Boissonnault), 
five  sons,  six  daughters,  3 1 


grandchildren  and  16  great- 
grandchildren. Two  other  chil- 
dren predeceased  him.  A  grad- 
uate of  Worcester  Junior 
College,  Desjourdy  was  a 
design  engineer  for  Whitin 
Machine  Wotks  for  23  years. 

Clint  W.  Carpenter  '79  died 
Nov.  25,  2002.  A  chemical 
researcher,  he  earned  a  Ph.D. 
from  the  University  of 
Wisconsin  and  wotked  for 
BASF  Corp.  in  Michigan  and 
in  Germany.  He  belonged  to 
Tau  Beta  Pi  and  Phi  Lambda 
Upsilon  honor  societies. 

Gary  E.  Graf  '80  of  Litchfield, 

gT 1    N.H.died 

£H(gfc         Feb.  20, 
^  J£       2003.  He 
leaves  his 
wife  of  five 
years,  Lori 
(Sonricker), 
two  sons  and  a  daughter.  Graf 
earned  an  MBA  from  New 
Hampshire  College.  His  career 
in  engineering  included 
Sanders  Lockheed-Martin, 
Transcept  Inc.  and  CMG 
Telecommunications. 

Transformations  recently 
learned  of  the  death  of  Edward 
S.  Warth  '81  of  Lowell,  Mass., 
in  1999.  He  worked  for  Cutler 
Associates,  and  EUA  Cogenex 
Corp.,  an  energy  management 
and  cogeneration  subsidiary  of 
Eastern  Utilities  Associates. 

Transformations  recently 
learned  of  the  death  of  Lee  F. 
Haas  '82  in  1999.  A  lawyer 
and  certified  public  account- 
ant, he  served  as  tax  counsel  to 
Shell  Oil  Co.  in  Houston.  He 
belonged  to  Theta  Chi. 

Scott  A.  Wheeler  '85  of 

Waltham,  Mass.,  died  July  30, 
2003,  after  a  three-year  battle 
with  multiple-myeloma  cancer. 
He  was  principal  software  engi- 
neer for  3Com.  Predeceased  by 
his  mother,  he  leaves  his  father, 
a  brother  and  a  sister.  He 
belonged  to  Tau  Beta  Pi  and 
Eta  Kappa  Nu. 


Andrew  C.  Stevens  '87  (SIM) 
of  West  Boylston,  Mass.,  died 
May  10,  2003.  He  was  65. 
Stevens  was  purchasing  manag- 
et  for  Quabaug  Corp.  He 
leaves  his  wife,  Mary  (Christo) 
and  a  son. 

Transformations  recently 
learned  of  the  death  of  Herbert 
L.  Hardy  '88  (M.S.E.E.)  of 
Sudbury,  Mass.  He  was  66.  A 
graduate  of  MIT  with  a  mas- 
ter's degree  from  the  University 
of  Btidgeport  (Conn.),  he 
worked  for  Polaroid  Corp.  as 
a  senior  principal  engineer. 

Terrence  H.  Tirrell  '90  (M.M) 
of  Norfolk,  Conn.,  died  Feb. 
26,  2003.  He  was  47.  A  1977 
graduate  of  Southern 
Connecticut  State  University, 
he  also  held  a  master's  degree 
ftom  Wesleyan  University. 
Tirtell  taught  mathematics  at 
the  Gilbett  School.  Husband  of 
Kathleen  (Ryan),  he  also  leaves 
two  daughters. 

Trevor  W.  Martin  '00  of 

Phillipston,  Mass.,  died  June 
16,  2003,  after  a  lifelong  battle 
with  muscular  dystrophy.  He 
worked  for  Tyco  Safety 
Products,  as  a  mechanical 
design  engineer  in  the  research 
and  development  department. 
Survivors  include  his  mother 
and  stepfather,  and  his  grand- 
parents. He  was  predeceased  by 
a  brother. 


Trans  fo 


r  mat  to  n  s 


|  Fall  2003    47 


Time  Machine 


By  Joan  Killough-Mille 


Of  Hardware  and  History 


More  than  just  a  collection  of  old  planes,  the  New  England  Air  Museum  offers  a  living  link  to  the  past. 


Standing  beneath  the  bomb  bay  of  a  restored  B-29  Superfortress, 
Scott  Ashton  '92  runs  his  hand  over  neat  rows  of  gleaming  rivets. 
He  speaks  with  reverence  of  the  courageous  pilots  who  trained  to  fly 
this  new  and  unproven  breed  of  aircraft.  Behind  him,  in  a  vintage 
photograph,  the  airmen  of  the  58th  Bombardment  Wing  are  posed 
beside  rhis  very  plane.  Their  young  faces  are  lit  with  confidence,  as 
they  prepare  ro  master  the  most  sophisticated  and  expensive  weapon 
of  World  War  II. 

Jack's  Hack,  a  Boeing  TB-29A,  is  the  latest  addition  to  the 
New  England  Air  Museum  (NEAM)  in  Windsor  Locks,  Conn.  Built 
in  1945,  it  was  initially  used  for  pilot  training,  then  stationed  in 
England  in  the  1950s  as  a  Cold  War  deterrent.  NEAM  began 
rebuilding  the  plane  back  in  the  1970s,  but  a  1979  tornado  caused 
severe  damage.  With  the  help  of  donations,  grants  and  more  than 
100  volunteers,  Jack's  Hack  was  completely  .refurbished.  It  was 
opened  for  display  on  June  1,  2003. 


Ashron,  who  serves  on  the  museum's  board  of  directors,  under- 
stands how  privileged  he  was  to  witness  the  dedication  of  NEAM's 
new  B-29  Hangar  and  58th  Bombardment  Wing  Memorial.  Guests 
of  honot  at  the  ceremony  included  surviving  members  of  the  58th 
Bombardment  Wing  Association.  The  veterans  inspected  the  plane 
from  tip  to  tail,  admiring  the  newly  painted  nose  art  and  marveling 
over  the  details — right  down  to  authentic  1936  ashttays  manufac- 
tured by  Ford  Motor  Co.  At  the  close  of  the  evening,  the  pilots — 
now  a  half-century  older — posed  with  their  families  in  front  of 
images  of  their  youthful  selves.  "You  could  tell  it  was  a  very  emo- 
tional event  for  them,"  says  Ashton. 

It  was  an  earlier  restoration  project — his  majot  project  at  WPI  in 
fact — that  sparked  Ashton's  interest  in  preserving  the  Wright  brothers' 
legacy.  In  his  senior  year,  he  performed  an  airflow  analysis  of  a  1909 
Bleriot  monoplane — the  fitst  plane  to  cross  the  English  Channel — 
for  the  Collings  Foundation  in  Stow,  Mass.  His  WPI  projects,  all 
of  which  were  flight-related,  led  to  a  career  as  manager  of 
strategic  marketing  for  GE's  Corporate  Aircraft  Group. 

These  days,  Ashton  volunteers  his  management  skills  to 
further  NEAM's  educational  mission.  His  favorite  events  are 
"Open  Cockpit  days"  when  children  are  welcome  to  climb 
inside  the  planes.  "Their  faces  light  up,"  he  says.  "They  start 
turning  the  wheel  and  making  airplane  noises.  They  flip  the 
switches,  pull  on  the  throttle,  and  give  a  big  thumbs-up." 

Ashton,  who  learned  to  fly  as  a  teenager  and  is  now  a 
certified  flight  instructor,  plans  to  pass  that  enthusiasm  on  to 
his  own  children  and  to  help  a  new  generation  connect  with 
the  richness  of  the  past.  "We  try  to  be  more  than  just  an  air- 
plane museum,"  he  says.  "There's  so  much  more  here  than 
just  the  physical  hardware:  there  are  stories  that  relate  back  to 
the  history  of  the  nation  and  the  birth  of  aviation,  whether 
it's  an  original  Silas  M.  Brooks  balloon  basket  from  the  1800s 
or  the  contributions  of  Charlie  Company's  helicopter  com- 
mand in  Vietnam.  It's  great  to  restote  the  planes  back  to  their 
otiginal  condition,  but  it's  just  as  important,  if  not  more- 
important,  to  tell  the  stoties  of  how  the  nation  was  defended, 
or  how  key  scientific  achievements  came  about." 

Ashton  has  had  ample  opportunities  to  experience  living 
history.  A  highlight  of  his  WPI  days  was  meeting  design 
pioneer  Elbert  "Burt"  Rutan,  a  guest  speaker  ,u  Parents 
Weekend.  Last  year,  NEAM  invited  Brig.  Gen.  Paul  W. 
Tibbets  (captain  of  the  Inula  Gay,  the  B-29  thai  dropped 

(he  atomic  bomb  over  I  [iroshima)  to  speak  about  the 
"final  mission." 

"To  be  able  to  sil  in  a  room  and  hear  those  stories 
firsthand  puts  everything  in  context,"  he  s.t\s.  "It's  humbling. 
It  really  is." 

NEAM  welcomes  volunteers  with  a  variety  of  skills 
and  interests.  For  information,  visit  www.neam.org 
or  contact  Ashton  at  tcott.ashton9ge.com. 


48     Transformations    \   Fall  2005 


Announcing 

Gateway  Research 
Park  at  WPI  m 


The  Phase  One  Facility  at  Gateway  Research  Park  features  two  linked  buildings  outfitted  for  leading-edge  research  and  development  in  the  biosciences 
and  bioengineering. 

Get  In  on  the  Ground  Floor 

Gateway  Research  Park  offers  businesses  and  organizations 


Gateway  Research  Park  is  the  product  of  a  unique  partnership 
forged  by  WPI  and  the  not-for-profit  Worcester  Business 
Development  Corporation.  With  strong  support  from  regional 
political  leaders,  the  partners  are  revitalizing  1  1  acres  of  prime 
real  estate  adjacent  to  WPI  and  downtown  Worcester  in  a  region 
known  nationally  as  a  premier  center  for  innovation  in  high 
technology  and  the  biosciences. 

The  site  is  close  to  renowned  educational  and  research 
institutions  and  more  than  60  life  science  corporations,  among 
them  the  University  of  Massachusetts  Medical  Center,  the 
Worcester  Foundation  for  Biomedical  Research,  Nypro, 
AstraZenaca,  and  the  world  headquarters  of  the  Abbott 
Bioresearch  Center. 


the  opportunity  to  locate  in  its  Phase  One  Facility,  a  1  00,000- 
square-foot  multi-use  complex  of  prime  office,  retail  and  research 
development  space.  The  complex  has  been  designed  to  support 
advanced  research,  development  and  manufacturing  in  the 
biosciences  and  bioengineering.  One  of  its  first  tenants  will 
be  WPI's  new  Bioengineering  Institute. 

Phase  One  Facility  tenants  are  actively  being  sought,  including 
biotechnology,  biomedical  engineering,  pharmaceutical  and 
medical  device  companies,  medical  practices  and  related 
business,  and  retail  and  food  service  establishments. 

Close  to  WPI  and  other  educational  and  research  institutions, 
the  11-acre  Gateway  Research  Park  is  adjacent  to  the  downtown 
business  district  and  the  city's  cultural  district,  including  the 
nationally  renowned  Worcester  Art  Museum. 

For  More  Information 

Craig  Blais 

Gateway  Research  Park  at  WPI 

339  Main  Street,  Suite  200 

Worcester,  MA   01608 

508-755-5734 

508-755-9639  fax 


u 


The  University  ol 
Science  and  Technology. 
And  I  it",-  . 


~>! 


._ 


L 

Li 


Worcester  on  the  Grow: 

Project  Center  Targets  WPI's  Home  City 

Back  on  the  Fast  Track  with  Ed  Sandoz  '03 
Ed  Parrish  Recaps  Nine  Years  in  the  North 


Profiles  in  Giving 


Hans  H.  Koehl  '56 

Chairman,  Spirol  International  Corporation,  Danielson,  Conn. 
Gift  Arrangement:  Scholarship  Fund 


On  Family  Traditions 

"My  father  grew  up  in  a  small  village  in  Germany,  where  he 
put  himself  through  college  working  as  a  mechanic  in  coal 
mines,"  says  Hans  Koehl.  "He  instilled  in  me  a  commitment 
to  education  and  a  passion  for  engineering.  There  was  no 
question  about  whether  I  would  go  to  college,  or  what  I 
would  study."  After  earning  a  degree  in  mechanical 
engineering  at  WPI  and  a  law  degree  at  Stanford,  Koehl 
joined  his  father  in  business.  That  taught  him  another 
family  value.  "My  dad  believed  community  is  built  through 
giving  and  service.  He  made  a  tradition  of  giving  back  to 
our  local  community,  and  I  have  continued  that  tradition — 
and  the  business — proudly." 


On  Gift  Planning  at  WPI 

On  the  occasion  of  his  40th  Reunion,  Hans  Koehl  and 
his  wife,  Christina,  established  the  Koehl  Merit  Scholarship 
Fund  in  memory  of  his  parents  with  gifts  of  stock  and 
an  insurance  policy;  they  have  provided  future  funding 
through  a  charitable  remainder  trust  and  their  estates. 
"The  scholarship  is  based  on  merit,  not  financial  need," 
Koehl  says,  "with  preference  given  to  students  from 
northeastern  Connecticut  who  have  given  their  time  and 
talents  to  their  community  or  to  people  in  need.  I  believe 
community  service  should  go  hand  in  hand  with 
scholastic  achievement,  and  I've  learned  from  experience 
that  if  we  help  others,  they  will  probably  do  the  same  when 
they  can."  That's  a  philosophy  Koehl  puts  into  practice 
in  his  support  for  his  alma  mater.  "In  addition  to  our 
scholarship  fund,  my  company  regularly  hires  WPI 
graduates,"  he  says,  "and  we  have  sponsored  a  number 
of  WPI  projects,  which  have  been  wonderful  and  valuable 
experiences.  These  all  are  ways  of  saying  thank  you  for 
all  that  WPI  has  done  for  me,  and  what  it  continues 
to  do  for  the  young  people  who  are  our  future." 


im     2         l  lAr' 

v .    aa    i  •  u  i    DC   s     i  • 


If  you  would  like  to  learn  about  the  many  ways  you  can  provide  scholarship  support 

for  current  or  future  WPI  students,  please  contact  the  Office  of  Individual  Giving  at 

1  -888-WPI-GIFT  or  visit  www.wpi.edu/Admin/UR/Giving/. 


Starting  Poi 


Can  we  hear  you  now? 


When  Transformations  was  launched  two  years  ago,  it  was 
our  hope  that  the  magazine  would  be  half  of  an  ongoing 
dialogue.  The  aim  was  to  make  this  a  publication  that 
would  not  just  talk  to  you,  but  would  give  you  a  chance  to 
have  your  say,  too. 

WPI's  alumni  and  friends  are  interesting,  involved, 
accomplished  people  with  intriguing  ideas  and  opinions. 
Providing  a  forum  for  those  voices  could  only  make  this  a 
more  lively  and  thought-provoking  magazine.  Well,  that 
was  the  plan,  anyway. 

Our  first  seven  issues  have,  for  the  most  part,  been  a 
one-way  conversation.  The  problem,  it  seems,  is  that  we 
simply  didn't  provide  the  right  opportunities  for  us  to 
"hear"  your  voice.  As  we  begin  work  on  issue  No.  8,  we're 
doing  something  about  that. 

The  Winter  2004  issue  will  be  the  first  overseen  by 
Amy  Dean,  Transformations'  new  editor.  Amy  has  already 
developed  a  number  of  interactive  features  that  I'd  like  to 
preview  for  you  here. 

"Illuminations" 

WPI's  faculty  members  are  experts  in  a  wide  tange  of  fields. 
What  if  you  could  turn  to  those  authotities  for  answers  to 
your  questions  about  technology,  science,  the  arts,  cutrent 
events,  or  everyday  life?  That's  the  idea  behind  this  new 
feature. 

So,  what  do  you  want  to  know?  Why  does  a  curve  ball 
curve?  What's  the  next  big  thing  on  the  Internet?  When 
will  fuel  cells  be  in  every  home?  Send  your  questions  to 
transformations@wpi.edu  or  mail  them  to  the  editor  at 
the  address  you'll  find  on  page  2  (be  sure  to  include 
your  name,  your  class  year,  and  your  contact  infor- 
mation). We'll  select  a  few  to  share  with  the  appro- 
priate faculty  experts.  We  plan  to  publish  at  least  one 
question  and  answer  in  each  issue,  and  share  others 
on  the  Transformations  Web  site. 

"The  WPI  Exchange" 

There  are  nearly  30,000  Transformations  readers. 
Odds  are  that  many  of  them  share  your  interests, 
hobbies  or  passions. 

Do  you  have  a  timeshare  to  swap?  Are  you 
looking  to  fill  in  the  gaps  in  your  World's  Fair  sou- 
venir spoon  collection?  Want  to  find  out  about  the 
best  places  to  eat  in  Melbourne,  Australia?  This  new 
classified  ad  section  will  give  you  the  chance  to  ask 
our  entire  readership.  There's  no  charge.  All  we 
request  is  that  you  keep  your  text  shott. 


Submit  your  classified  note  to  exchange@wpi.edu 
or  send  it  to  WPI  Exchange,  Transformations,  WPI,  100 
Institute  Road,  Worcester,  MA  01609-2280.  (This  service 
is  strictly  for  exchanging  items,  services,  or  advice — no 
items  for  sale,  please.) 

"Vox  Alumni" 

In  each  issue,  we  will  pose  a  question  and  invite 
readers  to  send  in  their  responses.  We'll  gather  up  a 
small  group  to  publish  in  the  next  issue,  and  put 
others  on  the  Web.  Please  keep  your  answers  brief. 
Here's  your  first  question: 

What  single  invention  or  new  technology  has 

done  the  most  to  change  the  quality  of  your 

life  (for  better  or  worse)? 

Send  your  answer  to  transformations@wpi.edu 
or  snail-mail  it  to  the  editor.  We'll  publish  the  most 
intriguing  responses  in  the  Winter  2004  issue. 

OK.  Those  are  just  a  few  icebreakers  to  get  the  con- 
versation  going.  Maybe  you  have  ideas  for  others. 
We'd  love  to  hear  them. 

Amy  and  I  encourage  you  to  continue  to  send  in 
letters  to  the  editot.  That's  another  excellent  way  to 
join  in  on  the  never-ending  discussion  that  a  good 
magazine  should  strive  to  develop  and  maintain. 

Thanks  for  listening.  Now,  we're  all  ears. 

Michael  Dorsey 

Director  of  Communications 


Homecoming,  including  reunions  for  the  classes  of 
1989,  1994,  1999  and  2004;  the  Class  Boards  of  Directors 
annual  meeting;  a  Graduates  of  the  Last  Decade  event  for  the 
classes  of  1 995-2004;  and  a  celebration  of  the  40th  anniversary 
of  the  Delta  Sigma  Tau  chapter  a  of  Alpha  Chi  Rho.  Visit 
alumni.wpi.edu  to  learn  more. 

Radio  City  Christmas  Spectacular  at  the  Wang 
Center  in  Boston.  Alumni  and  friends  may  purchase  tickets  for 
the  2  p.m.  show  for  $74.50  each  at  alumni.wpi.edu  or  by 
contacting  the  Alumni  Office  at  508-831-5600  or  regional- 
events@wpi.edu. 

Phantom  of  the  Opera  at  the  Opera  House  in 
Boston.  Alumni  and  friends  may  purchase  mezzanine  tickets  for 
the  2  p.m.  show  for  $59.70  each  at  alumni.wpi.edu  or  by 
contacting  the  Alumni  Office  at  508-831-5600  or  regional- 
events®  wpi.edu;  tickets  must  be  purchased  by  Dec.  20. 


alumni.vvpi.edu 


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n       %J       m       D       C       K  O 


i6  Keys  to  the  City 


WPI's  Worcester  Community  Project  Center  immerses 
students  in  the  culture  and  history  of,  and  the 
university's  connection  with,  New  England's  third- 
largest  metropolis.  By  Joan  Killough-Miller 

20  Hell  on  Wheels 

A  paralyzing  motorcycle  racing  accident  engineers  a 
new  career  for  Ed  Sandoz  '03.  By  Carol  Cambo 

24  Straight  Shooter 

Former  WPI  President  Ed  Parrish  leaves  New  England's 
bleak  winter  days  behind,  along  with  a  university  that 
blossomed  during  nine  years  of  his  leadership. 
By  Ray  Bert 

28  Game  Plan 

So  what's  wrong  with  going  to  college  and  playing 
video  games?  WPI  hopes  a  proposed  major  in 
Interactive  Media  and  Game  Development  will  be  a 
win-win  situation.  By  Jimmy  Guterman 


4  Campus  Buzz 


Explorations       48  ...and  Life 


•TTTTiffiiraiiia 


4/5/6/7  Campus  Buzz 

President  Dennis  Berkey's  journey  to  WPI;  professor 
links  time  and  art;  the  university's  first  music  man  retires; 
Edgar  Allan  Poe  gets  an  editor;  WPI  student  wins 
Marshall  Scholarship;  more  news  from  WPI. 


8  A  Few  Words 

Vicki  Cowart  '75,  former  Colorado  state  geologist, 
shifts  from  rocks  to  women's  rights. 

9  Investigations 

Chowing  down  eons  ago:  a  microscopic  analysis  of 
fossilized  teeth  reveals  animal  appetites;  how  animal- 
brain  MRIs  can  solve  the  mysteries  of  human  mental 
disorders. 


1 2  Inside  WPI 

Oh,  ROMEO!  A  student-designed  submersible  camera  gives 
a  great  performance  in  the  frigid  waters  of  Antarctica. 

14  Explorations 

Students  test  their  metals  at  the  Higgins  Armory  Museum. 

32/33  Alumni  Connections 
34  Class  Notes 
48  ...and  Life 

Karen  Kosinski  '02  will  use  her  medical  degree 
to  care  for  Latin  America's  poor. 


The  University  of 
Science  and  Technology. 
And  Life. . 


Stay  Informed 


While  you're  waiting  for  your  next  issue  of  Transformations,  check  out  The  Bridge— 
a  monthly  e-newsletter  that  keeps  you  up-to-date  on  campus  happenings,  important 
events,  job  postings,  Alumni  Association  notes,  sports,  and  much  more. 
Visit  alumni.wpi.edu  to  sign  up  for  your  free  subscription. 


www.wpi.edu/+ Transformations 


Staff:  Director  of  Communications:  Michael  W.  Dorsey;  Editorial  Consultant:  Vicky  Sanders;  Alumni  News  Editor: 
Joan  Killough-Miller;  Design  Director:  Michael  J.  Sherman;  Design:  re:design  pascal;  Production  Manager:  Bonnie 
McCrea;  Production  Maven:  Peggy  Isaacson;  Department  Icons:  Art  Guy  Studios. 

Alumni  Communications  Committee:  Robert  C.  Labonte  '54,  chairman;  Kimberly  A.  (Lemoi)  Bowers  '90, 
James  S.  Demetry  '58,  William  J.  Firla  Jr.  '60,  William  R.  Grogan  '46,  Amy  L.  (Plack)  Marr  '96, 
Roger  N.  Perry  Jr.  '45,  Harlan  B.  Williams  '50. 

Transformations  (ISSN  1538-5094)  is  published  three  times  a  year,  in  April,  August,  and  November,  by 
University  Communications  for  the  WPI  Alumni  Association.  Printed  in  USA  by  Mercantile/Image  Press. 


Diverse  views  presented  in  this  magazine  do  not  necessarily  reflect  the  opinions  of  the  editors  or  official  WPI  policies.  We  welcome  letters  to  the  editor.  Address  correspondence  to  the  Editor, 
Transformations,  WPI,  100  Institute  Road,  Worcester,  MA  01609-2280.  Phone:  508*831-6037;  Fax:  508-831-5604;  e-mail:  transformations@wpi.edu;  Web:  www.wpi.edu/-t-Tronsformations. 
Periodical  postage  paid  at  Worcester,  Mass.,  and  at  additional  mailing  offices.  Postmaster:  please  send  address  changes  to  address  above.  Entire  contents  ©  2004,  Worcester  Polytechnic  Institute. 


m 


Jupiter  Aligns  with  Mars: 

The  search  for  the  15th  president  of  WPI  concluded  at  the  end  of 
April  when  the  university  announced  that  Dennis  D.  Berkey, 

provost  at  Boston  University,  would  succeed  Edward  Alton  Parrish. 
Berkey  was  an  administrator  at  the  nation's  fourth- largest  private 
university  for  more  than  20  years,  serving  a  total  of  13  years  as 
provost,  five  years  as  dean  of  Arts  and  Sciences,  and  several  years 
as  vice  provost,  associate  vice  president  for  academic  affairs,  and 
chairman  of  the  Department  of  Mathematics. 


As  provost,  Berkey  oversaw  1 4  schools  and  colleges,  29,000  students, 
and  the  university's  Corporate  Education  Center.  He  also  guided 
information  technology,  student  life,  and  international  programs,  and 
administered  $275  million  in  annual  research  sponsorship. 


Former  BU  Provost  Is  WPI's  1 5th  President 

"Dennis  Berkey's  extensive  and  successful  background  makes  him  the 
ideal  person  to  lead  WPI,"  notes  F.  William  Marshall,  chairman  of 
the  WPI  Board  of  Trustees.  "He  is  highly  regarded  nationally  as  an 
educator,  and  he  has  a  vision  well  matched  to  that  of  this  university. 
His  leadership  will  be  critical  as  WPI  addresses  the  opportunities  and 
challenges  inherent  in  technologically  oriented  education,  particularly 
as  science  and  technology-based  programs  become  this  century's 
academic  foundation,  replacing  liberal  arts  programs  of  the  past." 

Trustee  David  K.  Heebner  '67,  presidential  search  committee  chair, 
told  the  Boston  Globe  that  Berkey  brings  to  WPI  "a  rich  background 
of  experience  that  shows  him  to  be  a  great  scholar,  an  experienced 
educator,  and,  above  all,  a  terrific  leader.  This  is  Jupiter  aligning 
with  Mars:  a  perfect  fit  of  an  extremely  well-qualified  individual  with 
an  institution  that  has  a  great  deal  of  opportunity  in  its  future." 

Berkey  says  WPI's  innovative  academic  programs  and  growing 
strengths  in  research  were  among  the  qualities  that  attracted  him  to 
the  position.  "Long  distinguished  by  its  honors-college  approach  to 
engineering  and  science-based  education,  and  emphasizing  close 
student-faculty  relations,  project-based  learning  and  international 
experiences,  WPI  attracts  outstanding  students,  highly  talented  in  the 
arts  as  well  as  in  the  sciences,"  he  says.  "As  knowledge  of  science, 
engineering,  and  technology  becomes  increasingly  important  for  all 
students,  WPI  is  positioned  for  continuing  national  leadership  in 
undergraduate  education." 

A  mathematician,  Berkey  has  authored  more  than  15  peer-reviewed 
scientific  papers  and  two  calculus  textbooks.  He  received  the  Metcalf 
Cup  and  Prize  for  Excellence  in  Teaching  from  Boston  University. 
A  native  of  Ohio,  he  earned  a  B.A.  in  mathematics  at  Muskingum 
College,  an  M.A.  in  mathematics  from  Miami  University,  and  a 
Ph.D.  in  mathematics  from  the  University  of  Cincinnati. 


Curran  Lays  Down  Baton  After  38  Years 


At  the  annual  Honors  Convocation  this  spring,  WPI's  first  professor  of 
music  did  what  he  has  done  so  well  throughout  his  career— he  let  his 
music  speak  for  itself.  Honored  by  the  faculty  on  the  occasion  of  his 
retirement,  Louis  Curran  declined  to  make  a  speech,  but  instead 
stepped  aside  as  historical  photos  of  the  Men's  Glee  Club  were 
projected  on  the  screen  in  Kinnicutt  Hall  and  the  sounds  of  singing 
filled  the  room. 

"This  is  what  I  inherited  back  in  1966,"  Curran  explained  over  a 
recording  of  the  13  Glee  Club  members  and  12  musicians  who 
made  up  WPI's  student  music  program  that  year.  From  those  humble 
beginnings,  he  produced  a  polished,  professional,  highly  regarded 
choral  powerhouse  whose  music  has  dazzled  audiences  around  the 
world.  Curran  holds  a  bachelor's  degree  in  music  from  Yale  and  a 
master's  from  the  University  of  Tulsa;  he  completed  postgraduate 
study  at  the  New  England  Conservatory  of  Music  and  Oxford 
University  (where  he  was  a  Fulbright  scholar].  He  stepped  down  in 
2001  as  Glee  Club  director,  but  continued  to  teach  music  theory  and 
history  and  advise  projects  until  his  retirement. 


Curran's  career  at  WPI  was  celebrated  during  an  April  weekend  of 
concerts  and  gatherings;  the  highlight  was  a  stirring  performance  of 
the  Mozart  "Requiem"  directed  by  John  F.  Delorey,  associate  adjunct 
professor  of  music,  who  now  conducts  WPI's  vocal  ensembles.  The 
chorus  of  300  voices  was  made  up  of  current  and  alumni  members  of 
the  Glee  Club,  Alden  Voices,  and  various  vocal  groups  from  nine 
other  colleges. 

"We  knew  a  lot  of  WPI  alumni  would  return,  but  we  were  not 
expecting  the  participation  from  so  many  of  the  other  colleges  WPI 
sang  with  throughout  the  years,"  says  Ted  Dysart  '94,  co-founder  of 
the  Glee  Club  Alumni  Associates,  which  helped  organize  the  event 
and  provided  funds  for  a  40-piece  orchestra.  Curran  received  a 
standing  ovation  from  the  capacity  audience  and  evoked  tears  on 
stage  when  he  stepped  up  to  the  podium  one  lost  lime  lo  conduct 
several  perennial  favorites  from  the  Glee  Club's  repertory. 

Of  Curran's  legacy,  Patrick  J.  Quinn,  head  of  the  Humanities  and 
Arts  Department,  says,  "The  progress  of  any  academic  program  is 
dependent  on  the  people  who  leach  it.  Louis  Curron  brought  energy, 


A     Transformations   \  Summer  2004 


WPI  Students  Again  Recognized  for  Scholarship 


For  the  second  consecutive  year, 
a  WPI  student  has  been  named 
a  Marshall  Scholar.  Three  other 
undergraduates  were  named 
Barry  M.  Goldwater  Scholars, 
bringing  to  eight  the  number  of 
Goldwater  Scholarships  won  by 
WPI  students  (seven  since  2000). 

WPI's  second  Marshall  Scholar 
is  Ian  Bonxani  '04  of  New 

Haven,  Conn.,  a  biomedical 
engineering  major  who  will 
study  for  a  master's  in  tissue 
engineering  at  Imperial  College 
in  London.  In  2003,  he  worked 
at  Johns  Hopkins  Medical 
School  with  a  National  Science 
Foundation  research  fellowship, 
and  says  his  aspiration  is  to 


become  a  pioneer  in  the  field  of 
bone  tissue  engineering. 

Bonzani  is  already  something 
of  a  pioneer  on  the  basketball 
court,  where  he  became  the  first 
WPI  freshman  since  1949  to 
lead  the  team  in  points  scored 
and  scoring  average.  A  four-year 
starter  and  two-year  co-captain, 
he  led  the  NEWMAC  conference 
in  scoring  in  his  freshman  and 
sophomore  seasons. 

Bonzani  was  one  of  44 
American  college  students  to 
receive  Marshall  Scholarships 
in  2003-04,  the  50th  year  of 
the  program.  The  scholarships, 
established  as  a  British  gesture 
of  thanks  to  the  people  of  the 


United  States  for  the  assistance 
received  after  World  War  II 
under  the  Marshall  Plan,  enable 
American  students  to  study  at 
British  universities.  WPI's  first 
Marshall  Scholar,  Nicholas 
Baker  '03,  is  studying  digital 
games  technology  at  Liverpool 
John  Moores  University  (see 
Game  Plan,  page  28). 

Matthew  J.  Black  '05  (chemical 
engineering),  Helen  Hanson  '06 
(physics),  and  David  J.  LeRay 
'05  (mechanical  engineering 
and  mathematics)  are  WPI's 
latest  Goldwater  Scholars.  They 
were  among  310  students 
chosen  from  1,1 13  applicants  to 
receive  2004  awards. 


Goldwater  scholarships  are 
awarded  to  sophomores  or 
juniors  who  have  records  of 
outstanding  academic 
performance  and  who  have  a 
demonstrated  potential  for  and 
commitment  to  a  career  in 
research  in  mathematics,  the 
natural  sciences,  or  engineering. 


otes  from  the  Playing  Fields 


Grebinar  Hits  the 
Big  Four-Oh-Oh 


imagination,  passion,  and 
dedication  to  WPI's  fledgling 
musical  division.  Today,  the 
presence  of  wide-ranging 
musical  diversity  on  this  campus 
owes  its  success  to  his  vision 
and  determination  to  make  WPI 
a  place  where  humanities  and 
technology  come  together  in 
harmonious  sympathy." 

Do  you  have  a  favorite 
memory  of  Professor  Curran? 
Post  your  story  in  the  Alumni 
Cafe  at  alumni.wpi.edu. 


rtt 


During  the  32  years  he  has 
coached  wrestlers  at  WPI,  Phil 
Grebinar  has  won  just  about 
every  honor  available  to  a 
coach  in  his  field.  To  name  just 
a  few,  he's  been  NECCWA 
(New  England  College  Confer- 
ence Wrestling  Association) 
Coach  of  the  Year  three  times 
and  inducted  into  four  halls  of 
fame,  including  WPI's.  But  on 
January  25,  he  hit  a  new 


milestone  that  few  NCAA 
coaches  see— a  400th  career 
victory. 

During  the  NECCWA  Dual  Team 
Tournament  at  Bridgewater 
State,  "Grebby's  Grapplers" 
notched  wins  399,  400,  and 
401  with  victories  over  Roger 
Williams  College,  Coast  Guard, 
and  Trinity.  Over  the  years, 
Grebinar's  teams  have  won 
about  70  percent  of  their  matches 
and  gone  to  four  NECCWA 
championships  (1985,  1987, 
1994,  and  1995).  He's  coached 
1  83  All-New  England  wrestlers, 
46  who  have  competed  in  the 
NCAA  National  Championship 
Tournament,  and  eight  who've 
earned  All-America  status. 

Women's  Crew:  No.  2 

It  was  a  Cinderella  year  for  the 
women's  crew  team.  The  only 
thing  lacking  was  a  trip  to  the 
ball.  As  the  end-of-year  cham- 
pionships approached,  the  team 
was  ranked  No.  4  in  the  nation 


in  the  Division  III  coaches  poll  — 
the  highest  ranking  ever  for 
women's  crew,  a  varsity  sport  at 
WPI  only  since  2000.  After  two 
big  championship  finishes,  it 
looked  like  the  next  step  would 
be  an  invitation  to  the  NCAA 
national  rowing  championships 
in  California,  but  the  phone  call 
never  came. 

In  Division  III  women's  rowing, 
schools  chosen  for  the  finals 
need  to  have  two  strong  varsity 
boats.  While  both  of  WPI's 
varsity  eights  are  good,  only 
one  was  exceptional  throughout 
the  year.  That  group  of  rowers 
came  in  third  at  the  NECs  (the 
best  finish  ever  in  that  event) 
and  second  at  the  ECACs.  They 
also  consistently  defeated  four 
of  the  six  teams  invited  to  row 
in  the  nationals. 

The  WPI  team  continued  to 
amaze  right  up  to  the  end  of 
the  year.  In  the  final  Division  III 
coaches  poll  of  the  year,  WPI 
placed  second  in  the  nation. 


Transformations    \   Summer  2004     5 


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Ljungquisf  Edits  Newly  Discovered  Poe  Letters 


In  1  843,  when  a  farmer  in  Attleboro,  Mass.,  decided  to  try  his 
hand  at  the  craft  of  poetry,  he  did  what  many  aspiring  writers  do: 
he  sought  some  pointers  from  experienced  authors.  Abijah  M.  Ide  Jr. 
(above  left),  just  a  teenager  at  the  time,  sat  down  and  wrote  to  some 
of  the  literary  giants  of  his  day,  including  James  Russell  Lowell,  Henry 
Wadsworth  Longfellow,  and  Edgar  Allan  Poe.  They  all  replied,  in 
letters  filled  with  advice  and  encouragement. 

Two  remarkable  letters  written  to  Ide  by  Poe  came  to  light  in  2001 
when  they  were  sold  at  auction  in  Boston.  Kent  Ljungquisf, 

professor  of  American  literature  at  WPI  and  a  Poe  scholar,  was 
given  the  chance  to  edit  the  letters,  and  he  wrote  about  them, 
along  with  letters  by  Lowell  and  Longfellow,  in  a  recent  article  in 
the  journal  Resources  for  American  Literary  Study. 

The  author  of  The  Grand  and  the  Fair:  Poe's  Landscape  Aesthetics 
and  Pictorial  Techniques,  Ljungquisf  notes  that  Poe,  in  an  October 
1843  letter  he  wrote  hastily  while  in  Philadelphia,  shared  with  Ide 


a  bit  of  his  own  philosophy  about  fame.  "A  literary  reputation,  it  is 
true,"  Poe  wrote,  "is  seldom  worth  much  when  attained... but  in  the 
struggle  for  its  attainment  is  the  true  recompense." 

In  the  second  letter,  after  his  1845  move  to  New  York  City,  Poe  critiqued 
a  poem  of  Ide's  ("I  think  it  a  remarkably  fine  poem."],  then  advised 
him  about  the  realities  of  the  publishing  world.  "I  may  be  in  error," 
Poe  cautioned,  "but  I  do  not  believe  you  will  be  able  to  sell  the  poem 
anywhere.  Its  merits  are  far  higher  than  those  of  many  poems  that  are 
sold  for  high  prices;  but  what  is  paid  for  is  the  name  of  the  poet." 

In  fact,  Ide  went  on  to  contribute  poetry  to  a  number  of  American 
magazines  and  to  edit  the  Union  Gazette  and  Democrat  and  the 
Taunton  True  Democrat.  In  1  849,  just  after  Poe's  death,  the  True 
Democrat  published  an  anonymous  tribute  to  the  poet.  In  his  recent 
essay,  Ljungquist  revealed  for  the  first  time  that  the  poetic  eulogy, 
filled  with  references  to  Poe's  The  Raven,  was  almost  certainly 
penned  by  Ide. 


Robert  P.  Moses,  left,  a  key  organizer  in  Mississippi  during  the  Civil  Rights 
Movement  and,  more  recently,  the  founder  of  The  Algebra  Project,  a  national 
mathematics  literacy  program  thai  seeks  to  prepare  middle  school  students 
for  college  preparatory  math  and  college  study  in  science  and  technology, 
addressed  about  700  graduates  and  their  families  and  friends  at  WPI's  136th 
Commencement  on  May  22.  Rain  threatened  all  morning,  but  the  audience 
stayed  dry,  though  the  cold  air  (the  temperature  never  reached  50  degrees)  sent 
many  scrambling  for  coats  and  blankets.  Honorary  degrees  were  awarded 

to  Eugene  M.  Lang,  founder  of 
the  national  "I  Hove  a  Dream- 
Foundation,  Sheila  E.  Widnall, 
Institute  Professor  at  MIT  and  former 
Secretary  of  ihe  Air  Force,  and 
R   Kingman  Webster  '54,  retired 
executive  vice  president  and  treasurer 
of  H  K  Webster  Company  and  founder 
of  "I  Have  a  Dream-lowrence." 


6     / r ,/  a i  formations   |  Summer  2004 


As  an  Artist,  J.  D.  Sage 
Has  Time  on  His  Side 


When  geologists  look  at  a 
hillside,  they  see  a  window  to 
the  past,  for  contained  in  the 
layers  of  rock  within  that  hill  is 
a  record  of  geologic  events  that 
often  span  millions  of  years. 
Perhaps  it's  not  surprising  that 
Joseph  D.  Sage,  a  geologist 
and  civil  engineer  by  training, 
is  fascinated  by  time  and 
ways  to  visually  represent  the 
connections  between  the  past, 
present,  and  future. 

Sage,  professor  emeritus  of  civil 
engineering,  has  taught  WPI 
students  for  38  years,  with  an 
emphasis  on  geologic  science 
and  engineering.  He  has  also 
been  an  artist  for  much  of 
that  time.  Two  years  ago  he 
collected  examples  of  his 
creative  output,  along  with  his 
ideas  and  unique  perspectives 
about  art,  in  a  book  titled 
MetaForms  and  MetaNudes 
etcetera  (Sagama  Publishing, 
2002),  a  work  he  calls  a  labor 
of  love  for  his  children  and 
friends.  "I  have  a  tendency  to 
want  to  explain  things,"  he  says. 

Much  of  the  book  is  devoted 
to  explaining  the  evolution  of 
Sage's  unique  approach  to  art, 
which  merges  aesthetics  and 
mathematics.  Sage's  artistic 
journey  began  in  the  early 
1  980s  when  he  first  exper- 


imented with 

applying 

mathematical 

transformations 

to  photographs. 

Plotting  the 

coordinates  on 

graph  paper  at 

first,  and  later 

using  a  slide  rule  to  perform  the 

calculations,  he  ran  photos  of 

his  own  image  through  a  variety 

of  mathematical  shifts  to  see 

how  his  features  would  change. 

Having  studied  Neolithic  and 
Paleolithic  rock  paintings  at 
various  sites  around  the  world, 
he  was  intrigued  when  he  saw 
that  certain  mathematical 
transformations  resulted  in 
primitive  forms  that  were 
reminiscent  of  the  ways  early 
artists  depicted  human  beings. 
He  also  knew  from  his  study  of 
art  history  that  a  number  of 
artists,  including  Renaissance 
masters  such  as  Albrecht  Durer, 
have  used  similar  spatial  trans- 
formations to  create  unusual 
and  intriguing  artworks. 

Sage's  art  and  the  connections 
it  made  to  ancient  rock  art  led 
him  to  begin  exploring  ways  to 
capture  another  type  of  trans- 
formation: the  passage  of  time. 
In  recent  years,  he  has  been 
creating  extraordinary  works 


that  compress  different  points  in 
time  into  a  single  instant.  It's  a 
style  Sage  likes  to  call  "Timist," 
after  Cubists  who  squeezed 
three-dimensional  space  into  a 
two-dimensional  plane. 

One  example  of  Sage's  timist 
works  is  Time  Travel,  a  painting 
that  consists  of  four  panes  of 
glass  on  which  are  painted 
images  from  three  points  in  time 
and  the  equations  for  time 
travel.  Another,  Personal 
Journey  Through  an  Ancient 
Burial  Ground,  was  inspired  by 
a  visit  he  made  to  a  cemetery  in 
Greece;  accidentally  locked 
inside,  he  climbed  a  wall  and 
found  himself  beside  a  church. 
When  he  entered,  he  found  that 
a  baptism  was  taking  place. 
"I  had  gone  from  the  oldest  of 
ancient  Greece  to  the  youngest 
of  modern  Greece  just  by 
scaling  a  wall,"  he  says. 

Sometimes  Sage  includes  diverse 
time  elements  in  artwork  by 
using  materials  and  images  of 


varying  ages.  Homage  to 
Women/Women  Time  (above) 
is  a  large  installation  that  was 
part  of  his  recent  show, 
"Explorations,"  at  the  Worcester 
Artist  Group  gallery.  The  work 
consists  of  nine  large  panels 
made  from  dental  material  in 
which  bones  and  rocks  (some 
200  million  years  old)  are 
imbedded. 

Sage  says  he  has  always  found 
a  strong  connection  between  his 
pursuits  as  an  artist  and  the 
work  he  has  done  as  an 
educator  and  engineer.  "There 
are  similarities  between  art  and 
engineering,"  he  says. 
"Fundamentally,  they're  just 
different  ways  of  exploring  the 
world.  That's  something  I  tried 
to  help  my  students  understand. 
We  all  have  a  creative  side- 
that  is  not  limited  to  artists. 
There  are  many  avenues  and 
many  methods  for  expressing 
our  creativity." 


m* 


press  time,  about  750  freshmen  were  exal  H  to  e       II  in  late  August 
class  in  WPI  history.  The  Class  of  2008  is  also  one  of  th       ost  academically  talented  (median  SAT 
scores  up  7  points  from  last  year,  to  1 294;  30  high  school  valedictorians,  compared  to  1 5  last 
year)  and  diverse  (214  women,  nearly  28«percent  of^Be  class,  up  from  171  last  year; 
29  mricanjAmericans,  up  from  10  last  vear).  v  I    , 


S ii m mer  200 4 


We  seek  to  give  people  the  education  and  the  means 
to  take  care  of  themselves  and  plan  their  families. 


mi 


i'tOi' 


Vicki  Cowart  oversees  the  third-largest 
Planned  Parenthood  affiliate  in  the  United 
States.  It  serves  more  than  108,000  clients 
in  3 1  health  centers  in  six  states,  with  an 
operating  budget  of  just  over  $20  million. 
Before  joining  Planned  Parenthood  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains  (PPRM)  in  2003,  Cowart 
was  Colorado's  state  geologist  for  1 0  years, 
the  first  woman  to  be  appointed  to  that 
position.  She  was  elected  president  of  the 
Association  of  American  State  Geologists, 
again  the  first  woman  to  hold  the  post.  In 
addition  to  her  physics  degree  from  WPI, 
she  holds  a  master's  in  geophysics  from  the 
Colorado  School  of  Mines. 

When  did  you  become  interested  in 
women's  rights? 

When  1  was  at  WPI,  I  began  to  awaken  to 
gender  politics  in  the  world.  I  was  in  one 
of  the  first  classes  to  have  a  substantial 
number  of  women  (about  20).  The 
Colorado  School  of  Mines  was  much  like 
WPI;  though  it  has  always  been  open  to 
women,  I  often  was  the  only  woman  in  a 
class.  From  there  I  chose  to  go  into  the  oil 
business,  another  male-dominated  arena. 
When  I  interviewed  for  my  first  job,  I  was 
asked  what  I  planned  to  do  about  having 
babies.  It  startled  me.  Why  would  I  pursue 
a  profession  so  seriously,  then  be  confronted 
with  a  question  like  that?  I  realized  that 
advocates  like  Margaret  Sanger,  founder  of 
Planned  Parenthood,  had  given  women  con- 
trol over  our  reproductive  destinies.  They 


Vicki  Cowart  '75 

President  &  CEO, 

Planned  Parenthood  of  the  Rocky  Mountains 


had  opened  a  significant  door  that  allowed 
women  to  enter  the  workforce  in  large 
numbers.  Because  of  Sanger  and  others  like 
her,  I  was  able  to  pursue  my  career. 

How  has  your  WPI  education  made 
a  difference? 

I  was  young  and  naive  when  I  arrived  at  WPI 
and  the  professors  taught  me  how  (not  what) 
to  think,  how  to  tackle  problems  creatively 
and  how  to  ask  questions.  I  learned  how  to 
work  hard,  and  I  learned  discipline.  The 
critical  thinking  skills  that  professors  such  as 
Van  Bluemel,  Jerald  Weiss,  and  Ralph  Heller 
taught  me  were  as  valuable  as  any  of  the 
equations  from  their  physics  classes.  I  am 
known  in  geologic  policy  circles  for  insisting 
that  disciplines  like  physics  and  geophysics 
be  taught  at  least  as  often  as  liberal  arts  for 
business  people,  lawyers,  and  generalists.  I 
wish  mote  people  in  our  government  had  the 
critical  thinking  skills  that  are  learned  in 
good  science  and  engineering  programs. 

What  prompted  your  career  shift? 

Being  the  state  geologist  of  Colorado  was 
like  winning  the  lottery.  But  I  was  always 
aware  that  I  had  my  career  because  of  those 
doors  that  others  had  opened  and  because  I 
had  control  of  my  reproductive  health.  I 
grew  up  in  an  enlightened  age  when  com- 
prehensive sex  education  was  provided  in 
the  schools  and  I  benefited  from  it.  I  always 
wanted  to  put  back  into  the  system  that 
helped  me,  and  from  graduate  school  on  I 
volunteered  in  organizations  that  supported 
women's  rights  and  reproductive  Ireedoms. 
When  the  PPRM  job  came  open,  1  thought, 
"It's  time  to  put  my  money  where  my 
mouth  is." 

What  is  the  biggest  misconception 
about  Planned  Parenthood? 

People  locus  on  the  tact  that  we  are  abor- 
tion providers  and  tights  advocates,  but  we 
spend  most  of  our  money  and  energy  on 
giving  people  resources  so  they  won't  be 
I.Ked  with  the  decision. 


In  the  move  from  volunteer  to 
director,  what  have  you  learned? 

As  a  volunteer  I  didn't  realize  the  Golden 
Age  is  truly  over.  There  have  been  signifi- 
cant rollbacks,  a  whittling  away  of  Roe  v. 
Wade;  even  birth  control  access  is  stymied. 
The  biggest  surprise  was  learning  about  the 
extensive  rollback  of  comprehensive  sex 
education.  It  has  effectively  been  shut  down. 
The  system  has  been  flooded  with  ample 
money  for  abstinence-only  education,  but 
nothing  else.  This  is  very  frustrating, 
because  studies  show  that  while  an  absti- 
nence message  causes  some  delay  in  sexual 
activity,  young  people  eventually  become 
sexually  active  without  knowing  how  to  pro- 
tect themselves  from  disease  or  pregnancy. 
If  all  they're  armed  with  is  abstinence-only 
education,  they  don't  have  the  information 
to  make  good  decisions. 

How  has  technology  changed  the 
reproductive  rights  debate? 

Nuances  and  tactics  have  changed  because 
of  technology,  but  it's  still  the  same  basic 
debate:  Is  reproductive  health  an  individual 
choice  or  is  it  up  to  the  government?  The 
most  wonderful  technology  is  EC  [emer- 
gency contraception — also  known  as  the 
"morning-after  pill"].  It  is  not  an  abortion; 
it  is  a  dose  oi  hormones  that  discourages 
ovulation  and  conception.  We  have  seen  a 
drop  in  the  abortion  rate,  and  we  attribute 
it  to  EC  more  than  any  other  (actor, 

Looking  forward,  what  are  your 
greatest  concerns? 

Funding  is  the  biggest  one.  One  ot  my  goals 
is  to  approach  this  as  a  business,  to  he  as 
cost  effective  as  possible.  I  aim  to  stteteh 
every  dollar,  just  like  1  learned  to  do  in  the 
oil  business.  The  other  piece  is  education. 
People  need  to  know  that  their  Ireedoms  .ire 
being  undermined,  tli.it  however  they 

choose  to  make  decisions  about  reproduc- 
tion— be  it  by  themselves,  with  their  reli- 
gious advisor,  with  family — ii  is  in  grave 

danger  of  no  longer  being  up  10  them. 

— Carol  Combo 


8     Transformations    \   Summer  2004 


Shedding  New  Light  on  What  We  Eat 


When  people  think  of  sciences  like  archeology  or  biological  anthropology,  many  of  them 
think  big:  teams  of  scientists  surrounded  by  enormous  excavations  in  the  desert.  But  much 
of  the  fascinating  research  being  done  in  anthropology — or,  more  specifically,  paleoanthro- 
pology or  human  paleontology — addresses  minutiae  and  occurs  in  laboratories  rather  than 
sun-swept  dunes.  Indeed,  some  of  the  smallest,  and  most  revelatory,  parts  of  the  fossil  record 
are  reeth.  Teeth  provide  a  track  record  of  lives  and  habits.  They  hold  the  secrets  to  what 
species  ate,  when  their  eating  patterns  changed,  and  how  the  environment  affected  their  diet. 

Professor  Christopher  Brown  and  graduate  student  Torbjorn  Bergstrom  '95,  working  in 
WPIs  Surface  Metrology  Lab,  are  examining  an  even  smaller  component  of  the  fossil  record: 
the  microscopic  marks  left  on  teeth  by  different  foods.  To  the  naked  eye,  it  is  impossible  to 
discern  the  subtle  features  of  a  fossilized  tooth  that  indicate  what  its  owner  ate,  and  by  exten- 
sion, how  it  behaved.  But  thanks  to  today's  most  advanced  microscopic  imaging  techniques, 
tiny  abrasions  and  perturbations  known  as  dental  microwear  magnify  into  a  landscape  of 
fossilized  clues  from  which  ancient  diets  may  be  understood. 

Brown  and  Bergstrom's  focus  has  been  on  creating  quantitative  standards  by  which 
dental  microwear  researchers  can  measure  what  those  landscapes  reveal. 

Why  is  quantitative  analysis  important?  Traditionally,  dental  microwear  researchers  have 
obtained  images  of  tooth  surfaces  using  the  scanning  electron  microscope  (SEM).  The  tech- 
nique produces  high-quality  images,  but  does  not  yield  results  that  lend  themselves  easily  to 
standardized  quantitative  analysis.  Instead,  scientists  have  had  to  identify  and  measure  tooth 
surface  marks  by  hand,  a  time-consuming,  subjective  and  inconsistent  method.  Scientists 
may  describe  and  count  the  demarcations  on  teeth,  but  there  is  little  reliability  in  how  they 
define,  say,  a  scratch  or  a  pit.  One  person's  mountain  is  another's  molehill,  and  objective 
consistency  loses  out. 

Furthermore,  Brown  says,  "there  are  important  applications  in  manufacturing  that 
can  come  from  this  research.  As  we  go  further  in  developing  technology  for  bioengineering, 
micro-electro-mechanical  systems  devices  and  nano-fabrication  surface  textures,  their 
measurement  and  analysis  become  increasingly  important." 

In  this  National  Science  Foundation— funded  project,  Brown  and  Bergstrom  are 
collaborating  with  researchers  in  the  University  of  Arkansas  Anthropology  Department  to 
develop  ways  to  add  quantifiable,  three-dimensional  information  via  a  two-step  imaging 
and  analysis  process. 

First,  the  dental  surfaces  are  imaged  with  white-light  confocal  microscopy,  an  innovative 
technology  that  produces  high-resolution  images  comparable  to  those  of  the  SEM  but  that 
also  generates  3-D  coordinate  maps  of  the  dental  surfaces.  Then,  the  maps  are  quantitatively 
analyzed  using  variations  of  the  scale-sensitive  fractal  analysis  (SSFA)  software  protocols  that 
Brown  and  Bergstrom  originally  developed  for  applications  in  manufacturing  engineering. 
SSFA  software  scans  the  confocal  microscopy  images  and  measures  microwear  by  recording 
marks  on  the  dental  surface  in  three  dimensions.  The  WPI  software  alleviates  microwear 
researchers'  dependence  on  the  human  eye  for  analysis,  thus  yielding  accurate,  repeatable 
information  about  the  marks. 

As  this  new  technology  spreads  through  the  research  community,  it  is  hoped  that  dental 
microwear  paleontologists  worldwide  will  be  better  equipped  to  uncover  the  secrets  revealed, 
micron  by  micron,  in  the  pits  and  scratches  of  teeth. 


Graduate  student  Torbjorn  Bergstrom  '95  uses  the 
sophisticated  imaging  and  analysis  technology 
of  WPI's  Surface  Metrology  Laboratory  to  study 
microscopic  wear  patterns  on  teeth.  The  abrasions 
provide  clues  to  the  diet  and  lifestyle  of  animals. 
The  three  images  below,  consisting  of  photomicro- 
graphs, taken  with  a  white-light  confocal  micro- 
scope, and  3-D  coordinate  maps  of  the  dental 
surfaces,  show  the  results  of  tests  done  on  teeth  of, 
from  left,  the  bushbuck,  which  browses  in  dense 
riverine  bush  or  forests,  the  blue  wildebeest,  which 
grazes  in  open  savanna  or  grassland,  and  the 
brown  capuchin,  which  dines  on  the  hard  seeds 
and  pits  from  palm  fronds. 


Connxhaeue  launmis 


r  ~ 


•"-- .- 1 


Ctbusap*Ua 


Transformations    \   Summer  2004     9 


Mapping  Fear  Itself:  New  mri 


John  Sullivan,  left,  and  Reinhold  Ludwig  with 
two  of  the  devices  that  make  it  possible  for  the 
Center  for  Comparative  Neurolmaging  to  use 
MRI  to  create  extraordinarily  detailed  images 
of  the  brains  of  alert  animals.  Sullivan  peers 
through  a  special  tunable  RF  (radio-frequency) 
coil  designed  to  respond  to  the  ultra-high- 
strength  magnetic  fields  in  state-of-the-art  MRI 
instruments.  Ludwig  holds  an  RF  surface  coil 
designed  to  receive  signals  from  an  animal's 
brain.  The  coils  work  in  concert  with  a  restraint 
that  keeps  the  animal's  head  motionless  while 
it  is  being  imaged. 


In  the  Summer  of  2001 ,  Jean  King  used  a  small  bottle  to  test  a  big  idea.  The  asso- 
ciate professor  of  psychiatry  at  the  University  of  Massachusetts  Medical  School  wanted  to 
know  if  she  could  capture  pictures  of  the  brain  activity  associated  with  inborn  fear.  But  first 
she  had  to  run  a  preliminary  experiment  to  find  out  if  she  could  elicit  such  fear  in  lab  ani- 
mals. So  she  walked  into  a  laboratory  at  the  Center  for  Comparative  Neurolmaging  (CCNI), 
which  is  run  jointly  by  UMass  and  WPI,  and  uncorked  a  bottle,  releasing  the  sharp  odor  of 

fox  urine.  Immediately,  the  dozens  of 
white  rats  caged  there  scrambled,  then 
froze,  their  eyes  bulging  in  panic. 

"This  was  definitely  an  expression 
of  the  animals'  innate  fear,"  says  King. 
"They're  all  lab  animals.  None  of  them 
had  ever  seen  or  smelled  a  fox  before." 
Satisfied,  she  closed  the  bottle,  and  the 
rats  calmed  down. 

King  knew  that  as  long  as  the  rats 
feared  the  fox,  she  had  the  ingredient  she 
needed  to  test  the  brain  imaging  capacity 
of  a  new  MRI  technology  developed  by  a 
WPI  team  led  by  professors  John  Sullivan 
and  Reinhold  Ludwig.  Ludwig,  who 
teaches  electrical  and  computer  engi- 
neering, created  the  hardware,  while 
Sullivan,  who  teaches  mechanical  engi- 
neering, directed  software  development. 
The  WPI  researchers'  challenge  had 
been  to  find  ways  to  use  new,  ultra-high- 
field  magnets  to  capture  pictures  sharp 
and  detailed  enough  that  King  and  her 
colleagues  could  pinpoint  which  of  the 
brain's  many  regions  were  activated  by  the 
animal's  fear.  Because  resolution  improves 
as  a  magnet's  Tesla,  or  field  strength, 
increases,  the  researchers  knew  that  the  most  powerful  MRIs  had  the  potential  to  produce 
the  desired  images. 

Most  important  for  the  applied  research  being  conducted  at  CCNI,  the  scientists 
devised  a  way  to  gather  images  from  the  brains  of  alert  animals.  To  do  this,  they  had  to  solve 
the  problem  of  movement  because  motion  interferes  with  MRI  scans.  The  new  hardware 
keeps  the  animal's  head  immobilized  while  the  rest  of  the  body  can  squirm  without  compro- 
mising the  image.  Prior  to  this  invention,  laboratory  animals  had  to  lie  anesthetized  dining 
imaging.  The  unconscious  animals  didn't  move,  but  they  also  didn't  respond  to  stimuli  the 
way  conscious  animals  would. 

A  dual  radio-frequency  (Rl;)  coil  system  is  another  critical  innovation  ol  the  WPI  team. 
It  was  developed  to  take  advantage  of  the  ultrastrong  magnets.  Traditional  MRI  technology 
uses  superconducting  magnets  to  generate  a  magnetic  field  rough!)  20,000  times  stronger 
than  the  earth's.  Today's  si.uc-ol-ihc-.iri  magnets  .ire  at  least  three  limes  stronger  than  that.  In 

.ill  MRI  technology,  the  body's  atomic  nuclei  react  to  the  magnet's  powerful  force,  spinning 
around  the  imposed  field.  A  separate  RF  Geld  t.iuses .,  reorientation  of  die  nuclei,  which 
begin  to  relax  when  the  RF  Geld  is  turned  oil.  The  reversion  ol  each  nucleus  to  its  original 


1  O     Transformations   \  Summer  2004 


jchnology  could  help  diagnose  mental  illness 


state  gives  off  a  signal  that  is  captured  through  the  process  of  magnetic  resonance  imaging. 
As  magnets  grow  stronger,  the  nuclei  spin  at  much  higher  frequencies,  affecting  signal 
reception  and  transmission.  "The  rapidly  increasing  field  strengths  of  magnetic  resonance 
instruments  pose  major  RF  coil  design  challenges,"  Ludwig  notes. 

Ludwig's  brainchild  is  RF  transmitter  and  receiver  coils 
that  can  be  activated  and  deactivated  while  the  magnets  work 
their  magic  on  the  body's  nuclei.  The  frequencies  at  which  the 
coils  operate  coincide  with  the  new  magnets'  strength,  so  that 
the  transmitter  coil  is  capable  of  initiating  the  wildly  spinning 
nuclei's  reorientation.  When  the  transmitter  coil  is  switched  off, 
the  nuclei  relax  and  give  off  their  telltale  signals,  which  are 
recorded  by  the  receiver  coil. 

And  there  is  more  to  the  coils  than  their  tune-ability. 
Ludwig  holds  up  one  of  his  inventions,  a  dome-shaped  device 
equipped  with  the  coils  that  fits  over  an  animal's  head  and 
nestles  close  to  the  tissue  being  studied.  "A  coil  that  receives  only 
information  from  the  brain  is  going  to  produce  much  more 
accurate  images  of  the  brain,"  he  explains,  "because  there's  far 
less  interference  from  other  biological  regions  or  atmospheric 
'noise'  sources." 

All  this  new  hardware  needs  software  to  analyze  and 
manipulate  the  images.  That's  where  Sullivan  comes  in.  "We 
take  the  MR  image  and  create  a  surface  topology,  a  mesh  com- 
prising hundreds  of  thousands  of  data  triangles,"  Sullivan  says  of 
the  programs  he  and  his  team  worked  on  for  three  years.  "You 
can  slice  through  this  geometry,  getting  tremendous  resolution." 

Sullivan  points  to  a  computer  screen  showing  a  colorful 
3-D  image  of  a  rat  brain.  "The  entire  brain — over  1,300 
regions — is  itemized,"  he  explains,  "so  you  can  pinpoint  which 
area  is  affected  by,  say,  a  certain  medication." 

Just  as  the  MRI's  pinpoint  precision  is  helping  researchers 
understand  rats'  brains,  so  too  is  it  bringing  scientists  closer  to 
solving  the  mysteries  of  mental  disorders  in  humans.  "We  hope 
by  better  understanding  the  innate  responses  to  fear,  we'll  have  some  clues  about  what  sites 
or  processes  to  target  with  pharmacological  agents,"  King  says. 

She  expects  that  within  the  decade  scientists  will  be  able  to  select  medicine  specifically 
geared  to  an  individual's  brain  biology,  thus  providing  targeted  treatment  of  everything  from 
psychological  disorders  induced  by  addiction  to  chronic  illnesses  like  depression. 

"This  collaboration  between  our  two  schools,"  King  says,  "is  bringing  a  different 
paradigm  to  the  field  of  neuroimaging." 


'This  was  definitely  an  expression  of  the 
animals'  innate  fear.  They're  all  lab 
animals.  None  of  them  had  ever 
seen  or  smelled  a  fox  before." 


The  detailed  brain  images  produced  by  the 
novel  RF  coils  shown  on  page  10  are 
processed  with  sophisticated  software  that  con- 
verts the  data  into  a  complex  mesh  consisting  of 
hundreds  of  thousands  of  data  triangles.  These 
detailed  surface  topology  maps  make  it  pos- 
sible to  correlate  the  effects  of  stimuli  on  precise 
areas  within  the  brain.  In  time,  it  is  hoped, 
this  technology  will  make  it  possible  to  better 
diagnose  and  treat  with  pharmacological 
agents  specific  mental  disorders  in  humans, 
including  addiction  and  chronic  depression. 


Tran  sfo  rmations    \    Summer  200-t      I   1 


Foraminifera,  unusually  large  one-celled  marine  animals, 
are  among  the  earth's  most  abundant  organisms.  They're  of 
interest  to  scientists  for  a  variety  of  reasons,  not  the  least  of 
which  is  the  strong  glue  they  make  to  build  their  shells,  a 
substance  that  may  one  day  be  used  in  biomedical  appli- 
cations such  as  sutureless  surgery.  The  Ross  Ice  Shelf  in 
Antarctica  is  one  of  the  few  places  where  these  creatures 
can  be  found  close  to  the  surface,  but  collecting  samples  in 
the  frigid  waters  there  is  difficult,  and  can  only  be  done 
during  the  brief  Antarctic  summer. 

That's  where  Jeff  Blair  '04  enters  the  picture.  A  Major  Project 
by  this  manufacturing  engineering  major  will  give  scientists 
who  study  foraminifera  or  who  need  to  observe  other 
interesting  phenomena  in  hard-to-reach  places  a  powerful 
new  window  on  the  world.  That  window  is  called  ROMEO, 
or  Remotely  Operable  Micro-Environmental  Observatory. 
Blair  designed  and  built  the  high-tech  underwater  camera 
for  Samuel  Bowser,  a  biologist  at  the  State  University  of 
New  York  at  Albany  who  has  studied  foraminifera  in 
Antarctica  for  several  years.  Last  winter,  Blair  took  his 
prototype  to  the  "ice"  to  try  it  out. 


ROMEO  is  a  clear,  waterproof  enclosure  containing  a  video 
camera  equipped  with  a  powerful  zoom  lens  that  can  be 
operated  remotely.  On-board  lights  enable  observations  even 
in  the  sunless  Antarctic  winter.  Images  from  the  camera  travel 
through  fiber-optic  lines  to  a  base  station,  where  they  can 
then  be  transmitted  by  radio  and  the  Internet  to  scientists 
thousands  of  miles  away. 

A  three-year  partnership  between  Blair,  a  San  Francisco 
native,  and  Tony  Hansen,  an  expert  in  scientific  instru- 
mentation in  the  Bay  area,  led  to  ROMEO.  The  two  met 
when  Blair  sought  help  with  a  high  school  robotics  project. 
Impressed  with  Blair's  confidence  and  technical  know-how, 
Hansen  asked  him  to  complete  a  contract  he  had  to  build 
an  optical  transmissometer  for  measuring  atmospheric  soot. 
Blair  built  the  first  device  on  his  mother's  kitchen  table  and 
has  since  sold  units  to  university  and  government  scientists. 

Hansen  often  builds  instruments  for  scientists  working  in 
Antarctica,  which  is  where  he  met  Bowser  and  learned  about 
his  dream  of  observing  foraminifera  year-round.  Hansen 
proposed  the  idea  of  a  remote  underwater  observatory,  then 
asked  Blair,  who  by  then  had  transferred  to  WPI  from  the 
University  of  California,  Davis,  if  he'd  like  to  design  it. 
"Tony  called  me  and  said  he  was  going  to  Antarctica  and 


1  2     Transformation!    \   Summei     '00 


At  the  suggestion  of  Gretar  Tryggvason,  head  of  WPI's 
Mechanical  Engineering  Department,  Blair  turned  the  design 
challenge  into  his  Major  Project,  with  Tryggvason  as  his 
advisor.  "I  was  going  to  take  time  off  from  school  to  go  to 
Antarctica  until  1  realized  I  could  get  academic  credit  for  the 
experience,"  Blair  says.  "I  don't  think  I  could  have  done  that 
anywhere  else."  ROMEO  would  ultimately  win  Blair  the 
2004  Provost's  MQP  Award  for  the  best  Major  Project 
completed  in  mechanical  engineering. 

In  early  November  2003,  after  many  late  nights  in  the  lab, 
Blair  boarded  a  C-141  Starlifter  in  Christchurch,  New 
Zealand,  for  the  six-hour  flight  to  McMurdo  Station.  After  two 
and  a  half  weeks  of  testing,  during  which  a  minor  leak  was 
detected  and  fixed,  Blair,  Hansen,  and  Bowser  traveled  by 
helicopter  to  New  Harbor,  where  the  permanent  camera  will 
ultimately  be  iocated.  There,  divers  installed  ROMEO  on  the 
floor  of  the  harbor  for  a  successful  weeklong  trial. 

Next  summer,  the  team  plans  to  leave  the  camera  submerged 
for  six  months;  if  all  goes  well,  the  following  year  it  will  begin 


year-round  duty,  giving 
Bowser  a  chance  to 
make  unprecedented 
observations  of 
foraminifera  behavior. 
Before  that  can  happen, 
the  National  Science 
Foundation  will  have  to 
nstall  a  conduit  for  power 
and  data  lines  through 
the  permanent  sea  ice, 
something  that  has  never 
been  tried  before. 


Now  that  ROMEO  is  proving  its  value  as  a  scientific  tool, 
Blair  is  thinking  about  how  to  market  the  technology— and  the 
concept  of  "telescience"  (doing  science  remotely)— to  other 
scientists.  He's  already  captured  the  interest  of  a  group  of 
penguin  researchers  he  visited  in  Antarctica.  "I  haven't  seen 
any  other  underwater  cameras  with  the  capabilities  of  ROMEO," 
he  says.  "I  think  it  can  play  a  role  in  a  lot  of  different  kinds  of 
science." 


Transformations    \   Summer  2004     13 


v  Explorations 


Brandon  Light  is  poised  for  battle.  Dressed  in  full 
armor — 60  pounds  of  engraved  metal  that  shields  most  of  his  body- 
the  WPI  junior  looks  every  bit  the  16th-century  medieval  knight  he's 
pretending  to  be.  When  he  moves,  though,  it's  slow  going.  He  clangs 
across  the  basement  floor  of  the  Higgins  Armory  Museum  in 
Worcester,  his  body  moving  with  the  flexibility  of  stone  pillars. 
Try  running,"  jokes  classmate  Derrick  Custodio. 
Not  a  chance. 

This  dress-up  session  is  a  long  way  from  the  world  of 
computer  science  (Light's  major)  and  he  is  as  surprised 
at  how  heavy  and  unwieldy  the  suit  is  as  he  is  at 
having  it  on  at  all.  "I  certainly  didn't  expect  to  be 
playing  with  armor  when  I  came  to  WPI,"  Light 
says.  But,  in  a  manner  of  speaking,  that's  exactly 
what  he,  Custodio,  Wilson  So,  and  Orion 
Samson  are  doing  for  their  Interactive 
Project,  a  degree  requirement  for  WPI 
undergraduates  that  challenges  them 
to  explote  the  intersection  between 
technology  and  society. 

Unlike  an  ancient  fight 
to  the  death,  all  sides 
win  from  this  experi- 
ence. Students  go 
beyond  the  classroom 
and  step  knee-deep  into  an 
intetdisciplinary  challenge, 
featuring  research  and  writing, 
photography,  and  Web  design,  as 
they  study  and  document  specific 
portions  of  the  museum's  artifacts 
in  their  historical  and  social  contexts. 
For  the  museum,  the  work  enhances 
the  body  of  knowledge  on  its  collection 
and  makes  the  information  accessible  to  a 
wider  public — in  particular,  outside  experts, 
who  may  study  the  artifacts  via  the  Web  and 
offer  additional  details  about  the  relics. 

For  Light's  group,  it  means  looking  at  more 
than  800  16th-century  pieces,  from  weaponry  to  tools 
to  medical  devices.  On  this  night,  the  team's  attention  is 
on  a  halberd,  a  fearsome  looking  8-fbot-long  poleax  designed  to 
penetrate  armor,  shred  flesh,  and  pierce  bone.  Wearing  white 
gloves,  the  students  examine  the  wooden  shaft  and  run  their 
fingers  along  the  intricately  designed  steel  ax  head — a  testa- 
ment to  mans  creative  nature  and  his  destructive  past. 

Their  work  is  part  ol  a  larger  program  between  WPI 
and  the  Higgins.  the  only  museum  in  the  western  hemi- 
sphere devoted  to  the  study  and  display  ol  aims  and 
armor.  Through  their  projects,  students  gel  hands-on 

access  u>  the  institution's  more  than  8,000  artifacts,  a 
collection  that  stretches  a<  io«  2,500  years  "I  human 
history.  The  program  is  directed  In  WPI  humanities  professol 

lefffej  Forgeng,  who  also  heads  the  I  liggms  curatorial  department 


14     Transformations   |  Summer  2004 


"The  program  allows  srudenrs  to  look  at  technology  in  its 
human  context  through  the  vehicle  of  a  historical  setting," 
says  Fotgeng,  an  expert  on  medieval  northwestern  Europe. 
"They're  looking  at  rhe  construction  of  the  artifact  so 
they  can  begin  to  formulate  questions  and  theories  about 
it.  What  was  the  method  of  manufacture?  Was  it 
repaired?  How  was  it  used,  based  on  its  form?" 

Forgeng  also  pushes  students  to  explore  such 
things  as  what  an  artifact  reveals  about  the  person  who 
used  it  and  the  artistic  style  of  those  who  produced  it. 
The  outcome  fot  students,  he  says,  is  more  than  a 
history  project;  it's  a  lesson  that  wotk  in  their  chosen 
fields  is  a  product  of  their  own  society.  "The  students 
see  how  the  technological  system  is  part  of  the  cultural 
system,"  he  explains.  For  example,  some  of  society's  most 
advanced  technologies  have  grown  out  of  weapons  produc- 
tion. As  the  Higgins  Web  site  notes,  "Armorers  and  weapon  makers 
have  long  been  technological  innovatots,  and  many  inventions 
resulted  from  military  advances." 


Forgeng  opened  the  collection  to  WPI  students  thtee  years  ago; 
during  a  typical  year,  four  to  six  teams  at  a  time  examine  the  artifacts. 
In  addition  to  Light's  group,  which  focused  on  Europe,  teams  this 
year  also  studied  arms  and  armor  from  the  Islamic  wotld  and  Africa. 

The  projects  take  a  year,  beginning  with  a  term  of  back- 
ground tesearch  on  the  history  and  cultute  of  rhe  region 
of  study,  as  well  as  on  its  aims  and  armor.  From  thete, 
teams  delve  into  the  collection.  They  conclude  by  pro- 
ducing a  report,  often  as  long  as  200  pages,  detailing 
the  cultute  of  the  region,  its  military  history,  and  their 
research  findings  on  the  artifacts.  The  reports  are  accom- 
panied by  photogtaphs  of  the  relics  and  a  Web  site  pre- 
senting their  documentation.  (Visit  higgins.org/Research/ 
virtualexhibitions.shtml  to  see  the  reports.) 

It's  an  up-close  look  at  history,  to  be  sure.  But,  says  Samson,  an 
aerospace  engineering  major,  the  project  has  shed  some  light  on  his  own 
course  of  study,  too.  "This  was  the  modern  technology  of  the  1500s 
and  we're  learning  about  the  modern  technology  of  the  21st  century," 
he  says.  "It  makes  you  realize  that  technology  is  going  to  change." 


Not  Your  Average  Ax 

Armory  collection  inspires  new  institute  on  metals  conservation 


What  goes  into  the  conservation  of  metal  arms  and  armory?  Quite  a  lot,  actually. 

"It's  half  humanities,  half  science,"  says  Kent  dur  Russell,  executive  director  of  the 
Higgins  Armory  Museum.  "You've  got  to  understand  what  you're  looking  at,  what  its 
context  is,  and  what  the  purpose  of  it  was.  You  can't  just  repair  it  as  you  would  a  car." 

And  that's  one  of  the  driving  forces  behind  a  new  collaboration  between  the  Higgins 
and  WPI's  Metal  Processing  Institute:  the  Metals  Conservation  Summer  Institute.  Created 
to  provide  conservators  and  students  from  around  the  world  with  in-depth  expertise  on 
metal  conservation  and  hands-on  access  to  the  Higgins'  extensive  collection,  the  institute 
kicked  off  this  summer  with  a  two-week  session,  the  first  of  a  series  of  meetings  to  be 
held  over  three  summers. 

Funded  with  a  $314,000  grant  from  the  Institute  of  Museum  and  Library  Services,  the 
summer  institute  is  the  first  of  its  land  in  the  nation  and  features  experts  from  many 
institutions,  among  them  WPI,  Harvard,  UCLA,  and  the  Metropolitan  Museum  of  Art, 
as  well  as  participants  from  some  of  the  world's  most  prestigious  museums. 

Russell  says  the  goal  is  for  the  institute  to  evolve  eventually  into  a  degree  program 
at  WPI,  complete  with  conservation  laboratories  in  which  the  Higgins  can  work  on 
its  collection. 


Worcester  Community  Project  Center 

Mission:  To  bring  WPI's  scientifically  minded  students  and  faculty  together  with  Worcester 

organizations  to  address  policy  issues  that  are  important  to  the  city's  future. 

Focus:  Needs  and  concerns  of  the  Worcester  community,  such  as  public  education,  youth 

services,  neighborhood  development,  downtown  revitalization,  environmental  protection 

affordable  housing,  transportation  and  parking,  and  marketing  the  city. 

Gifts:  Over  $1 .8  million  ($1  million  from  the  Stoddard  Charitable  Trust,  $500,000  from  the 

Fletcher  Foundation,  $250,000  from  the  Ruth  H.  and  Warren  A.  Ellsworth  Foundation,  $60,000 

from  the  Mildred  H.  McEvoy  Foundation,  and  $40,000  from  the  Hoche-Scofield  Foundation). 

Annual  Value  to  the  City:  $319,200  (includes  the  estimated  value  of  the  nearly  12,000 

hours  of  student  work  and  nearly  900  hours  of  faculty  work  during  each  of  the  two  academic 

terms  the  project  center  operates  each  year). 


^ 


ByjoanKillough-Miller 
Photography  by  Patrick  O'Connor 


"Welcome  to  the  only  WPI  project  center 

that  allows  you  to  give  back  something  to  the  community 
whete  you  live." 

With  these  words,  Rob  Krueger,  director  of  WPFs 
Worcester  Community  Project  Center  (WCPC),  welcomes 
students  to  the  university's  least  exotic  project  destination — 
their  own  backyard.  Like  their  peers  who've  flown  to  Bangkok, 
Venice,  or  Washington,  D.C.,  these  young  men  and  women  are 
about  to  embark  on  a  seven-week  adventure.  They  may  not 
travel  in  gondolas  or  explore  English  castles,  but  that  doesn't 
mean  they  wont  immerse  themselves  in  the  history  and  culture 
of  their  project  location. 

The  immersion  process  begins  with  a  walking  tour,  led  by 
Krueger.  In  the  blocks  that  surround  WPI,  students  discover  land- 
marks that  reveal  Worcester's  unique  story.  Krueger,  an  Oklahoma 
transplant  and  a  geographer  by  training,  wants  his  students  to  see 
New  England's  third-largest  metropolis  as  a  case  study  in  the 
growth  of  America's  major  cities.  "I  try  to  show  them  how  tech- 
nological innovation  and  economic  development  go  hand  in 
hand,"  he  says,  "how  they  create  different  social  relationships  that 
have  implications  for  how  cities  develop  and  change." 

It's  an  abstract  concept,  but  just  across  Salisbury  Street  is  a 
concrete  example:  Institute  Park.  Created  when  WPI  was  still 
young,  the  small  park  is  a  reminder  that  the  city  and  the  univer- 
sity share  a  common  history.  The  park  was  donated  to  the  city 
by  Stephen  Salisbury  III  to  be  preserved  as  a  place  of  retreat  and 
recreation  for  WPI's  weary  students  and  Worcester's  citizens. 

Today,  it  is  a  symbol  of  how  WPI  and  municipal  leaders 
are  working  together  to  help  shape  a  brighter  future  for 
Worcester.  The  university  is  partnering  with  the  city  to  restore 
the  now  rundown  park  to  its  former  glory.  WPI's  contributions 
include  a  550,000  gift  to  help  fund  a  master  plan  for  the  park's 
rebirth  and  the  hard  work  and  good  ideas  of  a  number  of  student 
project  teams,  whose  historical  research  and  recommendations 
will  help  get  the  restoration  off  to  a  running  start. 


Taking  Community  Service  to  a  New  Level 

The  benefits  of  the  economic,  intellectual,  and  human  capital  that 
flow  from  universities  to  their  home  communities  are  widely 
known,  but  difficult  to  quantify.  A  report  published  by  the 
Colleges  of  Worcester  Consortium  in  2000  estimated  the  economic 
impact  of  Worcestet  colleges  on  the  city  at  $1.3  billion.  In 
addition,  WPI  students,  like  their  peers  at  colleges  across  the 
country,  organize  fund-raisers,  food  drives,  and  cleanup  projects, 
participate  in  programs  that  support  the  public  schools,  and 
perform  community  service  for  the  city's  needy  populations. 

But  what  sets  WPI  apart  from  virtually  every  other  university 
is  the  power  of  its  project-based  education  to  accomplish  far- 
reaching,  long-lasting  sttuctural  change  that  impacts  a  city  as  a 
whole.  WPI  stands  alone  in  requiring  its  students  to  use  their 
technical  education  to  address  societal  issues  through  a  unique 
project  experience  called  the  Interactive  Project,  which  uses  inten- 
sive problem  solving  so  students  can  see  how  science,  technology, 
and  social  needs  and  concerns  intersect  in  ways  that  impact  indi- 
viduals and  society  as  a  whole. 

Through  WPI's  Global  Perspective  Program,  student  teams 
complete  Interactive  Projects  that  have  helped  address  the  local 
needs  and  concerns  of  cities  and  towns  around  the  world.  With 
the  WCPC,  that  time-tested  model  has  come  home. 

The  result  is  a  new  dimension  in  town-gown  relations  in 
Worcester,  Krueger  says.  While  other  colleges  work  to  improve 
their  surrounding  neighborhoods,  the  projects  completed  at 
WCPC  take  "a  comprehensive,  city-wide  approach  to  planning," 
he  notes.  "We're  focusing  on  neighborhoods,  but  not  just  our 
own  neighborhood.  We  try  to  develop  models  for  community 
development  that  can  then  be  generalized  citywide  or  even 
transported  to  other  cities  or  other  countries." 


to  the  Ci 


The  Worcester  Community  Project  Center  is  harnessing  the  energy 
and  ideas  of  WPI  students  and  faculty  to  help  build  a  brighter  and 

more  sustainable  future  for  WPI's  home  city. 


From  Left,  Kristin  Kane  '05,  Zachary  Orcutt  '05,  advisor  Rob  Krueger, 
Beth  Lorusso  '05,  and  Elizabeth  Hansen  '05 


Transformations    \   Summer   2004     I  7 


Bringing  Best  Practices  Back  Home 

WPI  established  a  formal  project  center  in  Worcester  in  2000 
not  only  to  strengthen  its  commitment  to  the  local  community, 
but  also  to  provide  a  more  robust  project  experience  for  students 
who  choose  not  to  leave  campus  to  pursue  one  of  their  required 
projects.  For  several  years,  those  who  monitor  academic  quality 
at  WPI  saw  that  student  projects  completed  at  residential  project 
centers  tended  to  be  stronger  and  more  valuable  to  students  than 
projects  completed  on  campus. 

The  freedom  to  focus  on  their  projects  and  nothing  else 
for  seven  intensive  weeks,  and  the  presence  of  sponsors  clearly 
interested  in  and  anxious  to  benefit  from  their  work,  seem  to 
motivate  students  to  excel,  notes  Lance  Schachterle,  associate 
provost  for  academic  affairs.  "In  the  early  1990s,"  he  says,"we 
came  to  the  conclusion  that  we  could  do  a  better  job  with  proj- 
ects in  Worcester  if  we  learned  from  the  best  practices  we  had 
developed  at  the  residential  project  centers  and  created  the  same 
kind  of  focused  environment  here." 

Those  best  practices  included  making  the  Interactive 
Project  the  sole  focus  of  a  single  academic  term,  and  spelling 
out  more  rigorous  academic  standards  for  project  topics  and 
reports.  To  help  build  the  academic  foundation  for  the  new 
center,  and  to  build  bridges  to  the  city  agencies  and  organiza- 
tions whose  support  would  be  crucial  to  its  success,  WPI  turned 
to  a  native  son,  former  Worcester  mayor  and  city  council 


member  John  B.  Anderson  (above,  outside  City  Hall).  "His 
name  worked  wonders  at  meetings  with  municipal  officials," 
Schachterle  recalls.  As  an  academician  (professor  emeritus 
of  history  at  the  College  of  the  Holy  Cross)  and  a  politician, 
Anderson  embraced  the  WCPC  concept  from  the  start. 
"It's  something  that  the  other  schools  in  Worcester  haven't 
approached  with  the  same  determination,'  he  says.  "Given 
the  nature  of  WPI,  a  lot  of  its  students  have  skills  thai  are 
particularly  suited  to  the  public  winks  field. 


"Word  has  gotten  around,"  he  adds,  "that  if  you  have  an 
issue  that  needs  to  be  addressed,  there's  this  program  at  WPI 
that  can  lend  you  a  team  of  three  or  four  people,  and  they're 
good,  and  they're  skilled,  and  they'll  give  a  full-time  commit- 
ment to  you  for  seven  weeks." 

Building  Worcester's  Future,  One  Project  at  a  Time 

When  returning  Mayor  Timothy  P.  Murray  (below,  on  Lancaster 


Street)  delivered  his  inaugural  address  in  WPI's  Alden  Memorial 
in  January  2004,  he  had  much  praise  for  the  good  works  done 
by  the  university's  faculty,  staff,  and  students.  He  used  the  occa- 
sion to  announce  the  formation  of  a  task  force  to  study  best 
practices  across  the  country  where  colleges  are  working  in  part- 
nerships with  cities.  "We  can  identify  one  right  now:  what  WPI 
is  doing  on  Gateway  Park,"  he  says.  "Certainly,  through  this 
initiative,  WPI  reasserted  itself  to  the  role  it  has  historically 
played  as  an  innovator  and  incubator  of  jobs  to  sustain  the 
community.  Gateway  Park  will  be  the  foundation  to  sustain 
Worcester  for  the  next  100  years." 

The  involvement  of  WPI  and  its  students  in  Gateway 
Park  (see  sidebar)  has  garnered  positive  news  coverage  for  WPI. 
Several  WCPC  projects  have  laid  the  groundwork  for  another 
of  the  city's  prime  visions:  creating  an  arts  district  to  help 
revitalize  the  downtown. 

Other  recent  projects  have  assessed  municipal  needs,  such 
as  transportation,  parking,  urban  planning  and  marketing,  and 
provided  local  schools  with  data  that  will  help  them  meet  the 
states  requirement  that  public  schools  offer  K-12  pre-engi [leer- 
ing curricula.  Some  \\  (  P(    projects  have  combined  WPI  s 
expertise  and  the  needs  of  city  residents  in  unexpected  ways: 

■   Friendly  House  (2003)    At  other  sjumls.  students  might  serve  ,H 
SOUp  kitchens  or  devote  .1  weekend  CO  painting  .1  shelter  for  the 

homeless,  \\  I'l  students  used  their  design  skills  iii  provide  I  riendlj 


1  8     Transformations    \   Summer   .'an, 


House,  a  community  center  that  serves  low-  to  moderate-income  res- 
idents, with  plans  for  a  much-needed  "green"  building  that  will  be 
good  for  the  environment — and  for  the  organizarion's  already 
strained  budget.  The  project  received  a  $19,800  grant  from  the 
Massachusetts  Technology  Collaborative. 

■  Santiago's  Plaza  (2002)    The  fate  of  an  inner-city  grocery  might 
seem  inconsequential,  but  its  demise  could've  jeopardized  the 
economic  stability  of  Worcester's  Main  South  neighborhood.  A 
WPI  project  team  helped  the  stores  owner,  fledgling  entrepreneur 
Ediberto  Santiago,  bolster  his  business  by  studying  the  needs  of  his 
clientele  and  crafting  a  marketing  plan  to  best  meet  them. 

■  The  Digital  Divide  (2001)    Students  developed  a  plan  for  bring- 
ing Internet  access  to  the  region's  underserved  populations. 
Anderson  notes  that  WPI's  cyber-sawy  students  understand  the 
importance  of  these  resources  to  succeed  in  today's  information- 
based  economy.  "Their  lives  are  built  around  keyboards  and 
laptops  and  that  kind  of  technology,"  he  says.  "Although  these 
aren't  traditional  city  issues,  these  kinds  of  projects  help  the  com- 
munity by  providing  a  more  stable  society — a  more  equitable 
society.  I  think  that's  important." 

The  same  data-gathering  methodology  that  student  teams 
at  other  project  centers  have  used  to  map  the  canals  of  Venice 
and  help  mitigate  the  disruption  caused  by  Boston's  Big  Dig 
holds  great  promise  for  Worcester,  where  WCPC  teams  have 
used  it  to  develop  a  system  for  minimizing  injuries  on  Worcester's 
public  playgrounds,  to  help  assess  the  factors  that  will  affect  the 
revitalization  of  the  Chandler  Street  neighborhood,  and  to  map 
recreational  benefits  of  the  city's  "green"  and  "blue"  conservation 
areas.  "Those  are  the  kinds  of  things  the  city  finds  difficult  to 
do,  because  it's  short  staffed,"  says  Anderson,  who  adds  that  in 
the  struggle  of  municipalities  to  keep  up  with  immediate  issues, 
"what  gets  short  shrift  is  the  planning  for  the  future." 

"In  academia,"  Krueger  explains,  "we  have  the  luxury  of 
engaging  in  bigger  ideas.  As  collaborators,  in  partnership  with 
the  city,  we  can  identify  the  key  needs  and  then  go  out  and  find 
best  practices.  I  see  the  role  of  the  WCPC — or  any  of  the  project 
centers  in  WPI's  global  network — as  being  a  way  to  lower  the 
cost  of  entry  into  doing  something  good  or  right." 

Krueger's  work  is  informed  by  principles  of  "sustainable 
development,"  which  promote  utban  growth  that  is  economically, 
socially,  and  environmentally  viable  in  order  to  meet  present 
needs  without  compromising  the  needs  of  the  future.  To  share 
these  ideas  with  local  planners  and  officials,  he  gathered  experts 
for  "Envisioning  Worcester's  Future,"  a  workshop  in  2002. 
And,  with  funding  from  the  state  and  the  city,  he  is  currently 
working  on  a  Community  Development  Plan  to  further  the 
city's  goal  of  being  the  most  livable  city  in  the  Northeast. 

He  says  he  believes  Worcester  is  poised  to  move  forward  and 
learn  from  the  wrong  turns  taken  by  other  cities  over  the  past  50 
years.  "We're  doing  some  things  that  will  help  the  community  with 
basic  needs,"  he  says,  "but  we  also  have  the  potential  to  push 
Worcester  forward  into  being  something  better."  D 


Gateway  to  Prosperity 

Squeezed  for  usable  space,  Worcester's  biggest  hope  for 
economic  expansion  lies  in  reclaiming  former  industrial 
sites,  known  as  brownfields  because  of  past  chemical 
contamination.  The  city  has  an  estimated  600  potential 
"brownfield  opportunity  areas,"  including  some  of  the  city's 
oldest  factories  and  abandoned  gas  stations.  Mayor  Tim 
Murray  estimates  that  developing  all  of  these  sites  for 
commercial  use  could  boost  their  value  to  $1  billion, 
adding  $30  million  to  the  city's  tax  revenues. 

All  eyes  are  currently  on  one  particular  brownfields  project, 
Gateway  Research  Park  at  WPI,  an  1  1-acre  multi-use 
complex  on  Prescott  Street  now  being  developed  through 
a  partnership  involving  WPI,  the  not-for-profit  Worcester 
Business  Development  Corp.,  and  Landstone  Management. 

The  complex  is  already  home  to  the  Massachusetts 
Academy  of  Mathematics  and  Science  at  WPI  and  the 
university's  Bioengineering  Institute  (BEI).  In  the  planning 
stage  is  a  new  four-story  building  that  will  house  BEI  and 
provide  rental  space  to  startup  medical  and  high-tech  firms. 

Gateway  Park,  which  is  expected  to  generate  2,000  to 
3,000  new  jobs  for  the  region,  is  slated  to  be  the  epicenter 
of  a  revitalized  63-acre  neighborhood  of  mixed-use 
housing  and  commercial  and  office  space  adjacent 
to  downtown  Worcester. 

Student  projects  completed  at  the  WCPC  have  played  an 
important  role  in  the  development  of  this  important  initiative. 

■  In  2004,  students  created  a  database  of  eligible  prop- 
erties for  the  mayor's  Brownfields  Property  and  Business 
Owners  Education  and  Outreach  Committee.  This  catalog 
of  eligible  sites  will  serve  as  a  central  source  for  infor- 
mation on  ownership,  past  usage,  known  contamination, 
zoning  status,  and  utility  service  for  each  area. 

■  In  2003,  they  produced  policy  recommendations  to  the 
mayor  and  city  manager  on  the  development  and  lending 
procedures  governed  by  the  Community  Reinvestment 
Act,  based  on  input  from  lenders,  developers,  and  local 
government  officials. 

■  In  2000,  they  compiled  research  that  made  it  possible 
to  identify  sources  and  hazards  of  contaminants  and 
to  rule  out  historical  and  architectural  restrictions 
that  would  prevent  redevelopment. 


High  summer,  July  1997.  Heat  rises  in  waves  off  the 
pavement  at  Loudon  Racetrack  (now  the  New  Hampshire 
International  Speedway)  in  Loudon,  N.H.  The  smell  of  exhaust 
fills  Ed  Sandoz'  helmet;  his  leather  racing  suit  squeaks  against 
his  seat.  High-octane  adrenaline  pumps  through  his  veins.  The 
engine  of  his  brand  new  Suzuki  GSXR  600  had  blown  up  on 
the  track  the  day  before,  so  he  pulled  an  all-nighter,  installing  a 
borrowed  one.  Now  the  machine  purrs  beneath  him.  Racing  is 
the  perfect  blend  of  Sandoz'  talents— technical  acumen  to  tune 
a  bike  to  perfection,  physical  agility  to  push  through  turns, 
and  mental  dexterity  to  navigate  the  pack  at  high  speed. 

He  and  his  brother,  Jesse,  had  formed  a  team:  Lost  Boys 
Racing.  The  group  they  run  with:  pure  camaraderie.  The  wives 
and  girlfriends  come  up  to  Loudon  from  Massachusetts  for  the 
whole  weekend,  bringing  dogs  and  kids  and  kiddie  pools.  They 
keep  the  drinks  cold  and  the  grill  hot  while  the  guys  race. 


When  a  motorcycle  racing  accident  left  him  par4 
Ed  Sandoz  '03  shifted  gears  but  never  slowed  d 

The  checkered  flag  flies  and  Sandoz  hits  the  throttle.  Turn 
one  is  behind  him,  then  turn  two;  turn  three  is  a  blur.  He's 
leading  the  pack  and  that's  fast  for  him,  faster  than  he's  ridden 
in  his  two  years  of  racing.  There's  no  time  to  look  back  and  see 
who's  on  his  tail.  At  a  track  in  New  York  the  previous  weekend 
he  had  placed  third,  his  best  finish  ever.  There  he'd  had  a  break- 
through: he  discovered  that  if  he  shifted  his  weight  more  subtly 
through  turns  he  could  shave  crucial  seconds  off  his  laps. 

Sandoz  accelerates  and  leans  into  turn  four.  He  feels  his 
back  tire  start  to  slip.  Then  the  rubber  suddenly  re-grabs  the 
track,  catapulting  him  from  his  seat.  He  is  thrown  from  the 
bike  at  80  miles  per  hour,  his  180-pound  body  launching  75 
feet — a  length  equal  to  a  quarter  of  a  football  field.  He  finally 
comes  to  a  stop  after  hitting  a  concrete  Jersey  barrier.  In  the 
ambulance  speeding  toward  Concord  Hospital  he  is  coherent 
enough  to  know  he  has  no  feeling  below  his  nipples. 

Arriving  at  the  hospital,  Jesse  Sandoz,  who  studies  exercise 
physiology,  realizes  right  away  that  Ed's  injuries  arc  bad  enough 
to  be  permanent,  but  holds  off  calling  their  parents  until  he- 
knows  for  sure. 


2  0     Transformation!    \    Summer  2004 


A  New  Vantage  Point 

The  instant  when  speed  and  tar  and  rubber  met,  Ed  Sandoz' 
life  made  a  U-turn.  Before  the  crash,  the  handsome,  upbeat 
27-year-old  from  Millis,  Mass.,  lived  in  the  moment.  He  fixed 
cars  by  day  and  spent  every  spare  minute  working  on  and  racing 
motorcycles.  "Everything  I  did  was  physical,"  says  Sandoz. 
"I  was  definitely  not  an  intellectual.  I  always  fought  that  side 
of  my  personality."  He  had  grown  up  working  on  a  farm  and 
was  used  to  hard  labor,  loved  going  to  the  gym  and  working 
out  to  stay  in  shape. 

The  crash  had  injured  his  spinal  cord  between  the  C5  and 
C6  vertebrae.  Some  nerves  were  still  exchanging  impulses  with 
his  brain,  leaving  him  with  partial  use  of  his  arms.  The  doctors 
at  Concord  Hospital  fused  his  vertebrae  to  stabilize  his  spine 
and  reduce  the  chance  of  further  injury  while  his  neck  healed. 

Eleven  days  later,  Sandoz  rolled  his  new  set  of  wheels  into  a 
waist-high  view  of  the  world.  That's  when  he  did  what  he  knew 
how  to  do  best:  he  shifted  gears  and  hit  the  throttle.  But  first  he 
had  to  learn  how  to  navigate  the  world  from  a  wheelchair. 

Quadriplegics  with  Sandoz'  type  of  injury  are  given  electric 
chairs.  But  Ed  would  have  none  of  it.  "He  wasn't  going  to  take 
the  easy  road,"  says  Jesse.  Ed  got  a  manual  chair  and  specially 
designed  gloves  to  protect  his  hands  while  he  spun  the  wheels. 
A  yearlong  intensive  therapy  program  through  Healthsouth 
New  England  Rehabilitation  Hospital  in  Woburn  taught 
Sandoz  the  basics  of  getting  along  in  the  world.  But  he  wanted 
more.  He  found  out  about  the  Shake-A-Leg  program,  a  non- 
profit rehabilitation  organization  in  Newpott,  R.I.,  that  treats 
the  whole  person — mind,  body,  and  spirit. 

Shake-A-Leg's  five-week  summer  residential  Body  Awareness 
Therapy  program  serves  people  with  spinal  cord  injuries.  Sandoz, 
in  the  company  of  other  quadriplegics,  worked  on  physical 
and  occupational  therapy,  swimming,  strength  training,  yoga, 
meditation,  and  massage.  But  it  was  the  recreational  therapy 
that  Sandoz  loved  best:  scuba  diving,  rock  climbing,  sailing, 
sea  kayaking,  and  even  kite  flying. 

"At  Shake-A-Leg  I  made  huge  leaps  in  my  rehab,"  he  remembers. 
"I  like  being  challenged,  and  I  liked  learning  from  other  quads." 
But  the  best  part,  he  says,  was  feeling  useful  again.  "I  had  a 
chance  to  teach  other  quads  some  of  the  tricks  I'd  learned 
along  the  way." 

"Both  Ed  and  I  are  very  independent  people,"  says  Jesse. 
Before  the  accident  the  brothers  were  roommates  near  Boston. 
They  could  count  on  each  other  if  they  needed  to.  After  the  acci- 
dent they  continued  to  live  together,  but  the  balance  had  shifted. 
Ed  had  to  have  Jesse's  help.  "I  was  frustrated  that  my  life  was 
changing,  too,"  remembers  Jesse.  "But  what  I  was  going  through 
was  small  in  comparison  to  what  Ed  was  going  through." 

Not  long  after  his  accident,  two  high  school  students  asked 
Sandoz  if  they  could  interview  him  about  his  life  as  a  quad. 
Using  keyboard  skills  he'd  learned,  Sandoz  wrote  to  [hem,    I  had 


very  strong  and  agile  hands  before,  now  my  fingers  stay  curled 
under.  Like  the  rest  of  my  body,  they  have  shrunk  in  size  from 
lack  of  use.  It's  hard  for  me  to  watch  someone  fiddle  with 
something  mechanical  knowing  I  could  breeze  through  it  if 
only  my  hands  worked.  Having  your  life  change  so  quickly  is 
hard,  but  you  need  to  move  on.  I'd  take  my  old  life  back  in  a 
second,  but  I  try  to  look  on  the  brighter  side.  I'm  the  same 
strong  person  inside." 

Ed  Sandoz  is  still  the  same  guy  with  a  taste  for  speed;  he's 
tested  his  chair's  mettle.  "One  night  at  Shake-A-Leg  I  was  out 
with  a  bunch  of  people,"  he  says.  "On  the  way  home  I  let  it  rip 
down  this  long  hill  in  Newport.  I  had  the  brakes  on  and  I  was 
still  flying.  All  you  could  smell  was  burning  rubber." 

An  Engineer  Is  Born 

Sandoz  had  a  few  more  turns  to  navigate  on  his  new  course. 
He'd  often  talked  about  going  back  to  school,  but  it  had  been 
easy  to  put  off  with  his  life  so  full  of  everything  he  loved. 
With  a  year  of  rehab  behind  him,  he  enrolled  at  Worcester's 
Quinsigamond  Community  College,  beginning  his  transformation 
from  auto  mechanic  to  mechanical  engineer.  After  adjusting  to 
academic  life  and  excelling  at  Quinsig,  he  transferred  to  WPI 
and  continued  his  studies  at  a  more  intense  level. 

"He  was  a  good  student,  more  mature  than  most,  very 
dedicated  and  hard  working,"  says  WPI  mechanical  engineering 
professor  Robert  Norton.  "He  became  the  natural  leader  of 
the  team  in  my  advanced  engineering  design  class,  in  which 
the  students  designed  a  piece  of  equipment  for  Gillette.  The  stu- 
dents really  respected  and  looked  up  to  him.  Oldet  students 
bring  valuable  gifts  to  any  class — motivation  and  a  more 
serious  attitude." 

At  WPI,  Sandoz  found  a  project  that  fit  him  like  a  racing 
glove:  the  construction  of  a  Fotmula  SAE  car.  He  worked  hard 
at  his  studies,  but  it  was  the  SAE  car  that  kept  him  up  at  night. 
Each  year  a  small  group  of  WPI  students  build  a  race  car  as  part 
of  the  Formula  SAE  Collegiate  Design  Seties  sponsored  by  the 
Society  of  Automotive  Engineers,  General  Motors,  Ford,  and 
Daimler  Chrysler.  The  event  pits  student  teams  from  the 
United  States,  Canada,  and  the  United  Kingdom  against  each 
other  in  a  competition  to  design  and  build  an  open-wheeled, 
formula-type  race  car  that  is  put  through  a  batten'  of  tests.  The 
final  showdown  is  at  the  Pontiac  Silverdome  in  Pontiac,  Mich. 

"The  first  year,  Ed  just  kind  ol  hung  around,"  says  Jim 
lohnscon,  a  lab  machinist  at  WPI  and  one  ol  the  chief  advisors 
on  the  car.  "The  second  year,  he  was  running  the  show.  We  even 
had  a  mechanic's  apron  made  up  for  him  that  read]  I  he  Boss." 

"I  spent  more  time  on  the  ear  than  in  all  ol  mv  classes 
combined."  s.ivs  Sando/.  lor  nearly  lour  straight  months  he 
worked  on  the  car  every  d.w.  often  leaving  campus  close  to 
midnight.  His  project  was  the  power  train;  he  designed  the 
intake  and  exhaust  system. 


22     Transformation*    \   Summer  .'mil 


"Ed  is  meticulous.  He's  also  one  of  the  most  diplomatic 
people  I  know,"  says  Johnston.  "He  knew  how  to  get  people  to 
do  what  he  wanted — by  not  cutting  himself  any  slack.  He'd  say, 
'If  they  see  a  cripple  doing  it,  then  they'll  have  to  do  it,  too.'" 
Johnston  says  Sandoz'  maturity  and  experience  was  the  soul 
of  the  team.  "He  wouldn't  accept  anything  but  perfection." 

En  route  to  Michigan,  Sandoz  drove  his  specially  equipped 
van  as  part  of  a  convoy  from  WPI.  "You  know,  there's  not  a 
sign  on  his  van  that  tells  you  he's  handicapped,"  says  Johnston. 
"We're  at  this  gas  station  and  I  ask  Ed  how  he's  doing,  if  he 
wants  to  switch  drivers.  He  says,  'I've  been  sitting  for  six  years 
now,  a  few  more  hours  won't  kill  me.'" 


to  drive  the  rig  before  James  donated  it  to  a  young  paraplegic 
injured  in  a  car  accident.  The  show  aired  in  September  2003 
and  there  was  Sandoz,  sporting  a  WPI  T-shirt  in  a  few  shots. 

Just  as  the  show  aired,  Sandoz  moved  to  Raymond,  Ohio, 
to  accept  a  position  as  design  engineer  with  Honda  Research 
and  Development.  "It's  my  first  white-collar  cubicle  job,"  he 
says.  The  car  mechanic  had  now  officially  become  a  mechanical 
engineer.  He  is  part  of  a  team  at  Honda  that  drafts  the  struc- 
tural designs  for  new  models.  "These  aren't  traditional  car  frames; 
they're  one  piece,  or  unibody,"  explains  Sandoz.  "The  California 
office  dreams  up  new  cars  and  our  job  is  to  find  out  if  we  can 
actually  build  them." 


Having   nonr  HF"e  change  so  quicH/ij  is  hnrvd,   but  goo  need  to   move  on. 

Id  taHe   mg  old  life   bacH   in    a   second,   but  I  hvg  to  loott  on   the 

brighter"  side.   I  m   the  .«7nmn  strong   per'son    inside. 


At  the  competition,  the  car's  rod  end  broke 
in  the  endurance  event.  "But  we  won  first  place 
for  highest  naturally  aspirated  horsepower, 
out  of  118  schools  entered,"  says  Sandoz  with 
pride.  It  was  his  design  that  took  the  prize. 

One  of  the  Crowd 

Last  summer,  while  Sandoz  was  interviewing 
for  jobs  and  finishing  up  his  humanities 
and  arts  project  on  Mexican  muralist  Diego 
Rivera,  he  became  a  television  star.  After 
submitting  an  essay  and  audition  tape  to 
the  Discovery  Channel's  "Monster  Garage" 
program,  Sandoz  was  chosen  to  appear  on 
an  episode.  Led  by  the  infamous  motorcycle 
mechanic  Jesse  James,  participants  perform 
extreme  vehicle  modifications.  Sandoz  was 
invited  to  join  a  team  that  would  rehab  a 
Mercedes  SUV  to  be  equipped  for  use  with 
hand  controls.  Three  able-bodied  men,  Sandoz 
and  a  paraplegic  (also  in  a  wheelchair) — all 
with  mechanical  experience — made  the  team. 

Sandoz  traveled  to  Long  Beach,  Calif,  to  film  the  show;  the 
team  had  five  days  to  convert  the  SUV — a  job  that  normally 
takes  several  months.  "We  recorded  90  hours  of  tape  to  produce 
a  40-minute  program,"  he  says.  "The  first  couple  of  days  were 
hard  because  I  couldn't  do  too  much;  a  lot  of  the  early  work 
involved  climbing  around  inside  the  car."  The  team  had  to  remove 
and  lower  the  floor  to  accommodate  a  driver  in  a  wheelchair, 
install  a  folding  ramp  out  the  back,  and  retrofit  the  car  with 
hand  controls.  "We  had  to  move  everything — the  rear  differential, 
the  transfer  case,"  says  Sandoz.  But  by  the  third  day,  his  talents 
were  crucial  as  the  team  designed  and  built  the  electric  ramp. 
"It  was  very  cool  to  see  it  come  together,"  says  Sandoz,  who  got 


i*^ 


One  of  Sandoz'  favorite  aspects  of  the  job  is  that  every 
employee  at  Honda — from  engineers  to  vice  presidents — wears 
a  white  jumpsuit  with  a  small  patch  bearing  just  their  first 
name.  "It  keeps  the  focus  on  teamwork  and  efficiency,"  he  says. 
"For  me  it's  refreshing  to  be  just  one  of  the  crowd." 

It's  hard  to  imagine  Sandoz  will  ever  be  just  one  of  the 
crowd.  He  certainly  wasn't  on  Labor  Day  weekend  last  year.  He'd 
just  purchased  a  new  racing  go-cart  equipped  with  hand  controls 
and  was  taking  it  up  to  Loudon,  hoping  to  run  it  for  a  lap. 

Track  officials  let  him  test  drive  three  laps  in  his  new  rig. 
Sandoz  had  finally  closed  the  circle  on  that  fateful  day  six  years 
earlier.  Best  of  all,  he'd  done  it  at  his  own  pace.  II 


Transformations    \   Summer  2  004    23 


Ed  Parrish  sits  in  the  WPI  president's  house 

on  Drury  Lane,  sipping  water  and  discussing  his  impending 
retirement.  It's  a  bitterly  cold  January  day,  and  as  talk  turns  to 
attachments  Parrish  formed  during  nine  years  in  the  heart  of 
New  England  (the  weather  isn't  one  of  them  for  this  lifelong 
southerner),  he's  asked  offhandedly  how  he'd  react  should  the 
Boston  Red  Sox  ever  manage  to  win  the  World  Series. 

"Frankly,  my  dear,  ..."  he  responds  without  hesitation  in 
his  deep,  measured  drawl.  He  chuckles  to  himself  and  explains 
that  while  he  cares  not  a  whit,  it's  largely  because  he  doesn't 
follow  baseball,  (football  and  the  Super  Bowl  champion 
Patriots  are  another  matter,  he  makes  clear.) 


The  easy  answer  would  have  been  to  say  that,  of  course, 
he'd  be  happy  for  Red  Sox  Nation,  but  Parrish  isn't  wired  that 
way.  On  matters  far  more  serious  than  sports,  he  says  what  he 
thinks — says  the  hard  things,  the  things  that  need  to  be  said 
regardless  of  whether  others  want  to  hear  them.  That  trail, 
combined  with  his  ability  to  build  community  and  consensus, 
served  him  well  during  his  tenure  at  WPI — a  lime  marked  by 
significant  challenges  and  important  successes. 

Perfect  Match 

I  dw.ird  Alum  Parrish  arrived  at  WPI  in  Wi,  lush  from  eighl 
years  .is  dean  of  engineering  at  V.mderbill  University.  Though 


24    Transformations   \  Summer  200 


he'd  had  success  expanding  the  faculty 
and  the  research  program  there,  he  found 
himself  "pretty  frustrated"  trying  to  get 
faculty  at  a  major  research  university  to 
take  a  greater  interest  in  teaching  under- 
graduates. "I  was  ready  to  go  back  to  the 
faculty,  do  research  and,  especially,  teach 
freshmen  again,"  he  says.  "I  had  planned 
to  step  down  in  another  year  anyway." 
So  when  WPI  came  calling,  Parrish 
was  ready  to  listen.  There  was  only  one 
problem.  "I  knew  very  little  about  WPI," 
he  says.  "I  had  no  clue  where  Worcester 
was,  and  I  certainly  couldn't  pronounce  it." 

Parrish's  lack  of  familiarity  with 
WPI  was  both  surprising  and  predictable. 
Surprising,  because  he  was  a  veteran  of 
the  Accreditation  Board  for  Engineering 
and  Technology  (ABET,  the  organization 
that  accredits  engineering  programs 
nationwide)  and  a  key  proponent  and 
contributor  to  the  development  of 
Engineering  Criteria  2000,  its  new  out- 
comes-based approach  to  accreditation. 
Predictable,  because  while  WPI's  innova- 
tive, project-focused  curriculum  was  in 
many  ways  a  working  model  of  what 
ABET  hoped  to  promote  for  all  engi- 
neering programs,  the  school  had  long 
struggled  to  gain  wider  recognition  for 
its  program. 

"I  learned  that  25  years  earlier  a 
group  of  faculty  at  this  small  institution, 
which  few  people  had  heard  of,  had 
come  to  the  same  conclusions  that  many 
national  studies  by  the  engineering  educa- 
tion groups  had  come  to,"  says  Parrish, 
betraying  some  residual  surprise  and 
admiration.  After  all,  WPI's  academic 
revolution  prefigured  the  national  move- 
ment to  base  an  engineer's  education  on  learning  to  solve  real 
problems  rather  than  just  memorizing  facts  and  formulas. 
"And  more  than  simply  writing  a  report  and  putting  it  on  a 
shelf,  they  had  actually  done  something.  That's  why  I  came; 
I  was  blown  away.  And  the  longer  I  was  here,  the  more 
impressed  I  became. 

"WPI  is  still  so  far  ahead  of  most  other  technological 
institutions,"  Parrish  says.  "There's  a  huge  flywheel  that's  been 
in  motion  here  for  30  years,  and  all  it  takes  is  an  occasional 
swat  to  keep  it  going.  A  lot  of  places  are  still  trying  to  get  the 
thing  to  start  moving.  It  requires  a  cultural  change,  not  a 
legislative  or  executive  change." 


Patrick  O'Connor 


In  WPI,  Parrish  discovered  a  school  already  deeply  com- 
mitted to  the  principles  and  goals  of  EC  2000.  In  Parrish,  WPI 
found  a  champion:  an  experienced  educator  and  administrator 
who  had  the  ear  of  influential  people  throughout  the  engineer- 
ing education  community.  "I  made  it  my  mission  in  life  to 
make  WPI  better  known,"  Parrish  says,  "and  fortunately  I  had 
a  national  pulpit  to  work  from... a  network  I  could  use  to  try 
to  make  people  better  aware  of  WPI's  efforts." 

Advocate  and  Ambassador 

That  mission,  of  course,  wasn't  without  its  complications. 
Patrish  came  to  WPI  at  a  difficult  time  in  the  school's  history. 
Succeeding  John  Lott  Brown  '46,  who  had  filled  in  admirably 
for  nine  months  as  interim  president,  Parrish  faced  a  skeptical 
faculty  and  significant  budget  problems — the  result  of  spiraling 
financial  aid  costs  in  the  mid-  to  late- 1990s. 

"Jack  Brown  did  a  lot  to  smooth  over  things,"  Parrish  says. 
"And  we  came  in  and  added  to  what  he  had  done.  Within  three 
or  four  years,  people's  suspicions  and  skepticisms  eventually 
began  to  die  out." 

As  a  successful  administrator  who  believed  passionately  in 
the  importance  of  teaching  (he  developed  and  taught  a  freshman 
engineering  course  while  serving  as  dean  at  Vanderbilt  to  set  an 
example  for  faculty  who  seemed  allergic  to  such  a  task),  Parrish 
understood  the  faculty's  central  importance  to  the  school's  success. 

"Ed's  being  a  former  faculty  member  was  critically  impor- 
tant," says  Jack  Carney,  provost  and  vice  president  for  academic 
affairs  at  WPI,  who  had  worked  with  Parrish  at  Vanderbilt.  "It 
took  several  years  to  develop  a  new  strategic  plan  for  WPI,  and 
his  collegial  attitude  toward  the  faculty  helped  make  it  a  con- 
sensus, rather  than  something  handed  down  from  on  high." 
That  approach  played  a  large  part  in  putting  the  school  back  on 
an  even  keel. 

Also  important  to  Patrish's  success  was  his  ability  to  face 
facts  and  his  willingness  to  make  the  hard  decisions.  Nothing 
inspires  trust  like  honesty;  one  of  the  best  examples  of  this 
aspect  of  Parrish's  leadership  style:  convincing  the  Board  of 
Trustees  of  the  need  for  significant  tuition  increases  in  the  late 
1990s  to  bring  WPI's  price  more  in  line  with  the  true  cost  of 
providing  a  WPI  education. 

"A  lot  of  attention  was  being  paid  nationally  to  tuition 
costs  outpacing  inflation,"  Parrish  recalls.  "But  WPI's  tuition 
was  lagging  behind  its  peers  and  new  resources  were  needed. 
What  helped  persuade  the  board  was  the  fact  that  even  students 
who  paid  full  tuition  were  not  covering  the  cost  of  their  educa- 
tion— everyone  was  getting  about  a  $6,000  annual  subsidy." 
The  five-year  plan  (two  years  of  large  increases — 9  percent  in 
1996  and  6.75  percent  in  1997 — followed  by  three  years  of 
more  modest  increases)  enabled  WPI  to  add  20  new  faculty 
positions  (a  10  percent  increase  in  the  size  of  faculty  without  a 
commensurate  increase  in  the  student  body)  and  make  many 
improvements  to  teaching  and  laboratory  facilities. 


Transformations    \    Summer   2004     25 


Despite  the  obvious  need,  "there  was  concern 
about  the  reaction  of  parents,"  Parrish  says.  So  he 
did  what  seemed  to  him  the  most  logical  course  of 
action:  he  gave  it  to  'em  straight.  "We  laid  out  in 
a  letter  to  parents  why  we  did  it  and  how  we  were 
going  to  use  the  money,  and  promised  to  report 
back  on  the  impact." 

The  President's  Office  had  grown  accustomed 
to  receiving  at  least  a  dozen  angry  letters  from 
parents  each  year  when  the  new  tuition  was 
announced.  "The  year  we  raised  tuition  9  percent, 
we  received  just  six  letters;  only  one  began  nega- 
tively, and  it  ended  positively,"  Parrish  notes  with 
satisfaction.  "The  following  year,  there  was  not  a 
single  letter  complaining  about  tuition." 

The  influx  of  new  faculty  members  made 
possible  by  the  tuition  increase  did  more  than 
lower  the  student-faculty  ratio:  it  gave  Parrish 
reinforcements  to  help  raise  WPI's  profile.  "I  tried 
to  encourage  the  faculty  to  'get  out  of  town'  and 
talk  about  what  they  were  doing,"  he  says.  "They 
hadn't  felt  the  need  to  blow  their  own  horn... but 
that's  important." 

Parrish's  prodding  and  additional  travel  funds 
resulted  in  greater  faculty  participation  in  confer- 
ences, symposiums,  and  other  forums.  Combined 
with  the  president's  own  indefatigable  efforts — he 
logged  more  than  120,000  miles  in  the  air  some 
years — WPI  became  an  increasingly  visible  presence 
on  the  national  stage.  Examples  include  the  selec- 
tion of  WPI  as  one  of  two  universities  to  pilot-test 
the  EC  2000  criteria  and  the  Association  of 
American  Colleges  &  Universities'  designation  of 
WPI  as  a  leadership  institution  to  help  define  the 
future  of  liberal  education  in  the  United  States. 


Nine  Years  That  Changed  WPI 

The  presidency  of  Edward  Alton  Parrish  was  marked  by 
significant  growth  and  achievement.  Here  are  some  milestones. 

■  Completion  of  strategic  and  master  plans. 

■  Successful  conclusion  of  $150  million  Campaign  for  WPI 
(goals  included  the  new  Campus  Center). 

■  Significant  expansion  of  WPI's  global  project  program, 
including  new  centers  in  Boston,  Namibia,  and  Silicon  Valley. 

■  Major  campus  improvements,  including  a  $14  million 
program  to  renovate  all  major  residence  halls. 

■  Significant  growth  in  sponsored  research  ($7  million  to 


Southern  Comfort 

By  any  standard,  Ed  Parrish  adapted  extremely 
well  to  what  was  a  major  change  in  his  professional 
environment.  Educated  at  the  University  of 
Virginia,  he  had  served  on  the  faculty  of  his  alma 
mater  before  becoming  chair  of  the  electrical  engi- 
neering department;  he  then  proceeded  to  Vanderbilt  in  1987. 
"Having  always  been  at  majot  tesearch  universities,  WPI  was 
quite  a  change  for  me  personally,"  he  says. 

So,  too,  was  adapting  to  life  above  the  Mason-Dixon  Line. 
"We  are  not  winter  people,"  Parrish  says  of  himself  and  his  wife 
Shirley,  a  mathematician  and  computer  scientist.  "Summer  and 
fall  can  be  delightful  here... and  so  can  the  day  or  two  of  spring, 
if  you  can  identify  them." 


Recruitment  of  nearly  half  the  faculty.  Major  faculty  honors, 
including  about  two  CAREER  Awards  (top  NSF  honor  for 
young  faculty)  per  year. 


Consistent  ranking  among  the  top  60  national  universities 
in  the  annual  U.S.  News  &  World  Report  college  guide. 


Possessed  of  a  dry,  subtle  wit,  Parrish  is  every  bit  the  courtly 
southern  gentleman,  unfolding  his  sentences  as  carefully  and 
gracefully  as  he  folds  his  tall,  lanky  frame  into  ,i  chair.  He  clearly 
enjoys  telling  fish-out-of-water  stories  about  his  misadventures 
with  the  state's  idiosyncratic  road  system,  noting  that  ("arnev.  ,i 
Massachusetts  native,  had  warned  him  of  two  things  when  he 
headed  north:  don't  get  emotionally  involved  with  the  Red  Sox. 
and  don't  trv  to  drive  in  Boston.  He  batted  .500.  "Eventually, 
I  gave  up  and  bought  a  GPS."  he  says. 


2  6     Irani  formations    \     Summer   2004 


The  closeness  of  everything  in  Worcester  was  also  no  small 
matter  for  a  man  who  prizes  his  space,  who  had  always  lived  in 
secluded  areas  with  "plenty  of  woods  and  quiet."  "He  is  not  an 
extrovert,"  Carney  says.  "He  can  surprise  you,  but  he's  generally 
a  private  man."  So  while  Parrish  admits  that  he  and  Shirley  will 
miss  some  of  the  convenience  of  a  more  densely  populated  area, 
they  are  enjoying  the  relative  privacy  and  quiet — he  says  each 
word  several  times — of  their  new  home  on  Skidaway  Island  in 
Savannah,  Georgia. 

Parrish  has  plenty  of  plans  for  his  retirement.  He'll  put  his 
computer  engineering  skills  back  to  work  for  his  youngest  son's 
computer  company,  "working  in  the  back  room  taking  care  of 
hardware  and  software  problems.  Just  because  I  like  doing  it." 
He'll  also  remain  active  with  ABET,  where  he  is  a  fellow,  a 
member  of  the  board  of  directors,  and  chair  of  the  International 
Activities  Committee,  and  with  the  IEEE,  which  elected  him  a 
fellow  in  1986  for  his  work  on  pattern  recognition  and  image 
processing  and  recently  elected  him  to  the  board  of  directors 
of  the  IEEE  Foundation. 

He'll  also  have  time 
to  more  fully  indulge  two 
other  passions:  music  and 
woodworking.  An  accom- 
plished musician  who 
played  in  a  jazz  band  and 
once  had  a  repertoire  of 
many  instruments,  Parrish 
limits  himself  these  days 


N  -  ^H 

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ifs        '     f£ 

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1  il  fc"'      ^^T 

a        sir 

1 

^^k      ^^^1^^^^ 

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rf^^k  i 

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^g    \     v 

P^"^^ 

Fly  Away  Home 

Parrish's  handiwork  is  even  more  evident  in  the  strides  WPI 
has  made  in  recent  years.  While  he  is  more  comfortable  sharing 
than  accepting  credit,  he  is  clearly  proud  of  what  was  accom- 
plished during  his  presidency  (see  sidebar  on  facing  page).  For 
example,  he  notes  that  funds  raised  through  the  $150  million 
Campaign  for  WPI  (triple  the  goal  of  the  previous  capital  cam- 
paign) funded,  among  other  projects,  the  long-awaited  Campus 
Center.  He  also  has  fond  memories  of  a  number  of  alumni 
events,  including  the  celebration  of  the  25th  anniversary  of  the 
London  Project  Center.  On  the  downside,  "one  big  regret  is 
being  unable  to  get  a  new  academic  building  built  and  occu- 
pied," he  says.  "The  economy  killed  us  and  forced  a  delay." 

Parrish  worked  hard  to  leave  things  in  good  shape  for  his 
successor,  Dennis  Berkey.  That  includes  having  made  the  diffi- 
cult decision,  in  the  face  of  what  he  terms  "the  hardest  budget 
year  I've  ever  had  to  deal  with  in  25  years  and  probably  the 
worst  budget  year  in  WPI  history,"  to  eliminate  42  staff  positions 
in  January  and  make  other  cuts  in  various  areas.  The  reduction 
in  force,  though  painful,  was  part  of  a  financial  restructuring 
that  will  enable  WPI  to  make  new  investments  in  the  years 
ahead  and  relieved  the  incoming  president  from  having  to 
immediately  confront  a  budget  crisis.  And  it  was  perfectly  in 
character  for  Parrish  to  make  the  hard  call  himself. 

"One  of  the  nice  things  about  being  in  a  position  like  this 
is  that  you're  able  to  make  decisions  that  have  a  broad  effect  on 
the  institution,  not  just  short-term  but  long-term.  You're  also 
in  a  position  to  affect  the  quality  of  education  of  thousands  of 


Ed  Parrish  exercised  his  musical  talents  by  attacking  challenging  compositions 
on  the  grand  piano  in  the  living  room  at  One  Drury  Lane.  He  also  relaxed  in 
the  basement  of  the  presidential  home  as  he  crafted  exquisite  items  in  his 
well-equipped  woodworking  shop. 


to  piano  and  guitar.  He 
says  he  looks  forward  to 
reestablishing  in  earnest 
what  is  clearly  a  long- 
standing rivalry  with  his 
oldest  son.  "He's  a  better 
pianist  than  me.  Or  he 
was.  He  needs  to  practice,"  Parrish  says  with  undisguised  glee. 
"I'm  back  now.  I'm  ahead." 

Parrish  does  his  woodworking  in  an  extensive  workshop 
that  includes  many  hand-  and  power  tools.  "I've  been  adding 
to  it  ever  since  I  was  10  years  old,"  he  says,  and  points  out 
several  examples  of  his  craftsmanship,  which  include  mantel 
clocks  and  footstools. 


students  during  your  tenure,  the  professional  careers  of  hundreds 
of  faculty  members,  and  the  quality  of  life  for  the  staff,"  he  says. 
"There  are  a  lot  of  things  that  you  can  feel  good  about." 

So,  then,  why  leave?  "I  have  always  felt  that  eight  to  ten 
years  in  a  position  like  this — whether  president,  or  dean,  or 
department  head — is  the  maximum,"  Parrish  says.  "A  change 
is  healthy  at  that  point." 

Parrish,  67,  is  clearly  at  peace  with  having  made  his  way 
back  south,  and  for  a  moment  you  can  see  him  skipping  ahead 
in  his  mind,  envisioning  more  time  with  his  family,  his  piano, 
and  his  woodworking  tools,  and  less  time  in  the  frigid  cold. 
Sure,  he'll  miss  the  WPI  family  and  the  university  environment, 
but  the  straight  truth  is  that  when  he  looks  around  his  Georgia 
homestead  he  likes  what  he  sees.  "In  Worcester,  there  are  a  lot 
of  gray  days  in  the  winter,"  he  ruminates.  "In  Savannah,  there 
are  blue  skies,  you're  in  shirtsleeves "  D 


-Ray  Bert  is  a  frequent  contributor  to  this  magazine. 


Transformations    \   Summer  200 4     27 


Walk  through  an  all-male,  or  mostly  male,  residence 
hall.  It's  loud,  of  course.  You  hear  young  men  shouting,  playing 
games,  letting  off  steam,  having  fun.  "Take  that!"  one  yells. 
Another  curses  his  defeat  even  more  loudly.  A  third 
laughs  heartily. 

But  if  you're  a  resident  advisor,  like  Richard  Vaz. 
professor  of  electrical  and  computer  engineering,  you'll 
notice  one  other  thing:  most  of  the  interaction  is  virtual. 
Few  of  the  students  making  the  commotion  are  in  the  same 
room  with  each  other.  "A  culture  can  form  where  videogames 
become  not  a  diversion  but  the  primary  means  of  interaction." 


■> 


Vaz  savs.  Tve  gone  down  the  hall  and  seen  room  after  room 
of  guvs  plaving  games  with  guys  in  other  rooms. 

Like  it  or  not.  you're  looking  at  the  future.  Got  Game,  an 
upcoming  book  from  Harvard  Business  School  Press,  maintains 
that  for  corporations  to  succeed  in  the  coming  decades,  they  II 
have  to  understand  the  mindset  or  a  generation  of  young  adults 
who  see  videogames  as  their  preferred  entertainment  medium. 
Depending  on  which  recent  survey  you  believe.  60  to  80  percent 
of  college-age  men  and  40  to  50  percent  of  college-age  women 
play  videogames  more  than  1 2  hours  a  week.  And  a  residence 
hall  full  of  personal  computers  connected  to  a  high-speed 
network  is  fertile  ground  for  energetic  multiplayer  gaming. 


28     Iran i formation i    |    Summer   2004 


Members  of  WPI's  Game  Development  Club  do  a  little  firsthand  research. 
From  left,  Chris  St.  Pierre  '06,  Sara  Pickett  '07,    Darren  Torpey  '04, 
Darius  Kazemi  '05,  and  Brendan  Perry  '07. 


:  students  for  the  videog 
prepares  a  tfg£ir  weapo 


Wat 


5* 


But  videogames  are  important  for  another  reason.  They 
represent  a  burgeoning  science-based  industry  offering  students 
a  chance  to  work  where  many  of  them  already  play.  According 
to  the  latest  figures  from  investment  bank  Wedbush  Morgan 
Securities,  the  videogame  industry  took  in  S27  billion  world- 
wide last  year  (half  of  that  in  the  United  States)  and  is  expected 
to  grow  19  percent  per  vear  for  the  next  three  years.  As  some 
areas  of  technical  development — such  as  building  and  running 
Web  sites — have  grown  less  glamorous,  game  development 
has  become  an  even  more  attractive  career  opportunity. 


o  r.  '*  o 


V 


t«|:^ 


Which  is  one  reason  WPI  is  fast  becoming  more  than  a  bit 
plaver  in  the  videogame  world.  With  its  diverse,  project-based 
curriculum,  the  university  is  already  an  incubator  with  a  strong 
track  record  for  placing  graduates  into  interesting  positions  in 
the  industrv.  It  is  home  to  the  three-year-old.  60-member  Game 
Development  Club,  the  fastest  growing  new  student  society'  on 
campus.  And  this  fall,  the  faculty  is  expected  to  vote  on  a  pro- 
posal by  five  professors  from  both  computer  science  and 
humanities  and  arts  to  develop  an  interdisciplinary  major  pro- 
gram in  Interactive  Media  and  Game  Development  (IMGD). 


Transformations    |   Summer  2004     29 


Being  an  industry  incubator  means 
WPI  can  accomplish  other  goals  as  well.  A 
reputation  as  a  game-sawy  school  makes  it 
attractive  to  a  whole  new  constituency  of 
young  people.  And  as  a  university  commit- 
ted to  making  science  work  for  the  greater 
social  good,  it  can  address  critics'  concerns 
about  videogame  violence  and  isolationism 
(some  detractors  say,  for  instance,  that  time 
spent  pressing  buttons  in  virtual-sport 
games  would  be  better  spent  playing  real 
sports)  and  be  a  positive  influence  on  the 
field  and  those  who  enter  it. 

There  are  games  that  teach  new  skills, 
help  persons  with  disabilities,  and  empower 
people  in  numerous  ways.  These  are  not 
"take  your  medicine"  games — they  teach 
without  losing  a  bit  of  their  fun.  The  most 
popular  PC  game  ever  is  "The  Sims,"  in 
which  success  is  measured  not  by  body  count  but  how  well  a 
player  does  at  initiating  and  sustaining  relationships.  Last  year, 
WPFs  Game  Development  Club  picked  up  on  this  spirit  of  use^ 
ful  fun  and  built  "MassBalance,"  a  game  that  helps  citizens 
contemplate  the  trade-offs  necessary  to  balance  Massachusetts' 
budget  [see  Transformations,  "Inside  WPI,"  Summer  2003]. 

Nicholas  Baker  '03  exemplifies  the  kind  of  consci- 
entious, humanistic  scientist  that  WPI  produces.  As  an 
undergraduate,  Baker's  nontechnology  double-major 
subject  was  philosophy,  which  is  what  he  says  got  him 
interested  in  developing  games  with  more  social  value.  He 
is  now  attending  Liverpool  John  Moores  University  as  a 
Marshall  Scholar,  creating  games 


that  let  players  make  moral  choices 
about  contemporary  social 
problems. 

One  of  his  games  simulates 
a  street  protest.  "You're  the  leader 
of  the  demonstration,"  he  explains 
by  phone  from  Liverpool.  "During 
the  game,  the  protesters  go  from  happy  to 
frustrated  to  angry.  You  can  get  public-support  points  if  you 
lead  the  demonstration  without  incident.  Police  are  involved, 
too.  You  can  talk  to  the  police  to  stop  them  from  arresting  pro- 
testers, but  there's  potential  to  be  physically  attacked  by  them. 
Or  you  can  choose  the  violent  option." 

There's  No  "I"  in  Team 

Michael  A.  Gennert,  head  of  WPI's  Computer  Science  Depart- 
ment and  associate  professor  of  both  computer  science  and 
electrical  and  computer  engineering,  helped  put  together  the 
proposal  for  the  new  major.  "We're  looking  for  something  new 
and  exciting  to  bring  in  new  students.  A  major  like  Interactive 
Media  and  Game  Development  certainly  meets  tli.it  requirement,'' 


he  says.  "Think  about  it:  videogame  development  requires  the 
mastery  of  many  areas.  It's  not  quite  computer  science,  but  it 
involves  computer  science.  It's  not  quite  humanities  and  arts, 
but  it  surely  involves  humanities  and  atts.  We  want  something 
that  will  have  an  impact." 

The  interest  in  a  major  started  with  the  faculty  but  grew 
when  they  started  discussing  it  with  students.  "The  students 
had  many  helpful  comments  and  insights,"  Gennert  says. 
"They  suggested  we  go  out  and  get  corporate  sponsor- 
ship of  our  lab  for  this  program.  They  had  ideas  on  how 
we  might  cover  the  philosophy  and  psychology  of  games. 
And  they  made  clear  how  important  portfolios  were  to  students." 
u_,.        .  .  .    .  .  .  WPI's  move  toward  establish- 

The  hardest  thing  to  do  when       ing  the  game  major  is  a  natural 
you're  making  a  game  and  the  most   extension  of  the  schools  existing 

rewarding  thing  tO  do  if  yOUVe  strengths.  "There  are  plenty  of 

pulled  it  off  is  create  something 

that  lets  people  suspend  disbelief 

and  enjoy  themselves." 


*S> 


ways  for  students  to  get  involved 
with  game  development  right  now 
at  WPI,"  says  Mark  Claypool,  a 
computer  science  faculty  member 
behind  the  proposal  for  the  major  program.  "Also,  as  part  of 
their  senior  projects,  undergraduates  have  a  chance  to  get 
involved  in  some  cutting-edge  research.  The  major  is  very  much 
in  the  WPI  tradition,  very  much  .1  project-based  curriculum. 

Jamie  Carlson  '99  of  Connecticut-based  Sonalysts,  which 
makes  military-simulation  games,  concurs.  "  I'hc  most  helpful 
thing  at  WPI  for  someone  entering  the  videogame  industrv  is 
the  way  the  curriculum  works,"  he  s.ivs.  "  I  he  project  plan  is 
team-based  and  emphasizes  collaboration.  Teams  and  collabo- 
ration— that's  what  making  a  videogame  is  .ill  about." 

(  .iilson.  ,m  associate  producer,  is  currendy  working  on 
"Dangerous  Waters,"  the  company's  fourth  game.  (Producers  are 
the  crucial  utility  inlielders  at  game  companies.  They  have  to 
bring  strong  programming,  design,  and  project  management 


3  0    Transformatiom   \  Summer 


of  graphics  produ 


skills  to  projects  and  often  serve  as  the  glue  between  specialist 
teams.)  "The  hardest  thing  to  do  when  you're  making  a  game 
and  the  most  rewarding  thing  to  do  if  you've  pulled  it  off  is 
create  something  that  lets  people  suspend  disbelief  and  enjoy 
themselves,"  he  says.  "It's  great  working  with  a  team  to  do  that." 

Still,  a  decade  ago  an  interest  in  games  meant  having  to 
carve  out  one's  own  niche  in  the  curriculum,  says  Christopher 
Dyl,  who  attended  WPI  from  1990  to  1995.  "I  went  for 
physics  at  WPI.  I  also  studied  mechanical  engineering  and 
computer  science,  but  a  lot  of  what  I  learned  about  game  devel- 
opment I  learned  on  my  own  as  a  kid."  The  vice  president  of 
technology  for  Turbine  Entertainment  Software  ofWestwood, 
Mass.,  a  leading  purveyor  of  games  that  thousands  of  people 
can  play  online  simultaneously,  remembers  being  part  of  a  team 
at  WPI  that  wrote  a  3-D  modeling  program. 

"It  was  extremely  primitive,  but  it  taught  me  what  I  was 
interested  in  and  let  me  discover  how  much  I  enjoyed  computer 
programming,"  Dyl  says.  "And  all  those  physics  simulations 
I  did  at  WPI — all  that  visualization  work  was  applicable  to 
games.  I  statted  working  for  Turbine  while  I  was  still  at  WPI, 
and  I'm  here  going  on  10  years  now."  The  company's  biggest 
current  hit  is  "Asheron's  Call,"  although  its  "Middle-Earth 
Online,"  built  around  J.R.R.  Tolkien's  Lord  of  the  Rings  saga, 
is  due  out  next  year  and  is  expected  to  be  a  smash. 

Work  for  Fun 

WPI's  broad  curriculum  has  been  another  springboard  into  the 
videogame  business.  Chris  Bentley,  who  received  a  master's  in 
computer  science  in  1996,  came  to  WPI  having  studied  philosophy 
and  English  and  having  taught  junior  high.  Today  he  is  the 
Macintosh  3-D  project  team  leader  in  the  Marlborough  office 
of  ATI  Technologies,  a  top  Canadian  producer  of  graphics  prod- 
ucts for  PCs.  As  such,  Bendey  is  in  the  vanguard  of  hardware 
developers  building  the  foundation  for  today's  high-end  games.  It's 


a  tug-of-war  between  the  game-makers  and 
the  makers  of  computet  graphics  cards,  like 
ATI;  each  forces  the  other  to  increase  capa- 
bilities. Bentley's  job  is  to  ensure  that  the 
company's  Mac  products  can  handle  anything 
thrown  at  them.  "The  broad  curriculum  at 
WPI  definitely  helped  me  get  to  ATI  and 
succeed  here,"  says  Bendey,  who  is  part  of  a 
large  WPI  contingent  at  the  company. 

Game  Development  Club  member 
Steve  Gargolinski  '05  is  interning  as  a 
programmer  for  Blue  Fang  Games  in 
Waltham,  maker  of  "Zoo  Tycoon,"  pub- 
lished by  Microsoft,  which  has  sold  more 
than  1.4  million  copies.  "At  WPI,  I  picked 
up  a  lot  of  the  skills  I  need  to  be  a  good 
games  programmer.  Because  producing 
good  animation  is  dependent  on  knowing 
matrices,  my  classes  in  linear  algebra  and 
[the  programming  language]  C++  were  essential,"  Gargolinski 
says.  "They  teach  you  how  to  solve  problems,  which  is  what 
being  a  videogame  programmer  is  all  about,  whether  I  do  it 
for  fun  or  for  work."  He  expects  to  work  full  time  at  Blue 
Fang  upon  graduation. 

Gennert  says  supporting  students  like  Gargolinski  with 
a  bona  fide  major  is  but  one  of  Interactive  Media  and  Game 
Development's  virtues.  "We  also  want  to  be  seen  as  a  school 
that  is  doing  interesting  things  for  those  students  who  are  not 
currently  choosing  WPI,"  he  says.  Namely,  women.  "There's  a 
national  trend  of  women  moving  away  from  enrolling  in  science, 
engineering,  and  computer  science  in  the  same  ratio  as  in 
other  disciplines,  with  the  exception  of  biology,"  he  explains. 
"We  think  this  program  will  be  more  attractive  to  them  and 
bting  them  in.  The  major  would  have  two  tracks,  technical  and 
artistic,  so  students  can  emphasize  the  area  that's  more  impor- 
tant to  them.  But  what's  crucial  is  that  whichever  track  they're 
on,  there  are  common  core  courses,  including  critical  game 
studies,  the  game  development  process,  and  social  issues." 

"My  favorite  thing  about  the  major  is  that  it  answets  one 
of  the  big  questions:  How  do  you  make  videogame  development 
presentable  to  parents?"  says  Darius  Kazemi  '05,  a  founder  of 
the  Game  Development  Club.  "I  attended  the  academic  summit 
at  GDC  2003  [Game  Developers  Conference,  the  leading  annual 
meeting  of  videogame  developers] ,  so  I  was  familiar  with  what 
was  happening  in  different  schools  around  the  country.  I've 
had  a  lot  of  contact  with  local  companies,  so  I  know  what 
they  want  to  see  in  someone  who's  graduating  from  college: 
what  sort  of  math  skills,  what  classical  subjects,  and  so  on. 
This  major  will  be  great  for  that."  D 

Jimmy  Guterman  is  the  editor  in  chief  of  Gaming  Industry  News 
and  the  proprietor  of  guterman.com. 


Transformations    \   Summer  200-t     3  1 


Notes  from  Higgins  House 


The  2003-04  academic  year  was 
a  historic  one  for  the  WPI  family 
of  students,  faculty,  administra- 
tors, trustees,  and  alumni.  First, 
we  completed  a  successful  search 
for  a  new  president.  In  Dennis 
Berkey  we  found  an  outstanding 
individual  with  the  necessary 
qualities  and  experience  to  lead 
WPI  into  the  next  decade  (see 
page  4).  Second,  the  Board  of 
Trustees  endorsed  a  campus 
master  plan  designed  to  serve  the 
university  today  while  maintaining  the  flexibility  to  respond  to 
the  unanticipated  needs  of  the  future.  Ground  was  recently 


Honored  at  Reunion 

Each  year  at  Reunion,  several  members  of  the  returning  classes 
are  honored  for  their  professional  accomplishments  and  service  to 
their  alma  mater.  This  year,  23  alumni  were  selected  by  the  Alumni 
Association's  Citations  Committee  to  receive  awards. 

In  addition,  David  A.  Lucht,  founding  director  of  WPI's 
Center  for  Firesafety  Studies  and  its  pioneering  graduate  program 
in  fire  protection  engineering,  received  the  William  R.  Grogan 
Award,  which  recognizes  outstanding  contributions  in  support 
of  the  mission  WPI  or  the  welfare  of  its  students.  In  July,  Lucht 
was  appointed  associate  vice  president  in  the  Office  of  Develop- 


broken  for  the  first  phase  of  that  plan,  a  new  admissions  building 
(see  facing  page).  All  of  this  happened  at  a  time  when  WPI,  like 
many  other  universities,  found  it  necessary  to  make  some  tough 
decisions  as  it  sought  to  restructure  itself  financially. 

From  an  alumni  perspective,  the  Association  Cabinet  is 
updating  its  five-year  plan  and  reviewing  its  constitution  and 
bylaws  to  be  sure  they  adequately  frame  our  role  in  support  of 
WPI  in  the  months  and  years  ahead.  It  is  more  important  than 
ever  that  we,  as  alumni,  give  our  full  support  to  the  university. 
Be  as  generous  as  you  can  in  volunteering  your  time.  Be  as 
generous  as  you  can  in  supporting  the  Annual  Fund.  Working 
together,  we  can  do  much  to  ensure  WPI's  place  as  The 
University  of  Science  and  Technology.  And  Life. 

Fred  Costello  '59,  President,  WPI  Alumni  Association 


ment  and  University  Relations.  Kathy  A.  Notarianni  '86, 
former  project  leader  and  research  engineer  at  the  National 
Institute  of  Standards  and  Technology,  succeeds  Lucht  as  the 
Center's  director. 

"The  Citations  Committee  worked  hard  at  identifying 
potential  candidates  for  these  awards,  culminating  in  a  list  of 
very  deserving  award  recipients,"  notes  Peter  Horstmann  '55, 
a  WPI  trustee  and  chair  of  the  committee.  "These  awards  hold 
great  meaning  and  prestige  for  the  Alumni  Association  as  well 
as  for  the  recipients." 


Robert  H.  Goddard  Alumni  Award  for  Outstanding  Professional  Achievement:  James  L.  Bardett,  Jr.   39, 

John  H.  Williams  '49,  Joseph  D.  Bronzino  '59,  Aram  Mooradian  '59,  James  S.  Tyler  '59,  Gary  Goshgarian  '64, 
Richard  M.  Gross  '69,  Homoud  A.  Al-Rqobah  74,  Jonathan  R.  Barnett  74 

Herbert  F.  Taylor  Alumni  Award  for  Distinguished  Service  to  WPI:  Kimball  R.  Woodbury  '44,  James  S.  Adams  '49, 
Gordon  E.  Walters  '54,  Paul  J.  Keating  II  '64,  Brian  D.  Chace  '69,  James  L.  Carr  Jr.  74,  Joan  B.  Szkutak  79 

Ichabod  Washburn  Young  Alumni  Award  for  Professional  Achievement:  Michael  A.  Briere  '84,  David  S,  Btin  '84, 
James  M.  Melvin  '84,  Jean-Pierre  P.  Trevisani  '89 

John  Boynton  Young  Alumni  Award  for  Service  to  WPI:  Kevin  D.  Beaulieu  '89,  Karen  Daly  Cohen  '94,  Jennifer  Shiel  \\\ m  '9  I 

William  R.  Grogan  Award  for  Support  of  the  Mission  ofWPI:  David  A.  1  uclu,  professor/head,  Fire  Protection  Engineering 

Albert  J.  Schwicger  School  of  Industrial  Management  Award:  Arthur  M.  Quitadamo  '74  SIM  (presented  in  February  2004) 

Full  text  of  the  citations  max  be  found  at  alumni.topi.edu/News/Au/ards/. 


32     Transformation!   |  Summer  2004 


Jim  and  Shirley  Bartlett  Honored  at  Groundbreaking 


,  U  n 


c 


.-„*--/      ' 


In  a  ceremony  on  June  10,  WPI  honored  James  L.  Bartlett  Jr.  '39 
and  his  wife,  Shirley,  whose  generosity  will  enable  the  university 
to  implement  the  first  element  of  its  new  campus  master  plan  by 
building  a  two-story,  1  5,000-square-foot  home  for  the  Admissions 
and  Financial  Aid  offices.  The  Bartletts  joined  retiring  WPI  President 
Edward  Alton  Parrish,  William  Marshall,  chairman  of  the  WPI  Board 
of  Trustees,  and  Judith  Nitsch  '75,  chair  of  the  trustees'  Physical 
Facilities  Committee,  in  turning  over  the  first  shovelfuls  of  earth  at 
the  location  of  the  new  building,  a  site  that  is  now  a  parking  area 
between  the  Quadrangle  and  Beech  Tree  Circle. 

To  be  known  as  the  Bartlett  Center,  the  building  will  include  a 
spacious  reception  area,  interview  rooms,  a  42-seat  multimedia 
presentation  room,  and  offices  for  staff.  "This  new  building  will 
dramatically  change  the  campus  visit  experience  for  prospective 
students  and  their  families,"  notes  Kevin  Kelly,  associate  vice 
president  of  enrollment  management. 

The  building  will  also  serve  as  a  catalyst  for  the  campus  master  plan 


vision  of  making  the  Quadrangle  a  more  open  and  greener 
pedestrian  space.  The  goal  is  to  eventually  remove  parking  from  the 
central  campus,  except  for  spaces  dedicated  for  handicapped  access 
to  the  Quad  and  for  visitors  to  the  new  building.  The  master  plan, 
completed  last  winter  after  two  years  of  design  and  discussion,  will 
guide  the  development  of  the  WPI  campus  over  the  next  two  decades. 

Jim  Bartlett  holds  a  bachelor's  degree  in  mechanical  engineering  and 
received  an  honorary  doctorate  in  engineering  from  WPI  in  1998. 
He  is  an  accomplished  entrepreneur  who  has  founded  six  companies 
in  a  wide  range  of  technical  fields.  With  an  abiding  affection  for 
WPI,  the  Bartletts  have  generously  supported  the  university  and  its 
students  for  many  years. 

"The  Bartletts  are  leaving  a  profound  and  lasting  legacy  on  the  WPI 
campus,"  Parrish  said.  "Their  generosity  will  touch  countless  thousands 
of  future  WPI  students  and  families,  whose  first  introduction  to  campus 
will  be  through  the  building  that  bears  their  name.  We  are  extremely 
grateful  for  their  far-reaching  contribution." 


Who's  Got  the  Goat? 


He  is  WPI's  most  popular  alumnus— and  its  most  enduring  and 
endearing.  Over  a  century  old,  he's  long  been  the  center  of  student 
and  alumni  attention.  And  now  he's  missing! 

Last  seen  at  the  Rope  Pull  at  Homecoming  2001,  the 
university's  beloved  mascot— in  the  form  of  an  ungainly 
bronze  sculpture  known  as  the  Goat's  Head  — is  the 
focus  of  an  intense  goathunt.  A  caprine  co-op 
(aptly  called  the  Goat's  Head  Committee)  has 
been  formed  of  students,  staff,  and  alumni  who 
have  been  working  diligently  to  locate  the 
metal  ruminant. 


The  Goat's  Head  tradition  began  when  the 
Class  of  1  893  gave  charge  of  its  black 
goat  mascot  to  Gompei  Kuwada,  a  student 
from  Japan,  whose  initials  deigned  him 
goalkeeper.  After  the  goat  died,  its  head 
was  stuffed  and  mounted.  Decades  later,  stu- 
dents in  the  Class  of  1928  made  the  head  the  object  of 
a  class  rivalry  to  increase  school  spirit.  They  replaced  the 
original  with  a  disproportionately  large  head  cast  in  bronze. 

The  competition  focused  on  the  freshman  and  sophomore  classes. 
Points  were  given  to  the  winners  of  such  events  as  the  Tech  Carnival, 


By  Katrina  Hildebrand  '05 


Paddle  Rush,  and  Rope  Pull;  the  class  with  the  most  points  got  the 
Goat.  The  winning  class  was  obligated  to  display  the  Goat  once  a 
year,  giving  the  other  class  a  chance  to  capture  it  for  themselves. 
Over  the  years,  the  Goat  has  made  some  memorable  appearances: 
suspended  from  a  helicopter  that  buzzed  a  home  football 
game,  dropped  from  Earle  Bridge  into  a  moving  convertible, 
and  hung  in  Alumni  Gym  during  a  basketball  game  before 
being  tossed  out  a  window  to  waiting  students. 

At  times  the  rivalry  became  too  violent,  and  in  1  995  a  set  of 
rules  was  designed  to  make  the  events 
safer  and  the  Goat's  location  easier  to 
monitor.  But  these  rules  could  not  prevent 
the  latest  goatnapping. 

To  keep  the  rivalry  alive,  the  committee 
is  considering  what  it  will  do  should 
the  Goat's  Head  not  turn  up  anytime 
soon.  One  possibility  is  to  cast  a  new 
goat,  but  for  now  committee  members  are  continuing  the  search, 
putting  their  own  heads  together  in  hope  of  finding  the  missing  one. 

For  more  information  about  the  search,  or  to  provide  details  that  you 
think  might  help  in  the  recovery  of  the  Goat's  Head,  visit 
users.wpi.edu/~goat,  or  e-mail  goat@wpi.edu. 


Transformations    \   Summer  2004     33 


36 


2#i 


Editor's  Note:  Material  for  Class  Notes 
comes  from  newspaper  and  magazine 
clippings,  press  releases,  and  information 
supplied  by  alumni.  Due  to  production 
schedules,  some  notes  may  be  out  of  date 
at  publication,  but  may  be  updated  in 
future  issues.  Please  allow  up  to  6  months 
for  your  news  to  appear  in  print. 


Ham  Gurnham 

celebrated  his 
90th  birthday  at 
a  gathering  in  Madison,  Conn., 
organized  by  his  four  sons  (two 
live  in  Pennsylvania,  one  in 
South  Carolina,  and  one  in 
Nova  Scotia).  They  held  the  big 
party  on  June  4,  2004,  although 
Ham  actually  turned  90  on 
May  16,  2004. 


50 


Phil  Wild  was 

named  Person 
of  the  Year  by 


the  Friends  of  Saint  Patrick  in 
Walpole,  Maine.  He  was  hon- 
ored for  30  years  of  service  on 
the  town's  Permanent  Building 
Committee,  and  for  his  work 
with  community  organizations. 
Phil  and  his  wife,  Carla,  have 
lived  in  Walpole  since  1957  and 
have  raised  four  children.  Phil 
rold  the  Walpole  Times  that  it 
was  Professor  Frederick  Sanger 
at  WPI  who  inspired  him  to  go 
into  the  newly  emerging  field  of 
geotechnical  engineering. 


52 


Dave  Kujala 

worked  for 
1 5  months  to 


launch  the  new  Delaware 
Sports  Museum.  As  director,  he 
was  responsible  for  installing 
exhibits,  recruiring  and  training 
volunteers  and  staff,  developing 
operating  procedures  and 
coming  up  with  lesson  plans  for 
visiting  schoolchildten  that 
would  satisfy  state  educational 
standards.  He  hired  a  successor 
in  March  2002,  but  has  stayed 
on  as  education  directot  and 
curator.  "It's  more  like  a  5/3  job 
now,"  he  writes,  "down  from 
16/7."  Dave  and  his  family 
have  also  been  building  their 
third  log  home,  this  one  in  the 
Catskills. 

In  September, 
Milton  Meckler 
JL       delivered  a  ple- 
nary address  at  the  Worldwide 
CIBSE/ASHRAE  (Chartered 
Institution  ol  Building  Services 


Engineers) 
Gathering  of 
the  Building 
Services 
Industry  in 
Edinburgh, 
Scotland, 
where  he  shared  the  dais  with 
the  UK  minister  of  energy.  His 
topic  was  "Achieving  Building 
Sustainability  Through 
Innovation — An  Ametican 
Perspective."  He  and  his  wife, 
Marlys,  also  traveled  to  Peru 
last  fall. 

Milton  writes,  "Although  most 
of  my  classmates  have  chosen  to 
retire,  I  continue  to  enjoy  my 
work  in  the  building  construc- 
tion industry.  In  2003  I  decided 
to  depart  from  a  consulting 
firm  with  more  than  80 
employees,  to  continue  my 
work  in  telecommunications 
and  cogeneration  systems  devel- 
opment as  president  of  Design 
Build  Systems.  I  was  also 
appointed  an  adjunct  associate 
professor  of  information  science 


at  Claremont  Graduate 
University  in  California." 

5  Jack  Derby  is 

f'X       director  of  the 
V^/       Connecticut 
Small  Business  Development 
Subcentet  at  Quinebaug  Valley 
Community  Center  in  Daniel- 
son.  He  has  taught  manage- 
ment courses  at  Becker  and 
Nichols  colleges.  He  also  con- 
tinues as  president  of  Kean 
Management  Group,  which  he 
founded  in  1985. 

^*  ^^f      A  reminder 
to  the  world- 
famous  Class 
of  1957:  Mark  your  calendars 
for  our  Golden  Reunion  in 
June  2007.  Be  there,  or  else 
we'll  talk  about  you!  Al 
Papianou  is  still  looking  for 
news  items  for  the  next  class 
newsletter.  Climbed  Mount 
Everest?  Volunteered  with 
Big  Brothers/Big  Sisters  or 
Habitat  for  Humanity?  Write 
him  at  alpappy@juno.com. 


Where  in  the  world?  Morion  Fine  '37  broughl  his  WPI  cap  on  on 

archeological  expedition  in  Israel  last  year,  bul  found  he  needed  his  thinking 
cap  to  instruct  the  dig  director  in  the  full  capability  of  the  plane  toble  he  was 
using  to  map  the  excavation.  "I  recalled  my  educalion  of  69  years  ago,  gave 
him  a  summary  of  the  process  from  memory,  and  later  sent  him  the  tables  from 
my  old  civil  engineering  textbook,"  he  says.  "From  ihol  poinl  on,  I  was  involved 
in  the  mapping  ond  not  the  digging."  Archeologists  at  Belhsaida,  on  the  north- 
east shore  of  the  Sea  of  Galilee,  are  uncovering  an  area  occupied  during  the 
lime  of  King  David,  which  was  later  buried  by  on  earthquake. 

Send  us  a  picture  and  tell  us  where  you've  worn  your  WPI  letters  lately. 


Bob  Beckett  received  the 

Order  of  the  Tower  Award 
from  The 
Pennington 
School 
Alumni 
Association. 
A  1952 
graduate,  he 
was  honored  for  his  devotion 
to  his  high  school  alma  mater 
as  a  trustee,  class  agent  and 
50th  reunion  chair. 

Robert  Galligan  is  teaching 
business  courses  at  National 
University  in  San  Diego. 

John  Smith  has  been  retired 
from  General  Electric  since 
1997.  He  and  his  wife,  Janice, 
moved  to  South  Yarmouth  on 
Cape  Cod  a  year  later.  Their 
travels  have  included  Scotland, 
Australia  and  New  Zealand, 
Mexico,  and  a  Hawaiian  Islands 
cruise.  "We  are  now  proud 
grandparents  of  five — four  boys 
and  a  girl,"  he  writes.  "I  keep 
busy  golfing  and  tutoring  math 
in  the  middle  school." 


59 


Bernard  Lally 

lives  in  West 
Springfield, 
Mass.,  where  his  quest  to 
discover  the  past  owners  of 
his  home  led  to  a  consuming 
hobby  and  the  title  of  town 
historian.  His  career  included 
30  years  as  a  science  teacher. 


6Veikko  (Vic) 
Uotinen  was 
-1-         rapped  to  chair 
the  American  Nuclear  Society's 
Special  Committee  on  Ethics. 
He  will  lead  a  special  session 
on  "Professional  Ethics  in  the 
Application  of  Nuclear  Tech- 
nology" at  the  annual  meeting 
in  June  2004.  Vic  retired  from 
Framatome-ANP  in  1997  to 
become  director  of  ministries 
for  his  church,  Rivermont 
Evangelical  Presbyterian.  "I 
have  maintained  my  ANS 
membership  since  1966  and 
into  retirement,  and  I  find  this 
blend  of  my  faith  and  my 


scientific  career  to  be  very 
rewarding  indeed,"  he  writes. 
Vic  invites  classmates  to  contact 
him  at  vic@rivermont.org. 

William  Museler 

(M.S.  ME)  is 
\~J     _JL       president  and 
CEO  of  the  New  York  Inde- 
pendent System  Operator,  a 
not-for-profit  organization  that 
administers  the  city's  bulk  elec- 
tricity transmission  system.  He 
testified  before  rhe  House 
Committee  on  Commerce  on 
events  that  preceded  the  August 
2003  blackouts. 

Tom  Newman  recently  cele- 
brared  30  years  wirh  Teradyne 
Inc.  in  Boston.  "Wow!  Where 
does  the  time  go?"  he  writes, 
noting  that  he  came  to  Tera- 
dyne on  the  recommendation 
of  Wayne  Ponik  '65  (a.k.a. 
Pobzeznik).  "Am  enjoying  my 
career  so  far — lots  of  interesting 
jobs  and  worldwide  travel.  I  am 
currently  serving  as  vice  presi- 
dent of  corporate  relations.  I'm 
also  enjoying  working  on  the 
40th  Reunion  Class  Gift  cam- 
paign and  the  Reunion  itself. 
Hope  to  see  many  of  you  there 
in  June." 

Frank 
(Czybulka) 
Rainer  writes, 
"I  retired  from  Lawrence  Liver- 
more  National  Lab  in  July,  after 
36  years  as  a  laser  physicist, 
having  worked  on  each  of  the 
nine  large-scale  laser  systems 
dedicated  to  laser-fusion 
research.  I  still  consult  as  a 
cerrified  laser  safety  officer,  do 
research  on  laser-induced  opti- 
cal damage;  I'm  active  on  four 
ANSI  committees  for  laser  safety. 
In  between  I  have  traveled  with 
my  wife,  Sigrid,  to  almost  200 
countries  and  foreign  territo- 
ries." Frank  notes  that  his 
daughter,  Amanda,  is  a  sopho- 
more engineering  major  at 
Harvey  Mudd  College,  where 
former  WPI  president  Jon 
Strauss  is  currenrly  presidenr. 


Don  Peterson  '71,  chairman  and  CEO  of  Avaya,  was  profiled  in 
Financial  Times  ...  Bausch  &  Lomb  CEO  Ron  Zarrella  '71 
was  one  of  Rochester  Business  Journal's  "Fifty  over  50" 

for  2003  ...  the  Boston  Globe  business  section  ran  a  front- 
page story  on  developer  Dean  Stratouly  '74's  vision  for  33  Arch 
St.,  a  blue-glass  office  tower  in  Boston's  financial  district  ...  the 
New  York  Times  published  Domenico  Grasso  '77's  response 
to  an  article  on  women  and  minorities  earning  Ph.D.s  in  engi- 
neering. Grasso,  director  of  Smith  College's  Picker  Engineering 
Program,  pointed  out  that  a  lack  of  diversity  at  the  design  table 
has  negative  consequences  for  society  ...  Jim  Melvin  '84  of  Mazu 
Networks  was  named  Venture  Reporter's  CEO  of  the  Week 
Jan.  30,  2004  ...  Gregory  Vail  '87's  company,  Data  Innovation, 
was  featured  on  Health  Journal  Television  ...  Business  is 
booming  at  ECI  Biotech,  according  to  a  Telegram  & 
Gazette  story  on  founder  Mitch  Sanders  '88  ...  Network 
World  used  Sean  O'Connor  '94  as  an  example  of  the  benefits 
of  real-time  collaboration  tools,  which  allowed  him  to  work  at 
home  when  his  wife's  due  date  was  near  ...  Pianist  Sergio 
Salvatore  '02  was  one  of  the  child  prodigies  described  in  a 
JazzTimes  article  called  "The  Gifts  of  Youth"  ...  the  New 
York  Times  reported  on  the  efforts  of  Michelle  Isabelle-Stark 
'03  (MBA)  to  lure  more  moviemakers  to  use  her  Long  Island 
community  as  a  film  setting.  She  is  director  of  the  Suffolk  County 
Office  of  Cultural  Affairs  ...  Chris  O'Malley  '03  was  interviewed 
by  the  Boston  Globe  for  an  article  on  white-collar  job 
migration. 


Dennis  Simanaitis  is  engineer- 
ing ediror  of  Road  &  Track 
magazine.  In  a  recent  "Tech 
Tidbits"  column,  he  reflected 
on  the  decline  of  America's  steel 
industry,  noting  that  as  a  steel- 
worker's  son,  he  came  to  WPI 
on  a  scholarship  from  American 
Sreel  &  Wire  Corp.,  back  when 
it  was  a  division  of  U.S.  Steel 
Corp. 


Joseph  Acker 

is  president  of 
the  Synthetic 
Organic  Chemical  Manufac- 
rurers  Association.  Prior  ro 
that,  he  was  president  and  CEO 
ol  DanChem  Technologies 
and  presidenr  of  Hickson 
DanChem  Corp. 


Transformations    \   Summer  200-i     3  5 


CO 

CD 

•+— 

O 
(A 

o 


67 


Rene  LaPierre 

retired  from 
Mobil  in  2000, 


and  now  serves  as  vice  presi- 
dent, research  and  engineering, 
at  Precision  Combustion  Inc. 
in  North  Haven,  Conn.  "The 
transition  from  a  large  company 
to  a  small  enterprise  has  been 
fun,"  he  writes. 


and  traveling  with  my  wife, 
Candace,"  he  writes. 

Michael  Paige  was  named 
managing  director  of  technol- 
ogy strategy  at  White  Label. 
He  also  serves  as  a  full  professor 
and  chair  of  the  information 
and  computer  technology 
deparrment  of  Endicott 
College. 


68 


Robert  Gallo 

retired  recently 
as  president  of 
New  Jersey-American  Water 
Co.,  provider  of  potable  water 
to  more  than  one  million  New 
Jerseyans.  "Enjoying  golf 


69 


Gerry  Robbins 

is  vice  president 
of  planning  for 
The  Howard  Hughes  Corp.  in 
Las  Vegas.  He  directs  planning, 
engineering  and  landscape 
archirecture  for  Summerlin, 


What's  News? 

Please  let  us  hear  from  you  with  news  of  your  career, 

marriage,  family,  address  change— whatever. 

Why  not  send  us  a  photo  of  yourself  for  publication. 

And,  please  include  your  spouse's  full  name  when 

sending  wedding  or  birth  announcements. 


Please  check  preferred  malting  address. 
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Personal/career  news  for  Transformations: 


a  23,500-acre  master-planned 
community. 

James  Rossi  joined  Kema,  an 
energy-industry  consulting  firm 
based  in  the  Netherlands.  As 
president  of  the  Power  Genera- 
tion and  Sustainables  Group, 
he  will  lead  the  firm's  business 
operations  in  the  North 
American  energy  market. 


70 


Jack  Keenan, 

former  vice 
president 
of  Progress  Energy  Inc.'s 
Brunswick  Nuclear  Plant,  was 
promoted  to  vice  president, 
Fossil  Generation  Dept.,  for 
the  company's  Energy  Supply 
business  unit.  Keenan  joined 
the  Raleigh,  N.C.-based 
company's  predecessor,  CP&L, 
in  1995. 

Marc  Schweig  is  vice  president, 
business  development,  for 
Raritan  Computer  in  Somerset, 
N.J. 


71 


U.S.  Magistrate 
Judge  Paul 
Cleary  was 

elected  president  of  the  Hudson- 
Hall-Wheaton  Chapter  of 
American  Inns  of  Court. 

Dan  Donahue  holds  the  post 
of  town  engineer  for  Canton, 
Mass. 

Trent  Germano,  executive 
vice  president  of  Carter  & 
Associates,  topped  the  list  of 
Atlanta's  top  commercial  devel- 
opers in  a  recent  edition  of  the 
Atlanta  Business  Chronicle. 

Francis  Scricco  was  appointed 
group  vice  president  of  Avaya 
Global  Services  in  Basking 
Ridge,  N.J. 

«^k        Philip  Piqueira 
continues  as  the 
/        t     /       standards  inte- 
gration manager  for  General 
Electric  in  Plainficld,  Conn. 
He  also  offers  presentations  and 
private  consulting  on  die  finan- 
cial aid  process  to  prospective 
i  ollege  students  and  their 
parents. 


Roger  Heinen, 

managing  direc- 
tor of  Flagship 
Ventures,  was  recently  appointed 
to  the  boatd  of  Trusted  Net- 
work Technologies.  He  is  also  a 
member  of  the  WPI  Board  of 
Trustees. 

Wallace  McKenzie  joined 
Elytics  Inc.  in  Somerville, 
Mass.,  as  vice  president  of 
professional  services.  He  was 
previously  employed  by 
Answerthink. 


Alden  Bianchi 

joined  the 


74 

JL       Boston  office 
of  Mintz,  Levin,  Cohn,  Fetris, 
Glovsky  and  Popeo,  PC,  to 
head  up  the  firm's  employee 
benefits  and  executive  compen- 
sation practice. 

Jim  Bowen  was  appointed 
tegional  director  for  customer 
suppott  at  International  Aero 
Engines  in  East  Hartford, 
Conn.  He  is  responsible  for  the 
Asia/Pacific  region.  Jim  is  also 
proud  to  announce  the  birth  of 
his  first  grandchild,  Olivia  Ann 
Feher,  on  Jan.  28,2003. 

Robert  Lindberg  is  president 
of  the  National  Institute  of 
Aerospace  in  Hampton,  Va.  He 
had  served  as  vice  president  of 
research  and  program  develop- 
ment at  NIA  since  it  started  in 
2002. 

After  30  years  in  electtical  engi- 
neering. Bill  Tanguay  has  a 
new  career  teaching  7th-  and 
8th-grade  mathematics  at  Our 
Lady  of  Peace  School  in  Darien, 
III.  He  was  inspired  by  the 
volunteer  work  he  did  in  his 
own  children's  classrooms  to 
seek  certification  through  .m 

8-week  alternative  program  at 
Benedictine  University, 

Jonathan  Wood  is  director 
ot  applications,  RcvH.  lor 
USFilter  in  I  owell,  Mass. 

Gordon  Woodfall  is  president 

and  general  managei  >>i 
ThermoKeyTek  in  1  owell, 

Mass..  ami  eoloundei  el 
SENG. 


75 


Douglas 
Sargent  was 

named  public 


works  director  for  Laconia, 
N.H.  A  retired  Air  Force  offi- 
cer, he  brings  25  years  of  inter- 
national construction  manage- 
ment experience,  including  his 
previous  post  as  director  of 
public  works  for  the  town  of 
Ossipee. 

Beth  (Pennington)  Sigety 

and  her  husband,  Charles,  run 
Bison  Investments  Inc.,  based 
in  Tampa,  Fla.  She  holds  an 
MBA  from  Emory  University. 

Kazem  Sohraby  (M.S.  EE)  was 

named  head  of  the  computer 
science  and  computer  engineer- 
ing department  at  the  Univer- 
sity of  Arkansas.  He  holds  a 
doctorate  from  Brooklyn 
Polytechnic  University  and  an 
MBA  from  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania. 

Joseph  Dzialo 

was  appointed 
V^/       senior  vice 
president  and  general  manager 
of  the  U.S.  business  of 
Timberland  Co.,  based  in 
Stratham,  N.H. 

Fran  McConville's  mandolin 
may  be  heard  on  the  new  CD 
"Rotmans  Cafe  Fantastique 
Live:  Volume  1,"  which  features 
his  work  with  local  favorites 
Valerie  and  Walter  Crockett, 
The  Hole  in  the  Dam  Band, 
and  Chuck  and  Mud. 

7-^      Bill 
Cunningham 
took  on  a 
unique  marketing  challenge 
with  his  students  at  Northern 
Kentucky  University,  where  he 
is  an  adjunct  professor  in  the 
Fifth  Third  Bank  Entrepreneur- 
ship  Institute.  They  are  looking 
at  ways  to  get  colleges  interested 
in  the  Segway  Human  Trans- 
porter invented  by  Dean 
Kanien  '74.  Inspired  by 
Kamen's  commencement 
address,  the  students  began 
work  on  a  marketing  plan  to 


target  technology-friendly 
campuses. 

John  Osowski  continues  as 
director  of  planning  and  con- 
struction at  Brockport  State 
College.  He  recently  became 
certified  as  a  code  compliant 
technician  for  New  York  State 
building  codes.  He  is  also  certi- 
fied as  a  U.S.A.  Hockey  Level  2 
referee. 

John  Woodhull  is  manager  of 
process  engineering  for  ENSR 
International. 

Tom  Fleming 

was  named 
director  of  sales 

for  Visible  Inventory  in  Salem, 

N.H. 

Tom  Lewis 

co-founded  Two 
Toms  LCC  in 
Peterborough,  N.H.,  to  market 
BlisterShield,  a  powder  that 
eliminates  friction  for  hikers 
and  runners. 

Kenneth  Mandile  is  president 
of  Swissturn/USA,  a  highly 
automated  maker  of  Swiss-type 
screw  machine  parts.  The  firm 
moved  into  its  new  19,000- 
square-foot  factory  in  Oxford, 
Mass.,  in  December  2003. 

Bruce  Richmond  was  elected 
director  of  programs  for  Project 
Management  Institute,  Syracuse 
(N.Y.)  Chapter. 


81 


George  Awiszus 

and  his  wife, 
Lucy,  coordi- 
nated the  First  Annual  Craig 
Abraham  Golf  Outing  and 
Family  Celebration  in  memory 
of  the  friend  and  classmate  he 
lost  to  leukemia  in  2002.  Pro- 
ceeds from  the  Sept.  27,  2003, 
event  will  help  Craig's  widow, 
Louise,  finance  the  education 
of  their  sons,  Andrew,  Tim 
and  Chris.  Photos  of  the  event 
and  information  on  making 
donations  are  posted  at 
craigabraham.com. 


Joseph  Celentano  was  appointed 
senior  managing  director  at 
Bear  Stearns  in  San  Francisco. 

Steven  Oxman  (M.S.  CS)  lives 
in  the  Annapolis,  Md.,  area 
with  his  wife,  Judi,  and  sons 
Philip  and  Warren  (oldest  son, 
Charlie,  is  married  and  living 
in  Tennessee).  His  company, 
OXKO,  is  doing  well  with  its 
data  mining  and  data  forensics 
work.  Clients  include  the 
Executive  Residence  (a.k.a. 
the  White  House)  and  the 
Criminal  Investigation  Division 
of  the  IRS. 

John  Capurso 

joined  Visioneer 
in  Pleasanton, 
Calif,  as  vice  president  of  cor- 
porate sales. 

Toma  Duhani  is  the  new  DPW 

chief  in  Tewksbury,  Mass.  His 
previous  employers  include  the 
City  of  Worcester  and  the 
Massachusetts  Highway  Dept. 


Tom  Fiske  is  a  member  of  the 
ARC  Advisory  Group  in 
Dedham,  Mass. 

Mary  Ann  O'Connor  is  a 

principal  software  engineer  at 
Progress  Software  (formerly 
Excelon).  She  lives  in  Nashua, 
N.H. 

Bill  Fitzgerald 

was  appointed 
vice  president 
and  general  manager,  global 
operations,  for  the  GE  Engine 
Services  operation  at  GE  Air- 
craft Engines,  where  he  has 
worked  since  graduation. 


84 


Kimberly 
Conway  was 

appointed  to 
the  conservation  commission 
in  Billerica,  Mass. 

Barbara  (Mace)  Garitty  and 
her  husband.  Bob,  announce 
the  arrival  of  their  first  child, 
Jennifer  Anne.  They  live  in 
Aurora,  111. 


Michael  Donati  '82  (holding  daughter,  Michaela)  hosted  a  mini- 
reunion  of '81  and  '82  WPI  alumni  in  honor  of  Ingrid  Slembek 
(center),  who  was  visiting  from  Australia,  where  she  is  completing 
her  Ph.D.  Attending  the  party  were  Jim  Cahill  (holding  son, 
Brian)  and  (from  left)  Bob  Noel,  Tom  Malm,  Peter  Tiziani  '81, 
Tom  Soohoo,  Gary  Brown  '81  and  Tom  Cotton  '81.  Family 
obligations  prevented  Phil  Kull  from  making  the  party;  bad  fly- 
ing weather  in  Rochester,  N.Y.,  prevented  Matt  Metzger  from 
making  the  trip  in  his  private  plane.  (Mike  and  his  wife,  Michelle, 
live  in  Newfields,  N.H.  He  is  VP  of  sales,  marketing  and  applica- 
tion engineering  at  Beswick  Engineering,  founded  by  Paul 
Beswick  '57.) 


Transformations    \   Summer   2004     37 


CO 

O 
O 

Z 

O 


breakthrough 

management  tor 

flot-for-prolit 

organizations 

i5H 

WPI  Bookshelf 


Breakthrough  Management  for 
Not-for-Profit  Organizations: 
Beyond  Survival  in  the  21st 
Century 

by  Howard  H.  Brown  '56  and  Donald  L.  Ruhl 

Praeger  Publishers 

Not-for-profit  (NFP)  organizations  require 
a  unique  orientation  to  support  successful 
completion  of  their  missions.  After  retiring 
as  Symington  Professor  of  Management, 
Howard  Brown  collaborated  with  a  colleague  from  the  former 
Bradford  College  to  expand  their  lecture  notes  into  a  much-needed 
textbook.  Each  chapter  begins  with  a  case  study  of  the  inner  work- 
ings and  operations  of  an  NFP  organization,  including  volunteer 
efforts.  The  book,  which  includes  an  annotated  index,  addresses  the 
unique  challenges  of  leadership  posed  by  tight  budgets  and  difficult 
economic  times.  In  addition  to  his  teaching  career,  Brown  has  exten- 
sive experience  on  the  boards  of  directors  of  community  health  and 
civic  organizations.  He  holds  an  MBA  from  Northeastern  University 
and  earned  a  doctorate  from  Boston  University  in  the  administration 
of  higher  education  and  adult  education. 

A  Creative  Odyssey: 

The  Story  of  Floyd  and  Richie 

by  Richard  Rotelli  '56 

Infinity 

The  Richie  of  the  title  is  Dick  Rotelli's  father, 
a  self-taught  engineer  who  used  his  talents 
to  help  his  neighbor,  Floyd  Walser.  In  1901, 
Floyd,  an  aspiring  Texas  cowboy,  was  crip- 
pled in  a  fall.  While  recovering  from  the 
riding  accident,  he  developed  polio  and 
became  paralyzed.  Rotelli  describes  his  father's  homespun  inven- 
tions, which  allowed  Floyd  to  function  in  the  world  using  only  his 
right  arm.  His  innovations  included  a  flat-bottomed  boat  for  fishing, 
a  flotation  device  for  swimming,  and  a  motorized  wheelchair.  In  an 
era  before  handicapped  rights  and  accessible  facilities,  Richie's 
ingenuity  allowed  Floyd  to  live  an  active  life  and  develop  his  artistic 
talents  as  a  painter. 


Nicholas  Johnson  received  the 
Muscular  Dystrophy  Associa- 
tion's 2004  National  Personal 
Achievement  Award.  He  was 


Karla  (Twedt)  Szkutak  began 
teaching  mathematics  at 
Ipswich  (Mass.)  High  School 
this  year,  after  a  career  as  a 
product  manager  and  senior 
marketing  manager  for  AT&T. 

Licinio  Alves 

^^        and  his  wife, 
Susan,  had  a 
baby  girl,  Julia  Blair,  born  on 
Valentines  Day,  2003.  They 
live  in  Portsmouth,  R.I. 


Robert  Gibbons  was  named  a 
partner  at 
Mirick 
O'Connell, 


where  he 
specializes  in 
commercial 
litigation.  A 
graduate  of  Suffolk  University 
Law  School,  he  joined  the  firm 
in  1997. 


featured  on  the  organization's 
annual  Jerry  Lewis  Telethon 
and  made  a  guest  appearance 
at  WCVB-TV  studios  in 
Boston.  He  is  an  HVA  engineer 
with  Bard,  Rao  and  Athanas 
Consulting  Engineers  and  an 
active  volunteer  in  the  MDA.  A 
Boston  Globe  article  lauded  his 
achievements  in  overcoming 
obstacles  and  serving  as  a  role 
model  for  others. 

Kathy  Parker  married  James 
O'Hearn  on  Sept.  7,  2003.  She 
works  at  the  Naval  Undersea 
Warfare  Center  in  Newport, 
R.I. 

After  14  years  with  Massa- 
chusetts General  Hospital  in 
Boston,  Susan  Woods  will  be 
relocating  to  Amsterdam  in 
June  with  her  family,  including 
her  two-year-old  daughter, 
for  the  next  couple  of  years. 
"Looking  forward  to  the  chal- 
lenges ahead!"  she  writes. 

JeffEells,  a.k.a. 
Nfc  I  -"X       "Hack,"  along 
K^J  V_/       with  his  partner, 
"Tack,"  formed  Carolina 
Custom  Home  Crafters.  The 
general  contracting  firm,  with 
offices  in  Trinity  and  Greens- 
boro, N.C.,  caters  to  home- 
builders  who  wain  prolession.il 
assistance  in  constructing  their 
own  home.  He  left  a  corporate 
career  in  ll)'>!s  to  si.ut  the 
business  and  now  serves  as  a 
self-employed  consultant  to 
guide  "do-it-yourselfers. 


Elisabeth  BenDaniel  Schwartz 

lives  in  Englewood,  N.J.,  with 
her  husband,  Peter,  and  three 
kids,  Alexandra,  5,  Brooke,  3, 
and  Andrew,  2.  She  works  part 
time  with  Oracle  ERP  systems. 
"I  would  love  to  hear  from 
other  alumni  at  eschwart@ 
verizon.net." 

Tom  Cappelletti 

and  his  wife, 
Janeen,  left  the 
sunny  Phoenix  desert  and 
moved  to  the  Denver  area.  He 
continues  to  fly  as  a  757/767 
first  officer  for  UPS,  as  well  as 
serve  as  an  Air  Force  Reserve 
major.  Their  twins,  Charlie  and 
Caroline,  celebrated  their  sec- 
ond birthday  in  November. 

Lori  Duncan  married  John 
Wright  on  May  11,2003. 
She  is  an  adjunct  professor  at 
Quinsigamond  Community 
College.  They  live  in  Lexing- 
ton, Mass. 

Jim  Goodell  and  his  wife, 
Patti,  welcomed  their  third 
child,  Abigail  Grace,  on  Sept. 
19,  2003.  She  joins  her  broth- 
ers, Benjamin,  4,  and  Aaron,  2. 
Jim  is  director  for  product/ 
services  development  at  CELT 
Corp.  in  Marlborough,  Mass. 

Mark  Neumann  is  a  mech- 
anical engineer  at  Hamilton 
Sundstrand  Space  Systems 
International.  He  lives  in 
Granby,  Conn. 

Keith  Noe  joined  Lowrie. 

Lando  and 
Anastasi  in 
Boston.  He 
will  continue 
to  support 
his  former 
employer. 
Cookson  Electronics,  where  he 
served  as  vice  president  of  intel- 
lectual property.  I  le  is  a  gradu- 
ate of  Franklin  Pierce  Law 
Center. 


38     Transformations   \  Summer  200^ 


HOMECOMING    •    October  8-9,  2004 

Reunions  for  Classes  of  '89,  '94,  '99,  '04 


Gil  Tavares  and  his  wife, 
Carolyn,  announce  the  birth 
of  their  second  child,  Emily 
Katherine,  on  Oct.  10,  2003. 
Emily  is  watched  over  by  her 
older  sister,  Sarah,  age  3.  Jim 
works  for  GE  Osmonics  in 
Westborough,  Mass. 


88 


Joe  Musmanno 

was  named 
director  of  infor- 
mation exploitation  at  Titan 
Corp.  In  addition,  he  continues 
to  serve  as  chairman  of  the 
Boatd  of  Selectmen  of  his  cur- 
rent hometown  of  Medway, 
Mass. 

Roderick  Shaffert  (M.S.  CE) 
was  appointed  account  execu- 
tive for  the  scholastic  group 
of  Worcester-based  Cutler 
Associates.  He  has  been  with 
the  firm  for  17  years. 

Angela  (Iatrou)  Simon  passed 
the  Massachusetts  Board  of 
Building  Regularions  Construc- 
tion Supervisor  licensing  exami- 
nation. She  is  now  qualified  to 
manage  the  construction  of 
industrial,  commercial  and 
residential  buildings  of  up  to 
35,000  cubic  feet.  She  also  had 
a  baby  boy,  Nathan  Jonathan, 
on  Jan.  19,  2004.  He  joins  his 
sister  Korinna,  4,  and  his  broth- 
er, Xander,  2.  Angela  and  her 
husband  of  seven  years,  Erik, 
are  thrilled  with  Nathan's 
arrival. 


89 


15th  Reunion 
at  Homecoming, 
October  8-9 

Karen  (Frasca)  Connolly 

(M.S.  CM)  and  her  husband, 
Scott,  announce  the  birth  of 
their  son,  Adam  Scott,  born 
March  31,  2003.  He  joins  his 
siblings,  Emily,  5'/2,  and 
Patrick,  3. 

Cara  Escobar  married  Michael 
Turnbull  on  April  26,  2003. 
They  live  in  Middleton,  R.I., 
where  Cara  is  a  lead  software 
engineer  at  Anteon  Corp. 


Vince  Matrisciano  is  lead 
project  manager  for  all  fire 
control  software  development 
projects  at  the  U.S.  Army's 
Armament  Research,  Develop- 
ment &  Engineering  Center 
in  Picatinny,  N.J.  An  article 
about  his  work  appeared  in  the 
August  2003  issue  of  National 
Defense  Magazine.  He  notes 
that  Ralph  Tillinghast  '99 
recently  joined  his  development 
team. 

Christopher  Pater  and  his 

wife,  Julie,  announce  the  birth 
of  a  son,  William  Edward,  on 
Jan.  31,  2004.  He  joins  his 
brother,  Matthew,  who  cele- 
brated his  first  birthday  in 
January.  They  live  in  Manchester, 
Conn.  Chris  marks  1 5  years 
with  United  Technologies  this 
year,  where  he  currenrly  leads 
manufacturing  resource  plan- 
ning system  design  at  Pratt  & 
Whitney. 

Smyth  Turner  joined  John 
Guest  USA  as  territory  sales 
manager  for  Mid-Atlantic  Sales. 

David  LeBlanc 

was  promoted 
^/    \*J       to  engineering 
manager  at  Rolf  Jensen  & 
Assoc. 

Army  Reserve  Sgt.  Joao  "John" 
Salomao  of  Hudson,  Mass.,  is 
home  from  an  eight-month 
tour  of  duty.  He  spent  four 
months  in  Baghdad,  where  his 
unit  was  assigned  to  install 
lights  and  power  lines  at  the 
Abu  Ghraib  prison. 

Chip  Brown  has  completed 
two  tours  of  duty  in  the  Petsian 
Gulf  as  a  lieutenant  commander 
and  Navy  pilot.  He  now  flies 
for  FedEx. 

David  Stec  is  vice  president  of 
The  Center  for  Lean  Business 
Management  of  New  Britain, 
Conn.  He  has  written  several 
papers  on  online  "reverse  auc- 
tions," which  he  believes  are 
contrary  to  the  principles  of 
lean  managemenr. 


Nathan  Crowell 

joined  Sherry 
Laborarories  in 
Muncie, 
Ind.,  as  a 
metallurgical 
engineer. 
He  and  his 
wife,  Patti- 
Anne,  have 
two  daughters. 

Greg  Frizzle  and  his  wife, 
Nancy,  had  a  daughter,  Rachel 
Amber,  born  Aug.  13,  2003. 
Greg  is  a  software  engineer  at 
I-many  Inc.  in  Portland,  Maine. 

Daniel  Meldrum  joined 
Electro  Abrasives  Corp.  in 
Buffalo,  N.Y.,  as  vice  president 
of  sales. 

Christopher  Walton  is  a  senior 
engineer  with  EBI  Consulting. 
He  lives  in  Amherst,  N.H. 

Teresa  Cordeiro 
Duprey  contin- 
ues as  a  director 
of  technology  in  the  Travelers 
Information  Systems  Division 
in  Hartford,  Conn.,  while  her 
husband,  Kevin  Duprey  '91, 
manages  the  research  programs 
of  Ensign-Bickford  Aerospace 
and  Defense  Co.  as  an  analyti- 
cal engineer.  Teresa  writes, 
"Both  Elliot,  3,  andAva,  1, 
exhibit  strong  analytical  skills 
and  are  expected  to  join  the 
WPI  classes  of  2022  and  2023!" 

Ellen  Keohane  (M.S.  CS)  was 
promoted  to  director  of  infor- 
mation technology  services  at 
the  College  of  the  Holy  Cross, 
where  she  has  worked  for  more 
than  20  years. 

Maj.  David  Mann  returned 
from  Iraq,  where  his  service  as 
commander  in  the  10th  Special 
Forces  Group  (Airborne)  earned 
him  the  Bronze  Star  for  Valor. 
He  has  rerurned  to  work  as  a 
firefighter/paramedic  with  West 
Metro  Fire  Rescue  team  in 
Lakewood,  Colo.  He  was  also 
appointed  a  trainer  for  the 
Denver  Regional  BioTerror 
Task  Force.  He  lives  in  the 
foothills  of  the  Rockies  with 
his  two-year-old  daughter, 
Devlynn. 


Robert  Nocera  and  his  wife, 
Sherri,  announce  the  birth 
of  their  second  daughter, 
Cassandra  Jayne,  on  April  31, 
2003.  Her  3-year-old  sistet, 
Isabella  Rose,  is  as  excited  as 
the  rest  of  the  family.  Rob's  IT 
outsourcing  and  software 
development  company,  NEOS, 
continues  to  grow,  with  new 
headquarters  in  Manchester, 
Conn. 

Brian  Rucci  was  named  a 
fellow  of  the  Casualty  Actuarial 
Society.  He  works  for  Travelers 
Insurance. 


93 


Douglas 
Campbell  is 

director  of 
business  development  at  ECI 
Biotech  in  Worcester. 

Tracy  Coifman  and  his  wife, 
Agnes,  are  happy  to  announce 


the  bitth  of  their  twin  sons, 
Diego  Alexander  and  Myles 
Sebastian,  on  Jan.  4,  2004. 
They  live  in  San  Juan,  Puerto 
Rico. 

Anthony  Girard  joined 
Ventute  Tape  Corp.  of  Provi- 
dence, R.I.,  as  a  process 

engineer. 

Jeff  Rem  hold  and  his  wife, 
Cristine,  announce  the  birth  of 
their  fourth  child  (third  daugh- 
ter), Mary  Teresa,  on  Ocr.  19, 
2003.  They  live  in  Webster, 
N.Y.,  where  Jeff  continues  as  an 
applications  engineer  for  PTC. 

Capt.  David  Willis  married 
Lori  Garofano  recently.  He  is 
serving  with  the  Army  in  Staten 
Island,  N.Y. 


Transformations    \   Summer  2004     39 


HOMECOMING    •    October  8-9,  2004 

Reunions  for  Classes  of  '89,  '94,  '99,  '04 


I  94 


10th  Reunion 
at  Homecoming, 
October  8-9 

Capt.  Don  Cournoyer  and 

his  wife,  Kim,  have  a  new  son, 
Aaron  Joseph.  They  and  their 
older  children,  Courtney, 
Rachel,  Austin  and  Emily,  can 
now  be  found  in  the  Fort 
Bragg,  N.C.,  area,  after  three 
years  stationed  at  Ramstein  AB 
in  Germany. 

Joseph  Gifford  is  a  senior 
development  engineer  in  the 
Applications  R&D  Dept.  at 
USFilter. 

Scott  Kalish  and  his  wife, 
Alison,  had  their  first  baby, 
Nathan  Charles,  on  Dec.  13, 
2002.  Scott  was  promoted  to 
senior  program  manager  at 
InterDigital  Communications 
Corp.  in  Royersford,  Pa. 

Senya  (Hiscox)  Miles  was 

promoted  to  technology  leader 
for  GE  General  Eastern,  an 
acquisition  of  GE  Industrial 
Systems,  where  she  is  responsi- 
ble for  humidity  sensor  and 
transmitter  systems.  Senya 
and  her  husband,  Andy,  have 
relocated  to  the  Wilmington, 
Mass.,  area. 

Sean  O'Connor  and  his  wife, 
Kerrie,  have  a  new  son,  Collin 
Michael,  born  Nov.  1,  2003. 
He  joins  his  siblings,  Gabrielle 
and  Jared. 

Jonathan  Pearson  and  his  wife, 
Laura,  had  a  son,  David,  on 
April  17,  2003. 

Tony  Sacchetti  and  his  wife, 
Meg,  announce  the  birth  of 
their  son,  Anthony.  Tony  Sr.  is 
an  engineer  in  the  New  Product 
Marketing  Group  at  Tyco/ 
Healthcare/Kendall. 


Chuck  Scholpp  received  MBA 
and  MEM  degrees  from  the 
Kellogg  School  of  Management 
last  year,  and  now  works  as  a 
marketing  manager  for  Hach 
Co.,  a  division  of  Danaher 
Corp.  He  and  his  wife,  Elaine, 
had  a  son,  Alexander  Henry,  on 
Jan.  10,  2004.  They  live  in  Fort 
Collins,  Colo. 

Todd  Sullivan,  his  wife,  Alexa, 
and  their  3-year-old  son,  Ethan, 
recently  welcomed  another  son, 
Garrett,  into  the  world.  More 
recently,  Todd  changed  law 
firms  and  now  practices  patent 
law  at  Hayes  Soloway  in 
Manchester,  N.H. 

Rebecca  (Mason)  Yang 

received  a  Pharm.  D.  from 
the  University  of  Southern 
California  in  May  2003.  A  few 
months  later,  she  and  her  hus- 
band, Roger,  welcomed  their 
first  child,  Zackary,  born  on 
their  sixth  wedding  anniversary, 
Aug.  6.  They  are  all  healthy  and 
happy  in  Los  Angeles,  where 
Becca  is  a  pharmacist  and 
Roger  is  an  emergency  room 
physician. 

Kim  (Quigley) 
and  Justin 
Caserta  wel- 
comed a  son,  John  Patrick,  on 
Dec.  11,2003.  He  joins  his  big 
sister,  Kaleigh,  in  their  Billerica, 
Mass.,  home. 

Craig  Dubrule  and  his  wife, 
Jennifer,  are  proud  to  announce 
the  birth  of  their  son,  Jack 
Warren,  on  July  22,  2003. 
Craig  recently  graduated  from 
Stanford  University  with  a  mas- 
ter's in  mechanical  engineering 
and  is  working  at  Cisco  Systems 
in  San  Jose,  Calif. 


Attention: 

Alumni  of  Jazz  Groups 

A  WPI  Alumni  Jazz  Collective  is  being  organized 
by  Jeremy  Hitchcock  '04,  Troy  Nielsen  '91,  Mike 
Vinskus  '91,  Tony  Erwin  '87,  Kyle  Warren  '96, 
Mike  Andrews  '96,   Jay  Tyer  '84,  et  al.  Send  con- 
tact information  to  jeremy@dyndns.org.  Please 
include  your  current  e-mail  and  postal  address, 
and  stay  tuned  for  future  info. 


mm 


i 


there 
in  the  world? 

ishelping 
bund  a  hospital  in  Congo-Brazzaville 
with  Global  Outreach  MissionTHe" — - 
and  his  wife,  Crystal,  traveled  there 
in  February  2003  with  their  five 
children;  they  gave  birth  to  a  sixth, 
"  Heidi  Jean,  on  Dec.  1 2  at  their 
home  in  Impfondo,  attended  by  the 
mission's  doctor.  For  more  on  the 
family  and  the  hospital  project,  visit 
jayandcrystal.corn. 


Send  us  a  picture  and  tell  us  where  you've  worn  your  WPI  letters  lately. 


Glen  Gaebe  received  his  M.D. 
from  UMass  Medical  School  in 
June  2003.  He  is  currently  a 
surgical  resident  in  the  UMass- 
Memorial  hospitals. 

John  Grossi  recently  became 
engaged  to  Kyle  Sarena 
Montuori,  a  Regis  College 
alumna.  A  November  wedding 
is  planned. 

Shannon  (Bielitz)  Johnson's 

children,  Camden,  3,  and 
Alden,  1 ,  trick-or-treated  as  a 


After  five  years  at  Becton 
Dickinson,  I  left  my  position  as 
engineering  project  leader  to 
become  a  'domestic  engineer,' 
putting  my  degree  to  use 
designing  Halloween  cos- 
tumes." The  kids  won  costume 
contests  in  Somerville  and 
Raritan,  N.J. 

Ken  and  Tanya  (Macek) 
Mongeon  '96  are  the 


Phillips  lu.id  screw  and  screw 

driver  set  0X1  Halloween. 
Shannon  writes.  "I  married 
( Ihriscophei  [ohnson  in  I'1'1'1 


proud  parents  ol  Connor  Dean, 
born  Aug.  4,  2003.  Ken  serves 
as  senior  premium  services 
consultant  director  .it  Fidelity 

Investments  Institutional 

i  Operations  c  'ompany  Inc.  in 
Smithfield,  R.I. 

I  li/abeih  (Allcnbrook)  Simon 
joined  I  HI  ( lonsulting  in 
Burlington,  Mass..  as  a  program 

manager.  She  is  ,i  graduate  ol 

Boston  i  lollege  1  aw  School. 


Kylie  (Schoenrock)  Williams 

had  a  baby  boy,  Joseph  Patrick, 
on  May  7,  2003. 

%AIex  Cardenas 
earned  his  Ph.D. 
at  Purdue  Uni- 
versity in  2002.  He  is  employed 
as  a  medical  physicist  at  the 
M.D.  Anderson  Cancer  Center 
in  Houston. 

Tim  Dean  was  promoted  to  sen- 
ior engineer  at  ExxonMobil 
Chemical  in  Baton  Rouge,  La. 
He  and  his  wife,  Caroline,  have 
a  daughter,  Natalie,  and  a  son, 
Jonah  Patrick,  born  March  26, 
2003. 

Christian  Kuiawa  and 

Amy  Vandall  were  married 


Oct.  25,  2003,  at  Saints  Peter 
and  Paul  Cathedral  in  Provi- 
dence, R.I.  They  live  in 
Warwick. 

Karen  (Goodell)  and  Isaiah 

Plante  '97  welcomed  a  son, 
Hunter  Sreven,  on  March  3, 
2003.  They  and  big  brother 
Isaiah,  3,  live  in  Scarborough, 
Maine. 

Rich  Santora  married  Michelle 
Mach  recently.  He  works  for 
Incom  Inc.  in  Charlton,  and 
Worcester  Emergency  Medical 
Services. 

Matthew  Weidele  and  his  wife, 
Andrea,  welcomed  their  son, 
Joseph  Sean,  into  the  world 
on  Nov.  26,  2003.  "Mom  and 
baby  are  doing  great  after  a 
natural  childbirth,"  he  writes. 
They  live  in  Warwick,  R.I. 

Chinmay 
Chatterjee 

(Ph.D.)  is  presi- 
dent and  CEO  of  Integrated 
Pharmaceuticals  in  Boston. 


Daryl  Hart  and  his  wife, 
Kathy,  are  happy  to  announce 
the  birth  of  their  second  daugh- 
ter, Natalie  Marie,  on  Jan.  20, 
2004.  Their  older  daughter, 
Marisa,  is  4.  Daryl,  an  Air 
Force  captain,  expects  to  be 
reassigned  in  June  to  the 
National  Air  and  Space 
Intelligence  Center  at  Wright- 
Patterson  AFB.  He  recently 
earned  an  MBA  at  Auburn 
University. 

Ben  Higgins  and  Katherine 
Drainville  were  recently 
married  on  the  beautiful  island 
of  Oahu,  Hawaii.  Kathy  is 
completing  her  Ph.D.  at  the 
University  of  Rhode  Island, 
while  Ben  has  returned  to  WPI 
to  manage  computer  operations 
for  the  Mechanical  Engineering 
Dept.  They  live  in  North 
Grafton,  Mass. 

Former  Ladycats  basketball  star 
Kim  Landry  was  inducted  into 
the  Gardner  (Mass.)  High 
School  Athletic  Hall  of  Fame. 

Joseph  Plunkett  is  a  senior 
project  engineer  at  Mercury 
Computer  Systems  in 
Chelmsford,  Mass. 

John  Powell  married  Michelle 
Barclay.  He  works  for  Cyryc 
Corp.  in  Boxborough,  Mass. 

Steven  Siegmund  starred  in 
a  local  production  of  Noel 
Coward's  Hay  Fever,  which 
was  directed  by  WPI's  Paula 
Moravek. 

Jeffrey  Feigin 

(M.S.  EE)  is 
_^X    K^J       principal  appli- 
cations engineer  at  Skyworks 
Solutions  Inc.,  headquartered 
in  Woburn,  Mass. 

Chris  Gauvin  married  Karen 
Gwozdowski  on  Sept.  28, 
2003,  with  Robert  King  '97  as 

best  man.  Chris  lives  in  South 
Grafton,  Mass.,  and  works  for 
Davol  Inc. 

Michelle  Lafond  and  Joseph 

Raab  were  married  Sept.  27, 
2003.  She  works  at  ENSR 
International,  and  he  works  at 


GE  Power  Systems.  They  live 
in  Lawrenceville,  Ga. 

Darryl  Pollica  married  Laura 
Sales  on  July  3,  2003.  He  works 
as  a  chemical  engineer  and  lives 
in  Medford,  Mass. 

Jennifer  Sapochetti  (M.S. 
FPE)  is  a  consultant  with  the 
Boston-area  office  of  RJA.  Her 
article  on  the  International 
Building  Code  approach  to 
smoke  control  systems  design 
appeared  in  the  November 
2003  issue  of  Engineered 
Systems. 

5th  Reunion 
V-  II      at  Homecoming, 
October  8-9 

Edward  Cameron  transferred 
to  a  new  position  with  Knolls 
Atomic  Power  Laboratory  in 
Schenectady,  N.Y.  He  is  now  an 
engineer  in  the  reactor  servicing 
group,  supporting  the  Navy's 
Los  Angeles  class  of  submarines. 
He  also  serves  as  a  firefighter 
and  EMT  with  the  Round  Lake 
Fire  Dept. 

Erin  Duffy  married  James 
Nesbitt  on  May  17,  2003.  They 
live  in  Hopewell  Junction,  N.Y. 

Paul  Graves  and  his  wife,  Jane, 
welcomed  their  second  daugh- 
ter, Maretta,  in  December. 
They  and  3-year-old  Elise  live 
in  Lawrence,  Kan.,  where  Paul 
is  an  environmental  engineer 
with  the  state  Department  of 
Health  and  Environment. 

Mohan  and  Neeta  Jain 
Jayaraman  celebrated  the  first 
birthday  of  their  son,  Viraj, 
who  was  born  on  Jan.  30, 
2003.  They  live  in  Nashua, 
N.H. 

After  four  years  at  Tinker  AFB 
in  Oklahoma,  Pat  and  Vicky 
(Dulac)  O'Sullivan  and  their 
son,  Mack,  3,  have  returned  to 
the  Northeast.  Pat,  an  Air  Force 
captain,  is  now  assigned  to  the 
Electronic  Systems  Center  at 
Hanscom  AFB. 


Deborah  Marcroft  Pasho 

graduated  from  Tufts  University 
School  of  Veterinary  Medicine 
recently. 

Lisa  (Angle)  and  Garren 
Walters  '98  had  their  first 
child,  Justin  James,  on  Nov.  1, 
2003.  They  have  been  married 
since  August  2001  and  are  cur- 
rently living  in  Nashua,  N.H. 

Eric  Wilhelm's  wedding  to 
Alison  Yanka  on  Oct.  26,  2003, 
included  Nate  Gronda,  Phil 
Tongue  and  Carl  Messina  '00 

as  ushers.  Eric  is  pursing  a  mas- 
ter's degree  in  transportation 
engineering  at  UMass  Lowell. 

Brooke  Clark 
and  Jamie 
\J  \J       Contonio  '01 

were  joined  in  holy  matrimony 


on  Oct.  25,  2003.  Many  close 
friends  and  siblings  artended 
their  Worcester  wedding, 
including  Adam  Clark  '97, 
Cheryl  (Eddins)  Steenstra, 
Alyssa  (Schlichting)  Watson, 
Matthew  Beaton  '01  and  Todd 
Clark  '01.  Jamie  works  for 
Foster-Miller  Inc.,  and  Brooke 
is  employed  as  a  visiting  chem- 
istry teacher  at  the  Mass 
Academy  of  Math  and  Science. 
They  recently  moved  into  their 
new  home  in  Paxton,  Mass. 

Bhairavi  Parikh  (Ph.D.)  and 
her  husband,  Rajiv,  are  co- 
founders  of  Aperon  Biosystems. 
The  Santa  Clara,  Calif.,  startup 
is  developing  a  device  to  moni- 
tor airway  inflammation  in 
asthma  patients. 


Transformations    \   Summer  200^     4  1 


HOMECOMING    •    October  8-9,  2004 

Reunions  for  Classes  of  '89,  '94,  '99,  '04 


01 


Army  1st  Lt. 
Michael 
DiCaprio  is 


serving  in  Iraq.  Contact  him  at 
michael.dicaprio@us.army.mil. 

Jason  Ferschke  married  Jillian 
Bromage  recently.  He  continues 
at  the  Auburn,  Mass.,  fire 
department. 

Diane  Kavanagh  and  Bruce 

Skarin  '02  were  married  on 
Sept.  20,  2003,  with  many 
recent  WPI  grads  there  to 
help  make  their  day  special. 
After  a  10-day  honeymoon 
in  Aruba,  they  settled  down  in 
Bridgeport,  Conn. 

Amanda  Kight  and  Paul 
Muller  are  engaged.  The  wed- 
ding was  planned  for  June  19, 


2004,  at  Wright-Patterson 
AFB,  where  Paul,  a  first  lieu- 
tenant, is  stationed  in  the  Air 
Force  Research  Laboratory's 
Sensors  Directorate.  Amanda 
is  working  toward  a  Ph.D.  at 
Wright  State  University;  she 
expects  to  finish  in  2005. 
Wedding  details  and  photos  are 
posted  on  the  couples  Web  site, 
paulandamanda.com. 

Matthew  Lewis  and  Nikole 
Howard  '02  were  married 
Aug.  2,  2004.  They  live  in 
Maiden,  Mass. 

David  Philips  and  Erica  Lafont 
were  married  Oct.  4,  2004,  and 
spent  a  beautiful  honeymoon  in 
Hawaii.  They  live  in  Ayer, 
Mass. 

Robert  Tuttle  married  Jennie 
Heger  on  July  19,  2003.  He  is  a 
graduate  student  and  teaching 
assistant  at  the  University  of 
Missouri  in  Rolla. 


Amy  Bliven  and 

Dennis  Siewert 
became  engaged 
over  Valentine's  Day  weekend. 
He  surprised  her  with  a  ring  in 
front  of  Cindetella's  Castle  in 
the  Magic  Kingdom.  A  July 
2005  wedding  is  planned.  They 
both  work  for  the  Florida  Dept. 
of  Law  Enforcement  Crime  Lab 
in  Orlando. 

Jeff  Brown  was  named  Teacher 
of  the  Year  for  2003  at  Joel 
Barlow  High  School,  in 
Redding,  Conn.,  where  he  is  a 
special  education  teacher  and 
football  coach.  Jeff  started  in 
1994  as  a  paraprofessional, 
became  certified  in  1996,  then 
earned  a  master's  degree  in  ther- 
apeutic recreation  in  2001. 

Liz  Cash  and  Jeremy 
Hitchco.ck  '04  are  engaged. 
They  have  moved  to 
Manchestet,  N.H.,  where 
Jeremy  is  chief  financial  officer 
for  Dynamic  Network  Services. 
Liz  has  started  her  own  consult- 
ing business  at  lizesc.com  and  is 
making  a  niche  fot  herself  in 
the  Manchester  community. 

The  heat  of  the  Persian  Gulf 
didn't  stop  Marine  Cpl.  Justin 
I  .in/  from  training  for  his 

■ 


goal — the  2008  Summer 
Olympics.  After  a  six-month 
deployment  in  Kuwait  and 
Iraq,  he  returned  home  CO 
W'.iipole,  Maine,  in  September. 


Audrey  Coats 
I   -^\       (MME)  teaches 
mathematics  at 
Lynnfield  (Mass.)  High  School. 

Navy  Ensign  Matthew  Leland 

received  his  commission  after 
completing  Officer  Candidate 
School  at  Naval  Aviation  Schools 
Command  in  Pensacola,  Fla. 

Robert  Desmarais  proposed 
to  Cindy  Forbes,  a  physical 
thetapist,  while  vacationing 
in  Playa  del  Carmen,  Mexico. 
They  live  in  Wallingford, 
Conn.,  and  are  planning  a 
June  2005  wedding.  Rob,  an 
application  developer  at  Aetna 
Insurance,  is  pursuing  a 
master's  degree  in  CIS  at 
Quinnipiac  University. 

Col.  Gordon  MacKenzie 

(M.S.  CE)  sends  word  from 
Iraq,  where  he  is  leading  an 


Army  Combat  Engineers 
brigade  in  reconstruction 
efforts.  He  took  time  out  for 
this  photo  opportunity  during 
the  grueling  3-day  convoy 
through  Baghdad  to  Tikrit. 
"How  many  times  will  I  be  in 
the  middle  of  Itaq,  and  have 
the  chance  to  tide  a  camel?" 
he  writes.  Contact  Gordie  at 
gordon.mackenzie@us.army.mil. 

Bill  Penrod  (M.S.)  holds  the 
post  of  Maine  operations  site 
manager  at  the  Brunswick  plant 
of  Cooper  Wiring  Devices. 


2nd  Lt.  Natalie  Woodworth 

is  enrolled  in  the  Doctor  of 
Osteopathic  Medicine  Program 
at  the  University  of  New 
England,  under  a  full  four-year 
scholarship  from  the  U.S.  Army. 
She  received  her  commission  in 
August  2003. 

NOTE:  Zero-Year  Reunion 
for  the  Class  of  2004  at 
Homecoming,  October  8-9 

Graduate  Management 
Programs 

Brian  Schuster  '03  (MBA) 
wotks  fot  National  Grid.  He 
and  his  wife,  Melissa,  live  in 
Millbury,  Mass. 

Master  of  Natural 
Science 

Larry  George  '78  was 

appointed  headmaster  of 
Bradford  Christian  Academy, 
which  will  open  in  September 
2004.  He  lives  in  Danville, 

N.H. 

School  of  Industrial 
Management 

George  Walker  '58  was 

appointed  to  his  third  term 
on  the  Mississippi  State  Board 
for  Community  and  Junior 
Colleges  by  former  Gov.  Ronnie 
Musgrove.  He  is  founder  of 
Delta  Wire  Corp. 

Don  Zereski  '74  was  named 
president  and  CEO  o\  Silicon 
Dimensions  Inc.  in  Marlborough, 
Mass. 

Thomas  Kanaan  '85  is 
facilities  manager  lor  the 
Wells  &  Ogunquit  Community 
School  District  in  Maine. 


M 


I  bioengineering  institute 


42     Transformations    \  Summer  2004 


Build  Your  Career  in  the  Medical  Device  Industry 

I  earn  more  about  this  last-paced  industrv  in  WPI  s  new  Medical  Device 
Certificate  Program.  Ollered  In  WPl's  Bioengineering  Institute,  the 
comprehensive  evening  course  i  overs  financing  strategies,  product  devel- 
opment, regulator]  affairs,  and  more.  Classes  meet  weekly  beginning 
Sept.  30  for  II  weeks  .it  \\  Pi's  Waltham  Campus, 

Save  up  to  50  percent  on  tuition!    Individuals  Current])  employed  by  a 

company  located  in  Massachusetts  may  be  eligible  lor  up  to  so  percent 
reimbursement.  Call  $08-831-0926,  ext,  20,  oi  visit  www.wpi.edu/+bei. 


Carl  H.  Carlson  '29  of 

Westborough,  Mass.,  died  Jan. 
21,2004. 
His  wife, 
Alice 
(Johnson) 
died  in 
December 
2003.  He 


Alumni  who  wish  to  make  contributions  in  me 
of  classmates  and  friends  may  contact  the  office  of 
Development  and  University  Relations  at  WPI. 


leaves  a  son,  a  daughter,  four 
granddaughters  and  three 
great-grandchildren.  Carlson 
retired  from  Bay  State  Abra- 
sives as  plant  engineer  at  age 
65.  He  continued  consulting  as 
a  professional  engineer  into  his 
80s  and  contributed  his  skills 
to  various  town  municipal 
projects.  He  belonged  to 
Theta  Chi. 

Robert  Bumstead  '31  of 

North  Conway,  N.H.,  died 
Sept.  15, 
2003.  Pre- 
deceased by 
his  wife, 
Gertrude 
"Fostie" 
Bumstead, 
his  survivors  include  a  son,  a 
daughter  and  two  grandchil- 
dren. Bumstead  joined 
Allendale  Insurance  Co.  (now 
FM  Global)  in  1938  and 
retired  as  a  senior  vice  presi- 
dent. He  belonged  to  Phi 
Gamma  Delta. 

William  F.  Reardon  '32  of 

Asheville,  N.C.,  died  Dec.  30, 
2003.  He  leaves  his  wife  of  66 
years,  Virginia,  a  son,  a  daugh- 
ter, four  grandchildren  and 
four  great-grandchildren. 
Reardon  earned  a  master's 
degree  at  the  University  of 
Tennessee  in  Knoxville,  where 
he  worked  for  the  TVA.  He 
served  in  the  Navy  Construc- 
tion Battalion  during  World 
War  II  and  later  worked  for 
General  Electric  Real  Estate 
and  Construction  until  he 
retired  in  1973. 

Richard  T.  Merrell  '33  of 

Walnut  Creek,  Calif.,  died 

March  26, 
2003.  His 
wife,  Elinor 
(Drake), 
died  in 
November 
2003. 


Merrell  retired  from  the 
Cyclone  Fence  Division  of 
US  Steel  in  1975,  after  42 
years  of  service.  He  belonged 
to  Phi  Sigma  Kappa. 

Frederick  M.  Potter  '33  of 

Canandaigua,  N.Y.,  died  Nov. 
30,  2003.  Predeceased  by  his 
wife,  Isabel  (Hibbard),  he 
leaves  two  daughters  and  sever- 
al grandchildren.  Potter  was 
retired  from  Bendix  Corp.  as 
chief  engineer.  He  belonged  ro 
Sigma  Phi  Epsilon,  Sigma  Xi 
and  Tau  Beta  Phi. 

Maurice  E.  Day  '35  died 
Sept.  14,  2003,  in  Honolulu. 
A  longtime 
resident  of 
Denver,  he 
and  his  wife, 
Dorothea, 
moved  to 
Hawaii  in 
2000,  where  they  were  cared 
for  by  their  son.  Also  surviving 
are  a  daughter,  rwo  grandsons 
and  a  great-grandson.  Day  was 
a  civil  engineer  for  the  U.S. 
Dept.  of  the  Interior,  Bureau 
of  Reclamation,  at  the  Denver 
Federal  Center  from  1946  until 
he  retired  in  1970.  He  contin- 
ued as  a  consulting  engineer 
on  projects  in  Colorado  and 
abroad.  He  also  taught  piano 
lessons  and  played  organ,  flute 
and  piccolo. 

George  R.  Creswell  '37  of 

Leicester,  Mass.,  died  Dec.  9, 
2003.  Survivors  include  his 
wife,  Marion  (Hill),  two  sons, 
a  daughter,  three  grandchil- 
dren, four  stepchildren,  four 
step-grandchildren  and  a  step- 
great-grandchild.  Creswell  was 
predeceased  by  his  first  wife, 
Stella  (Soucy).  He  retired  from 
New  England  Telephone  and 
Telegraph  in  1978,  after  43 
years  of  service.  He  belonged 
to  Sigma  Phi  Epsilon. 

Ralph  H.  Holmes  '37  of 

Worcester  died  Dec.  15,  2003. 


He  leaves 
his  wife,  M. 
Eleanor 
(Cullen), 
four  daugh- 
ters and  1 0 
grandchil- 
dren. A  son  died  in  infancy. 
Holmes  was  the  owner  and 
president  of  the  former  M.D. 
Holmes  and  Sons  Co.  He 
belonged  to  Sigma  Xi  and  Tau 
Beta  Pi. 

Howard  W.  Haynes  '38  of 

Litchfield,  Conn.,  died  Nov. 
25,  2003. 
Predeceased 
by  his 
wife,  Ruth 
(Miller),  he 
leaves  two 
sons,  two 
grandchildren  and  a  great- 
grandson.  Haynes  earned  a 
master's  degree  in  electrical 
engineering  at  WPI  in  1939. 
He  worked  for  The  Torrington 
Company  for  more  than  40 
years.  He  belonged  to  Phi 
Gamma  Delta. 

Trustee  Emeritus  Raymond  J. 
Perreault  '38  of  Vero  Beach, 
Fla.,  died  Dec.  25,  2003.  He 
leaves  his 
wife,  Cecilia 
"Sue" 
Perreault, 
three  step- 
sons, a  step- 
daughter 
and  six  step-grandchildren.  His 
first  wife,  Ina  (Wendela)  died 
in  1992.  Perreault  was  the 
retired  founder,  president  and 
treasurer  of  Falls  Machine 
Screw  Co.  A  Presidential 
Founder  and  lifetime  member 
of  the  President  s  Advisory 
Council,  he  received  the 
Herbert  F.  Taylor  Alumni 
Award  for  Distinguished 
Service  in  1988.  He  belonged 
to  Sigma  Alpha  Epsilon. 


Walter  L.  Abel  '39,  a  1982 
honorary  degree  recipient 

and  a  win- 
ner of  the 
Robert  H. 
Goddard 
and  Herbert 
F.  Taylor 
awards,  died 
Nov.  1,  2003,  at  his  home  in 
Avon,  Conn.  He  leaves  his 
wife,  Eleanor  (Pope) ,  four  sons, 
two  daughters,  13  grandchil- 
dren and  five  great-grandchil- 
dren. His  first  wife,  Alice 
(Raymond),  predeceased  him. 
Able  began  his  career  with 
United  Shoe  Machinery  Corp., 
which  later  became  Emhart 
Corp.,  and  soon  rose  to  leader- 
ship positions  in  industrial 
research  and  computer-aided 
manufacturing.  He  retired  in 

1982  as  vice  president  of 
research  and  development. 
A  highlight  of  his  career  was 
the  formation  of  WPI's  Manu- 
facturing and  Engineering 
Applications  Center  (MEAC), 
in  collaboration  with  Emhart. 

Robert  P.  Zickell  '39  of  West 
Boylston,  Mass.,  died  Aug.  15, 
2003.  Predeceased  by  his  wife, 
Gloria  (Gillis),  he  leaves  five 
sons,  rwo  daughters  and  eight 
grandchildren.  A  member  of 
Phi  Kappa  Theta,  Zickell  was 
a  retired  self-employed  general 
contractor. 

Willard  T.  Gove  '40  of 

Minneapolis  died  Nov.  30, 
2003.  He 
was  prede- 
ceased by 
his  wife  of 
52  years, 
Denise 
(Larsen), 
and  by  his  second  wife,  Nancy 
(Snyder).  Survivors  include  two 
sons,  two  daughters  and  eight 
grandchildren.  Gove  retired  in 

1983  from  Honeywell  Inc.  as 
vice  president  of  corporate  field 
administration.  An  active  and 
committed  volunteer,  Gove  was 
named  a  Daily  Point  of  Light 
by  President  Clinton  and 


received  a  visit  from  President 
George  W.  Bush  as  the  first 
volunteer  inducted  into  the 
USA  Freedom  Corps.  He 
belonged  to  Lambda  Chi 
Alpha. 

William  L.  Bowne  '41  of 

Schenectady,  N.Y.,  died  May 

0  25,  2003.  He  leaves  his  wife, 

Phyllis  (Tolman),  two  daugh- 
ters, two  gtandchildten  and 
two  great-grandchildren. 
Bowne  was  retired  from  a 
career  as  a  manufacturer's 
representative. 

Col.  Leslie  B.  Harding  '41 

(Ret.)  of  Atlanta  died  Dec.  23, 

2003.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Patricia,  two  sons,  a  daughter 
and  four  grandchildren.  A 
graduate  of  West  Point, 
Harding  retired  from  the  U.S. 
Army  in  1971,  after  serving  in 
World  War  II,  Korea  and 
Vietnam.  He  then  worked  as  a 
construction  supervisor  for  the 
U.S.  Postal  Service  until  1988. 
He  belonged  to  Phi  Sigma 
Kappa. 

Donald  F.  Palmer  Jr.  '41  of 

Princeton,  N.J.,  died  March 
23,  2003.  Survivors  include  his 
wife,  Muriel  (Leonhard),  three 
sons  and  two  daughters.  Palmer 
was  a  metal  manufacturing 
executive  and  former  chairman 
of  Wicarco  Machine  Corp.  He 
belonged  to  Phi  Gamma  Delta. 

Joseph  E.  Filipek  '42  of  New 

Bedford,  Mass.,  died  Jan.  20, 

2004.  He  was  a  retired  process- 
ing engineer  for  Continental 
Screw.  Survivors  include  his 
wife,  Mabel  (Griffiths),  two 
daughters  and  two  grandchil- 
dren. 

James  F.  Robjent  '42  of 

Waterville,  Maine,  died  Aug. 
28,  2003.  He  is  survived  by  his 
wife,  Margaret  (Brick),  two 
sons,  a  daughter  and  four 
grandchildren.  Robjent  was 
retired  as  purchasing  manager 
for  Scott  Paper  Co.,  a  position 
he  held  for  almost  30  years.  He 
belonged  to  Theta  Chi. 


Wallace  R.  Lindsay  '43  of 

Fort  Johnson,  N.Y.,  died  Nov. 
23,  2003.  He  was  retired  as 
co-owner  of  Inman  Manufac- 
turing Co.,  where  he  served  as 
a  mechanical  engineer.  He  was 
the  husband  of  Harriette 
Reamer,  who  survives,  along 
with  a  son,  two  daughters,  four 
grandchildren  and  three  great- 
grandchildren. He  belonged  to 
Phi  Sigma  Kappa. 

Transformations  has  learned  of 
the  death  of  Frank  Szel  '43,  in 
2002.  A  resident  of  Sun  City 
West,  Ariz.,  he  was  a  retired 
senior  design  engineer  for  Dow 
Chemical  Co.  His  wife,  Jeanne 
(Vitovec),  survives. 

Edward  C.  White  '43  of 

Whitinsville,  Mass.,  died  Oct. 
10,  2003. 
He  leaves 
his  wife, 
Jennie 
(Targonski), 
a  son,  a 
daughter, 
two  grandsons  and  a  great- 
granddaughter.  White  was 
retired  from  American  Steel 
and  Wire,  where  he  served  as 
an  engineer  for  many  years. 

Trustee  Emeritus  Irving  James 
"Jim"  Donahue  Jr.  '44,  a 
lifetime 
resident  of 
Shrewsbury, 
Mass.,  died 
Dec.  1, 
2003.  A 
graduate  of 
Harvard  Business  School,  he 
was  the  founder  and  chairman 
of  Donahue  Industries  and 
founder  of  Donahue  Inter- 
national and  I.J.D.  Inc.  Along 
with  his  wife,  Barbara  ("Babs"), 
he  was  known  locally  for  phi- 
lanthropy and  community 
involvement.  Their  support  of 
WPI  has  included  giving  five 
racing  shells  to  the  university's 
crew  program,  providing  new 
offices  in  Alumni  Gym  lor 
the  men's  and  women's  head 
coaches,  and  establishing  an 
endowed  Ituul  to  Support  crew. 


They  also  established  an 
endowed  scholatship  fund  to 
support  undergraduate  stu- 
dents. Donahue's  honors 
included  the  Herbert  F.  Taylor 
Alumni  Award  for  Outstanding 
Service  to  WPI,  the  Robert  H. 
Goddard  Alumni  Award  for 
Professional  Achievement,  and 
an  honorary  degree  from  the 
School  of  Industrial  Manage- 
ment. A  Presidential  Founder 
and  a  lifetime  member  of  the 
President's  Advisory  Council, 
he  belonged  to  Phi  Sigma 
Kappa  and  Skull.  Besides  his 
wife  he  leaves  two  daughters, 
Judith  Donahue  '82  (SIM)  and 
Susan  Falzoi,  and  three  grand- 
children. 

Everett  M.  Johnson  '44  of 

Fishkill,  N.Y.,  died  Nov.  6, 
2003.  He 
was  a  retired 
mechanical 
engineer 
who  spent 
his  career 
with  Texaco. 
Survivors  include  his  wife, 
Elaine  (Erickson),  two  sons  and 
five  grandchildren.  Johnson 
belonged  to  Sigma  Phi  Epsilon. 

Retired  Navy  Lt.  Cmdr.  Stuart 
D.  Kearney  II  '44  of  Bethesda, 
Md.,  died  Sept.  30,  2003.  A 
graduate  of  the  U.S.  Naval 
Academy  in  Annapolis,  he  held 
a  mastet's  degree  in  manage- 
ment engineering  from  RPI 
and  a  doctorate  in  management 
sciences  from  George  Washing- 
ton University.  After  retiring 
from  active  naval  duty  in  1966, 
Kearney  worked  in  the  Naval 
Space  Project  Office  in  Wash- 
ington, where  he  received  three 
patents.  He  belonged  to  Phi 
Kappa  Theta.  Surviving  are  his 
wife,  Lee,  a  son  and  a  sister. 

Leonard  S.  "Steve"  Porter  '44 

ol  Shrew  sbui  \.  Mass.,  died 
Oct.  7,  2003.  His  wife,  Molly 
(Wyman),  died  in  1993.  Porter 
retired  from  the  American  Steel 
and  Wire  Division  of  L'S  Steel. 
now  USX.  alter  2")  years  of 

service.  I  le  previously  served  as 


manager  of  product  evaluation 
for  Parker  Manufacturing  Co. 
and  was  a  cabinetmaker  for  the 
Ralph  S.  Osmond  Co.  He 
belonged  to  Phi  Sigma  Kappa. 

William  C.  Howard  Jr.  '45 

of  Brimfield,  Mass.,  died 
Jan.  16, 
2004.  He 
leaves  his 
wife,  Jane 
(Gullberg), 
a  son,  four 
daughters 
and  six  grandchildren.  Howard 
was  a  retired  executive  vice 
president  for  Norton  Co.  He 
belonged  to  Sigma  Alpha 
Epsilon. 

Lt.  Cmdr.  Roger  H.  Brown 

'46  (Ret.)  of  Anaheim,  Calif, 
died  Oct.  28,  2004.  He  leaves 
his  wife,  Capitola  "Cappy" 
Brown,  a  son,  a  daughter  and 
four  grandchildren.  Brown 
served  in  the  Navy  after  gradu- 
ation and  continued  as  a 
reserve  officer  until  1984.  He 
retired  from  CalComp/ 
Saunders  in  1989.  He  belonged 
to  Sigma  Phi  Epsilon. 

Andrew  D.  Costa  Jr.  '46  of 

West  Dennis,  Mass.,  died  Oct. 
12,  2003.  His  wife,  Barbara 
(Ertel),  died  in  1996.  Five 
daughters,  14  grandchildren 
and  a  great-grandson  survive, 
along  with  a  close  friend, 
Barbara  Teixeira.  Costa  gradu- 
ated from  Purdue  University 
and  spent  his  career  with 
Dennison  Manufacturing  as  a 
manufacturing  representative. 

Jackson  L.  Hayman  '46  of 
Idaho  Falls,  Idaho,  died  Dec 
6,  2003. 
His  wife, 
Marjorie. 
predeceased 
him.  I  le 
was  a  retired 
technical 
marketing  specialist  lot 
I  )uPonl  (  o.  1  le  belonged  to 
Sigma  Xi. 


44    Transformations   \  Summer  .'nil/ 


Joseph  H.  Johnson  '46  of 

South  Wellfleet,  Mass.,  died 
Nov.  17,  2003.  He  leaves  his 
wife,  Pearl  (Ethier),  a  son,  two 
daughters,  three  stepsons,  three 
stepdaughters  and  14  grand- 
children. Johnson  joined  Pratt 
&  Whitney  in  1946  and  retired 
in  1983  as  supervisor  of  sup- 
port equipment  design.  He 
belonged  to  Alpha  Tau  Omega 
and  Sigma  Xi. 

Wilbur  C.  Jones  '46  of 

Gaithetsburg,  Md.,  died  Aug. 
31,  2003.  He  is  survived  by  his 
sister,  Audra  Jones  Hansen. 
Jones  was  a  retired  public  utili- 
ties specialist  with  the  Federal 
Energy  Regulatory  Commis- 
sion. He  belonged  to  Phi 
Gamma  Delta. 

Arthur  N.  Lagadinos  '46  of 

Northborough,  Mass.,  died 
Jan.  15,2004.  He  leaves  his 
wife,  Helen  (Stefanson),  a  son, 
two  daughters  and  six  grand- 
children. Lagadinos  was  the 
retired  manager  of  field 
representatives  for  Insurance 
Services  Office.  He  belonged 
to  Theta  Chi. 

Norman  W.  Padden  '46  of 

Williamsbutg,  Va.,  died  Jan. 
20,  2004.  His  wife,  Theresa 
(Gavin),  a  son  and  a  grandson 
survive.  Padden  was  an  electri- 
cal engineer  and  ptoduct  man- 
ager who  worked  for  defense 
contractors  on  the  East  Coast 
and  in  California  before  he 
retired.  He  belonged  to  Phi 
Kappa  Theta. 

Carl  F.  Simon  Jr.  '46  of 

Cape  Cotal,  Fla.,  died  Jan.  28, 
2004.  He  was  the  husband  of 
Margaret  "Bunny"  Simon  and 
the  fathet  of  Robert  Simon  '75. 
Other  survivors  include  anoth- 
er son,  two  daughters  and 
seven  grandchildren.  Simon 
was  an  engineer  at  Etie  Genetal 
Electric  for  45  years  and  later 
worked  for  Morrison  Knudsen. 
He  belonged  to  Phi  Sigma 
Kappa. 


Paul  H.  Mugford  '47  of  Essex, 
Mass.,  died  Sept.  8,  2003.  He 
leaves  his 


ffl 


wife, 

Florence 

(Dillon), 


rwo  sons, 
thtee  daugh- 
ters, three 
grandchildren,  and  eight  great- 
grandchildren. Mugford  was  a 
chemist  in  the  leather  industry 
and  served  as  foreman  for  the 
A.C.  Lawrence  Leather  Co.  He 
latet  became  a  professional  real 
estate  appraiser  and  a  selectman 
for  the  town  of  Essex. 

Joseph  J.  Bold  '48  of  Berkeley 
Heights,  N.J.,  died  Aug.  1, 
2003.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Helen,  three  sons  and  three 
grandchildren.  Bolil  earned  a 
master's  degree  at  New  Jersey 
Technical  Institute.  He  worked 
for  Stanley  Wotks  and  retired 
in  1990  from  AT&T  Tech- 
nologies as  chief  of  the 
Engineering  Department. 

Paul  H.  Beaudry  '49  died 
July  18,  2003,  at  his  home  in 
Millbrook, 
N.Y.  Pre- 
deceased by 
his  wife, 
Barbara 
(Brown),  in 
2002,  and 
by  a  daughter,  he  is  survived  by 
two  sons  and  seven  grandchil- 
dren. He  also  leaves  his  close 
friend,  Dorothy  Evslin. 
Beaudry  was  tented  from  IBM 
after  25  years  in  the  Facility 
Design  Construction  Division. 
He  belonged  to  Sigma  Alpha 
Epsilon. 

Richard  J.  Coughlin  '49  of 

Tyngsboro,  Mass.,  died  July 

H20,  2003. 
His  wife, 
Sylvia 
(Calabro), 
survives. 
Coughlin 
was  the 
retired  vice  president  of  Boston 
Edison  Co.  He  belonged  to  Phi 
Kappa  Theta. 


George  M.  Dewire  '49  of  Falls 
Chutch,  Va.,  died  July  7,  2003. 
He  leaves  his  wife,  Janice,  a 
son,  two  daughters  and  five 
grandchildren.  Dewire  was 
retired  from  Contel  Fedetal 
Systems  as  chief  engineer.  He 
belonged  to  Theta  Chi. 

William  J.  Ploran  '49  of 

Holyoke,  Mass.,  died  Dec.  16, 

^^HHfe~1  2003-A 

9  ^w       mechanical 

|  <?*    XT        engineer,  he 
was  the 
retired 
founder  of 
Rock  Valley 
Tool.  Survivors  include  his 
wife,  Cecile  (Benoit),  three 
sons,  a  daughter,  seven  grand- 
children and  four  great-grand- 
children. 

Joseph  E.  Skidmore  '49  died 
Sept.  19,  2003,  at  his  home  in 
Tacoma,  Wash.  He  leaves  his 
wife  of  53  years,  Lorraine 
(Dupuis),  a  son,  a  daughter 
and  three  great-grandchildren. 
After  a  30-year  career  with 
Armco  Steel  Corp.,  Skidmore 
retired  as  a  sales  engineer  and 
continued  consulting  for  the 
firm.  He  belonged  to  Sigma 
Phi  Epsilon. 

Carl  D.  Ahlstrom  '50  died 
Dec.  5,  2003,  at  his  home 
in  South 
Newbury, 
N.H.  A 
longtime 
employee  of 
Genetal 
Electric  Co., 
he  was  retired  as  manager  of 
government  sales.  Survivors 
include  his  wife,  Ruth 
(Fosdick),  a  son,  a  daughter, 
five  grandchildren  and  one 
great-grandson.  He  belonged 
to  Alpha  Tau  Omega. 

Harvey  W.  Carrier  '50  of 

Westfield,  Mass.,  died  Aug.  22, 
2003.  His  first  wife,  Marjorie 
(Logee),  died  in  1997.  He  is 
survived  by  his  wife  of  25 
years,  Violet  (Henrichon 
Symonds),  a  son,  two  daugh- 


ters and  six  grandchildren.  He 
also  leaves  two  stepdaughters, 
four  step-grandchildren  and 
five  step-great-grandchildren. 
Carrier  was  retired  from  a 
career  with  Hamilton  Standard 
and  Pratt  &  Whitney.  After 
retirement  he  served  as  a  con- 
sultant for  Cessna  Air  Craft. 

Sumner  W.  Herman  '50  of 

Worcester  died  Jan.  4,  2004. 
He  leaves 
his  wife, 
Lois 

(Fielding), 
a  son,  a 
daughter 
and  two 
grandsons.  Herman  owned  and 
operated  Insurance  Matketing 
Agencies.  He  belonged  to 
Alpha  Epsilon  Pi. 

Kenneth  W.  Parsons  '50  of 

Paxton,  Mass.,  died  Nov.  23, 
2003.  A  membet  of  Theta  Chi, 
he  was  retired  from  a  40-year 
career  with  Norton  Co. 
Survivors  include  his  wife, 
Ellen  (Secondino),  a  son,  a 
daughter,  five  grandchildren 
and  three  great-grandchildren. 
His  first  wife,  Helen  (Coury), 
died  in  1987. 

Wallace  M.  Preston  '51  of 

West  Springfield,  Mass.,  died 
Sept.  30, 
2003.  He  is 
survived  by 
his  wife, 
Dorothy 
(Marotte), 
two  sons, 
two  daughters  and  two  grand- 
children. Preston  earned  a  mas- 
ter's degree  at  RPI.  He  worked 
for  several  Western  Massachu- 
setts manufacturing  companies 
before  joining  Toolkraft,  where 
he  served  as  a  vice  president. 
He  belonged  to  Theta  Chi. 

Warren  W.  Root  '52  of  York, 
Pa.,  died  Dec.  22,  2003.  He 
was  a  retired  design  engineer 
with  30  years  of  service  at  Botg 
Warner  Corp.  Root  leaves  his 
wife  of  5 1  years,  Dorothy 
(Thompson),  three  sons,  two 


Trans  formations    \   Summer   200  4     45 


grandchildren  and  a  step- 
granddaughter.  He  was  prede- 
ceased by  two  daughters.  He 
belonged  to  Sigma  Xi. 

George  Idlis  '54,  of  Cranston, 
R.I.,  died  Jan.  13,2004. 
Husband  of  Carol  (Siegal),  he 
also  leaves  a  son,  two  daughters 
and  four  grandsons.  Idlis  began 
his  career  as  a  mechanical  engi- 
neer and  later  retired  from 
Storti  Associates  as  a  personnel 
consultant.  He  belonged  to 
Alpha  Epsilon  Pi. 

Malcolm  E.  Keeler  '54  of 

Pittsfield,  Mass.,  died  July  18, 
2003.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Barbara  (Fosser),  three  daugh- 
ters, a  son  and  six  grandchil- 
dren. Keeler  worked  for  Crane 
&  Co.  as  a  controller  for 
almost  40  years  before  he 
retired  in  1993.  He  belonged 
to  Alpha  Tau  Omega. 

Charles  E.  Adams  '55  (SIM) 
of  Worcester  died  Oct.  14, 
2003,  at  the  age  of  77.  He  was 
the  tetired  director  of  purchas- 
ing at  Wright  Line  Inc.  He  is 
survived  by  his  wife,  Helen 
(Dube),  three  sons,  a  daughter 
and  eight  grandchildren. 

Kenneth  H.  Russell  '55  of 

Succasunna,  N.J.,  died  Aug. 
30,  2003.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Mary  (Castrucci),  two  sons, 
six  daughtets  and  23  grand- 
children. Russell  worked  as  a 
civilian  project  leader  at  the 
Picatinny  Arsenal.  He  belonged 
to  Phi  Sigma  Kappa. 

Transformations  recently  learned 
of  the  death  of  John  H. 
Lillibridge  III  '56,  in  2000. 
A  Navy 
veteran  and 
electrical 
engineer, 
he  lived  in 
California 
for  many 
years  and  worked  for  Acme 
Electric  Corp.  and  Taylor 
Instrument  Corp.  as  a  sales 
engineer. 


John  L.  Buzzi  '57  of 

Metuchen,  N.J.,  died  Sept.  2, 
2003.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Betty 
Anne  (Laitd),  two  sons,  two 
daughters,  and  six  grandchil- 
dren. Buzzi  was  owner  and 
president  of  Kupper  Associates 
until  he  retired  in  1997.  He 
also  served  on  the  faculty  of 
Ocean  County  College  and 
Rutgers  University,  where  he 
earned  a  master's  degree  and  a 
doctotate.  Buzzi  was  known 
tegionally  for  promoting 
investment  in  the  region's  infra- 
sttuctute  and  for  supporting 
engineering  education  in  the 
community  college  system. 

Wesley  W.  Pinney  '58  died 
Jan.  3,  2004,  at  his  home  in 
Millstone,  N.J.  He  is  sutvived 
by  his  wife,  Mary  (Damiano), 
four  sons,  a  daughter  and  eight 
grandchildren.  Pinney  was 
rented  from  the  Worldwide 
Absorbent  Products  Materials 
Division  of  Johnson  & 
Johnson. 

Frederick  H.  Lutze  '59,  a 

former 
professor  at 
Vitginia 
Polytechnic 
Institute, 
died  Dec.  2, 
2003.  A 
graduate  of  the  doctoral 
program  at  the  Univetsity  of 
Arizona,  he  joined  the  Aero- 
space and  Ocean  Engineering 
Dept.  at  Virginia  Tech  in  1966 
and  taught  until  his  retirement 
in  August  2003.  His  wife, 
Jeanne  (Soults),  survives  him. 

Arthur  Olsen  Jr.  '59  of 

Haverhill,  Mass.,  died  Nov.  19, 
2003.  A  retired  engineering 
manager  at  Bell  Labs,  he  later 
worked  at  OK  Engineering. 
Survivors  include  three  sons,  a 
daughter,  three  grandchildren 
and  his  former  wile,  Ethel 
(Helgensen)  Olsen. 


Myron  "Mike" 


H.  Smith  '60 

of  Atlantic 
Highlands, 
N.J.,  died 
Jan.  15, 
2004. 
Surviving 
family  mem- 
bers include  his  wife,  Ann 
(Sheehy),  five  sons,  three 
daughters,  and  12  grandchil- 
dren. Smith  earned  an  MBA 
from  Northeastern  University. 
An  adjunct  professor  in  the 
Graduate  School  of  Business 
Administration  at  Western 
New  England  College,  he  also 
taught  in  the  College  of 
Business  Administration  at  the 
University  of  New  Haven. 
Smith  was  employed  as  a  zone 
manager  for  Safety-Kleen 
Corp.,  formerly  Solvents 
Recovery  Service.  He  belonged 
to  Alpha  Epsilon  Pi. 

Harold  W.  Alatalo '61  of 

Piano,  Texas,  died  April  4, 
2003.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Karen,  three  sons  and  a  daugh- 
ter. Alatalo  was  an  engineer 
at  Raytheon  TI  Systems.  He 
belonged  to  Sigma  Xi. 

John  W.  Johnson  '61  (SIM)  of 
Holden,  Mass.,  died  Aug.  24, 
2003,  at  the  age  of  79. 

Sutvivots  include  his  wife, 
Alice  (Forsberg),  and  a  son.  An 
electrical  engineer,  Johnson 
spent  most  of  his  career  with 
Norton  Co.  He  retired  from 
Warner- Swasey  Co.  in  1988. 

John  T.  Ganley  '64  of 

Milford,  N.J.,  died  July  23, 
2003.  He  is  survived  by  his 
wife,  Beverly,  a  son,  a  daughter, 
and  one  grandchild.  Ganley 
was  retired  from  AT&T 
Communications  as  a  senior 
engineer.  He  belonged  to  Phi 
Gamma  Delta. 

Transformations  recently 
learned  of  the  death  ol  Harry 
L.  Owlett  '64  of  Rochester, 
N.Y.,  in  2002.  His  wife,  Elaine, 
survives.  Owlett  was  an  engi- 
neer in  the  Delco  Division  ol 

General  Motors.  1  le  belonged 

to  Thera  Chi. 


Gordon  L.  Benson  '70  (SIM) 
of  Paxton,  Mass.,  died  Sept.  2, 
2003.  He  was  83.  Predeceased 
by  his  fust  wife,  Dorothy 
(Ahearn),  and  a  son,  he  leaves 
his  wife  of  seven  years,  Irene 
(Hines),  a  daughter  and  four 
grandchildren.  Benson  worked 
for  Norton  Co.  for  43  years 
and  retired  as  a  maintenance 
supervisor. 

Transformations  recently 
learned  of  the  death  of  Joseph 
E.  Flynn  '70  (SIM),  of  Tucson, 
Ariz.,  in  2001,  at  the  age  of  77. 
He  was  a  retited  account  man- 
ager for  Norton  Co.  His  wife, 
Nancy,  survives. 

John  M.  Galvin  70  of 

Holden,  Mass.,  died  Nov.  11, 
2003.  Husband  of  Constance 
(Brusco),  he  also  leaves  a  son. 
Galvin  earned  an  MBA  from 
Clark  University  and  pursued 
actuarial  studies  at  North- 
eastern University.  He  was  a 
seniot  systems  consultant  at 
Allmerica  Financial,  formerly 
State  Mutual  Life  Assurance 
Co.  He  belonged  to  Sigma 
Alpha  Epsilon. 

Daniel  J.  Dunleavy  '71  died 
Oct.  7,  2003,  at  his  home  in 
Duxbury,  Mass.  He  leaves  his 
wife,  Ann  (Robinson),  and  two 
sons.  Dunleavy  earned  an 
MBA  at  the  Boston  University 
Graduate  School  ot  Manage- 
ment and  belonged  to  Phi 
Kappa  Theta.  He  was  the 
owner  and  president  of  Able- 
Air  Equipment  &  Services 
Corp.  and  the  owner  ot  Eddy 
Square  and  Centreville  Mill. 

John  F.  "Red"  Flynn  '73 

(SIM)  of  Sudbury.  Mass.,  died 
Oct.  !}>.  2003.  at  age  70.  He 
lost  his  wife.  Eleanor,  in  March 
2003.  Survivors  include  two 
sons,  three  daughters  and  14 
grandchildren.  Flynn  was  a 
graduate  ol  Clark  UniversitJ 
and  Worcester  State  College. 
I  le  was  Kiiied  .is  vice  president 

ol  I  Icllcm.m  Press. 


4  6     Transformations   |  Summer  2004 


Donald  G.  Woodward  73 

(SIM)  died  Aug.  16,2003,  at 
his  home  in  Holden,  Mass.  He 
was  74.  Survivors  include  his 
wife,  Jacqueline  (Brennan),  a 
son,  three  daughters  and  nine 
grandchildren.  Woodward  was 
a  retired  project  manager  for 
Riley  Stoker  Co.  with  40  years 
of  service. 

Roger  A.  Spongberg  74  (SIM) 
of  Holden,  Mass.,  died  Aug.  27, 
2003.  He  was  71.  He  is  sur- 
vived by  his  wife,  Norma  (Hill), 
and  a  son.  A  graduate  of  Becker 
Junior  College,  Spongberg  was 
a  supervisor  in  the  abrasives 
business  office  of  Norton  Co., 
where  he  worked  for  31  years. 

Michael  B.  Malanca  75  of 

Billerica,  Mass.,  died  Nov.  8, 
2003.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Elena 
(Isaeza),  a  son,  a  daughter,  a 
stepdaughter  and  a  grandson. 
A  telecommunications  engineer, 
he  worked  for  EG&G  Dyna- 
trend  and  Fujitsu  Corp. 

David  M.  Mann  79  of  Morris 
Plains,  N.J.,  died  April  8,  2003, 
in  an  automobile  accident.  He 
was  the  husband  of  Robin 


Cartoll-Mann.  Mann  was  a 
senior  software  engineer  for 
Marconi  Aerospace  Systems, 
now  pat t  of  BAE  Systems. 

Nicolas  M.  Reitzel  Sr.  79 

(M.S.  CE)  died  Jan.  17,  2004, 
at  the  age  of  77.  A  1951  gradu- 
ate of  Lehigh  University,  he 
was  an  instructor  at  WPI  in  the 
1970s  and  earned  a  master's 
degtee  in  civil  engineering  in 
1979.  Reitzel  began  his  career 
in  the  papermaking  industry, 
where  he  earned  patents  for 
machines  used  to  produce  toilet 
paper  and  disposable  diapers. 
In  1967  he  founded  Reitzel 
Associates,  an  environmental 
engineering  firm,  which  he  ran 
with  his  wife,  Joanne  "Josie" 
Reitzel,  until  they  retired  in 
1992.  He  was  predeceased  by 
an  infant  son,  Nicolas  Reitzel  Jr. 
Other  survivors  include  his  son, 
Nicolas  Reitzel  III  '88,  another 
son,  three  daughters,  and  eight 
grandchildren. 

Robert  L.  Burghoff  '80  of 

The  Woodlands,  Texas,  died 
Nov.  20,  2003.  He  is  survived 
by  his  wife,  Bethany,  a  son  and 


two  daughters.  Burghoff,  who 
held  a  Ph.D.  from  the  Univer- 
sity of  Rhode  Island,  was  a 
research  scientist  for  Protein 
Engineering  Corp.  A  founding 
member  of  the  Fellowship  of 
the  Woodlands,  he  shared  his 
talents  as  a  Christian  song- 
writer, a  football  coach,  and  a 
volunteet  at  the  Woodlands 
Children's  Museum. 

Fred  E.  Learned  Jr.  '82  (SIM) 
of  West  Yarmouth,  Mass.,  and 
St.  Augustine,  Fla.,  died  Nov. 
26,  2003,  at  the  age  of  69.  A 
graduate  of  Northeastern  Uni- 
versity, he  worked  for  Norton 
Co.,  later  Saint  Gobain,  for 
40  years.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Frances  (Levesque),  three  sons 
and  four  grandchildren. 

Roger  J.  Williams  '86  (SIM), 
64,  died  July  28,  2003.  His 
wife,  Margaret  (Hanson),  died 
Jan.  26,  2003.  Two  sons,  a 
daughter  and  six  grandchildren 
survive.  A  longtime  resident  of 
North  Grafton,  Mass.,  Williams 
worked  for  Jamesbury  Corp.  for 
31  years  and  retired  in  1997  as 
a  manufacturing  engineer. 


Timothy  R  Sabol  '88  of 

Dunbarton,  N.H.,  died  Oct. 
18,  2003, 
while  travel- 
ing. He  was 
the  husband 
of  Sharon 
(Othot) 
Sabol,  and 
the  brother  of  Ronald  M.  Sabol 
'84,  who  survive.  Sabol  earned 
an  MBA  at  Plymouth  State 
University  and  worked  as  a  sales 
manager  at  Roadway  Express. 

Robert  W.  Piehl  '90  (SIM),  of 
Charlton,  Mass.,  died  Nov.  29, 
2003.  A  graduate  of  Clark 
University,  he  was  the  retired 
vice  president  of  Specialized 
Software  International.  He  also 
spent  25  years  with  American 
Optical  Co.  His  wife,  Virginia, 
and  two  daughters  survive. 


Joe  Gale,  Human  Timeline  of  WPI  History 

John  J.  B.  "Joe"  Gale,  who  retired  in  2000  after  54  years  as  a  member  of  the  WPI  staff, 
died  on  May  24,  2004,  after  a  long  illness.  He  was  hired  by  WPI  (where  his  grandfather, 
father  and  two  uncles  had  also  worked)  in  1946,  just  after  he  returned  from  four  years  in 
the  Army  during  World  War  II.  •  At  WPI,  Gale  started  as  a  groundskeeper,  but  quickly 
moved  over  to  become  a  laboratory  technician  in  the  Mechanical  Engineering 
Department,  where  he  learned  to  weld  from  the  late  professor  Carl  G.  Johnson.  Over  the 
years,  Gale  returned  the  favor  by  teaching  hundreds  of  WPI  students  to  weld  with  a 
gentle,  patient  style  that  made  him  one  of  the  most  beloved  members  of  the  university 
staff.  Gale  also  taught  general  machine  shop  operations  and  casting.  •  Outside  of  the 
classroom,  Gale  was  a  constant  presence  at  WPI  athletic  events.  He  managed  the  press 
box  for  all  home  football  games  and  was  the  facility  coordinator  for  Harrington 
Auditotium  and  Alumni  Gym  during  home  basketball  and  wrestling  contests.  Over  his 
long  WPI  career,  he  worked  for  nine  WPI  presidents  and  saw  the  student  body  grow  from 
about  300  to  over  2,700.  •  "To  call  Joe  Gale  a  fixture  at  WPI,  while  accurate,  doesn't 
do  the  man  justice,"  noted  Ray  Bert  '93  in  a  1996  tribute  published  in  the  WPI  Journal. 
"He  is  a  living,  breathing  part  of  the  fabric  of  the  institution — a  human  timeline  of  WPI's 
recent  history."  •  In  lieu  of  flowers,  Gale's  family  has  asked  that  donations  may  be  made 
to  the  American  Cancer  Society,  30  Speen  Street,  Framingham,  Mass.  01701. 


Trans  formations    \   Summer  200  4     47 


1  mL 


if  e  ' 


By  Rachel  Faugrn 


a  Dream  Come  True 

Karen  Kosinski  pursues  her  goal  to  help  the  disadvantaged 


For  as  far  back  as  she  can  remember,  Karen  Kosinski  '02  has  been 
motivated  by  the  desire  to  serve  others.  As  a  youngster  growing  up  in 
Rhode  Island,  she  dreamed  of  becoming  a  veterinarian  and  helping 
subsistence  farmers  in  developing  countries.  But  a  chance  comment 
made  in  her  junior  year  by  WPI  biochemistry  professor  Jose  Argiiello 
changed  her  mind.  After  hearing  Kosinski  describe  her  goals  to  him 
after  class  one  day,  Argiiello,  an  Argentinean,  remarked,  "In  my 
country,  when  our  animals  get  sick,  we  don't  call  the  vet.  We  kill 
them  and  eat  them." 

From  that  moment,  Kosinski's  ambition  was  to  become  a  pri- 
mary care  physician  in  the  developing  world.  "I  had  always  refused 
to  consider  the  idea  of  practicing  medicine  because  I  found  the 
responsibility  for  human  life  overwhelming.  But  once  I  faced  my 
fear,  I  realized  that  I  had  the  potential  to  become  a  doctor,"  she  says. 
"Moreover,  I  saw  that  people  everywhere  live  in  hardship,  and  that 
medical  care  for  them  is  exponentially  more  important  than  it  is 
for  their  animals." 


Karen  Kosinski  ol  Tulane  University,  where  she  studied  public  health  with  plans  to  move  on 
to  medical  school.  She  hopes  to  lake  her  medical  degree  to  Latin  America  to  help  "ease  the 
suffering"  of  the  poor  in  that  region. 


Reasoning  that  a  public  health  degree  would  help  her  get  into  a 
medical  school  of  her  choice,  Kosinski  decided  that  after  WPI  she'd 
pursue  an  M.S.  at  the  Tulane  University  School  of  Public  Health  and 
Tropical  Medicine  in  New  Orleans.  She  completed  her  studies  there 
this  spring  and  continues  to  compile  an  impressive  record  of  human- 
itarian service. 

As  a  biotechnology  major  with  a  minor  in  international  studies 
at  WPI,  Kosinski  earned  wide  recognition  for  her  intellect,  leader- 
ship, tenacity,  and  selflessness.  Her  volunteer  work  at  a  local  animal 
hospital  involved  a  round-trip  walk  of  10  miles.  She  helped  our  at 

"I  saw  many  disquieting  cases. 
The  more  I  witnessed,  the  more 
I  wanted  to  help." 


the  Rutland,  Mass.,  office  of  Heifer  Project  International,  a 
nonprofit  organization  dedicated  to  sustainable  farming  and 
animal  husbandry,  mentored  disadvantaged  youths,  and  was 
involved  in  neighborhood  reading  and  recrearion  programs. 

She  also  volunteered  in  the  emergency  room  at 
Worcester's  St.  Vincent  Hospital,  a  job  that  only  hardened 
her  newfound  resolve  to  be  a  physician.  After  waitressing 
shifts,  she  would  head  to  the  hospital  at  one  or  two  in  the 
morning  and  stay  for  several  hours,  transporting  patients, 
stocking  supplies,  and  running  errands.  "I  saw  many  dis- 
quieting cases,"  she  recalls,  "and  sometimes  could  not  sleep 
at  night  for  thinking  about  the  situation  in  which  those  poor 
people  found  themselves.  The  more  I  witnessed,  the  more 
I  wanted  to  help." 

She  earned  numerous  honors,  including  the  President's 
Interactive  Qualifying  Project  Award  (which  she  shared  with 
project  partner  Abel  Alvarez-Calderon)  for  creating  a  how-to 
manual  for  subsistence  fish  farmers  in  Costa  Rica.  "The 
experience  dovetailed  beautifully  with  my  interest  in 
nutrition  and  efficient  protein  production,"  she  says. 

Kosinski's  understanding  ol  developing  countries' 
nutritional  concerns  will  soon  be  broadened.  She  embarks 
soon  on  a  year  of  study  in  the  subject  on  a  Rotary 
International  Ambassadorial  Scholarship  to  Hquador. 
"This  is  the  chance  of  a  lifetime,"  she  says.  "1  taught  high 
school  science  in  Ycnc/ucla  lor  three  months  l.isi  yen  and 
I  loved  it.  I  here's  something  about  South  American  Culture 
that's  very  warm  and  sincere.  I  feel  comfortable  there." 

So  comfortable  that  once  she  gets  Iki  medical  degree  she 
plans  in  set  up  a  practice  to  serve  the  pom  in  I  at  in  America. 

"I  can't  think  ot  a  more  fulfilling  w .t\  to  live  my  life," 
Kosinski  says.  "II  1  can  help  ease  the  suffering  ol  those 
around  me.  1  will  die  happy, 


48     l'r  it  ii  i  format  to  nt    \   Summer   2004 


Bernie  never  did  for  others  for  praise  or  self-recognition. 
He  did  it  because  he  cared  about  making  every  student's 


Bernard  H.  Brown,  1938-2004 


life  a  little  better. 


A  Champion  for  Students 


— Jane:  Begin  Richardson 

acting  vice  president 
for  student  a) 


a 


On  July  12,  the  WPI  community  was  saddened 

to  learn  that  Bernie  Brown  had  died  following 

a  brief  illness.  Bernie  spent  38  years  at  WPI, 

first  as  assistant  dean  of  students  and  most  recently  as  vice  president 

for  student  affairs. 

But  he  was  much  more  than  any  job  he  ever  held.  "To  most  of  us  at  WPI,  he  was  not  a 
man  with  a  title,  but  a  man  with  a  big  heart,"  says  Terrie  Coolberth,  administrative 
assistant  in  the  Student  Life  Office.  "He  always  made  people  feel  important;  he  had  a 
genuine  concern  for  the  people  he  knew,  and  he  knew  everyone  well." 

Bernie  Brown  touched  the  lives  of  hundreds  of  members  of  the  worldwide  WPI  family. 
Shortly  after  word  went  out  about  his  passing,  alumni,  faculty,  and  staff  began  sharing 
their  own  stories  about  the  well-loved  student  advocate.  Janet  Begin  Richardson,  acting 
vice  president  for  student  affairs,  heard  from  international  students  who  said  Bernie 
was  their  first  contact  and  friend  when  they  arrived  in  the  United  States.  Some  of  the 
first  women  to  attend  WPI  (women  were  admitted  in  1968)  said  that  had  it  not  been 
for  Bernie's  support  and  encouragement,  they  would  probably  not  have  succeeded  at 
the  university.  Members  of  the  fraternity  system  recounted  how  instrumental  Bernie  had 
been  in  the  development  of  their  chapter.  Crew  team  alumni  spoke  of  his  undying 
support  for  their  sport— a  close  partnership  that  will  continue  through  the  Brown  Family 
Fund  for  the  Endowment  of  Crew. 

"Bernie  exerted  a  positive  force  on  everything  he  touched,"  says  Anne  McPartland 
Dodd  '75.  "He  made  success  at  WPI  possible  for  hundreds  of  students.  He  searched 
beyond  race,  gender,  religion,  and  nationality  into  the  hearts  of  students  to  discover 
their  unique  potential.  Then  he  cajoled,  teased,  supported,  and  challenged  them  to  live 
up  to  those  visions." 

WPI's  position  as  a  great  university  is  due  in  large 
part  to  the  countless  contributions  Bernie  made,  the 
infectious  spirit  he  brought  to  all  he  came  in  contact 
with,  and  the  profound  impact  he  had  on  students 
and  campus  life.  ' 

— Dennis  Berkey,  WPI  president 


"About  12  years  ago,  I  was  giving  a 
first-year  student  a  ride  to  his  home  in 
Hanover,  N.H.,  for  Thanksgiving  break. 
He  mentioned  that  the  custodians  started 
cleaning  the  dorms  too  early— while 
many  students  were  still  asleep— and  that 
it  caused  a  number  of  inconveniences  for 
them. 

I  decided  to  see  if  this  could  be  changed. 
No  one  I  could  find  to  talk  to  seemed 
inclined  to  do  anything;  everyone  had 
what  they  thought  were  good  reasons  for 
things  to  stay  the  same.  Eventually  I 
presented  my  arguments  to  Bernie. 

At  the  end  of  C-Term  on  my  way  back 
north,  that  same  student  riding  with  me 
noted  that  the  custodians  were  starting  later 
and  that  everyone  was  happy — students 
and  custodians. 

When  the  students  in  the  dorms  can  sleep 
in  past  8  a.m.  without  vacuum  cleaners  in 
the  hall,  and  can  take  their  morning 
shower  without  bumping  into  a  custodian 
cleaning  it,  it's  Bernie  they  should  thank. 
I'll  be  missing  him  and  his  smile  for  a  long 
time." 

—  Christopher  Brown, 
professor  of  mechanical  engineering 


N 


^S 


Q        l««aHBf»] 

0                     1 

o                 1 

0)           ~ 

The  University  oi 

Science  and  Technology. 
And  Life. . 


WINTER    2004 


JOURNAL      OF      PEOPLE      AND      CHANGE 


Departments 


2 
3 
3 


Starting  Point 
Letters 
Campus  Buzz 

The  Campaign  for  WPI  exceeds  its  goal; 
Richardson  is  WPI's  first  female  VP;  three 
departments  under  new  leadership; 
Princeton  Review  gives  MBA  program 
high  marks;  and  more. 

Inside  WPI 

A  passion  for  law  enforcement  leads  to 
award-winning  student  projects  with  the 
Massachusetts  State  Police. 

Explorations 

Student  project  team  gives  shack-dwellers 
in  Namibia  the  keys  to  more  affordable 
and  comfortable  housing. 


What  the  best-dressed  firefighters  will  wear 
protective  gear  proven  in  WPI's  burn  lab 


20 

...and  life 

Patrick  Spencer  '05,  son  of  a  fallen 
firefighter,  talks  about  the  education  his 
father  wanted  for  him. 

34 

NEW!  Illuminations 

35 

Alumni  Connections 

36 

Class  Notes 

39 

NEW!  Vox  Alumni 

44 

Obituaries 

48 

Time  Capsule 

Fill  a  woman's  stocking  with  paint,  squeeze 
the  paint  on  a  record  spinning  at  75  rpm, 
and  you'll  duplicate  computer  disk  spin-coating. 

Zoom  In... 

From  station  house  to  subway  station, 
Paul  Donga's  work  as  fire  protection 
supervisor  with  the  Boston  Fire  Department 
takes  him  above  and  below  ground. 
Photo  by  Patrick  O'Connor 

On  the  Cover 

Sprinkler  head  courtesy  of  Cogswell . 
Sprinkler  Co.  Photo  by  Patrick  O'Connor 


4    Meet  Dennis  Berkey 

A  conversation  with  WPI's  15th  president. 

1  6    Safe  Exit 

ECE  faculty  team  creates  technology  to  guide  emergency 
personnel  safely  out  of  a  building. 

21    Up  Ahead,  with  Kathy  Notarianni 

The  new  director  of  the  Center  for  Firesafety  Studies  will  build  and 
strengthen  the  center's  role  in  fire  protection  engineering. 


? 


VOLUME      103,         NUMBER     4,        WINTER     2004 


22   Safe  or  Secure? 

Can  your  hotel  room  be  both? 

In  her  job  at  Starwood  Hotels  &  Resorts  Worldwide  Inc. 
April  Berkol  ensures  her  guests  are  well  protected. 

24   An  Ounce  of  Prevention 

The  work  of  WPI's  FPE  graduates  is  evident  in  every 
aspect  of  daily  life. 


33   10  Burning  Questions 
for  David  Lucht 

The  former  director  of  the  Center  for  Firesafety 
Studies  reflects  on  his  rich  career. 


jMSSW* 


P®8mtt 


"I  have  made  fire!  Look  what  I  have  created!" 

—Tom  Hanks  as  Chuck  Noland,  island-marooned  plane  crash  survivor  in  the  film  Casf  Away 

To  early  humans,  fire  meant  survival.  But  fire  evolved  from  friend 
to  foe  when  it  threatened  our  homes  and  cities,  crops  and  forests.  There  were 
rudimentary  tools  for  fighting  fires,  but  water  was — and  still  is — the  best  fire 
suppressant.  That's  why  household  fire  buckets  (like  the  one  shown  on  the  back 
cover)  were  required  by  law  in  colonial  America. 

The  19th  century  brought  significant  improvements  in  fire  protection  and 
suppression.  Volunteer  fire  corps  transitioned  into  paid  crews.  Steam  engines 
raced  to  fires  under  hooved  horsepower.  The  first  working  fire  hydrant  was 
installed  in  New  York  City.  Most  significantly,  a  patent  was  issued  in  1852  for 
the  first  sprinkler  system. 

In  the  interim,  fires  in  America  raged  on.  The  Great  Chicago  Fire  of  1871 
destroyed  17,000  buildings;  the  following  year,  a  square  mile  of  Boston's  business 
district  was  leveled.  The  1911  Triangle  Shirtwaist  fire  spread  so  quickly  that  within 
30  minutes,  150  people  had  either  died  in  the  flames  or  jumped  to  their  death. 

Out  of  such  tragedies  came  change.  For  instance,  the  1942  Cocoanut  Grove 
nightclub  fire  in  Boston,  in  which  492  people  died,  led  to  improvements  in  the 
enforcement  of  fire  safety  laws  and  ordinances,  including  requirements  that  public 
places  have  sufficient  exits  and  that  exit  doors  swing  in  the  right  direction. 

Flash  forward  to  the  present.  With  multiple  lifesaving  fire  codes,  effective 
fire  suppression  equipment,  and  a  wealth  of  fire  protection  knowledge,  America 
should  be  well  protected.  Yet  fires  still  occur,  sometimes  with  great  loss  of  life. 
Consider  the  2003  fire  at  The  Station  nightclub  in  Warwick,  R.I.,  in  which  100 
perished — many  overcome  by  smoke  or  severely  burned  in  the  rush  to  escape  a 
fire  that  raged  out  of  control  in  minutes.  After  the  blaze,  discussion  of  sprinkler 
systems  took  center  stage;  you  can  read  a  similar  discussion  in  "An  Ounce  of 
Prevention"  (page  24),  in  which  we  talk  with  some  of  WPI's  Fire  Protection 
Engineering  Program  graduates  about  their  work  in  the  field  of  fire  protection. 

People  pay  dearly  for  our  nation's  poor  record  of  fire  prevention  and  control, 
including  firefighters.  In  the  1999  Worcester  Cold  Storage  warehouse  fire,  six  fire- 
fighrers  perished  because  they  couldn't  find  their  way  out  of  the  maze-like  building. 
We  reflect  on  this  tragedy  in  "Safe  Exit"  (page  16),  which  highlights  the  efforts  of 
a  team  of  ECE  faculty  members  to  develop  the  First  Responder  Locator  System, 
designed  to  track  the  location  of  fire  and  police  personnel  in  a  building  emergency. 

Living  safely  with  fire  is  key  to  fire  protection  engineering  today.  The  univer- 
sity's 25-year-old  Fire  Protection  Engineering  Program  and  Center  for  Firesafety 
Studies  have  come  a  long  way  since  they  began  in  a  small  office  with  one  professor. 
We  look  back  with  former  director  David  Lucht  (page  33);  with  new  director 
Kathy  Notarianni,  we  look  ahead  to  the  role  WP1  will  play  in  working  toward  a 
firesafe  America  (page  21). 

There's  much  more  in  this  issue,  particularly  our  first  in-depth  interview  with 
WPI  President  Dennis  Berkey.  beginning  on  page  4.  We  hope  you  enjoy  the  issue. 
As  always,  we  welcome  your  comments. 


Amy  E.  Dean 
Editor 

Michael  W.  Dorsey 
Director  of  Communications 

Michael  J.  Sherman 
Design  Director 

Bonnie  McCrea 
Production  Manager 

Peggy  Isaacson 

Graphic  Designer  and  Copy  Editor 

Joan  Killough-Miller 
Alumni  News  Editor 

Patrick  O'Connor 
Principal  Photographer 

re:design  pascal 
Design 
Mark  Fisher 
Department  Icons 

Alumni  Communications  Committee 

Robert  C.  Labonre  '54,  chairman;  Kimberly  A.  (Lemoi) 
Bowers  '90,  James  S.  Demetry  '58,  William  J.  Firla  Jr.  '60, 
William  R.  Grogan  '46,  Amy  L.  (Plack)  Marr  '96,  Roger  N. 
Perry  Jr.  '45,  Harlan  B.  Williams  '50 

Editorial  Board 

Anne  McParrland  Dodd  '75;  Dana  Harmon,  director. 
Physical  Education,  Recreation,  and  Athletics;  Natalie  Mello, 
director,  global  operations,  Interdisciplinary  and  Global 
Studies  Division;  Robert  Oborne,  senior  advancement 
researcher,  Development  and  University  Relations;  Denise 
Rodino,  executive  director.  Corporate  and  Foundation 
Relations;  Liz  Siladi.  executive  director,  Individual  Giving, 
and  director,  Planned  Giving;  Greg  Snoddy,  director,  Health)' 
Alternatives;  John  Trimbur,  professor,  humanities  and  arts; 
Rick  Vaz,  associate  professor,  electrical  and  computer  engineering, 
and  associate  dean,  Interdisciplinary  and  Global  Studies 
Division;  Kevin  Wynn.  associate  director.  Media  Relations. 
and  university  spokesman 

www.wpi.edu/+Transformations 
e-mail:  transformations@wpi.edu 

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Address  correspondence  to  the  I  ditor,  transformations,  \\  I'l, 
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Editor 


WPI 


I<thna4n|p 


Not  Game  for  a  Major 

As  a  holder  of  two  degrees  from  WPI,  I  have  fond  memories 
of  the  institution  and  felt  that,  above  all,  it  had  a  strong 
commitment  to  pure  academics  and  fundamentals.  I  was 
dismayed  to  learn  of  a  plan  to  create  a  new  major  for  the 
development  of  video  games  ("Game  Plan,"  Summer 
2004).  I  think  the  answer  to  the  question  of  creating  this 
new  major  is  right  in  the  article  itself.  Toward  the  end  it 
profiles  some  alumni  who  later  went  into  the  game 
industry.  They  credit  skills  in  fundamentals — namely, 
studying  programming  and  projects  experience — for 
helping  them  in  their  current  jobs. 

I  feel  the  world  is  too  broad  for  universities  to  pick  a 
few  specific  applicarions  of  technology  and  create  majors 
for  them.  Why  not  have  a  major  in  cell  phones,  DVD 
players,  or  motorcycle  design?  I  strongly  believe  a  good 
preparation,  by  studying  fundamentals,  teamwork,  and 
basic  problem  solving,  is  a  student's  best  bet. 

I  don't  think  it  would  be  a  bad  idea  to  have  a  research 
area  in  game  design.  Students  could  do  projects  and  steer 
their  degree  in  this  direcrion.  It  would  be  the  same  if  an 
electrical  engineering  major  decided  he  liked  analog 
design  and  steered  his  courses  in  that  direction.  But, 
he  would  still  be  an  EE  at  the  end  of  the  day. 

My  gut  impression  is  that  this  is  a  novel  way  to  make 
more  money  for  WPI,  and  I  see  it  as  selling  out.  You  can't 
have  your  cake  and  eat  it,  too.  If  you  want  to  remain  a 
well-respected  institution  committed  to  higher  learning,  you 
can't  cteate  whimsical  degrees  just  to  attract  more  students. 

Jason  Byrne  '92  (B.S.,  EE),  '94  (M.S.,  EE) 
Boulder,  Colo. 


Life  Issues 

I  was  very  disappointed  with  your  recent  piece  on 
Vicki  Cowart  75  ("A  Few  Words. . ."  Summer  2004), 
president  and  CEO  of  Planned  Parenthood  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains  (PPRM),  because 

1.  WPI  devotes  so  much  energy  to  improvement  of 
life  in  the  community  and  is  so  effective  in  making  that 
orientation  a  part  of  the  WPI  experience  that  featuring 
an  individual  who  is  the  leader  of  an  organization  that 
appears  to  be,  at  best,  indifferent  or,  at  worst,  hostile 
toward  human  life  is  inconsisrenr  with  WPI  values. 

2.  At  this  point  in  our  history,  we  are  involved 
militarily  in  defending  rhe  lives  of  rhe  innocent  and 
vulnerable.  Why  are  the  lives  of  our  most  innocent 
and  vulnerable  not  defended  as  well? 

3.  Ms.  Cowart  seems  to  try  to  downplay  the  signifi- 
cance of  abortion  in  PPRM's  activities.  Unfortunately, 
the  infinite  value  of  one  human  life  cannot  be  offset, 

especially  since  most  of  the  other 
activities  are  directed  against  the 
creation  of  human  life. 

It  was  a  pleasant  contrast  to 
read  the  story  of  Karen  Kosinski  '02 
("...and  life")  and  her  dedication  to 
helping  the  disadvantaged.  A  respect 
for  all  human  life,  born  or  unborn, 
is  our  only  footing  to  building  world 
peace.  Until  we  commit  ourselves  as 
a  society  to  respecting  and  pro- 
recting  human  lite,  we  are  destined 
to  remain  in  conflict. 


As  we  go  to  press  .  .  . 

The  WPI  faculty  approved  a  proposal  to  create  a  new  undergraduate 
major  in  Interactive  Media  and  Game  Development.  The  interdisci- 
plinary major,  which  was  the  subject  of  the  cover  story  in  the  Summer 
2004  issue  of  Transformations,  requires  course-  and  project  work  in 
computer  science  and  the  humanities  and  arts.  For  more  information, 
go  to  http://www.wpi. edu/+IMGD. 


Correction 

In  the  "Campus  Buzz"  section  of  the  Summer  2004  issue,  in 
the  article  entitled  "Jupiter  Aligns  with  Mars:  Former  BU 
Provost  Is  WPI's  15th  President,"  we  incorrecrly  reported  the 
number  of  years  WPI  President  Dennis  Berkey  served  as 
Boston  University's  Dean  of  Arts  and  Sciences.  He  was  dean 
for  a  total  of  1 5  years. 


Bob  Smialek  '70  (B.S.,  MG) 

Galena,  III. 


Write  to  us 

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length.  We  regret  that  not  all  letters  can  be  published. 


N 


E-mail:  transformations@wpi.edu 

Fax:  508-831-5604 

Mail:  Editor,  Transformations 

WPI 

100  Institute  Road 

Worcester,  MA  01609-2280 


Transformations    \    Winter  2004     3 


Arriving  on  July  1  for  his  first  official  day  as  WPI's  chief 
executive,  Dennis  Berkey  was  greeted  by  a  large  welcoming 
committee  of  staff  from  Boynton  Hall.  He  quickly  settled  into 
the  role  of  host,  escorting  group  after  group  into  the  office  that 
presidents  have  occupied  since  the  university  opened  its  doors  in 
1868.  He  took  special  pride  in  showing  off  the  room's  newest 
feature:  a  fireplace  that  lay  hidden  for  years  behind  the  wall- 
board  on  the  office's  west  wall.  (He'd  discovered  it  after  spotting 
a  chimney  rising  above  the  building's  granite  facade.) 

During  the  first  six  months  of  his  administration,  Berkey 
has  challenged  WPI  to  take  a  similarly  close  look  at  itself, 
searching  for  the  deeper  truths  and  fresh  ideas  that  may  lie 
behind  the  facade  of  preconceived  notions  and  old  habits. 
Drawing  on  his  more  than  three  decades  of  experience  in  higher 
education,  he  has  called  on  the  faculty,  staff,  students,  and 
alumni  to  question  their  assumptions  about  everything — from 
how  the  university  does  business  to  how  it  educates  students. 


In  an  address  at  the  year's  first  faculty 
meeting  in  September,  Berkey  noted  that 
"the  vision  that  has  served  the  university  so 
well  for  the  past  30  years  does  seem  ripe 
for  some  degree  of  reconsideration  as  we 
contemplate  WPI's  future."  To  set  that 
reconsideration  formally  in  motion,  he 
has  established  seven  commissions  that  will 
tackle  the  following  subjects:  general  education 
and  the  first-year  experience;  the  fine  and  liberal 
arts  and  the  Sufficiency  project;  the  Interactive 
Qualifying  Project  and  the  global  programs; 
research  and  graduate  education;  faculty 
workloads;  WPI's  ideal  size  and  the  distribution 
of  enrollments  between  undergraduate  and 
graduate  programs,  and  among  majors;  and 
WPI's  national  rankings. 

In  explaining  the  goal  of  these  commis- 
sions, Berkey  has  made  clear  that  his  purpose 
is  not  to  remake  WPI,  but  to  enhance  and 
build  on  the  strengths  that  drew  him  to 
the  university.  In  a  message  to  the  WPI 
community  on  July  1 ,  he  said  that  those 
strengths  include  WPI's  longstanding 
emphasis  on  theory  and  practice,  realized 
today  in  the  WPI  Plan,  which  produces 
"graduates  well  prepared  for  important 
work,  for  leadership,  and  for  fulfilling  lives." 
Before  joining  WPI,  Berkey  spent  30  years  at  Boston 
University,  where  he  served  as  a  faculty  member  in  mathe- 
matics, Chairman  of  the  Mathematics  Department,  Dean  of 
Arts  and  Sciences,  and  University  Provost.  He  says  the  primary 
lesson  he  learned  at  BU  that  he  will  apply  as  WPI's  president  is 
that  "academic  leadership  requires  both  a  sense  of  the  potential 
and  a  way  to  go  about  realizing  it — as  well  as  a  willingness  to 
encourage  dialogue  and  debate,  to  listen,  and  to  build  on  the 
ideas,  passions,  and  abilities  that  reveal  themselves  in  these 
interactions.  Success  is  generally  achieved  by  institutions  over 
sustained  periods  of  time,  rather  than  by  individuals." 

Berkey's  wife,  Catherine,  is  a  lecturer  at  the  Harvard 
Medical  School  and  a  research  associate  in  medicine  at  Brigham 
and  Women's  Hospital.  The  Berkeys  have  three  children. 

This  fall,  Transformations  caught  up  with  Dr.  Berkey 
to  ask  him  about  education  as  well  as  his  impressions  of  WPI 
and  his  thoughts  about  its  future. 


A    Transfo 


r  m  a  1 1  n  >i 


|    Winter  2004 


"I  ask  that  alumni  be  active  and  engaged  ambassadors  for  WPI, 
helping  identify  prospective  students,  reconnecting  WPI  to  other  alumni, 
and  generally  promoting  the  university  to  all  of  our  publics.  I  hope  also  that 
alumni  will  be  loyal  critics  and  active  participants  in  our  work  to  make  their 
continuing  association  with  WPI  as  satisfying  to  them  as  possible." 

— WPI  President  Dennis  Berkey 


What  do  you  think  a  college  education  should 
deliver  to  students? 

As  well  as  preparing  a  student  rather  deeply  within  a 
particular  field  or  two,  an  undergraduate  education 
should  engage  the  student  with  a  variety  of  modes  of 
thought,  styles  of  learning,  and  general  areas  of  knowl- 
edge. A  historian  or  an  archaeologist  may  look  at  the 
world  in  an  entirely  different  way  than  an  economist  or 
a  physicist.  Religion  itself  accounts  for  widely  varying 
beliefs  about  the  world.  It's  part  of  the  "And  Life"  com- 
ponent of  an  education  to  gain  some  sense  of  this  diversity 
of  thought,  which  plays  itself  out  in  nearly  every  aspect  of 
global  dynamics. 

An  undergraduate  education  should  also  provide  opportunities 
for  students  to  engage  fully  in  good  habits  of  social  and  civic 
responsibility,  and  simply  engage  with  the  world  to  significant 
degrees.  WPI's  programs  in  public  service,  and  especially  the 
project  work  in  needy  communities,  are  excellent  examples  of  how 
this  happens  in  our  community.  I  tell  students  that  their  WPI 
experience  is  part  of  the  real  world,  not  just  preparation  for  it. 

WPI  often  refers  to  itself  as  a  technological  university. 
Does  this  description  fit  your  vision  of  the  university? 

That  may  remain  our  best  descriptor,  but  regardless  of  the  label, 

I  think  we  must  make  the  case  that  an  education  centered  on 

science  and  technology,  if  enriched  and  balanced  by  the  other 

important  areas  of  learning,  is  an  excellent  platfotm  from  which 

to  proceed  in  many  directions.  These  include  graduate  and 

professional  school,  working  in  a  broad  range  of  organizations, 

and  more  generally  finding  fulfillment  in  life.  The  notion  that 

WPI  prepares  students  primarily  for  work  in  engineering  and 

technical  fields  sells  short  the  quality  and  potential  of  a  WPI 

education.  WPI  prepares  students  for  leadership  and  for 

personal  fulfillment,  as  well  as  for  achievement. 

You've  asked  the  faculty  to  consider  a  revision  to  the 
Sufficiency,  WPI's  required  humanities  and  arts  project, 
perhaps  by  replacing  it  with  an  interdisciplinary  first- 
year  core  curriculum.  How  do  you  think  the  educational 
outcome  of  a  core  curriculum  would  differ  from  those 
of  the  Sufficiency? 

I  would  like  us  to  engage  students,  particularly  the  freshmen, 
more  broadly  in  the  humanities,  the  arts,  and  the  social  sciences. 
Team-taught,  interdisciplinary  courses  can  be  as  much  fun  for 
the  faculty  who  design  and  teach  them  as  fot  the  students  who 
benefit  from  the  shared  intellectual  experience.  Big  ideas  and 
great  achievements,  as  well  as  mankind's  struggles  and  failures, 


V- 


can  be  the  stuff  of  exciting  and  challenging  courses.  I  do  not 
have  a  set  notion  of  what  should  be  done  on  this,  and  I  do  not 
want  to  eliminate  the  students'  ability  to  select  a  certain  number 
of  courses  according  to  their  intetests,  but  I  think  we  can  do 
more  at  the  outset  to  position  and  enable  out  students  to  get  the 
most  out  of  their  undergraduate  experience. 

Are  there  other  academic  and  research  areas  at  WPI  that 
you  would  like  to  see  further  developed? 

Yes,  I  believe  WPI  should  continue  to  develop  its  programs  in 
the  life  sciences.  Over  the  last  decade  we've  seen  the  growing 
contributions  of  engineering  thinking  and  engineering  technology 
to  advances  in  medical  science,  therapeutics,  and  medical  devices. 
We  want  to  continue  to  support  these  contributions.  This  has 
particular  relevance  to  the  future  of  the  WPI  Bioengineering 
Institute  and  Gateway  Research  Park  at  WPI,  a  science-based 
development  that  offers  opportunities  to  both  enhance  our 
research  facilities  in  engineering  and  science  and  stimulate 
economic  development  by  advancing  the  medical  device  industry. 
WPI  also  has  well-developed  areas  of  strength  in  engineering 
and  science,  and  we  don't  want  to  neglect  those.  Programs  like 
the  Metal  Processing  Institute  are  doing  important  work  for 
whole  industries.  With  new  leadership,  our  Fire  Protection 
Engineering  Program  is  poised  to  develop  its  research  component 
in  an  ambitious  way  that  will  redound  to  the  benefit  of  society  as 
well  as  to  the  univeisity.  Our  mathematics  program  has  had  great 
success  with  its  pipeline  programs  that  reach  out  to  elementary 
and  secondary  students  and  their  teachets  to  help  increase  the 
numbet  of  students  who  are  well  prepared  to  study  math  and 
science  at  the  college  level.  This  work  is  important  for  the 
nation,  and  we  will  continue  to  support  it. 

What  strengths  does  WPI  currently  have  in  the  life 
sciences,  and  what  areas  does  it  need  to  develop? 

We  have  a  strong  biomedical  engineering  department,  but  its 

small.  There's  good  strength  on  the  electrical  engineering  side, 

the  traditional  root  of  biomedical  engineering  programs, 


Transformations    \    Winter  200-1     5 


but  we  need  more  development  on  the  biology  side.  There  is 
strong  student  interest,  and  enrollments  are  growing,  so  we 
need  more  faculty  and  facilities  to  support  this  growing 
enrollment  base.  Chemistry  is  finding  its  way  increasingly 
into  the  role  it  has  always  claimed  for  itself  as  the  central 
science,  but  now  it  is  contributing  powerfully — nationally 
and  internationally — to  advances  in  the  life  sciences,  and  I 
think  that  will  be  important  for  us  going  forward.  We  have 
strong  new  leadership  in  biology  and  biotechnology.  And  we 
are  doing  exciting  work  in  imaging,  including  neuroimaging 
[the  application  of  imaging  technology  in  understanding 
the  brain  and  its  functioning]. 

Programs  like  neuroimaging  are  interdisciplinary  in 
nature.  You've  indicated  that  interdisciplinary  research 
is  one  of  WPI's  strengths.  Why  do  you  think  WPI  has 
had  more  success  than  most  universities  in  getting 
faculty  to  cooperate  across  disciplines? 
Because  of  our  relatively  intimate  scale,  the  barriers  that 
typically  exist  between  departments  and  schools  at  larger 
universities  just  are  not  here  to  any  significant  degree.  WPI's 
first  R01  grant  from  the  National  Institutes  of  Health  was 
received  by  our  Mathematical  Sciences  Department,  rather 


than  one  of  our  life  sciences  departments,  a  reflection  of  the 
high  degree  of  collaboration  between  Professor  Dalin  Tang, 
the  principal  investigator,  and  his  colleagues  in  the  life  sciences. 
That  kind  of  thing  is  much  easier  at  a  place  of  this  scale. 

Are  there  educational  benefits  that  will  come  from 
strengthening  the  links  between  the  life  sciences  and 
engineering  at  WPI? 

Yes,  because  these  areas  are  increasingly  of  interest  to  students. 

It's  also  the  case  that  we  can  succeed  in  marketing  WPI  to 

pre-professional  students  in  the  health-related  professions  more 

than  we  have.  All  of  this  contributes  to  a  nicely  complex  set  of 

opportunities  in  the  life  sciences. 

How  would  you  characterize  the  role  of  research  at  WPI? 

It's  especially  important  to  continue  the  WPI  tradition  of 
focusing  on  what's  important  to  do  in  research,  not  just  what's 
interesting.  The  practical  side  of  WPI  is  that  its  productivity 
really  makes  a  difference  in  the  world  and  I  hope  that  continues 
to  characterize  our  research  programs.  We  can't  do  everything  in 
research.  We  have  to  focus  on  a  number  of  areas  in  which  we 
can  be  very  good.  That  will  be  part  of  elevating  the  stature  of 
WPI,  because  we'll  not  only  be  doing  very  good  things  for  the 


■yj 


Throughout  history,  there  have  been  many  great 
leaders.  Which  do  you  admire  most? 

1  admire  Ghandi,  who  said,  "To  find  yourself  lose  your- 
self in  service  to  others."  Jefferson  had  brilliant  gilts  lor 
architecture,  institutions,  and  society,  as  well  as  for 
democratic  leadership.  Churchill  led  a  nation  through 
extreme  peril  with  absolute  resolve.  Kennedy  profoundly 


What  do  you  consider  to  be  your  greatest 
personal  and  professional  achievements? 

My  greatest  personal  satisfaction  has  come  in  my 

teaching,  in  my  work  with  faculty  to  develop  programs 

and  shape  institutions,  and  in  my  family  lire. 

The  achievements  map  pretty  well  onto  this, 

which  is  my  great  good  fortune. 

What  is  your  favorite  place  on  campus? 

The  Campus  Center.  Everyone  belongs,  stall  and  faculty 
as  well  as  students,  and  it  is  such  a  happy  place. 

What  do  you  enjoy  doing  in  your  time 
away  from  the  office? 

I  like  to  read,  to  do  gardening,  and  to  spend  time  with 
my  family.  The  work  of  the  university  has  so  many  dif- 
ferent human  aspects,  though,  that  it  satisfies  many  of  my 
personal  interests.  So  Cathy  and  I  look  forward  to  a  rich 
engagement  with  the  WPI  community',  including  travel  to 
meet  alumni  and  supporters. 


Preiideni  Dennkjjfirkey  and  his  wile,  Catherine,  at  Homecoming  2004 


students  we  educate,  but  we'll  be  doing  very  good  things  for 
society  and  the  economy,  and  that's  the  larger  role  we  want  to  play. 

Indeed,  WPI  has  been  struggling  for  many  years  to 
elevate  its  stature  and  broaden  its  reputation.  Is  this 
a  worthwhile  effort? 

Yes.  We  must  press  hard  on  the  important  work  of  expanding 
our  reputation.  There  are  many  areas  of  excellence  in  our  faculty's 
research  and  important  programs  outside  of  science  and  engi- 
neering, such  as  those  in  management,  that  need  to  be  better 
understood  by  the  public.  As  I  have  already  noted,  the  more  gen- 
eral value  of  a  science-based  undergraduate  education  is  something 
we  must  promote  vigorously.  As  we  seek  to  expand  our  reputa- 
tion, it  will  be  important  to  have  substantial  achievement  to  talk 
about,  but  it  will  be  equally  important  to  get  the  word  out  so 
people  can  understand  what  it  means  and  why  it's  important. 

In  2001  you  led  the  visiting  team  from  the  New  England 
Association  of  Schools  and  Colleges  [NEASC]  that  evaluated 
WPI  for  reaccreditation.  One  area  of  concern  the  team 
identified  was  WPI's  incomplete  success  in  achieving  a 
diverse  student  body  and  faculty.  How  important  a 
priority  will  diversity  be  for  your  administration? 

Diversity  in  the  staff  and  faculty  ranks,  as  well  as  in  the  student 
body,  will  remain  an  imporrant  goal  of  this  administration.  But 
we  must  realize  that  the  pool  of  students  applying  to  technological 
universities  nationally  is  quite  limited,  and  that  within  that  pool 
the  minority  applicants  comprise  an  even  more  limited  number. 
They  are  in  great  demand  by  the  finest  universities.  The  NEASC 
team  was  concerned  about  whether  the  goals  in  WPI's  Strategic 
Plan  are  realistic  in  this  regard.  We  will  work  as  hard  as  possible, 
within  the  limits  of  our  resources  and  the  constraints  I  have 
stated,  to  develop  a  more  fully  representative  academic  community. 

At  BU  you  helped  recruit  a  number  of  distinguished 
scholars  to  the  faculty,  including  one  Nobel  Prize 
laureate.  How  important  a  role  will  faculty  recruitment 
play  in  your  efforts  to  help  WPI  broaden  its  academic 
program  and  raise  its  stature? 

It  is  critically  important,  and  one  of  the  most  enjoyable  parts  of 
academic  administration.  WPI  will  settle  for  nothing  less  than 
the  very  best  qualified  individuals  in  those  it  recruits,  retains, 
and  promotes. 

You  told  the  WPI  community  this  fall  that  to  put  the 
university  on  a  more  stable  financial  footing,  we  will 
need  to  bring  the  student  body  into  better  balance  with 
the  size  of  our  faculty  and  staff — in  part  by  increasing 
enrollment.  What  is  the  greatest  challenge  WPI  will  face 
should  it  attempt  to  enlarge  the  student  body? 
Increasing  our  applicant  pool.  WPI  attracts  excellent  applicants, 
but  not  too  many  more  than  we  actually  admit.  The  ability  to 


increase  enrollment,  which  I  do  believe  is  necessary  to  bring 
our  revenues  into  line  with  our  costs,  will  depend  primarily  on 
our  ability  to  attract  a  significantly  larger  number  of  qualified 
applicants  to  our  undergraduate  programs. 

From  the  first  days  of  your  presidency,  you  have 
invested  a  great  deal  of  time  in  civic  outreach. 
Why  do  you  believe  this  is  important? 

It's  very  important  that  WPI  continue  to  be  regarded  as  a 
player  in  Worcester.  That's  why  I've  spent  considerable  time 
meeting  with  the  mayor  and  the  city  manager,  and  getting 
involved  in  a  number  of  organizations  in  which  WPI  needs  to 
be  visible  and  needs  to  be  contributing  leadership.  Much  of 
this  has  to  do  with  the  development  of  Gateway  Park,  our 
signal  contribution  to  the  development  of  Worcester.  What's 
good  for  Worcester  will  be  good  for  WPI.  I'm  encouraged  that 
the  colleges  have  come  together  with  the  business  community 
and  the  mayor's  office  to  form  a  tri-partied  collaboration  that 
will  focus  on  how  to  levetage  these  three  components  to  the 
benefit  of  the  development  of  the  city. 

In  your  conversations  with  city  officials,  what  do  they 
say  they  are  looking  to  WPI  to  contribute  to  the  city 
during  the  next  decade  or  so? 

I  think  they  are  looking  to  us  for  leadership  in  the  revitalization 
of  the  economy  and  the  region.  We  think  it  will  be  life  science- 
based  industries,  in  large  part,  that  will  lead  the  next  phase  of 
the  development  of  Worcester  and  Central  Massachusetts,  and 
WPI  is  positioned  to  provide  key  leadership. 

What  is  the  vision  for  Gateway  Park? 

Gateway  Park  will  be  a  life  science-based  development  that 
will  draw  commercial  tenants  to  the  facilities  in  proximity  to 
WPI  faculty  and  with  access  to  the  research  they  are  doing  in 
engineering  and  the  life  sciences.  We  would  also  like  to  develop 
housing  for  our  graduate  students.  What's  most  important  is 
that  the  whole  project  succeeds  as  a  thriving,  attractive,  inter- 
esting component  of  the  development  of  both  WPI  and  down- 
town Worcester.  The  plan  isn't  complete;  the  vision  needs  to  be 
further  developed.  It's  important  to  get  it  right  before  we  jump 
in  fully,  because  this  will  be  seen  as  a  WPI  project.  Our  part- 
nership in  this  with  the  Worcester  Business  Development 
Corporation  is  an  important  one,  and  the  WBDC's  role  in 
preparing  the  site  and  the  opportunity  has  been  essential,  but 
I  think  WPI  will  be  playing  the  leadership  role  going  forward, 
as  we  should. 


To  learn  more  about  Dr.  Berkey  and  to  read  his  message  to  the 
WPI  community,  visit  www.wpi.edul  ^President. 


Transformations    \    Winter  2004     7 


CampusBuzz 


Capital  Campaign  Ends,  Exceeding  $150  Million  Goal 


At  a  dinner  event  on  Oct.  15,  WPI  cele- 
brated the  successful  conclusion  of  The 
Campaign  for  WPI,  the  largest  comprehen- 
sive fund  drive  in  the  university's  history. 
The  event,  held  in  the  Campus  Center  (one 
of  the  most  significant  outcomes  of  the 
campaign),  brought  leadership  donors 
and  volunteers  together  with  some  of  the 
faculty,  students,  and  staff  who  benefited 
from  their  philanthropy,  which  totaled 
$153.8  million,  or  nearly  $4  million 
beyond  the  campaign's  goal. 

More  than  1  6,000  donors  con- 
tributed to  The  Campaign  for  WPI,  which 
ended  officially  on  June  30.  More  than 
1  1 ,000  alumni  contributed  a  total  of 
nearly  $90  million,  while  just  over 
$21  million  was  received  from  more  than  3,800  parents,  friends, 
faculty,  and  staff.  Included  in  these  totals  were  commitments  totaling 
more  than  $34  million  from  WPI's  current  and  emeritus  trustees. 


Also,  WPI  received  more  than  $27  million  in  cash  and  gifts-in- 
kind  from  over  1,000  corporations,  more  than  $10  million  from 
local  philanthropic  foundations,  and  more  than  $5  million  from 
national  foundations  and  other  organizations. 

In  addition  to  the  Campus  Center,  campaign  funds  sup- 
ported a  new  admissions  and  financial  aid  building  (construction 
to  begin  next  year),  new  equipment  and  classrooms,  laboratory 
renovations,  faculty  chairs,  graduate  fellowships,  new  educational 
innovations,  and  major  upgrades  to  WPI's  information  and  net- 
working technology,  among  other  programs  and  facilities. 

In  his  remarks  at  the  October  event,  F.  William  Marshall  Jr., 
chairman  of  the  WPI  Board  of  Trustees,  noted  that  the  success 
of  the  campaign  is  attributable  to  the  vision  and  hard  work  of 
the  university  staff  and  more  than  1 ,700  volunteers.  "Unlike  any- 
thing WPI  has  done  before,  this  campaign  was  powered  — and 
empowered  — by  the  people  of  WPI,"  he  said.  "Tonight  it  is  most 
fitting  to  pay  tribute  to  the  donors  and  volunteers  who  have  made 
WPI  a  stronger  and  more  vibrant  institution.  Please  know  that 
your  contributions  of  time,  talent,  and  treasure  are  genuinely 
appreciated." 


Janet  Richardson  Named  VP  of  Student  Affairs 


Janet  Begin  Richardson,  whose  career  in  student  affairs 
at  WPI  spans  24  years,  has  been  named  vice  president 
for  student  affairs;  she  is  the  first  woman  to  hold  a  vice 
presidential  post  at  WPI.  Richardson  succeeded  her 
mentor,  Bernard  H.  Brown,  who  died  in  August  after  a 
38-year  WPI  career  (see  "A  Champion  for  Students"  in 
the  Summer  2004  issue  of  Transformations). 

In  her  new  post,  Richardson  is  responsible  for  the 
delivery  of  services  to  more  than  3,600  under-graduate 
and  graduate  students  and  for  oversight  of  the  offices  of 


undergraduate  admissions,  enrollment  management,  financial  aid, 
and  student  life,  as  well  as  the  Career  Development  Center  and  the 
Department  of  Physical  Education,  Recreation,  and  Athletics. 

"Janet  Richardson  has  had  a  long  and  distinguished  tenure 
at  WPI  as  a  truly  outstanding  student  affairs  professional,"  says 
President  Dennis  Berkey.  "Her  exceptional  qualities  were  evident  to  me 
long  before  I  joined  WPI,  and  have  been  doubly  evident  in  the  period 
since  my  arrival.  Her  general  management  abilities,  as  well  as  her 
expertise  in  the  areas  within  the  student  affairs  portfolio,  make  this  a 
well-deserved  promotion." 


Princeton  Review  Gives  WPI's  MBA  Program  High  Marks 


WPI's  MBA  program  was  ranked  No.  2  in  the  nation  for  offering 
the  "Greatest  Opportunity  for  Women"  and  No.  9  for  providing  the 
"Best  Career  Prospects"  in  a  new  publication  by  the  Princeton  Review. 
Best  143  Business  Schools  lists  the  top  1  0  schools  in  a  number  of 
categories  based  on  data  provided  by  the  schools  and  surveys 
completed  by  1  1,000  students  attending  those  schools. 

The  "Greatest  Opportunity  for  Women"  ranking  is  based  on 
the  percentage  of  students  and  faculty  who  are  women,  student 
assessment  of  resources  and  climate  for  female  students 
and  whether  the  school  offers  course  work  for  women 
entrepreneurs,  among  other  factors.  The  "Best  Career 
Prospects"  ranking  is  based  on  the  average  starting 
salary,  the  percentage  of  students  employed  at  gradu- 
ation, student  perceptions  of  the  placement  office,  the 


8     Transformations   \   Winter  J ()()■) 


Business 

\»   Schools 


quality  of  recruiting  companies,  and  opportunities  for  off-campus 
projects  and  internships,  among  other  criteria. 

McRae  Banks,  head  of  WPI's  Department  of  Management, 
attributes  WPI's  strong  rankings  to  a  number  of  factors.  "We  are 
fortunate  to  have  great  faculty  members  and  bright,  motivated  students," 
he  says.  "Just  as  important,  though,  is  that  we  recognized  nine  years 
ago  that  we  had  to  distinguish  ourselves  from  the  competition.  By 
focusing  our  curriculum  on  the  management  of  technology  we  have 
educated  our  students  to  be  effective  leaders  of 

The 

Cfifl{5£jJ       organizations  operating  in  today's  rapidly  changing 

business  environment.  Employers  have  recognized  this, 
to  our  students'  benefit." 


To  learn  more  about  WPI's  graduate  management 
programs,  visit  www.mgt.wpi.edu/Graduate/. 


Three  New  Department  Heads  Join  WPI 


Kathy  A.  Notarianni    86 

(B.S.,  CE),  '88  (M.S.,  FPE)  is 
the  new  director  of  the  Center 
for  Firesafety  Studies,  succeed- 
ing founding  director  David 
Lucht,  who  stepped  down  after 
more  than  25  years  in  the 
position  (see  pages  21  and  33, 
respectively,  for  interviews  with 
Notarianni  and  Lucht).  She  joins 
WPI  after  1  5  years  as  a  project 
leader  and  research  engineer 
with  the  National  Institute  of 
Standards  and  Technology.  In 
addition  to  her  WPI  degrees, 
she  has  a  Ph.D.  in  engineering 
and  public  policy  from  Carnegie 
Mellon  University.  At  WPI,  she 
will  continue  as  principal  investi- 
gator for  a  major  study  on 
resource  deployment  and 
decision  analysis  models  for 
local  fire  departments. 


John  W.  Norbury,  new  head 
of  the  Physics  Department,  comes 
to  WPI  after  nearly  two  decades 
of  academic  work,  most  recently 
at  the  University  of  Wisconsin, 
Milwaukee.  His  primary  field  of 
research  is  in  protecting  astronauts 
from  cosmic  radiation,  which  has 
led  to  a  strong  working  relation- 
ship with  NASA.  Additionally,  he 
brings  ongoing  research  projects 
in  theoretical  nuclear  and  particle 
physics  to  WPI.  Norbury  has 
had  nearly  1  00  peer-reviewed 
scientific  papers  published  and  is 
a  frequent  presenter  at  national 
and  international  conferences 
and  professional  meetings.  He 
holds  a  B.S.  in  physics,  an  M.S. 
specializing  in  experimental 
nuclear  physics,  from  the  Univer- 
sity of  Melbourne,  Australia,  and 
a  Ph.D.  in  theoretical  nuclear  and 
particle  physics  from  the  Univer- 
sity of  Idaho. 


The  new  head  of  the  Biology 
and  Biotechnology  Department 
is  Eric  Overstrom,  who  comes 
to  WPI  from  Tufts  University, 
where  he  taught  in  the  School  of 
Veterinary  Medicine,  School  of 
Medicine,  and  School  of  Dental 
Medicine.  Most  recently,  he  was 
a  member  of  the  Department  of 
Biomedical  Sciences.  A  develop- 
mental biologist  and  a  Fulbright 
Scholar,  his  research  is  in  the 
areas  of  cell/molecular  biology 
of  mammalian  eggs  and 
embryos,  somatic  cell  cloning, 
and  assisted  reproduction 
technologies.  He  holds  a  B.A.  in 
biology  from  the  State  University 
of  New  York  at  Oswego  and 
M.S.  and  Ph.D.  degrees  in 
reproductive  physiology  from 
UMass,  Amherst.  He  was  a  post- 
doctoral fellow  at  the  Harvard 
Medical  School. 


As  we  go  to 
press... 

The  International  Association  of 
Financial  Engineers  (IAFF)  has 
recognized  WPI's  professional 
master's  degree  program  in 
financial  mathematics  as  a 
program  meeting  its  standards, 
and  has  admitted  it  as  an  IAFF 
member  program.  The  decision 
was  based  on  a  review  of  the 
program's  curriculum,  the 
contents  and  quality  of  the 
course,  laboratory  and  project 
offerings,  the  qualifications  of 
the  faculty,  employment  records 
of  the  program  graduates,  and 
interviews  with  faculty.  This 
recognition  by  IAFF  is  currently 
the  closest  thing  to  accreditation 
in  the  emerging  and  still 
unregulated  field  of  financial 
mathematics.  It  has  also 
allowed  second-year  financial 
mathematics  students  to  attend 
the  Financial  Mathematics  Job 
Fair  held  in  New  York  City 
this  fall  and  has  expanded 
employment  opportunities 
for  program  graduates. 


Donald  Zwiep  Named  Honorary  Member  of  ASME 


On  Nov.  16,  the  American  Society  of  Mechanical  Engineers  (ASME) 
recognized  Donald  Zwiep,  emeritus  professor  and  emeritus  head  of 
the  Mechanical  Engineering  Department,  as  an  honorary  member. 
The  highest  award  that  ASME  bestows  on  an  individual,  honorary 
membership  recognizes  distinguished  service  that  contributes 
significantly  to  the  attainment  of  the  goals  of  the  engineering 
profession.  Zwiep  was  one  of  four  individuals  named  honorary 
members  this  year  and  is  the  first  person  from  WPI  to  receive  the 
honor.  Since  the  founding  of  the  society  in  1  880,  there  have  been 
fewer  than  400  honorary  members. 

Zwiep  joined  WPI  in  1  957  as  professor  and  head  of  the 
mechanical  engineering  department,  which  expanded  and 
developed  under  his  leadership  to  offer  graduate  programs  with  a 
strong  emphasis  on  quality  education  and  research.  He  was  also 
instrumental  in  establishing  the  program  in  1964  and  the  university's 
project-based  undergraduate  curriculum,  the  WPI  Plan,  in  the  early 
1  970s.  In  1  977,  he  was  the  advisor  to  the  WPI  Project  Center  in 
Washington,  D.C.,  and  in  1982  became  the  director  and  chairman 
of  WPI's  Manufacturing  Engineering  Applications  Center. 


Subsequently,  he  served  as 
acting  provost  and  vice 
president  for  academic  affairs. 

Following  his  retirement  in 
1  990,  Zwiep  became  involved 
with  student  projects  in  London, 
at  the  Technical  University  in 
Delft,  The  Netherlands,  and, 
most  recently,  at  NASA's 
Goddard  Space  Flight  Center  in 
Greenbelt,  Md.,  and  the  Johnson 
Space  Center  in  Houston. 

As  a  member  of  ASME  since  1947,  Zwiep  has  held  many 
local,  regional,  and  national  advisory  and  committee  positions.  He 
also  served  as  president  of  ASME  during  the  society's  centennial 
year  (1979-1980). 

Read  more  about  Donald  Zwiep's  ASME  recognition  at 
www.wpi.edu/News/Release5/20045/zwiep.html. 


Transformations    \   Winter  200-j     9 


By  Nancy  Langmeyer 


Student  MQPs  Help  Police 
Preserve  and  Protect 


Case  dismissed!" 


When  a  judge  utters  this  phrase  during  a  criminal  court  case, 
it  may  be  because  police  evidence  has  been  compromised 
by  an  incomplete  paper  trail. 

But  a  project  completed  by  WPI  students  for  the  Massachusetts 
State  Police  may  make  paper  trails — incomplete  or  complete — 
a  thing  of  the  past.  The  students,  who  are  MIS  (management 
information  systems)  majors,  developed  a  new  electronic  evi- 
dence collection  database  designed  to  better  preserve  and  pro- 
tect physical  evidence  in  future  court  cases. 


The  Massachusetts  State  Police, 
founded  in  1  865— coincidentally,  the 
same  year  WPI  was  founded  — is  the 
oldest  statewide  law  enforcement 
agency  in  the  country,  and  it's  where 
Michael  Newcomb  '03  would  like  to 
work  someday.  Newcomb  came  to 
WPI  to  study  management,  with  a 
minor  in  law  and  technology.  While 


serving  as  a  dispatcher  for  WPI's 
police,  he  decided  to  see  if  he  could 
get  the  State  Police  to  sponsor  his 
Major  Project.  With  a  referral  from 
WPI  Police  Chief  John  Hanlon,  a 
retired  Massachusetts  state  trooper, 
and  the  support  of  Olga  Volkoff, 
assistant  professor  of  management, 
Newcomb's  passion  for  law  enforcement 


led  to  the  first  of  many  projects  that 
have  linked  students  with  the  agency's 
IT  department. 

In  2001-02,  Newcomb  teamed  with 
Matthew  Trachimowicz  '02  and  Sam 
Gutmann  '03  on  a  project  that  replaced 
the  manual  system  used  by  the  State 
Police  IT  department  to  track  help  desk 
requests  with  an  automated  system.  The 
project  won  WPI's  2002  Provost's  MQP 
Award.  A  second  project  sponsored 
by  the  State  Police  won  the  Provost's 
Award  the  following  year.  That  project, 
by  Kyle  Mackin  '03,  Scott  Bentley  '03, 
and  Jason  Gagne  '03,  helps  the  police 
track,  statewide,  all  computer-related 
inventory  from  initial  purchase  to  retire- 
ment or  disposition.  The  evidence 
tracking  system  is  the  third  project 
sponsored  by  the  State  Police. 


lO     I  rn  informations    \    Winter   2004 


"We  were  able  to  meet  with  the  troopers  on  a  regular 
basis.  They  are  the  end  users,  the  people  who  were 
going  to  use  the  system  every  day  on  the  street.  When 
we  told  them  what  the  system  could  do  for  them,  they 

project. 
-Nicholas  Barnes  '04 


\h 


The  Massachusetts  State  Police  Evidence  Collection  Database  MQP  would 
assist  state  troopers,  such  as  Danielle  Pires,  in  civil  and  criminal  cases. 


"The  sponsors  we  work  with  often  don't 
have  enough  time  or  resources  for  the 
projects  they  ask  the  students  to 
develop,"  says  Volkoff,  advisor  for  the 
Massachusetts  State  Police  Evidence 
Collection  Database  project.  "The 
students  bring  something  very  valuable 
to  the  table  for  a  negligible  cost." 

Partnering  with  the  police 

Each  year,  the  Massachusetts  State 
Police  collect  and  track  thousands  of 
pieces  of  evidence,  such  as  finger- 
prints, firearms,  drugs,  and  clothing. 
According  to  its  Web  site,  the  agency 
uses  the  evidence  to  "tie  criminals  to 
their  crimes,  victims  to  their  assailants 
and  exonerate  innocent  suspects... 
to  ensure  forensic  defensibility  and 
admissibility  in  criminal  or  civil  litigation." 

But  evidence  has  to  have  a  complete 
"chain  of  custody"— a  continual  log 
that  details  where  it  is  located  from  the 
moment  of  collection  through  disburse- 
ment to  others  for  reasons  such  as 
analysis.  Prior  to  the  WPI  project,  the 
police  used  a  paper-based  system  that 
complied  with  statewide  standards  and 
protocols  but  was  prone  to  breaks  in 
the  chain  that  could  cause  evidence  to 
be  thrown  out  of  court.  As  a  result,  the 
police  were  anxious  to  computerize  the 
system  to  achieve  a  more  secure  and 
reliable  method  of  evidence  tracking. 

The  State  Police  IT  department  had  a 
clear  vision  of  what  was  needed  for 
such  a  database:  a  system  that  not 
only  ensured  a  more  efficient  chain  of 
custody  but  reduced  the  time  required 
by  troopers  to  log  evidence.  The  de- 
partment wanted  a  secure,  reliable, 
and  easy-to-use  centralized  system. 

Nicholas  Barnes  '04  was  a  junior 
when  he  took  on  the  project,  fully 


aware  that  expectations  would  be 
high.  "The  first  two  projects  had  won 
department  awards,  so  there  was  a 
pretty  high  bar  set,"  he  says.  He  and 
his  project  partners,  Andrew  Bianchi 
'04,  Chris  Johnson  '04,  and  Steven 
Ruo  '04,  planned,  designed,  and 
implemented  a  complete  Web-based 
front-end  and  back-end  database  for 
evidence  collection. 

The  team  first  defined  user  and  system 
requirements  and  researched  appropriate 
Web  technologies.  They  taught  them- 
selves the  necessary  technical  skills  and 
built  a  prototype  of  the  system.  Based 
on  feedback  from  the  troopers  and  their 
own  reliability  testing,  they  delivered  a 
fully  functional  database  that  met  every 
one  of  the  State  Police  requirements, 
along  with  a  detailed  user  manual. 

The  State  Police  are  currently  integrating 
the  evidence  collection  database  with 
their  internal  systems  and  challenging  a 
fresh  team  of  WPI  students  to  find  a 
way  to  enable  troopers  to  use  a  hand- 
held device  to  log  evidence  in  the  field, 
instead  of  waiting  until  they  return  to 
the  barracks.  The  police  had  asked 
Barnes  and  his  team  to  tackle  this  task 
as  part  of  their  project.  They  were 
enthusiastic,  "but,"  Barnes  says,  "we 
had  to  learn  to  say  'no'  and  acknowledge 
what  we  could  provide  in  a  limited 
amount  of  time." 

On-the-job  training 

"One  of  the  biggest  rewards  was  when 
we  presented  our  completed  project  to 
the  police,"  says  Bianchi.  "They  loved 
it.  A  couple  of  troopers  who  saw  the 
system  said  that  this  will  make  their 
lives  easier  and  make  their  job  better." 
A  core  component  of  the  Major  Project 
experience  is  the  interaction  teams 
have  with  the  people  who  benefit  from 


their  work.  The  WPI  team  spent  extensive 
time  with  several  state  troopers,  who 
helped  them  understand  the  processes 
involved  with  evidence  collection  and 
what  they  would  need  to  make  the 
system  work  for  them.  "We  were  able 
to  meet  with  the  troopers  on  a  regular 
basis,"  says  Barnes.  "They  are  the  end 
users,  the  people  who  were  going  to 
use  the  system  every  day  on  the  street. 
When  we  told  them  what  the  system 
could  do  for  them,  they  were  1  00 
percent  behind  the  project.  It  made  us 
feel  good  because  not  only  did  we 
have  the  opportunity  to  achieve  the 
statewide  goal  of  automating  the  police 
system,  but  we  knew  we  would  be  able 
to  provide  benefits  to  the  troopers  as 
well." 

The  project  also  provided  the  students 
with  the  opportunity— and  challenge  — 
of  working  with  technologies  they  had 
not  used  before.  Familiarizing  them- 
selves with  the  IT  department's  system, 
which  included  the  scripting  language 
ASP  and  a  Sequel  SQL  database,  "was 
like  learning  a  whole  new  game,"  says 
Bianchi.  "We  had  experience  with  the 
higher-level  theories  of  it  all,  but  had  to 
learn  how  to  do  specific  coding.  This 
has  made  us  ready,  in  the  real  world, 
to  take  any  task  at  hand  and  know  that 
if  we  put  enough  time  and  dedication 
into  it,  we're  going  to  be  able  to 
accomplish  it." 

"We  had  to  overcome  many  challenges 
that  help  me  in  my  everyday  work," 
says  Johnson,  who  now  works  in  ING 
Financial's  IT  department.  "The  steps 
Professor  Volkoff  made  us  go  through 
are  the  same  steps  needed  to  create  a 
system  in  the  business  world.  I  didn't 
know  how  similar  they'd  be  until  I 
showed  up  at  work." 


Trans  form  at  i  o  ns    \    Winter  2004      I  I 


We  travel  to  learn;  and  I  have  never  been  in  any  country  where  they  did. 
not  do  something  better  than  we  do  it,  think  sonic  thoughts  better  than 
we  think,  or  catch  sonic  inspiration  front  heights  above  our  o 

— Maria  Mitchell,  first  professional  woman  astronomer  in  the  United  States, 
post-Civil  War  abolitionist,  and  women's  rights  advocate 

Namibia  was  not  Andrew  Mumford's  first  choice  for 

completing  his  Interdisciplinary  Project  requirement.  He  wanted  to 
go  to  Zurich.  Now,  this  member  of  the  Class  of  2005  admits  that  if 
he'd  gone  to  Switzerland,  he'd  be  a  different  person  today — someone 
whose  eyes  had  not  been  opened  to  a  world  he  never  knew  existed. 

Mumford  teamed  with  Jesse  Tippett  '05  and  Jessica  Sulzmann 
'05  to  help  a  community  of  shack-dwellers  in  Goreangab,  Namibia, 
improve  their  shelters.  The  experience,  he  says,  "increased  my 
appreciation  for  the  necessities  of  life  that  we  take  for  granted." 

The  team's  project  was  sponsored  by  the  Renewable  Energy  & 
Energy  Efficiency  Bureau  of  Namibia  (R-3-E),  through  the  Polytechnic 
Institute  of  Namibia.  Their  objective  was  to  spend  two  months  plan- 
ning and  designing  a  low-cost,  energy-efficient  housing  cluster  (from 
50  to  100  structures)  using  locally  available  materials  capable  of 
keeping  the  homes  cool  in  the  summer  and  warm  in  the  winter. 

No-cost  construction 

The  students,  advised  by  Professors  Susan  Vernon-Gerstenfeld 

and  Arthur  Gcrstenfcld,  founders  of  Wl'I's  Namibia  Project  (  enter. 

prepared  tor  their  project  by  corresponding  with  R.-3-E  CO  outline  the 


Photos  by  Andrew  Mumford  '05 


needs  of  Goreangab  residents.  Besides  improving  the  construction  of 
the  shacks,  they  learned  that  they  would  need  to  insulate  them.  In  the 
summer,  the  interior  of  the  shacks  can  reach  104  degrees;  during 
winter  nights,  the  temperature  often  plummets  to  23. 

When  they  reached  Namibia,  the  students  were  struck  by  its 
beauty  ("a  technicolor  dreamscape,  a  land  of  swirling  apricot  dunes 
and  shimmering  white  flats,"  according  to  one  travel  Web  site)  and 
its  poverty.  "What  I  saw  in  settlements  took  me  by  surprise,"  says 
Sulzmann.  "I  knew  there  were  many  people  who  lived  in  poverty, 
but  I  had  never  witnessed  it  firsthand."  Shack-dwellers  who  live  in 
informally  settled  areas,  or  ISAs,  such  as  Goreangab,  earn  less  than 
$180  U.S.  per  month;  a  large  portion  of  that  goes  to  wood  and 
paraffin  for  cooking  and  heating. 

"The  people  we  worked  with  had  nothing,    savs  Mumford. 
"No  running  water,  no  electricity,  no  cars,  no  money,  few  clothes, 
barely  a  roof  over  their  heads — just  a  drive  to  survive  and  better 
themselves.  They  worried  about  the  essentials  ot  life:  food,  clothing, 
shelter." 

The  team  set  out  to  develop  recommendations  the  shack- 
dwellers  could  implement  at  little  or  no  cost,  first,  tllev  met  with 
community  members,  in  groups  and  one-on-one.  to  build  trust. 

\Vi  luii  worried  about  what  they  would  think  of  us  as  foreigners 
coming  into  their  homes  with  out  ideas."  s.n s  Sulzmann.  Respect  fbi 
the  shack-dwellers'  way  ol  life  was  a  Ice)  component  ol  this  trusi 

building.   The  team  recognized  that  while  the  l0-by-15  fbol  sh.ii  ks 

made  from  corrugated  iron,  flattened  oil  drums,  and  other  readily 


12     Transformations   \   Winter  200-1 


Students  at  the  Namibia  Project  Center  design  low-cost, 
energy-efficient  housing  for  Goreangab  shack-dwellers 


available  materials — were  not  aesthetically  pleasing,  they  were  still 
homes.  Mumford  described  the  pride  people  took  in  decorating  the 
interiors  with  wall  hangings  and  in  maintaining  their  properties.  The 
students  kept  aesthetics  in  mind  as  they  focused  on  ways  to  control 
the  temperature  variability  of  the  shacks. 

Raising  the  reed  roof 

The  team  found  a  plant  material  that  was  an  ideal  insulator  and  was 
also  strong  enough  to  be  used  in  the  ceilings  of  the  shacks.  Reed  cane, 
also  known  as  "the  giant  reed,"  migrated  into  subtropical  and  warm- 
temperate  areas  from  countries  along  the  Mediterranean  Sea.  It  resem- 
bles bamboo  and  grows  rapidly;  immature  plants  gain  as  much  as  two 
feet  per  week  for  the  first  few  months,  and  mature  canes  reach  up  to 
30  feet.  The  students  discovered  that,  woven  together  into  mats,  reed 
cane  would  be  strong  enough  to  support  othet  insulating  materials 
installed  between  the  ceiling  and  roof. 

But  the  first  reed  mat  the  students  created  collapsed.  While 
they  pondeted  what  to  do,  the  pregnant  woman  who  lived  in  the 
shack,  a  carpenter  by  trade,  gave  them  the  components  they  needed 
to  hold  the  ceiling  in  place.  Her  shack  became  the  model  for  the 
community's  other  dwellings. 

Out  of  Africa 

The  students  went  to  Namibia  to  complete  a  required  project,  but 
each  came  out  of  Africa  with  a  new  perspective  on  life.  Although 
Tippett  will  remember  the  staggering  poverty  in  Goreangab,  he'll 
also  recall  that  he  nevet  saw  a  homeless  person,  which  to  him  reflects 


the  importance  of  community  in 
Namibia.  He  says  his  life  will  con- 
tinue to  be  shaped  by  that  experi- 
ence as  he  looks  for  a  career  where 
his  efforts  can  "directly  benefit 
people,  not  just  a  profit  margin." 

Once  the  reluctant  team 
member,  Mumford  says  he  con- 
tinues to  wrestle  with  why  he  has 
so  much  when  others  have  so  little. 
He  hopes  that  thinking  about  this 
issue  will  direct  and  guide  deci- 
sions he  makes  in  the  future,  as 
both  an  engineer  and  a  citizen. 

Sulzmann  plans  to  retutn  to 
Africa  soon,  if  only  to  visit  her 


Namibia  at  a  Glance 

Developing  country  on  southwest  coast  of  Africa 

Total  surface  area  of  824,269  sq.  kilometers 

Estimated  population  of  1 .8  million  (about 
1.5  people  per  square  kilometer— one  of  the 
lowest  population  densities  in  the  world) 

Average  household  has  5.1  members 

Last  colony  in  Africa  to  attain  independence 
(March  21,  1990);  under  German  control  from 
late  1 9th  century  to  1 920,  when  awarded 
by  League  of  Nations  to  South  Africa;  U.N. 
ended  South  African  control  in  1 966,  but 
South  Africa  resisted  Namibian  independence 
for  decades  because  of  its  large  mineral 
wealth  (richest  source  of  diamonds  in  the 
world;  world's  largest  diamond  producer) 

Two  deserts:  Kalahari  and  Namib— typical 
climate  yields  hot  days  and  cool  nights 

Two  distinct  seasons:  summer,  or  rainy 
season,  from  October/November  through 
March/April,  and  winter 


sister,  who  is  stationed  in  Ghana 

in  the  Peace  Corps.  In  fact,  her  experience  in  Namibia  has  prompted 

her  to  considet  applying  to  the  Peace  Corps  herself. 

Until  she  returns,  there  will  still  be  a  part  of  Sulzmann  in 
Aftica.  Two  days  before  the  team  departed,  the  woman  who  helped 
the  team  figure  out  how  to  secure  the  reed  ceiling  gave  birth  to  a  girl. 
While  she  may  not  remember  being  held  by  Sulzmann,  the  child  will 
be  reminded  of  her  every  time  someone  says  her  name:  Jessica. 

— Natalie  Mello  is  director  of  global  operations  in  WPI's 
Interdisciplinary  and  Global  Studies  Division. 


Note:  On  Dec.  1 ,  this  student  project  was  awarded  first  place  in  the  2004  President's  IQP  Awards. 


Transformations    \    Winter  2004      1  3 


Investigations 


By  Eileen  McCluskey 


Inside  a  small  room,  a  fierce  fire 
blazes.  Ribbons  of  heat  cascade 
through  the  doorway  as  the  tem- 
perature builds  to  2,000  degrees 
Fahrenheit.  Outside,  at  the  edge 
of  peril,  is  a  figure  fully  outfitted  in 
firefighter  protective  gear.  It  draws 
closer,  hesitates,  then  enters  the 
room  and  disappears  into  the 
flames. 

But  this  fire — from  ignition  to  extin- 
guishment— is  under  the  complete  control 
of  researchers.  So,  too,  is  the  mannequin 
thrust  into  the  inferno.  The  fiery  scenario 
has  been  carefully  planned,  designed,  and 
calibrated  by  WPFs  Center  for  Firesafety 
Studies  to  test  newly  designed  firefighter 
clothing  for  the  U.S.  Navy's  Clothing  and 
Textile  Research  Facility  located  at  the 
U.S.  Army  Soldier  Systems  Center  in 
Natick,  Mass. 

The  fire  test  simulator,  or  burn 
chamber,  is  located  at  Alden  Research 
Laboratory  in  nearby  Holden.  The 
chamber  and  its  equipment  were  built  by 
WPI  students  in  2001;  inside,  scientists 
and  students  can  simulate  a  variety  of  fire 
scenarios — from  a  blazing  bedroom  to  a 
brush  fire. 

"This  is  a  good  example  of  what 
WPl's  educational  program  makes  pos- 
sible," says  Jonathan  Barnett,  professor 
of  fire  protection  engineering,  the  lab's 
director,  and  the  principal  investigator. 
"Students  worked  together  to  build  it, 
and  students  help  run  it." 
The  10-by-15-foot  steel-framed  chamber  sits  in  the  middle  of  a  cavernous  warehouse; 
double  doors  on  either  end  stand  open.  Occupying  about  one-third  ot  the  metal  grid  floor 
are  eight  metal  boxes  filled  with  sand.  These  are  the  burners;  vaporized  propane  feeds 
through  from  the  bottom  of  the  boxes,  as  on  a  gas  stove.  The  burners'  configuration  can 
easily  be  changed  to  imitate  a  wide  range  ot  fires  more  realistically  than  has  previously  been 
possible,  according  to  Barnett. 

The  mannequin  is  part  ot  the  test  equipment  as  well.  Hanging  from  a  metal  track  and 
propelled  by  remote  control,  it  can  do  everything  from  standing  near  the  Haines  to  zipping 
through  at  speeds  ranging  from  a  halt-toot  to  two  teet  per  second.  Researchers  incisure  hc.it 
flux  from  40  specially  designed  copper  slug  calorimeters — sensors  that  act  as  surrogate  skin 
that  are  evenly  distributed  around  the  mannequin.  The  measurements  indicate  whether  a 
firefighter  would  have  suffered  skin  burns  while  wearing  the  protective  gear  and,  it  so.  the 
severity  and  locations  of  those  burns. 


14    Transformations   \   Winter  200-1 


What  a  firefighter  wears  to  a  fire 

is  just  as  important  as  putting  the  fire  out 


Though  a  handful  of  other  laboratories,  such  as  those  at  DuPont  and  North 
Carolina  State  University,  also  test  firefighter  clothing  using  instrumented  man- 
nequins, they  can  produce  only  flash  fire  conditions  in  which  flames  shoot  out  of 
walls  on  four  sides,  engulfing  the  mannequins. 

"But,  realistically,  a  firefighter's  more  likely  to  encounter  heated  or  super- 
heated atmospheres,  rather  than  direct  flames  during  routine  activities,"  says 
Jonathan  Martin  '05,  who  works  in  WPI's  burn  lab. 

Workplace  apparel 

Protective  clothing  has  come  a  long  way  from  the  days  when  firefighters  stormed 
into  blazing  buildings  wearing  street  clothes.  Leather  helmets  were  available  by 
the  late  1700s,  but  it  took  a  century  before  coats  and  pants  made  of  rubberized 
cotton  were  introduced.  These  provided  no  fire  protection;  they  simply  kept  fire- 
fighters dry.  A  breathing  apparatus  completed  the  ensemble  by  1908. 

"There  were  no  standards  for  protective  clothing  until  the  NFPA  [National 
Fire  Protection  Association]  developed  them,"  notes  Harry  Winer,  an  engineer 
and  protective  clothing  designer  with  the  U.S.  Navy's  Clothing  and  Textile 
Research  Facility,  who  attends  the  burn  lab  tests  on  the  new  garments  with  engi- 
neer Richard  Wojtaszek. 

But  even  NFPA  standards  are  based  on  bench  experiments.  "Characteristics 
like  the  type  of  fabric,  its  density,  its  heat  conductivity,  and  its  moisture  content 
all  translate  into  conductive  points  within  the  fabric,"  says  Wojtaszek.  "We  need 
the  realistic  tests  done  at  WPI  to  see  how  new  fabric  reacts  and  protects." 

Suit  of  the  future 

WPI  students  don  their  own  protective  gear  before  performing  a  fire  chamber 
test.  Fot  this  test,  the  mannequin  "stands"  two  feet  from  the  blaze  for  30  seconds 
as  heat  pulsates  through  the  chamber  openings.  Lab  assistant  Jay  Kramarczyk  '04 
points  the  remote  at  the  mannequin,  guiding  it  to  the  doorway,  and  then  into  the 
chamber  at  one  end  and  out  the  other. 

By  the  end  of  the  test,  the  students  ate  sweaty  and  their  faces  are  smudged 
with  soot.  Analyzing  the  data  from  the  calorimeters,  laboratory  computers  deter- 
mine whether  the  mannequin's  exposure  to  heat  over  time  would  have  produced 
first-,  second-,  or  third-degree  burns,  or  no  burns  at  all.  Skin  temperature  must 
equal  or  exceed  44  degrees  C  ( 1 1 1  degrees  F)  to  burn. 

In  this  test,  the  mannequin's  outfit  has  come  through  the  chamber  unscathed; 
a  heat  sensor  analysis  detects  no  skin  burns.  This  would  have  been  one  well- 
protected  firefighter. 

Winer  and  Wojtaszek  are  pleased.  The  Navy's  new  suit,  made  from  highly 
flame-  and  heat-resistant  zylon  and  aramid,  apparently  works  well.  The  engineers 
expect  to  see  this  gear  aboard  naval  vessels  by  2006;  it  will  take  another  year  or  two 
for  the  suit  to  filter  out  to  civilian  fire  departments. 

Barnett  says  he  would  like  to  see  that  happen.  Chemical  and  fire  burns 
accounted  for  9  percent  of  firefighter  injuries  on  the  fire  ground  in  2002,  according 
to  the  NFPA.  Between  1977  and  2003,  burns  caused  8  percent  of  on-the-scene  fire- 
fighter deaths.  "My  goal,"  says  Barnett,  "is  for  this  research  to  reach  the  civilian 
population  as  soon  as  possible." 


Burns  to  the  lower  extremities, 
visible  on  a  tested  firefighter's 
suit  (above),  register  as  torso 
burns  via  copper  slug  skin 
calorimeters  on  the  man- 
nequin (left).  The  suit  is  made 
from  polybenzimidazole  (PBI), 
a  material  used  in  most  fire- 
fighters' suits.  "Part  of  the 
reason  for  the  extent  of  these 
burns,"  says  Jay  Kramarczyk 
'04,  lab  assistant  in  WPI's 
burn  chamber,  "is  that  the 
scenario  the  suit  is  exposed 
to  is  not  practical  for  a  human  to  endure.  In  the  lab  we 
are  given  the  unique  opportunity  to  expose  materials  to 
situations  that  go  Far  beyond  what  the  wearer  of  the  suit 
would  experience.  By  designing  suits  that  are  far  more 
capable  than  they  need  to  be,  we  are  assured  that  they 
will  also  perform  under  normal  circumstances." 


Photos  by  Jay  Kramarczyk  '04 


Transformations    \    Winter  2004      1  5 


w  mm 


^M» 


m 


By  Eileen  McCluskey 


Lost  in  the  mazelike  layout  of  a 

massive  warehouse  filled  with  thick  black 
smoke,  two  firefighters  gasped  for  breath. 
Their  air  tanks  were  nearly  empty;  the 
men  were  running  out  of  time. 

It  was  Dec.  3,  1999,  and  Worcester 
firefighters  Paul  Brotherton  and  Jerry 
Lucey  were  trapped  inside  the  Worcester 
Cold  Storage  warehouse.  Separately,  two 
pairs  of  their  brethren  had  answered  their 
radio  distress  call,  but  they,  too,  became  disoriented  in  the 
dense  smoke  and  roar  of  the  flames. 

Before  the  night  was  over,  all  six  lost  their  lives,  each  with- 
in 100  feet  of  exits  they  simply  couldn't  locate.  The  Worcester 
Cold  Storage  tragedy  made  international  headlines  and  shone  a 
spotlight  not  just  on  the  dangers  of  the  firefighting  profession. 
but  on  the  enormous  challenge  of  tracking  the  whereabouts  of 
emergency  personnel  when  they  enter  buildings. 


From  heroic  sacrifice,  a  better  idea 

Fitefighters  who  lose  their  bearings  typically  tely  on  ropes  to 
find  their  way  out.  This  system  works — if  the  rope  doesn't  go  up 
in  flames  or  get  lost  in  the  murk.  An  alarm  that  sounds  when  a 
fitefighter  stops  moving  has  also  proven  unreliable;  the  alarms 
on  Brotherton  and  Lucey  were  drowned  out  by  the  fire's  roar. 

In  the  days  after  the  Worcester 
fire,  John  Orr,  professor  of  electrical 
and  computer  engineering  and  then 
head  of  the  department,  began  to 
think  that  there  had  to  be  a  better 
way.  On  Dec.  l>.  I1)1'1',  he  joined 
tens  of  thousands  of  mourners  who 
lined  the  streets  of  Worcester  to 
watch  a  three-mile-long  procession  ol 
30,000  firefighters  from  around  the 
world  wind  its  way  to  the  Centrum 
(now  the  1X1'  (  enter)  lor  a 


Homing  in  on  the  signal 

The  team  first  had  to  determine  which  communication  tech- 
nologies would  help  them  deliver  on  the  complex  criteria 
required  by  the  First  Responder  Locator  System. 

They  began  by  analyzing  the  Global  Positioning  System 
(GPS).  "Most  people  assume  that  any  GPS  worth  its  salt  would 
be  able  to  locate  people  inside  buildings,"  says  Cyganski.  But 
GPS  has  proven  to  be  inaccurate  indoors.  Its  satellite-broadcast 
signals  are  weak,  and  when  those  signals  bounce  off  walls  and 
other  surfaces,  accuracy  suffers.  It  is  also  incapable  of  pinpointing 
ocation — 30  feet  is  the  best  it  can  do,  far  from  the  one  foot 
needed  for  the  First  Responder  system. 

The  team  also  reviewed  impulse  UWB  (ultra-wideband), 
which  relies  on  sharp  pulses  for  tracking;  again,  there  were 
drawbacks.  "The  sharper  the  pulse,  the  more  radio  spectrum  it 
takes  up,"  explains  Cyganski.  "You'd  have  to  disrupt  all  other 
radio-related  services  in  the  area  to  use  a  system  based  on 
impulse-UWB,  which  is,  of  course,  wholly  impractical." 

The  engineers  continued  their  survey  and  found  two  com- 
munication tools  suitable  for  the  job.  Super-resolution  radar, 
also  called  synthetic  aperture  radar  (SAR),  extracts  great  detail 


memorial  service  for  the  six  firefighters:  Brotherton,  41;  Lucey, 
38;  Timothy  P.  Jackson,  51;  James  F.  Lyons  III,  34;  Joseph  T. 
McGuirk,  38;  and  Lt.  Thomas  E.  Spencer,  42. 

It  was  there,  in  that  solemn  setting,  that  Orr  decided  that 
he  and  his  colleagues  could  harness  WPI's  expertise  and  come 
up  with  a  better  system  for  locating  firefighters  trapped  or  lost 
in  a  building  fire.  But  the  idea  needed  funding.  The  issue 
caught  the  attention  of  Senators  John  Kerry  (D-MA)  and 
Edward  Kennedy  (D-MA),  and  Representative  James 
McGovern  (D-MA).  By  February  2003,  the  legislators  had 
secured  $1  million  from  the  National  Institute  of  Justice's 
Office  of  Science  and  Technology  to  fund  the  development  of  a 
locator  system.  Orr  mapped  out  a  three-year  project,  which  will 
culminate  with  a  functioning  prototype,  and  assembled  a  team 
of  ECE  faculty  to  make  the  system — intended  for  firefighters 
and  police — a  reality.  (Orr,  professor  David  Cyganski,  the  project 
co-leader,  and  associate  professors  William  Michalson  and  James 
Duckworth  are  assisted  by  graduate  and  undergraduate  students.) 


from  radar  signals  by  applying  sophisticated  computational 
methods  that  were  not  practical,  especially  for  mobile  systems, 
before  recent  innovations  in  computer  technology.  And  orthog- 
onal frequency  division  multiplexing  (OFDM),  another  recent 
innovation,  transmits  high-speed  data  via  wireless  devices  and 
integrates  well  in  the  radio  spectrum. 

Once  the  team  had  settled  on  SAR  and  OFDM  as  the 
technological  backbone  for  the  system,  they  needed  to  find  a 
way  to  channel  the  power  of  these  technologies. 

A  true  team  effort 

In  the  labs  run  by  Cyganski,  Duckworth,  and  Michalson,  a 
prototype  assembly  line  has  been  set  up  that  utilizes  the  expertise 
of  each  team  member. 

Cyganski  is  the  math  guy  who's  designing  from  scratch  a 
system  that  will  be  able  to  transmit,  receive,  and  process  the 
signals.  In  addition,  he  calculates  the  best  types  of  signals  and 

Transformations    \    Winter  2004     I  7 


the  best  way  to  generate  them.  The  customized  OFDM  signals 
are  emitted  continuously  by  the  transmitters  worn  by  each  first 
responder.  The  receivers  are  able  to  decipher  the  signals  and 
determine  their  distance  from  the  transmitters. 

The  process  of  identifying  the  transmitter's  exact  location  is 
complicated  by  something  known  as  multipath — the  tendency 
of  signals  to  radiate  out  from  the  transmitters  and  bounce  off 
walls,  floors,  and  ceilings,  arriving  in  a  jumbled  fashion  at  the 
receivers.  But  while  each  receiver  picks  up  a  multitude  of  signals 
appearing  to  have  arrived  via  many  different  paths,  when  all  of 
the  paths  are  compared  some  will  converge  on  a  single  reference 
point.  That  point  is  the  true  location  of  the  transmitter  and  the 
first  responder  wearing  it. 

After  Cyganski  generates  the  mathematical  representations 
of  the  signals,  he  hands  them  over  to  Michalson  and  Duckworth. 
"We  then  translate  these  representations  into  a  flow  of  electrons,' 
explains  Michalson,  the  team's  wireless  navigation  expert.  Recent 
prototypes,  including  an  analog-to-digital  converter,  lie  on  tables 
in  Michalson's  lab,  along  with  the  tools  needed  to  construct  and 
repair  these  complex  devices.  "The  models  are  big  now,  because 
fingers  are  fat,"  he  says,  holding  aloft  a  board  about  two  feet 
square.  "Their  size  makes  it  easy  to  change  components  and  saves 
us  a  lot  of  time." 

He  gestures  to  a  board,  to  which  black  boxes  and  a 
spaghetti  of  wire  are  affixed.  "This  interface  between  analog  and 
digital  data  samples  the  signal  two  hundred  million  times  per 
second.  Then  the  FPGA  [field  programmable  gate  array]  dumps 
this  data  into  memory  and  transfers  the  data  to  the  laptop  for 
processing." 

The  FPGA — a  small  chip  critical  to  the  project — is 
an  integrated  circuit  that  the  engineers  can  program  to 
make  the  transmitter  and  receiver  handle  the  system's 

How  the  First  Responder  Locator 
Will  Perform 

Fire  department  personnel  arrive  at  a  blazing  building.  Each 
firefighter  in  full  protective  gear  wears  a  badge-sized  transmitter. 
Three  fire  trucks  equipped  with  transmitter-receivers  are  positioned 
at  roughly  even  intervals  around  the  building  to  permit  three- 
dimensional  maps  to  be  generated  on  the  fly. 

Several  firefighters  walk  around  the  building's  exterior,  tapping  their 
badges  when  they  reach  an  entrance/exit.  The  taps,  relayed  from 
the  trucks'  transmitter-receivers,  show  up  as  glowing  dots  on  a  map 
displayed  on  the  site  commander's  computer. 

Firefighters  enter  the  building.  Their  badges  send  continuous  signals 
to  the  receivers,  which  display  lines  tracing  their  every  movement. 
The  system  senses  changes  in  elevation;  at  second-  and  subsequent- 
floor  walk-throughs,  the  lines  on  the  display  change  colors.  As  the 
lines  build  up,  they  create  a  "picture"  of  hallways,  stairwells,  room 
layouts  — a  clear,  three-dimensional  map  of  the  building. 

If  exits  become  impassable,  the  site  commander's  display  corrects 
for  such  changes,  showing  alternate  routes  out  of  the  building. 
The  site  commander  knows  where  each  responder  is,  to  within 
1  2  inches,  and  can  help  anyone  get  out  while  there's  still  time, 
whether  or  not  firefighters  can  see  through  the  smoke. 


18     Transformation!    \   Winter  .'tin. 


■  ITEMED" 
5l!<GNAt 

Reflectjojvs  I 


!\(IDEMT(o\IMA\P£RS 

Tactical  Display 


Transmitter/ 
Receiver 

(FlREjRUCk) 


complex  signals  with  almost  no  additional  components.  When 
the  design  is  complete,  the  FPGA  functions  can  be  mass  pro- 
duced in  an  even  smallet  chip,  enabling  the  final  devices  to  be 
both  compact  and  cheap. 

"Fot  the  system's  next  generation,"  Michalson  says, 
"instead  of  these  prototypes  scattered  across  several  feet  of 
boatds,  we'll  have  stacks  of  three  boards  that  you  can  hold  in 
your  hand." 

Enter  Duckworth,  the  embedded  system  designer;  his 
circuit  board  designs  are  created  on  a  computer.  Using  software, 
he  draws  thousands  of  spiderweb-fine  lines,  color-coded  in  bril- 
liant red,  blue,  yellow,  and  orange,  representing  the  signals  to  be 
used  by  the  system.  Squares  and  circles  designate  components. 
"This  will  be  our  digital  controller  board,"  he  explains,  pointing 
to  a  design  on  his  screen,  "which  goes  into  the  receiver  and 
transmitter  systems." 

From  an  envelope,  Duckworth  removes  a  small  fiberglass 
square  densely  packed  with  lines  and  shapes  matching  his  com- 
puter rendition:  it's  a  newly  minted  circuit  board,  manufactured 
off-site,  using  his  specifications. 

Working  toward  a  deadline 

Currently  the  transmitter  and  receiver  are  each  made  up  of 
three  circuit  boards.  Later,  only  one  board  will  be  required  for 
the  transmitter  and  another  for  the  receiver. 

In  the  intetim,  the  team  plans  a  demonstration  of  the  sys- 
tem with  four  retrofitted  laptops — three  to  act  as  receivers,  one 
as  transmitter — by  summer  2005. 

Within  the  next  couple  of  years,  issues  such  as  monitoring 
the  physiological  status  of  emergency  responders  and  making 
the  transmitters  impervious  to  the  crematory-like  fire  envi- 
ronments in  which  firefighters  are  called  upon  to  work 
will  be  addressed.  "But  those  items  are  for  a  later  pass," 
says  Michalson.  "If  you  try  to  do  everything  at  once,  you 
end  up  doing  nothing  well." 

Although  Cyganski  cautions  that  "we  don't  know 
how  many  roadblocks  we'll  encounter  along  the  way," 
the  team  believes  the  final  product  will  be  ready  within 
the  initially  conceived  three-year  timeline,  possibly  hitting 
the  marketplace  within  five  years. 
"This  is  a  project  we  had  to  do,"  says  Otr.  "Technology 
can  solve  the  problem  that  killed  the  firefighters  in  the 
Worcester  Cold  Storage  warehouse.  We  think  we  now  under- 
stand better  than  anyone  else  why  precision  indoor  position 
location  is  such  a  difficult  problem.  And  we  remain  confident 
that  we  will  solve  it." 

— Eileen  McCluskey  is  a  frequent  contributor.  Sources  for  this 
article  include  Sean  Flynn's  book  about  the  Worcester  Cold  Storage 
warehouse  fire,  3,000  Degrees:  The  True  Story  of  a  Deadly  Fire 
and  the  Men  Who  Fought  It. 


Transformations    \    Winter  2004      1  9 


A^ 

5x31 

and  life 


By  Eileen  McCluskey 


"He  was  a  fun-loving,  food-cooking,  opera-passionate  kind 
of  guy,"  says  Patrick  Spencer  '05  of  his  father,  Lt.  Thomas 
Spencer — one  of  six  Worcester  firefighters  who  perished  in 
the  Worcester  Cold  Storage  warehouse  fire  in  December  1999. 
"I  curse  him  every  time  I  sing  La  Boheme  in  the  shower," 
he  jokes.  "I  can't  help  it;  I  love  the  music  he  loved." 

Pat  was  16  when  he  lost  his  father.  A  year  before  his  death, 
Tom  had  introduced  his  son  around  the  WPI  campus.  "My  dad 
knew  [FPE  professor]  Bob  Fitzgerald,"  says  Pat.  "We  called  him 
Fitzy — he  and  my  grandfather  knew  each  other  through  Fitzy's 
work  with  the  Worcester  Fire  Department.  My  father  wanted  to 
be  sure  I  got  the  best  possible  engineering  education;  after  he 
died,  Fitzy  took  me  under  his  wing  and  made  sure  I  took  the 
right  high  school  courses  to  prepare  me  for  WPI."  That  prepa- 
ration has  paid  off;  Pat  is  pursuing  an  undergraduate  degree  in 
civil  engineering  and  plans  to  earn  a  master's  in  fire  protection 
engineering  by  2006. 

The  close  relationship  between  father  and  son — Tom  was 
Pat's  baseball  and  soccer  coach  and  his  golfing  buddv — extended 
into  a  mutual  love  of  the  firefighting  profession,  steeped  in  the 
family's  history.  "My  grandfather — Blackjack  Murphy,  they 
called  him — was  a  Worcester  firefighter  [for  50  years],  as  was 
my  dad's  brother,"  says  Pat.  "I  always  had  this  sense  of  firefighters 


as  special.  When  everybody  else  is  running  out  of  the  building, 
they're  the  guys  who  have  to  go  in." 

Once  at  WPI,  Pat  found  allies  among  his  professors, 
including  Jonathan  Barnett,  professor  of  fire  protection  engi- 
neering. Aware  of  Pat's  ambitions  to  be  a  firefighter,  Barnett 
invited  him  to  Queensland,  Australia,  for  an  introduction  to 
FPE.  "I  spent  the  summer  between  my  freshman  and  sopho- 
more years  investigating  Australia's  own  Worcester-like  fire 
tragedy,"  says  Pat.  "It  was  in  a  hotel  where  college  students  used 
to  stay  as  they  traveled  through  Brisbane.  Seventeen  kids  were 
killed.  We  were  asked  to  help  establish  ranking  methods  tor 
Queensland's  Fire  and  Rescue  Service  so  it  could  rate  buildings 
in  tetms  of  fire  safety." 

In  2003,  Pat  joined  the  Paxton  Fite  Department  and  has  since 
rought  dozens  or  fires.  While  firefighting  "seemed  like  a  logical 
step,"  he  admits  there  was  a  short  time  alter  his  fathers  death  when 
he  thought  it  wasn't  what  he  wanted  to  do.  Pat  now  envisions  a 
future  beyond  that  profession.  "I  see  myself  as  a  teacher  and  a  fire 
protection  engineer,"  he  s.ivs.  "I  want  to  stm.lv  fire — understand 
why  it  spreads  across  a  ceiling,  lor  instance,  ["here's  an  inherent 
educational  benefit  n>  that  analysis.  I'll  teach  students  that  lire 
prevention  should  never  be  just  about  putting  out  fires.  We  need 
to  give  it  less  of  a  chance  to  start  in  the  first  place." 


20     Transformation!   |   Winter  2004 


Kathy  Notarianni  '86  (B.S.,  CE),  '88  (M.S.,  FPE)  was  for 
1 5  years  project  leader  and  research  engineer  at  the  National 
Institute  of  Standards  and  Technology.  While  there,  she  started 
and  grew  a  large  fire  research  program  and  managed  a  team  of 
scientists  and  engineers.  In  addition  to  her  WP1  degrees,  she'" 
holds  a  Ph.D.  in  engineering  and  public  policy  from  Carnegie 
Mellon  University.  As  the  new  director  of  WPI's  Center  for 
Firesafery  Studies,  she  will  work  with  the  FPE  faculty  to  plan  for 
the  future  of  graduate  studies  and  research  and  build  relation- 
ships with  off-campus  agencies,  laboratories,  universities,  and 
companies  that  share  WPI's  interests  in  fire  protection  engineering 
education  and  research. 

1 .  Which  interest  came  first  for  you:  engineering  or 
fire  safety? 

Engineering.  I  loved  math  and  chemistry  in  high  school.  In 
WPI's  chemical  engineering  program,  I  was  intrigued  with  fluid 
mechanics,  heat  transfer,  and  thermodynamics.  A  fire  chemistry 
class  introduced  me  to  the  fascinating  problems  of  fire  and  life 
safety.  That  completed  the  picture  for  me. 

2.  Fire  codes  and  technologies  often  face  strong  political 
opposition.  How  can  engineers  and  politicians  work 
together  to  improve  fire  safety? 

Engineers,  scientists,  and  decision  makers  (building  owners, 
inspectors,  and  state  and  local  government  officials,  among  others) 
need  to  learn  each  other's  language  and  begin  a  dialogue.  My 
Ph.D.  has  proved  invaluable  in  helping  me  communicate  with 
politicians  and  decision  makers.  WPI's  FPE  program  will 
increasingly  incorporate  such  subjects  as  economics,  risk  assess- 
ment and  communication,  decision  analysis,  and  applied  policy 
analysis  into  its  curriculum.  And  we  will  continue  to  invite 
decision  makers  to  talk  with  us  about  fire  safety  issues. 

3.  How  do  you  feel  about  staffing  and  funding  being  cut 
for  fire  departments? 

Just  as  in  a  household,  local  jurisdictions  have  to  balance  budgets 
and  pay  bills.  Personnel  are  often  the  first  to  be  cut  because  they 
represent  the  biggest  part  of  the  budget.  But  I'm  uncomfortable 
with  such  a  quick-fix  solution.  Budget  allocations  should  follow 
a  complete  financial  review  and  an  equally  thorough  analysis  of 
important  factors  such  as  coverage  areas,  response  time,  and  the 
impact  on  the  safety  of  the  community. 

4.  What  can  be  done  to  build  safer  structures 
in  the  United  States? 

Buildings  need  to  be  designed  from  a  multidisciplinary  view- 
point, keeping  the  safety  of  people  as  the  primary  focus.  Today, 


working  with  fire  protection  engineers,  structural  engineers  are 
helping  design  buildings  that  will  remain  standing  during  a 
severe  fire  threat,  psychologists  and  sociologists  are  learning 
more  about  human  behavior  in  fires,  and  mechanical  and  electri- 
cal engineers  are  helping  create  "smart"  buildings  that  can 
communicate  lifesaving  information  to  occupants  during  an 
incident.  It's  an  exciting  time  in  the  world  of  building  design, 
and  fire  protection  engineering  is  at  the  core  of  this  excitement. 

5.  You  advocate  mandating  residential  sprinklers  in  one- 
and  two-family  homes,  mobile  homes,  and  mulrifamily 
dwellings.  Is  this  realistic? 

It  already  is  happening.  Multiple  communities  across  America 
have  passed  residential  sprinkler  mandates  for  new  construction. 
These  mandates  require  apartment  buildings,  multifamily 
dwellings,  townhouses,  and  even  some  single-family  dwellings  to 
have  residential  sprinklers.  This  trend  will  continue. 

6.  How  can  other  universities  assist  the  center? 

I've  been  building  strong  relationships  with  other  universities; 
they  will  serve  as  our  partners  in  research  and  multidisciplinary 
teaching.  There  is  much  important  work  to  be  done  in  designing 
safe  buildings  that  requires  partnerships  beyond  fire  protection 
and  beyond  engineering. 

7.  Is  WPI  doing  a  better  job  teaching  and  researching  in  the 
field  of  fire  protection  engineering  than  other  universities? 

We  offered  the  first  graduate  engineering  program  and  the  only 
Ph.D.  program  in  the  United  States  for  this  unique  discipline. 
Our  graduates  are  highly  trained  and  work  in  all  areas  of  fire  safety. 
WPI  is  a  world  leader  in  fire  protection  engineering  education, 
and  we  will  continue  to  lead  the  way  in  engaging  engineering 
students  at  other  universities  in  fire  protection  engineering. 

8.  What  is  it  like  directing  the  center  where  you  were 
once  a  student? 

I  feel  that  I  have  a  special  job,  one  I  was  called  to  do.  As  a  grad- 
uate student,  I  remember  clearly  rhe  feelings  I  had  coming  into 
the  Center  for  Firesafery  Studies;  I  was  choosing  not  just  a  field 
of  study,  but  committing  to  a  career  that  makes  the  world  a  safer 

continued  on  page  34 


Transformations    \   Winter  2004     2  1 


c 


e  or 


TEL  GUESi 


BLISSFULLY  UNAWARE  of  the 


(M.S.,  FPE)  in  her  role  as  director  of  environmental 

health,  and  fire  and  life  safety  for  Starwood  Hotels  &  Resorts 

Worldwide  Inc.  The  lobby  doors  glide  open  at  a  touch.  The 

Jacuzzi  feels  heavenly  after  that  hellish  plane  trip,  and 

after  dinner,  a  sumptuous  dessert  cart  beckons.  Apart 

from  bolting  the  door  before  falling  into  bed  and 

glancing  at  the  posted  emergency  escape  route, 

few  vacationers  give  a  second  thought  to  their 

safety — or   their    security.    Even    fewer   are 

aware  that  the  two  can  be  in  conflict. 

With  responsibility  for  750  hotels 

in    80    countries    (some    with    more 

than    1,200    rooms),    along    with 

^  Starwood-owned     spa     resorts 

^t  and     timeshare     properties, 

April    Berkol    holds    a    lot 


nnn«iWl 


of  lives  in  her  hands. 


continued  on  page  32 


there  are  350  graduates  of  WPI's  Fire  Protection  Engineering  program,  contributing  in 
.,  myriad  ways  to  the  broad  field  of  fire  prevention  and  fire  safety.  They  educate  and  train 
fire  safety  professionals,  provide  technical  assistance  for  firefighters,  review  new  construction  projects  and 
building  design  plans,  work  with  developers  to  assure  building  and  fire  code  compliance,  investigate 
fires,  and  analyze  fire  research.  Their  work  is  evident  in  every  aspect  of  our  daily  lives,  but  whatever 
their  field  of  expertise,  they  share  a  single  goal:  saving  lives  by  making  the  world  a  safer  place. 


of  Prevention  c 

By  Eileen  McCluskey        Photography  by  Patrick  O'Connor 


v%j|    W  \     * 


24     Transformations   |   Winter  2004 


David  Demers  '74  (B.S.,  ME),  '84  (M.S.,  FPE) 

Deputy  fire  chief,  Lunenburg  (Mass.)  Fire  Department;  president, 
Demers  Associates,  fire  protection  consultants 

If  Dave  Demers  had  his  way,  every  building,  be  it  department 
store,  hotel,  school — even  our  homes — would  be  equipped  with 
a  sprinkler  system.  "Sprinklers  are  the  answer,"  he  says.  "Sprink- 
lers put  the  wet  stuff  on  the  red  stuff,  fast." 

Since  the  mid-1970s,  the  firefighter  and  fire  investigator  has 
analyzed  some  of  the  nation's  most  notorious  blazes  and  prevent- 
able tragedies,  including  the  1977  jail  fire  in  Maury  County, 
Tenn.,  which  killed  42  people;  a  Providence  College  dormitory 
blaze  the  following  year  in  which  10  students  died;  and  the 
1 980  MGM  Grand  Hotel  inferno  in  Las  Vegas,  which  resulted 
in  85  deaths  and  650  injuries. 

As  saddening  as  his  work  may  be,  Demers  loves  what  he 
does.  "I've  been  interested  in  firefighting  since  I  was  a  kid,"  he 
says,  citing  a  firemanship  merit  badge  he  earned  as  a  Boy  Scout. 
He  balanced  part-time  firefighting  duties  while  he  was  an  under- 
graduate at  WPI,  worked  at  the  National  Fire  Protection  Assoc- 
iation (NFPA)  conducting  investigations  and  engineering  analyses 
of  some  of  the  country's  deadliest  fires  before  embarking  on  his 
master's  in  FPE,  and  consulted  for  the  Phoenix  Fire  Department 
as  a  grad  student. 

Fire  safety  in  this  country  "has  a  long  way  to  go,  even 
though  we've  already  come  a  long  way,"  Demers  says.  "Smoke 
detectors  have  helped  a  lot.  But  they're  just  not  enough.  One 
giant  step  forward  would  be  if  we  required  sprinkler  systems  in 
all  buildings.  We  have  to  do  this,  or  we're  going  to  keep  seeing 
multiple-fatality  fires.  The  best  fire  department  in  the  world 
can't  get  there  fast  enough,  because  we're  not  standing  in  the 
doorways  with  our  hoses  ready."   {Note:  The  photo  at  left  shows 
Demers  amid  the  wreckage  of  a  2002  arson  fire  that  destroyed  the 
70-year-old  ballroom  at  Whalom  Park  in  Lunenberg,  Mass.) 

Glenn  Corbett  '91  (M.S.,  FPE) 

Assistant  professor  of  fire  science,  John  Jay  College 

of  Criminal  Justice,  New  York  City;  volunteer  fire  captain, 

Waldwick,  N.J. 

Glenn  Corbett  indulges  in  his  favorite  hobby,  fite  history, 
through  an  extensive  collection  of  firefighting  memorabilia  in 
his  study,  an  1850s  hand  pumper  fire  engine  in  his  garage,  and 
a  privately  published  book  he  wrote,  titled  The  Great  Paterson 
Fire  of  1902:  The  Story  of  New  Jersey's  Biggest  Blaze. 

But  along  with  his  passion  for  history  is  his  concern  for 
the  future  of  fire  safety — inspired  in  large  part  by  his  father, 
who  was  involved  in  the  fire  service  from  the  early  1950s  until 
his  death  in  1981.  Since  1978,  Corbett  has  been  a  volunteer  fire 
captain  with  the  Waldwick  Fire  Department.  He  also  prepares 
future  generations  of  fire  safety  professionals  as  a  faculty  member 
at  John  Jay  College  of  Criminal  Justice,  where  he  earned  an 
undergraduate  degree  in  fire  service  administration  in  1982. 


Trans for  matio  ns 


Winter   200-i     2  5 


J 


"My  students  are  my  disciples.  I  tell  them,  'You  are  the  ones 
who  are  in  a  position  to  move  fire  safety  forward.'"  — cienn  corben 


Corbett's  knowledge  and  experience  give  him  a  sometimes 
troubling  perspective  on  fire  safety.  Though  he  sees  improve- 
ments in  the  United  States  compared  to  30  years  ago,  he  notes 
that  "most  of  the  easier  [fire  safety]  measures  have  been  imple- 
mented. It's  going  to  be  much  more  difficult  to  drive  fire  deaths 
down  further  because  we've  got  the  hardest  changes  ahead  of  us." 

Those  changes  include  retrofitting  existing  buildings  to 
prevent  fire-related  deaths.  "If  we  put  sprinklers  in  every  building 
in  America,  fire  deaths  would  go  down  to  zero,"  he  says,  echoing 
the  sentiments  of  many  of  his  colleagues.  The  idea  faces  resist- 
ance on  financial  grounds  by  owners  of  restaurants,  nightclubs, 
and  single-family  homes — places  where  the  majority  of  fire- 
related  deaths  occur.  (Corbett  is  installing  sprinklers  in  nearly 
every  room  of  his  2,000-square-foot  house  while  it  is  being 
renovated.  "I  believe  it  will  cost  me  four,  five  thousand  dollars," 
he  says,  adding  "it's  money  well  spent.") 

Aside  from  saving  lives,  sprinkler  systems  can  help  make 
up  for  the  fact  that  "fire  services  have  been  decimated  financially 
since  the  1970s  as  the  costs  associated  with  keeping  fire  depart- 
ments have  climbed,"  Corbett  says.  Too,  there  is  "a  public 
perception  that  fires  are  no  longer  a  big  threat."  To  counteract 
this,  he  uses  his  bully  pulpit  as  a  teacher  to  increase  awareness 
of  the  issues  he  sees  as  most  pressing.  "My  students  are  my 
disciples,"  he  says.  "I  tell  them,  'You  are  the  ones  who  are  in 
a  position  to  move  fire  safety  forward."' 

Richard  Pehrson  '93  (M.S.,  FPE),  '99  (Ph.D.,  FPE) 

Fire  protection  engineer,  Futrell  Fire  Consult  &  Design, 
Osseo,  Minn. 

Rich  Pehrson  conducts  fire  investigations,  trains  firefighters 
in  protection  issues,  and  consults  on  building  code  issues  for 
complex  structures  or  those  with  technical  challenges.  He  says  he 
feels  confident  that  "as  a  profession,  we've  done  a  good  job  moving 
the  science  forward — fire  protection  has  become  a  legitimate  and 
trusted  profession,  and  this  has  happened  quickly."  Still,  he  is 
dissatisfied  with  the  state  of  fire  safety  in  America  today,  particu- 
larly in  light  of  heightened  security  due  to  terrorism. 

"In  most  cases,  building  security  and  fire  safety  are  directly 
at  odds,"  he  says.  "With  fire  protection,  you  want  many  ways 
out,  with  doors  that  are  under  the  individual's  control.  With 
security,  you  want  one  way  in  and  few  ways  out,  with  doors 
locked  even  from  the  inside." 

Such  a  disconnect  can  have  disastrous  results.  "Existing 
high-rise  buildings  are  designed  based  on  evacuating  two  or 
three  floors  at  a  time,"  Pehrson  notes.  "So  there  aren't  enough 
stairways  to  allow  the  building's  occupants  to  exit  at  one  time. 
September  1 1  changed  that  thinking,  although  I've  vet  to  see 
any  of  our  building  codes  address  the  issue."  Pehrson  knows  his 


frustration  is  shared  by  others  in  fire  safety.  "It's  maddening  to 
see  fire  exits  locked  from  the  inside,  without  an  easy  and 
reliable  way  for  people  to  open  them  in  an  emergency." 

Solutions  to  such  dilemmas  will  be  hard  to  find,  especially 
in  the  tangle  of  post-9/1 1  America.  "We'll  have  to  balance  needs 
on  a  case-by-case  basis  for  now,"  Pehrson  admits.  "Obviously, 
we're  dealing  with  huge  societal  issues  here,  and  we  still  don't 
have  the  vocabulary  to  iron  everything  out.  Not  yet,  anyway." 

Thomas  Izbicki  '96  (B.S.,  CE),  '97  (M.S.,  FPE) 

Senior  fire  protection  engineer,  Dallas  Fire-Rescue  Department 

Fire  had  devoured  the  top  floor  of  a  73,000-square-foot  mansion. 
Slate  was  sliding  off  the  roof  of  the  three-story  structure,  and  fire- 
fighters were  battling  elusive  spot  fires  inside  the  walls.  Was 
it  safe  for  them  to  continue  to  battle  the  flames  from  inside? 
Or  was  the  roof  about  to  collapse? 

Enter  Tom  Izbicki,  who  had  been  called  to  the  scene  to 
check  on  the  structure's  soundness.  "Sure,  send  the  engineer  up 
there,  like  the  canary  into  the  mine,"  he  laughs,  but  admits  he 
wouldn't  want  it  any  other  way. 

Izbicki  likes  to  be  part  of  the  action.  One  of  his  favorite 
learning  experiences,  gained  from  a  prior  consulting  job,  was 
managing  a  sophisticated  series  of  tests  to  determine  how  the  hur- 
ricane glass  in  airport  buildings  would  respond  to  exposure  to 
jet-fuel  fires.  His  goal  was  to  help  determine  the  most  effective  lay- 
out for  an  airports  sprinkler  system. 

In  the  project's  final  phase,  a  50-foot-diameter  ditch  was  lined 
with  plastic,  filled  mosdy  with  water,  and  topped  off  with  jet  fuel. 
An  array  of  three  four-by-eight-foot  panels  were  placed  at  varying 
distances  from  the  ignited  fuel  while  Izbicki  and  his  team  recorded 
the  distance  at  which  the  glass  began  to  deteriorate  or  break.  "You 
can  talk  about  engineering  issues  'til  you're  blue  in  the  face,"  he  saw. 
"But  to  acrually  watch  the  dynamics — that's  exciting." 

When  he  isn't  on  die  fire  ground  providing  technical  assistance 
to  firefighters,  Izbicki  reviews  building  proposals  and  plans  to  ensure 
that  fire  codes  are  followed.  "I  work  on  every  kind  of  structure,"  he 
says,  "from  schools  to  high-rises,  industrial  warehouses  to  simple 
office  buildings,"  analyzing  plans  for  such  fire  safer)'  basics  as  access, 
egress,  and  hydrant  spacing.  "I  try  to  make  sure  the  firefighting 
operations  will  be  as  easy  as  possible." 

Though  he  may  not  get  the  same  kind  of  buzz  from 
analyzing  designs  as  he  does  from  being  at  the  fire  ground, 
Izbicki  knows  he's  helping  firefighters  do  their  job.  "It's  impor- 
tant and  interesting  to  understand  what's  going  to  happen  to  the 
smoke  from  a  fire  in  various  structures  and  where,  in  relation  to 
exits,  the  heat  is  most  likely  to  navel,"  he  says.  "The  goal,  of  course, 
is  getting  everyone  out  before  conditions  become  untenable.'' 


2  6     Transformations    \    Winter   2004 


"As  a  profession,  we've  done  a  good  job  moving  the  science 
forward — fire  protection  has  become  a  legitimate  and  trusted 
profession,  and  this  has  happened  quickly."  — ru 


-Richard  Pehrsen 


David  Waller  '94  (B.S.),  '98  (M.S.,  FPE) 

Fire  safety  engineer,  North  Metro  Fire  Rescue  District, 

Broomfield,  Colo. 

Dave  Waller  had  plenty  of  friends  who'd  mapped  out  careers  in 
fire  protection  early  on:  high  school  buddies  who  were  volunteer 
firefighters  and  four  WPI  frat  brothers  who  were  studying  fire 
protection  engineering.  But  he  didn't  follow  in  their  footsteps 
until  he  found  himself  boted  in  a  mechanical  engineering 
internship.  Waller  returned  to  WPI  for  his  graduate  degree  in 
fire  protection  engineering  and  joined  the  student  firefighter 
program  in  the  Auburn  (Mass.)  Fire  Department,  where  he  lived 
with  other  students  in  one  of  the  stations  and,  in  return  for 
room  and  board,  worked  as  an  on-call  firefighter  for  the  town. 

"It  was  a  tremendous  opportunity,"  Waller  says.  Not  only 
did  he  get  his  feet  wet  dousing  flames,  but  he  also  became  a 
de  facto  member  of  the  firehouse's  closeknit  student  community. 
"We  shared  responsibilities  and  our  lives  depended  on  each 
othet,"  he  says,  adding  that  he  will  be  "forever  bonded"  to  his 
Auburn  brethren. 

Today,  in  his  work  as  a  fire  safety  engineer  with  the  North 
Metro  Fire  Rescue  District,  Waller  reviews  building  design  plans 


for  fire  code  compliance.  Key  to  this  work  is  convincing  often- 
reluctant  developers  and  owners  to  go  the  distance  for  safety. 
Unfortunately,  even  today's  best  fire  codes  and  the  most  effec- 
tive communicator  comes  up  against  political  and  monetary 
realities,  which  delay  the  creation  of  better  codes.  "We  know 
how  to  protect  people's  lives,  how  to  protect  property,"  Waller 
says.  "And  I'd  say  we're  pretty  good  at  that,  as  a  fire  science 
industry.  But  our  hands  get  tied  with  money  and  politics." 

After  the  tragic  Station  nightclub  fire  in  Warwick,  R.I., 
in  2003,  Waller  says  "state  legislators  in  New  England  began 
changing  codes.  But  that  hasn't  happened  in  Colorado,  because 
the  disaster  didn't  occur  in  our  backyard."  He  adds,  "Fire 
protection  engineers  could  prevent  most  fires,  most  deaths, 
today.  In  a  properly  sprinklered  and  maintained  building, 
there  has  never  been  a  multiple-death  fire."  But,  he  says, 
"society  and  legislatures  are  not  ready  yet  to  spend  the  money." 

Learning  to  navigate  the  thorny  paths  of  financial  interests 
and  politics  "has  been  my  greatest  learning  experience,"  he  says. 
"But  it  can  be  very  frustrating.  To  me,  as  an  engineer,  things  are 
black  and  white.  But  in  the  fire  code  world,  there's  a  whole  lot 
of  gray." 


i 


-%*f 


s  a  fire  science  industry.  Brut  our  hands  get  tied  with 


David  Waller 


*9 


Paul  Donga  '95  (M.S.,  FPE) 

Fire  protection  supervisor,  Boston  Fire  Department 
Fire  Prevention  Division's  Plan  Review  and 
Acceptance  Testing  Unit 

Paul  Donga  discovered  WPI's  Fire  Protection  Engineering 
program  while  working  for  Boston's  Building  Department. 
The  city's  fire  marshal  had  told  Donga  of  a  job  involving  fire 
code  compliance  reviews.  "I  wanted  to  get  into  that  area,"  he 
says,  "but  my  background  was  in  electrical  engineering."  Still, 
he  landed  the  job  and  then  entered  the  FPE  program.  "I  got 
exactly  what  I  went  for  at  WPI:  tools  for  analysis,"  he  says, 
which  he  uses  daily  reviewing  building  plans  and  overseeing 
acceptance  testing — the  final  hurdle  building  owners  must 
jump  before  occupying  their  structures. 

Donga  enjoys  analyzing  quirky  building  designs  for  fire 
safety.  "With  unique  designs  such  as  arenas  or  large  convention 
halls,  it's  not  always  possible  to  meet  the  letter  of  the  fire  code," 
he  notes.  Design  teams  try  to  fulfill  the  code's  intent,  but  won't 
always  hit  the  mark.  "If  they  claim  a  certain  measure  will  work 
in  terms  of  life  safety,  but  we  disagree,  we  point  out  where  the 
design  falls  short  and  suggest  changes,"  he  explains.  "Often,  the 
developer  will  adjust  the  design  to  incorporate  our  feedback. 


But  if  they  don't,  we  show  up  at  the  appeals  hearings  and 
resolve  the  issue  that  way."  Though  he  prefers  to  find  common 
ground  prior  to  the  appeals  process,  Donga  won't  back  down. 
"Safety  always  comes  first,"  he  says. 

Not  all  fire  departments  participate  in  the  acceptance  testing 
process;  Donga  is  glad  his  does.  In  fact,  the  unit's  creation  is  one 
of  his  most  rewarding  achievements  as  a  fire  protection  engineer. 
"When  I  started  out,  Boston's  fire  department  wasn't  involved  in 
the  Certificate  of  Occupancy  application,"  he  explains.  "I  got  to 
be  part  of  the  team  that  created  the  unit  I  work  in  today." 

While  not  unique,  the  Plan  Review  and  Acceptance 
Testing  Unit  is  one  of  only  a  few  in  the  nation.  All  fire  depart- 
ments participate  to  some  extent  with  building  plan  reviews, 
but  few  have  a  say  during  acceptance  testing.  In  this  phase  of 
the  building  process,  Donga  and  his  team — which  includes  two 
other  WPI  alumni — watch  as  fire  pumps  and  fire  alarms  are  tested, 
witness  sprinkler  system  installation,  see  that  smoke  control  sys- 
tems work  as  intended,  and  in  general  certify  that  all  fire  safety 
systems  are  in  place  and  operational.  "It's  very  important  to 
identify  problems  during  acceptance  testing,"  says  Donga, 
"rather  than  discover  them  in  an  emergency." 


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buildings  safe  before  they're 
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Kenneth  Miller 


Kenneth  Miller  '95  (M.S.,  FPE) 
Assistant  fire  protection  engineer, 
Las  Vegas  Fire  Department 

Whether  a  new  Las  Vegas  building  will  be  a  typical  Wal-Mart  or 
a  unique  casino  with  high-rise  thrill  rides,  Ken  Miller  makes  sure 
it  will  not  be  a  fire  trap  by  reviewing  construction  projects  of  all 
stripes  to  ensure  the  designs  meet  building  and  fire  codes. 

He  recalls  the  1980  MGM  Grand  Hotel  fire  in  which  the 
blaze  itself  killed  very  few  people.  "But  smoke  filled  the  hotel 
tower  15  or  20  floors  above  the  fire,  and  85  people  were  killed, 
most  of  them  from  smoke  inhalation,"  he  says.  New  high-rise 
codes,  written  with  Miller's  involvement,  use  buildings'  HVAC 
systems  to  keep  smoke  contained. 

Despite  improvements  he's  seen,  Miller  is  frustrated  by  the 
sluggish  evolution  of  fire  safety  codes.  After  colossal  tragedies 
such  as  the  9/11  World  Trade  Center  conflagration  or  The 
Station  nightclub  fire  in  Rhode  Island,  "everyone  beats  their 
drums,  calling  for  code  changes,"  he  says.  "But  change  comes 
slowly." 

While  Miller  acknowledges  that  politics,  bureaucracies, 
and  human  nature  can  get  in  the  way  of  change,  "the  pace  of 


change  in  building  codes  also  depends  on  your  jurisdiction. 
In  Las  Vegas  and  Clark  County,  codes  are  relatively  good  because 
tourism  drives  the  casino  industry.  People  realize  that  this  valley 
could  never  survive  economically  if  there  were  another  MGM 
Grand  fire.  So  they  take  proactive  steps  in  developing  better 
building  designs  and  codes." 

Sometimes,  especially  in  a  place  like  Las  Vegas,  that's  a  tall 
order.  Although  most  of  the  buildings  Miller  works  on  are  typical 
commercial  structures,  25  percent  "cannot  meet  the  letter  of  the 
code,  because  the  buildings  themselves  are  unique,"  he  says.  Take, 
for  instance,  the  Stratosphere  Tower,  a  casino  boasting  the  world's 
three  largest  thrill  rides  atop  the  1,149-foot-high  building.  For 
this  structure,  Miller  helped  assure  fire  safety  by  requiring  two  sets 
of  backup  water  supplies  for  the  fire  sprinklers. 

Miller's  satisfied  with  the  progress  he's  helped  facilitate. 
"In  my  seven  and  a  half  years  in  Las  Vegas,  there  have  been  docu- 
mented cases  where  buildings  I've  approved  have  spared  many 
lives  and  in  which  the  fire  sprinkler  systems  have  helped  extin- 
guish dozens  of  fires,"  he  says.  "Minimizing  life  loss  and  property 
loss — that's  the  way  to  do  the  best  you  can  with  your  knowledge." 


Transformations    |    Winter  200 -i     2  9 


i  placed  01 

prevention  and  education  in  our  country  today.  The  public 
needs  to  take  a  proactive  stance  in  fire  prevention  and  call 
the  fire  department  if  something  isn't  right."  — rimathee  Rodrique 


Timothee  Rodrique  96  (M.S.,  FPE) 
Director  of  fire  safety,  Massachusetts  Office 
of  the  State  Fire  Marshal 

While  attending  WPI,  Tim  Rodtique  wotked  fot  five  years  as  a 
loss  prevention  consultant  at  Factory  Mutual  Engineering  and 
Research  Corporation  in  Norwood,  Mass.  "I  learned  the  theory 
of  fire  behavior  and  fire  dynamics  at  WPI,"  he  says.  "At  Factory 
Mutual,  I  got  the  sprinkler  system  design  experience  and 
learned  the  ins  and  outs  of  fire  codes.  Combining  theory  with 
practice  was  invaluable  to  my  career." 

As  director  of  fire  safety  with  the  Massachusetts  Office  of 
the  State  Fire  Marshal,  Rodrique  sits  on  the  Building  Regul- 
ations and  Standards  Appeals  Board,  helping  developers  comply 
with  codes.  His  greatest  achievement  to  date  has  been  partici- 
pating in  the  state-level  task  force  on  fire  and  building  safety,  a 
group  convened  by  Massachusetts  Governor  Mitt  Romney  after 
The  Station  nightclub  fire  in  2003  in  Warwick,  R.I.,  in  which 
100  perished.  The  32-member  panel,  which  included  other 
WPI  alumni,  wrote  a  report  addressing  sprinkler  systems. 


egress,  interior  finishes,  and  training  and  education,  among 
other  code-related  issues.  As  a  result  of  the  report,  Romney 
signed  into  law  a  new  fire  safety  bill  in  August  2004.  "This  law 
involves  some  of  the  most  sweeping  changes  in  fire  code  since 
1942,"  Rodrique  says,  referring  to  the  year  of  the  Cocoanut 
Grove  nightclub  fire  in  Boston,  which  killed  492  people. 

But  Rodrique  knows  that  fire  code  problems  are  far  from 
being  solved.  "The  important  thing  to  remember  about  fire 
codes  is  that  they  set  a  minimum,"  he  explains.  "If  you're  build- 
ing a  multimillion-dollar  structure  in  a  town  that  has  only  lour 
firefighters,  you  may  need  to  install  more  than  fire  sprinklers 
and  possibly  more  than  what  is  required  by  the  code  if  vou 
want  to  protect  your  life  and  property." 

Rodrique  also  advises  that  everyone  needs  to  be  vigilant 
about  fire  safer)'.  "There  is  simplv  not  enough  emphasis  placed 
on  fire  prevention  and  education  in  our  country  today,"  he 
says.  "The  public  needs  to  take  a  proactive  Stance  in  fire  pre- 
vention and  call  the  lire  department  il  something  isn't  right. 


30     Transformation!    \   Winter  2001 


"I'm  grateful  to  WPI  for  its  emphasis  on  the  ability  to  communicate. 

When  I'm  talking  with  clients,  whether  a  sprinkler  system  installer  or 

construction  contractor,  I  have  to  be  able  to  explain  fire  code  requirements 

and  engineering  methods  without  making  everyone's  eyes  glaze  over." 

David  Waller 


David  Sheppard  '93  (M.S.,  FPE) 

Senior  fire  research  engineer,  Fire  Research  Laboratory, 

Bureau  of  Alcohol,  Tobacco,  Firearms, 

and  Explosives  (ATF),  Ammendale,  Md. 

Dave  Sheppard  has  one  word  to  sum  up  his  job:  fun.  He  works 
in  a  huge  laboratory — half  of  a  1 76,000-square-foot  facility — 
where  materials  and  fluids  are  regularly  set  afire  so  scientists  can 
study  their  fire-  and  smoke-related  properties.  The  place  is  big 
enough  to  fit  cars,  buses,  and  even  reconstructed  buildings  for 
studies.  In  the  other  half  of  the  facility,  scientists  conduct  tradi- 
tional forensics  work,  such  as  analyzing  blood  traces,  fingerprints, 
and  bullets. 

Sheppard  wears  three  hats  at  ATF:  scientific  supporter  for 
arson  investigations,  trainer,  and  fire  researcher.  In  criminal  case 
support  work  at  rhe  national,  state,  and  local  levels,  he  applies 
what  he  learned  at  WPI  about  fire  dynamics  and  heat  transfer 
calculations  and  analyzing  visibility  from  various  vantage  points 
during  the  fire.  These  skills  help  him  verify  or  void  witness  tes- 
timony when  cases  go  to  court. 


As  a  trainer,  he  educates  engineers  and  arson  investigators  in 
the  latest  research  findings  and  computer  modeling  technology, 
passing  along  wisdom  gained  through  fire  research — Sheppard's 
favorite  area.  "I've  watched  thousands  of  fires,  both  in  the  lab 
and  out,"  he  says.  "Being  able  to  see  so  many  different  things 
burn  provides  a  deep  understanding  of  how  they  burn.  And  the 
neat  thing  about  this  job  is  I'm  still  surprised  sometimes." 

Putting  the  damper  on  old  inaccuracies  about  fire  is  not 
something  Sheppard  does  just  for  the  fun  of  it.  In  the  relatively 
young  field  of  fire  science,  he  realizes  how  vital  it  is  to  increase 
the  knowledge  base.  "Since  the  1970s,  fire  science  has  come  a 
long  way,"  he  says.  "Engineers  and  institutions  such  as  WPI  are 
helping  us  all  make  the  transition  from  art  to  science.  We  know 
so  much  more  now  about  why  smoke  travels  the  way  it  does, 
for  instance,  and  how  visibility  will  be  affected  in  a  given  type 
of  fire.  That's  an  amazing  accomplishment." 


"I've  watched  thousands  of  fires,  both  in  the  lab 
and  out.  Being  able  to  see  so  many  different 
things  burn  provides  a  deep  understanding  c' 
how  they  burn.  And  the  neat  thing  about  this 
job  is  I'm  still  surprised  sometimes." 


-David  Sheppard 


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continued  from  page  23 

"Besides  our  regular  hotel  guests — 'heads  in  beds,'  in  industry 
vernacular — on  any  given  day  you  can  have  a  wedding,  a  cor- 
porate event,  a  professional  convention,  and  several  smaller 
conferences  going  on  at  the  same  time,"  she  says.  Factor  in 
Starwood's  nearly  130,000  employees  and  the  numerous  con- 
tractors, service  people,  and  delivery  rrucks  that  pass  through 
each  day,  and  the  result  is  a  mind-boggling  population  density 
with  wide-open  access. 

Sometimes  the  hazards  experienced  by  the  lodging  indus- 
try make  headlines,  such  as  the  1976  outbreak  of  Legionnaires' 
disease  at  the  Bellevue  Stratford  Hotel  in  Philadelphia. 
Sometimes  they  dtive  change;  catastrophic  fires  of  the  1970s 
and  1980s — including  the  1980  inferno  at  the  MGM  Grand 
Hotel  in  Las  Vegas — led  to  the  Hotel  and  Motel  Fire  Safety  Act 
of  1990,  which  made  fire  sprinklers  standard  in  high-rise 
hotels.  And  sometimes  they  provide  incredible  challenges,  as 
when  terrorists  target  the  wotldwide  hospitality  industry,  evi- 
denced by  bombings  at  the  JW  Marriott  Hotel  in  South  Jakarta 
and  the  Taba  Hilton  in  Egypt. 

Behind  the  scenes 

But  not  all  hazatds  are  obvious  to  the  average  hotel  guest. 
Berkol's  workday  can  include  managing  the  removal  of  under- 
ground storage  tanks  on  land  that  once  housed  a  gas  station; 
ensuring  that  hot  tubs  and  decorative  fountains  are  properly 
maintained  to  ptevent  contamination  by  Legionnella  bacteria; 
and  developing  training  programs  that  teach  kitchen  workers 
not  to  use  the  meat  knife  on  the  fish  or  the  fish  knife  on  the 
cake,  and  remind  desk  clerks  not  to  call  out  guests'  room  num- 
bers to  protect  them  from  intruders.  Even  suicide  is  an  issue: 
because  fire  regulations  require  high-rise  hotel  rooftops  to  be 
accessible  for  rescue  and  refuge,  they  can  also  attract  unhappy 
people  looking  for  a  place  to  end  it  all. 

Berkol's  job  is  to  set  corporate  policy  and  procedures  for 
fire  and  life  safety  programs,  and  to  monitor  compliance.  She 
also  works  with  Starwood's  real  estate  group  to  review  designs 
for  new  hotels  and  oversees  environmental  inspections  of  prop- 
erties designated  for  new  builds,  sales,  and  acquisitions.  But,  she 
says,  the  human  element  of  her  industry  is  as  important  as  the 
infrastructure;  hotel  guests  are  in  an  unfamiliar  environment  and 
can't  be  trained  to  use  the  protection  systems.  So  Berkol  ensures 
that  each  hotel  has  crisis  management  plans  in  place,  with  person- 
nel who  are  prepared  to  handle  emergencies. 

And,  as  a  true  hands-on  manager,  she  shows  up  for  inspec- 
tions in  flat-soled  shoes  and  long  pants  so  she  can  climb  to  the 
top  of  the  elevator  machine  room  or  into  the  bowels  ol  a  build- 
ing. She  will  also  clamber  up  to  the  highest  point  of  a  building 
to  see  if  rooftops  are  being  neglected. 


Post  9/1 1  challenges 

The  terrorist  attacks  of  Sept.  11,  2001,  left  the  hotel  industry 
with  both  financial  and  security  challenges.  In  articles  in  fire 
protection  and  hospitality  journals,  Berkol  has  addressed  the 
potential  conflicts  between  life  safety  and  personal  security.  "Life 
safety  means  enabling  you  to  quickly  get  away  from  something 
that  might  harm  you,"  she  explains.  "But  security  tends  to 
restrict  people  from  coming  and  going  freely." 

Stairwells  provide  a  classic  illustration  of  where  safety  and 
security  intetsect.  A  fitesafery  engineer  sees  the  staits  as  an  evac- 
uation route.  But  a  robber,  rapist,  ot  tetrorist  can  exploit  that 
easy  access  to  all  levels  of  the  building.  Under  certain  condi- 
tions, fire  regulations  permit  stair  doors  to  allow  entry  to  the 
stairwell  but  prevent  re-entry  onto  guestroom  floors.  In  a  fire 
situation,  this  could  trap  people  in  a  smoke-filled  stairway  by 
preventing  them  from  getting  back  onto  the  corridor  to  seek 


another  escape  roure.  Some  solutions  include  permitting  access 
on  alternate  floots  or  every  thitd  floor  or  installing  locking 
devices  that  fever t  to  the  open  mode  in  the  event  of  a  power 
failure  or  emergency. 

Some  measures  designed  to  enhance  safety  and  security,  such 
as  closed  circuit  TV  cameras  on  guestroom  floors,  are  considered 
too  intrusive.  On  rare  occasions — for  example,  visits  from  impor- 
tant dignitaries  or  major  political  conventions — hotels  have  to 
restrict  access  and  install  metal  detectors  and  X-ray  machines  as 
temporary  measures  to  ensure  the  safer)'  of  all  guests. 

Berkol  recognizes  that  the  safer)'  and  security  of  many  peo- 
ple is  in  her  hands.  "The  weight  of  that  responsibility  is  very 
great,  if  you  think  of  it  in  those  terms,"  she  acknowledges.  But, 
she  adds  with  an  easy  laugh,  "I  try  not  to  think  of  it  that  u.n 
too  often.  It  can  hamstring  you!" 

April  Berkol  is  a  member  of  numerous  organizations,  including  the 
National  lire  Protection  Association,  the  Society  a/  lire  Protection 
Engineers,  the  American  Hotel  and  Lodging  Association,  the 
American  Society  of  Mechanical  Engineers,  and  the  Construction 
Specifications  Institute. 


3  2     Trans f or  matiom    \   Winter  2004 


Burning 

Questions 

for  David  Lucht 


David  Lucht  has  spent  40  years  in  the  fire  protection  field.  In 
1975,  he  was  nominated  by  President  Getald  Ford  to  serve  as 
the  first  director  of  the  newly  formed  U.S.  Fire  Administration. 
He  was  reappointed  by  President  Jimmy  Carter  and  held  the 
position  until  1978.  Lucht  left  his  government  position  to 
build  and  grow  WPFs  Fire  Protection  Engineering  Program  and 
its  Center  for  Firesafety  Studies,  which  this  year  celebrated  its 
25th  anniversary.  In  July  2004,  he  was  succeeded  by  Kathy 
Notarianni  '86  (B.S.  CE),  '88  (M.S.,  FPE)  of  the  National 
Institute  of  Standards  and  Technology.  Lucht  is  now  adjunct 
professor  and  director  emeritus  of  the  center,  and  associate  vice 
president  for  university  relations  at  WPI. 

1 .  Your  first  foray  into  the  field  of  firef ighting  was  as  a 
member  of  the  Middlefield  [Ohio]  Volunteer  Fire  Depart- 
ment. What  did  you  do? 

In  high  school,  I  was  a  member  of  the  first  class  of  student 
cadet  firefighters  in  that  rural  village.  I  washed  the  trucks, 
loaded  fire  hose,  and  barbecued  chicken  for  the  annual  fund- 
raising  dinner.  One  winter  night,  I  helped  dig  through  the 
ashes  of  a  house  fire  in  which  five  children  had  perished.  I'm 
sure  this  experience  influenced  the  direction  of  my  life's  work. 

2.  What's  the  coolest  thing  students  see  in  WPI's  Fire 
Science  Lab? 

Flashover — when  a  small,  localized  fire  in  a  room  transitions  to 
total  room  involvement,  from  floor  to  ceiling.  It  marks  the  time 
when  firefighters  start  to  "lose  the  ball  game"  in  a  building  fire 
and  people  die.  Actually  seeing  a  flashover  gives  it  real  meaning 
for  students. 

3.  What  was  the  most  devastating  fire  in  American 
history?  What  lessons  did  it  teach  us? 

The  Great  Chicago  Fire  of  1871,  which  consumed  more  than 
17,000  buildings  and  left  90,000  people  homeless.  Chicago  was 
a  symbol  for  similar  conflagrations  happening  in  cities  all  over 
America.  The  first  national  codes  and  standards  for  buildings, 
neighborhoods,  fire  departments,  and  public  water  supplies  that 
were  created  in  response  to  such  disasters  eventually  put  a  stop 
to  cirywide  conflagrations. 

4.  What  has  been  the  most  significant  improvement 
in  fire  safety? 

The  low-cost  residential  battery-operated  home  smoke  detector 
is  credited  as  having  had  the  most  profound  impact  on  reduc- 
ing the  U.S.  fire  death  rate — by  50  percent  over  the  past  three 


decades.  This  device  was  conceived  and  developed  in  the  1 970s 
by  Duane  Pearsall,  who  was  awarded  an  honorary  doctor  of 
science  degree  by  WPI  in  1996. 

5.  In  the  preface  to  Making  the  Nation  Safe  from  Fire: 
A  Path  Forward  in  Research  [2003],  you  state  that  the 
United  States  continues  to  have  the  worst  fire  loss  record 
in  the  industrialized  world.  What  are  we  doing  wrong? 

We  are  not  smart  with  our  fire  safety  investments.  We  pile  one 
reaction  to  a  disaster  on  top  of  another  without  stepping  back 
and  looking  at  the  big  picture  from  an  engineering  point  of  view. 

6.  The  report  also  states  that  the  threat  of  fire  "is  neither 
well  understood  nor  fully  appreciated  by  policymakers  and 
the  public  at  large."  What  has  caused  us  to  be  so  blind? 

It's  a  combination  of  failures  by  the  media  and  by  the  fire  pro- 
fession to  get  the  word  out.  People  tend  to  react  to  "headline 
fires"  such  as  The  Station  nightclub  fire,  in  which  100  people 
died;  the  public  demanded  that  policymakers  improve  codes 
and  enforcement.  But  thousands  of  deaths  occur  each  year  that 
do  not  make  headlines  or  receive  national  attention. 

7.  How  real  are  Hollywood  portrayals  of  fire — movies 
such  as  The  Towering  Inferno  or  Backdraft? 

Not  very.  In  a  fire,  the  smoke  is  so  dark  and  pervasive  that  you 
can't  see  your  hand  in  front  of  your  face,  much  less  breathe.  A 
realistic  interior  view  of  a  building  fire  would  be  a  black  screen. 

8.  How  will  WPI's  FPE  program  influence  fire  safety 
in  the  future? 

Our  graduates  are  the  best-trained  fire  protection  engineers  in 
the  world.  Seeing  them  working  in  government  agencies,  engi- 
neeting  firms,  fire  departments,  and  industries  of  all  kinds  and 
giving  talks  at  meetings  of  professional  societies  is  my  greatest 
reward.  With  the  leadership  of  Kathy  Notarianni,  the  next 
phase  of  FPE's  future  is  under  way.  She  and  her  colleagues  will 
continue  to  expand  WPI's  impact  on  fire  safety. 

continued  on  page  34 


Transformations    \    Winter  2004     3  3 


Illuminations 


You  ask. . .  we  answer. 


Can  areas  prone  to  wildfires  ever  be  effectively  fireproofed? 


"Fireproof  may  not  be  the  best  word  to  use,"  says  John 
Woycheese,  assistant  professor  of  fire  protection  engineering. 
"We  can  fireproof  a  building  if  we  make  it  entirely  of  steel  or 
concrete  and  allow  no  combustibles,  such  as  paper,  furniture,  or 
clothing  inside.  But  that  would  be  a  pretty  miserable  place  in 
which  to  live  or  work.  From  the  wildfire  perspective,  we'd  have 
to  put  that  building  in  the  middle  of  a  field  with  no  landscap- 
ing around  it. 

"If  you  focus  on  the  'pure'  wildfires  (those  with  no  buildings 
around),  then  you  have  to  accept  that  some  trees  require  fire  to 
release  their  seeds.  Thus:  no  fire,  no  new  trees.  Wildfire  is  nature's 
own  'spring  cleaning.'  It's  a  fast  way  of  removing  old  undergrowth 
and  dead  trees  to  make  room  for  new  stuff.  Unfortunately, 
because  we  believe  wildfires  are  bad — considering  the  costs  of 
fighting  the  fires  and  the  dangers  posed  to  firefighters  and  to 
homes  and  other  structures — we  extinguish  smaller  fires  that 
would  otherwise  burn  this  undergrowth,  thereby  leaving  behind 
copious  amounts  of  fuel.  This  brush  and  tinder  give  a  wildfire 
enough  energy  to  damage  even  healthy  trees. 

"Perhaps  a  better  question  is,  'Can  we  stop  the  devastation 
caused  by  out-of-control  wildfires?'  The  short  answer  is  no.  We, 


as  a  society,  are  not  willing  to  make  the  appropriate  sacrifices. 
An  example  that  best  illustrates  this  comes  out  of  California. 
In  1991,  a  devastating  fire  in  Berkeley  Hills  destroyed  over 
3,000  dwellings,  worth  about  Si. 5  billion.  Contributing  to  the 
devastation  were  the  neighborhood  streets:  they  were  too  nar- 
row to  accommodate  fire  trucks  when  cars  were  parked  on  both 
sides.  Fast  forward  eight  or  nine  years,  after  many  of  the  homes 
had  been  rebuilt:  people  were  back  to  parking  on  both  sides  of 
the  street. 

"But  let  me  get  down  off  my  soapbox  and  point  to  some 
excellent  work  that's  moving  us  in  the  right  direction.  The 
Firewise  program  [www.firewise.org]  educates  the  public  on  how 
to  protect  their  homes  from  wildfire.  While  such  safeguards 
won't  make  a  house  fireproof,  the  program  provides  information 
and  tools  that  can  help  reduce  risks  and  increase  knowledge. 
And  knowledge,  in  all  its  forms,  is  a  beautiful  thing." 

Do  you  have  a  question  on  technology,  science,  the  arts, 
current  events,  or  everyday  life?  Send  us  your  question, 
and  we'll  turn  to  WPI  experts  for  the  answer.  Write  to 
transfonnations@wpi.edu.  Please  include  your  name 
and  class  year. 


Up  Ahead  with  Kathy  Notarianni,  continued  from  page  21 

place.  I  will  remember  always  having  a  friend  and  confidante  in 
David  Lucht.  He  helped  illuminate  my  path,  and  I  want  to 
provide  that  for  the  next  generation  of  students. 

9.  Do  you  see  the  center  as  more  than  just  an  academic  base? 

My  top  priority  is  to  create  a  friendly,  supportive,  intellectually 
rich,  and  stimulating  work  environment  for  our  students,  faculty, 
and  staff.  We  do  this  by  providing  a  wealth  of  opportunities  for 
intellectual  and  social  interaction  between  these  three  groups. 
I  hope  to  foster  both  the  recruitment  of  quality  students  from 
diverse  backgrounds  and  opportunities  for  challenge  and  success 
once  students  are  in  our  programs. 

10  Bunting  Questions,  continued  from  page  33 

9.  in  your  career,  you  have  held  positions  in  business, 
government,  and  academia.  What  has  your  professional 
journey  taught  you? 

I've  learned  that  the  engineering  mindset  can  be  extremely 
effective  addressing  sociopolitical  public  policy  issues.  I  wish 
more  engineers  would  aspire  to  elected  and  appointed 
positions  in  government. 


10.  What's  your  vision  for  the  future  of  WPI's  Center  for 
Firesafety  Studies? 

Building  on  the  current  strengths  of  the  program  and  of  the 
university,  I'd  like  to  establish  a  department  of  fire  protection 
engineering  that  has,  within  its  scope,  both  an  industrial  liaison 
center  and  a  fire  research  center.  I  envision  a  department  that 
awards  a  greater  number  of  Ph.D.s  each  year  so  we  can  meet  the 
country's  needs  in  fire  research,  scholarship,  and  teaching.  And  I'd 
like  to  see  more  funding  for  full-time  graduate  study,  a  larger  fire 
laboratory,  and  programs  that  award  joint  multidisciplinary 
degrees  with  other  schools. 


10.  Besides  fire,  what  excites  you? 

At  the  ripe  old  age  of  61,  I'm  a  budding  artist.  It's  exciting  to 
paint  a  portrait  that  actually  turns  out  to  be  .1  good  likeness  >>f 
the  subject.  When  I  retire  from  WPI.  I  plan  to  spend  a  lot  oi 
time  with  my  art. 


3  4     Trans  formation)    \   Winter  200  A 


AlumniConnections 


Notes  from  Higgins  House 

From  Boston  to  Silicon  Valley,  WPI  alumni  are  gathering  to 
socialize,  network,  and  talk  about  new  ways  to  further  the  goals 
of  the  university. 

At  Homecoming  2004,  President  Dennis  Berkey  shared 
his  vision  for  WPI's  future  direction.  The  Class  Boards  of 
Directors  met  to  assess  the  effectiveness  of  the  present  structure 
and  discuss  ways  to  enhance  communication  between  the 
alumni  and  the  university.  Regional  networks  and  alumni  clubs 
were  also  on  the  agenda,  with  discussion  focusing  on  how  they 
might  function  and  be  best  supported  by  alumni.  Detailed 
feedback  on  these  issues  is  available  online  at  the  Alumni 
Association  Web  site  (alumni.wpi.edu)  or  from  the  Office 
of  Alumni  Relations. 

Off-campus  alumni  events  provide  opportunities  for 
graduates  outside  of  New  England  to  reconnect  with  their 


alma  mater  and  learn  about  new  university  initiatives.  This  fall, 
receptions  in  New  York  City  and  Washington,  D.C.,  brought 
alumni  into  direct  contact  with  WPI  students  and  staff.  At  these 
gatherings,  attendees  heard  firsthand  about  project  center  activi- 
ties on  Wall  Street  and  in  the  nation's  capital. 

While  spring  may  seem  a  long  way  off,  please  take  a  minute 
to  mark  your  calendars  for  Reunion  Weekend,  June  9-12,  2005. 
This  event  offers  a  great  opportunity  to  reacquaint  yourself  with 
the  changing  campus,  meet  with  classmates,  relive  your  college 
experiences,  and  just  have  fun.  If  you  have  any  questions  about 
Alumni  Association  activities  or  want  to  get  involved  as  a 
volunteer,  please  contact  the  Office  of  Alumni  Relations  at 
508-831-5600. 

Fred  Costello  '59,  President,  WPI  Alumni  Association 


1 


Scenes  from  Homecoming  2004. 
Mark  your  calendar  for 
Homecoming  2005, 
Sept.  30-Oct.  1 . 


Tech  Old  Timers 


Jan.  1 9.  "School  Safety  Measures,"  a  discussion  led 

by  Robert  Pazella,  safety  liaison  from  the  Worcester 

Public  Schools. 

Mar.  9.  "Plastics  Industry  in  the  USA,"  presented  by 

WPI  Trustee  Gordon  Lankton. 

Apr.  6.  "Birds  of  Prey"  with  Thomas  Ricardi. 


Mark  Your  Calendar 

June  9-1 2.  Reunion  2005  features  the  Alumni  College, 
50-Year  Associates,  an  awards  luncheon,  hospitality 
suites,  and  more.  A  detailed  schedule  will  be  available 
in  January. 
Sept.  30-Oct.  1 .  Homecoming  2005. 


Transformations    \    Winter   2  00  4     3  5 


/    /~\     Ed  Campbell  and 
/  I     »^%     his  wife,  Jean,  live 

JL  ^J     in  New  London, 
N.H.,  where  they  frequently 
enjoy  short  courses  at  Colby- 
Sawyer  College.  "The  instruc- 
tors are  local  citizens,  and  it  is 
amazing  what  a  wonderful  grasp 
they  have  of  their  fields,"  he 
writes.  Last  winter  Ed  and  Jean 
took  a  class  called  Weather: 
Fundamentals  of  Meteorology — 
Climactic  Changes.  "Lo  and 
behold,  the  instructor  turned 
out  to  be  Frank  Bodurtha  '42. 
Frank  is  extremely  well  versed  in 
all  areas  of  weather  and  the 
composition  of  the  Earth's 
atmosphete.  Kept  Jean  and  me 
working  to  keep  up — but  it  was 
worth  it!" 

^    /^      Henry  Vasil 

^X    *^W     writes,  "Spent  part 
_^S   %^/     of  last  year  in 
Carmel,  Calif.,  where  no  snow 
falls.  Headed  east  on  April  1 , 
2004,  with  my  wife,  Louise,  fol- 
lowing historic  U.S.  Route  40 
for  3,500  miles  to  Westwood, 
Mass.,  my  hometown." 

M    Congratulations  to 
Art  Nichols,  who 
received  the  high- 
est honor  in  the  MetLife 

Foundation's 
2004  Older 
Volunteers 
Enrich 
America 
Awards.  Art 
volunteers 
approximately  400  hours  a  year 
through  the  RSVP  program, 
helping  seniors  navigate  the 
medical  benefits  system  and 
preparing  meals  for  homebound 
individuals.  A  resident  of 
Kalamazoo,  Mich.,  he  traveled 
to  Washington,  D.C.,  to  receive 
the  award. 

Milton  Meckler,  chairman  of 
I  he  Meckler  Croup  Companies, 
was  selected  as  one  of  four  final- 
ists for  the  Plans  Global  Energy 
Awards  lifetime  Achievement 
Award.  Other  award  sponsors 

include  <  lapgemini,  I II1.  and 


Business  Week.  Winners  were 
announced  after  press  time, 
at  the  Dec.  10  awards  dinner, 
touted  as  "the  academy  awards 
of  energy."  For  an  update,  visit 
www.globalenergyawards.com. 

^    f    TedCoghlin 

^  f  ~^     received  the 
_/    V_/     Governor's  Inner 
City  Investment  Award  on 
behalf  of  Coghlin  Electrical 
Contractors  and  Network 
Services.  The  award,  which  is 
part  of  Gov.  Romney's  "Jobs 
First"  initiative,  honors  compa- 
nies that  have  broughr  new  eco- 
nomic investment  and  jobs  to 
the  commonwealth's  urban  cen- 
ters. Ted,  former  president  of 
the  company,  is  currently  treas- 


^*    f^\     Norman  Howe 

^^  ^^     retired  from 
_^/  \J     Rappahannock 
Community  College  in  Virginia 
last  year  as  professor  of  chem- 
istry and  mathematics. 

Artist  Bill  Rabinovitch  (below) 
has  been  promoting  his  film 


64 


At  the  end  of 
2001,  Bill 
Ferguson  took 


PollockSquared,  which  has 
evolved  to  contain  a  nested  film 
called  PicassoCubed.  On  the  third 
anniversary  of  9/1 1,  he  spent  a 
cathartic  evening  filming  the 
scene  at  Ground  Zero,  where  a 
crowd  gathered  to  witness  the 
natural  spectacle  of  birds  and 
insects  sparkling  within  the 
columns  ot  memorial  lights. 

^    /"~V       Just  enjoying  the 
%   V.  I      good  lite  ol  retire - 
w0/    _S       mem  with  lots  of 
travel,  cultural  activities,  and 

volunteering,''  writes  Joseph 
Vivona  ..I  Atlanta. 


early  retirement  from  Bristol- 
Myers  Squibb,  after  culminating 
his  23-year  career  by  planning 
and  designing  the  company's 
new  Pharmaceutical  Research 
Institute.  His  new  job,  as  direc- 
tor of  the  Lab  Planning  Group 
of  architectural  firm  CUH2A,  is 
"a  welcome  and  intetesting 
change,"  he  writes.  Bill  and  his 
wife,  Dee,  recently  celebrated 
their  40th  anniversary  with  a 
trip  to  the  Caribbean.  They 
have  three  grown  children  and 
two  grandchildren. 

f  ^     Venkatesh  Rao 

■  ^      "^      writes  from 
V-J  _^/      Mysore,  India, 
"After  graduating  from  WPI 
with  my  M.S.  in  civil  engineer- 
ing, I  returned  to  my  teaching 
position  at  the  National 
Institute  of  Engineering  in 
Mysore.  I  retired  as  principal 
and  am  now  working  as  a 
consultant. 


66 


Michael 
Napolitano 

is  an  electrical 


engineer  wirh  Danaher  Motion 
in  Westborough,  Mass. 


68 


John  Kraska  was 

the  Quo  Vadis 
Club's  2004  Man 
of  the  Year.  He  was  honored  for 
his  work  in  the  communitv  and 
as  co-author  of  The  Polish 
Community  of  Worcester. 

Edward  O'Hara  has  worked  at 
Enercon  Services  since  2002, 
providing  engineering  services  to 
nuclear  utilities. 

f  /"V      Roger  Dashncr 
i~X  V_  1      lives  in  M.trsh- 

V— /  ^S        held.  Mass..  where 
he  serves  on  the  town  planning 

board. 

Richard  Gross  announced  plans 
to  retire  as  corporate  \  lie  DtCSJ 
dent  ol  research  and  develop 

meni  loi  I w  (  Ihemical.  Before 
handing  ova  his  responsibilities 


to  a  new  corporate  R&D  coun- 
cil, he  will  undertake  a  strategic 
analysis  of  the  company's  future 
direction.  A  profile  of  Rick 
appeared  in  the  Feb.  23,  2004, 
issue  of  Chemical  &  Engineering 
News. 

David  Healey  received  the 
Citizenship  Award  from  the 
Holyoke,  Mass.,  Saint  Patrick's 
Day  Parade  Committee.  Since 
graduation  he  has  worked  at 
Tighe  &  Bond,  where  he  was 
appointed  president  in  1999. 

Joseph  Senecal  is  director  of  the 
Kidde-Fenwal  Combustion 
Research  Center.  He  was  the 
recipient  of  the  EPA  2004 
Stratospheric  Ozone  Protection 
Award  for  his  work  on  interna- 
tional standards  for  halon  alter- 
native fire-suppressant  agents. 


70 


Howard  Norcross 

has  joined 

E.  Melson 
Webster  Inc.  as  a  sales  associate. 
A  resident  of  Chatham  and 
Harwich,  Mass.,  he  is  a  long- 
time builder  and  real  estate 
developer. 

Raymond  Paulk  is  a  real  estate 
agent  in  the  Milford,  Mass., 
office  of  ERA  Key  Realty 
Services. 

Richard  Rock  and  his  wife, 
Eileen,  have  lived  in  Medford, 
N.J.,  since  1971.  His  employer, 
PECO  Energy  in  Philadelphia, 
recently  merged  with  Chicago- 
based  Unicom  to  form  Exelon, 
the  country's  largest  electric 
utility  company.  "As  senior  engi- 
neer, T&D  reliability,  I  work  to 
keep  the  lights  on  safely,  reliably, 
and  economically  for  our  cus- 
tomers," he  writes.  "Out  daugh- 
ter, Whitney  (now  a  first-year 
student),  chose  WP1  over  seven 
other  colleges  because  it  offers 
tremendous  education,  life  expe- 
rience, and  a  strong  biochem- 
istry and  biomedical  engineering 
program." 

^^T  /"^     Mark  Andrews 

/        /       's  principal  of 
/     X-J     H&A  Services, 


a  Phoenix-based  home  inspec- 
tion company.  He  was  previous- 
ly president  of  LoDan  Intet- 
national  and  C&M  Corp.,  both 
international  manufacturing 
companies. 

Bruce  Eteson  is  director  of 
IR&D  for  BAE  Systems' 
Communication,  Navigation 
Identification  &  Reconnaissance 
business  unit.  "If  you  remember 
me,  shoot  me  an  e-mail  at 
etesonb@earthlink.net.  If  you 
don't,  I  might  just  publish  that 
group  photo  I  took  on  Morgan 
third  our  freshman  year — or 
details  on  the  quality  of  your 
work  when  I  graded  you  as  a 
TA!"  For  more  memories,  see 
Bruce's  note  at  www.wpi.edu 
/+Transformations/Classnotes. 


73 


Lorraine  (Lind) 
Caruso  is  trans- 


portation engineer 
for  the  city  of  Newport,  R.I. 

Herbert  Hedberg  is  an  electri- 
cal engineer  at  CETEK  Corp.  in 
Marlborough,  Mass.,  where  his 
son  Mason  completed  an  intern- 
ship project  that  won  first  place 
in  the  Intel  Science  Talent 
Search,  sometimes  called  the 
"junior"  Nobel  Prize.  Mason's 
research  on  telomerase  inhibi- 
tors in  cancer  treatment  won 
him  a  Si 00,000  scholarship.  He 
is  a  first-year  student  at  Brown, 
where  his  brothet  William  is  a 
sophomore. 

Richard  Nabb  was  appointed 
vice  president,  global  strategic 
sourcing,  at  Schering-Plough 
Corp. 


74 


The  Telegram  & 
Gazette  reported 
that  Steve  Dacri 
pulled  a  fast  one  on  the  Worces- 
ter Regional  Chamber  of 
Commerce.  Posing  as  a  newly 
appointed  city  official,  he 
announced  plans  to  consolidate 
Worcester  and  Shrewsbury,  lease 
the  Worcester  Regional  Airport 
to  NASA,  and  open  a  gambling 


Michael  Dolan  '74  was  promoted  to  president  ol  ExxonMobil 
Chemical  Co.  Dolan  returned  to  WPI  last  spring  to  discuss  the 
future  of  the  oil  and  petrochemical  industry,  in  a  forum  called 
New  Frontiers  in  Chemical  Engineering  ...  Dean  Kamen  '74's 
Segway  continues  to  garner  media  attention,  pro  and  con.  An 
ABC  News  "Silicon  Insider"  commentary  predicted  that  2006 
would  be  "the  year  of  the  Segway"  ...  Judy  Nitsch  '75,  president 
of  Judith  Nitsch  Engineering  Inc.,  received  the  2004  Society  of 
Women  Engineers  Entrepreneur  Award  ...  Randy  Wheeler 
'79  was  the  subject  of  an  Entrepreneur  Profile  in  the  San 
Francisco  Business  Times.  He  is  founder  and  CEO  of  Oak 
Systems,  an  insurance  applications  software  company  ...  Will 
Emmet  '80,  a  Yale  University  senior  mechanical  engineer,  devel- 
oped the  astronomical  camera  used  to  capture  images  of  Sedna, 
an  enigmatic  celestial  body  nearly  the  size  of  Pluto.  The 
Economist  speculates  that  Sedna  might  be  proclaimed  the  10th 
planet— or  it  might  cause  Pluto  to  be  demoted  from  full  planetary 
status  ...  Olivia  Pereira-Smith  '81  (Ph.D.)  was  profiled  in  the  May 
28  issue  of  Science  of  Aging  Knowledge  Environment  (SAGE  KEJ, 
a  companion  publication  to  Science  magazine.  She  continues 
her  research  on  cell  aging  at  the  University  of  Texas  Health 
Science  Center  at  San  Antonio  ...  During  the  World  Series,  Bruce 
MacWilliams  '84's  analysis  of  joint  stress  was  used  to  illustrate 
The  New  York  Times'  coverage  of  Red  Sox  pitcher  Curt 
Schilling's  ankle  injury  ...  Apple  CEO  Steve  Jobs  called  Aran 
Anderson  '93  to  the  podium  at  the  Apple  Worldwide  Developers 
Conference  in  June.  Anderson's  satellite-tracking  simulator  won 
an  Apple  Design  Award  for  the  Most  Innovative  Apple 
Technology  Performance  Demo  ...  Chuck  Cimalore  '94,  CTO  and 
CEO  of  Omnify  Software,  was  profiled  in  Mass  High  Tech  in 
July  ...  Becky  Hoffman  '98  shared  her  reactions  to  the  popular 
advice  book  He's  Just  Not  That  Into  You  on  NBC's  Today 
Show  on  Oct.  26.  She  is  director,  program  operations,  cable, 
for  NBC  Universal  ...  The  Wall  Street  Journal  used  Simon 
Donkor  '03's  success  story  to  illustrate  the  career  value  of  profes- 
sional science  master's  degrees.  After  earning  his  PSM  at  WPI, 
Donkor  found  a  lucrative  position  in  financial  modeling  with 
Fidelity  Investments  in  Boston. 


Transformations    \    Winter  2004     3  7 


CO 

CD 


JO 
U 


casino  in  the  Worcester  Common 
Outlets  mall.  It  was  all  part  of 
the  entertainment  at  the  cham- 
ber's Breakfast  Club  meeting  in 
June. 

r-f  ^     Jeffrey  Wnek 

/       ^     writes,  "After 
/       ^s      thinking  about 
it  for  nearly  29  years,  I  have 
finally  become  a  reacher.  I 
srarted  teaching  earth  science 
in  January  2004  at  Weddington 
High  School,  located  just  south 
of  Charlotte,  N.C.  It  is  by  far 
the  most  challenging  job  I've 
had,  and  I  am  enjoying  it  quite 
a  bit!" 


^™T  f     Greg  Cipriano  is 

/    ■  "^     vice  presidenr  of 
/       \*J     business  develop- 
ment at  Proronex  Technology 
Corp.,  a  fuel  cell  development 
firm  in  Marlborough,  Mass. 

Robert  Schildt  continues  as  a 
liquor  clerk  for  the  Common- 
wealth of  Pennsylvania.  "I  have 
a  tough  commute,"  he  writes.  "I 
walk  two  blocks  (90  seconds)  to 
work.  I  am  still  actively  involved 
with  model  railroading." 

Steven  "Krebs"  Maynard  lives 
in  East  Hampton,  Conn.,  with 
his  wife,  Pamela.  He  retired 
from  Wiremold  Co.  and  owns 


What's  News? 

Please  let  us  hear  from  you  with  news  of  your  career, 

marriage,  family,  address  change— whatever. 

Why  not  send  us  a  photo  of  yourself  for  publication. 

And,  please  include  your  spouse's  full  name  when 

sending  wedding  or  birth  announcements. 


Please  check  preferred  mailing  address. 
Name 

■  new 

□  Home  Address 

Glv 

Slate 

ZIP 

lob  Title 

Company 

Work  Phone 

□  Business  Address 

new 

Gtv 

State 

ZIP 

Corporate  Parent  Company 

E-mail  Address 

Personal/career  news  for  Transformations: 

a  large  hobby  shop  called  The 
Time  Machine.  He  also  reaches 
in  the  graduate  engineering  pro- 
gram at  the  University  of 
Harrford  and  has  five  healthy 
children — four  boys  and  a  girl, 
ages  4-15. 

^^W  ^~]    Gary  Babin  is 

/        /      head  of  the  town 
/         /  light  department 

in  Marshfield,  Mass. 

Allan  Clarke  joined  the  mathe- 
matics faculty  of  Pembroke 
Academy  in  New  Hampshire 
after  1 8  years  at  St.  Mary 
Central  High  School  in 
Wisconsin. 

Domenic  Grasso  is  the  new 

dean  of  the  University  of 
Vermont's  College  of  Engi- 
neering and  Mathematics.  He 
was  previously  founding  director 
of  the  Picker  Engineering 
Program  at  Smith  College. 

Bruce  Minsky  received  an 
honorary  M.D.  degree  from 
Friedrich  Alexander  University 
in  Erlangen,  Germany.  He  is  a 
professor  of  radiation  oncology 
in  medicine  at  the  Weill  Medical 
College  of  Cornell  University, 
and  is  vice  chairman  of  the 
Department  of  Radiation 
Oncology  and  chairman  of 
quality  assessment  at  Memorial 
Sloan  Kettering  Cancer  Center. 
His  wife,  Connie  Kissinger,  is  a 
vocalist  in  Hawaii.  They  live  in 
Manhattan  and  Kauai. 

Thomas  Pajonas  joined 
Flowserve  Corp.  in  Dallas  as 
president  of  the  Flow  Control 
Division. 

^^^  f~\      Paul  Angelico, 
/     ^£      president  of 

/       \^J     Twin  Rivers 
Technologies,  was  quoted  in  a 
newspaper  article  about  summer 
jobs.  According  to  the  South 
Shore's  Patriot  Ledger,  he  spent 
summers  toiling  lor  low  wages 
in  his  lather's  metal  shop,  only 
to  learn  that  his  father  had  been 
setting  aside  a  portion  ol  his 
paycheck  lor  tuition  at  WI'l. 


John  Bourassa  qualified  as  a 
Certified  Software  Project 
Manager  from  the  Quality 
Assurance  Institute.  He  is  also 
a  Certified  Software  Test 
Engineer.  A  systems  engineer 
for  Lockheed  Martin  Integrated 
Systems  and  Solutions,  he  lives 
in  Perry  Hall,  Md.,  with  his 
wife,  Jane,  and  two  daughters, 
Gillian  and  Alicia.  John  was  also 
elected  a  grand  knight  in  the 
Fr.  Burggraff  Council  of  rhe 
Knights  of  Columbus. 

John  McGee  works  as  a  gradu- 
ate research  assistant  in  the 
mathematics  department  of 
Virginia  Tech.  He  is  currently 
on  assignment  at  the  Virginia 
Bioinformatics  Insritute, 
researching  stochastic  and  dis- 
crete mathematical  modeling  of 
biological  systems. 

^^W  y"V     John  Arnold 

/    ^-1     chairs  the 
/       _^      Massachusetts 
Board  of  Library  Commis- 
sioners. He  was  appointed  to 
the  board  by  former  Gov. 
William  E  Weld  in  1994  and 
has  served  as  a  library  trustee  in 
his  hometown  of  Westborough. 

WPI  elecrrical  and  computer 
engineering  Professor  Rick  Vaz 
was  appointed  a  senior  science 
fellow  of  the  Association  of 
American  Colleges  and  Univer- 
sities. AAC&U  President  Carol 
Gear)'  Schneider  said,  "Dr.  Vaz 
is  a  national  leader  in  engineer- 
ing education  and  has  led 
groundbreaking  efforts  at  WPI 
to  advance  more  integrative, 
civicallv  engaged,  ami  global 
learning  for  WPI's  undergradu- 
ate students.  We  are  delighted 
that  he  will  be  sharing  his 
expertise  with  our  staff  and 
bringing  his  insights  to  hear  on 
our  continuing  work  in  this 
area." 

/~\    y"V      Richard  Mongeau 

^\  I     I     is  mii-  president 

V-/    V-/      and  general 
manager  of  Limpin  Corp.  in 
Uxbridgc,  Mass. 


280 

08  831  5820 


VoxAlumni 

We  ask. .  .you  answer. 


What  single  invention  or  new  technology  has  done  the  most  to  change 
the  quality  of  your  life  (for  better  or  worse)? 


^  The  cell  phone,  while  useful,  is  the 
most  aggravating,  irritating,  and  over- 
used invention  of  modern  times.  I've 
been  run  off  the  road,  cut  off  at  inter- 
sections, and  almost  struck  while  on 
foot  by  idiots  on  their  cell  phones. 
I've  listened  to  other  people's  loud  and 
mostly  inane  conversations  in  drug 
stores,  in  supermarkets,  and  on  the 
street.  I've  even  listened  to  men  talk- 
ing to  their  wives  or  girlfriends  from 
a  stall  in  the  men's  room.  To  combat 
this  intrusion  upon  my  privacy  in  air- 
ports, I  take  out  my  harmonica  and 
begin  playing  "O,  Susanna."  We  need 
cell  phone-tree  zones  or,  better  still,  a 
cell  phone  shield  (Maxwell  Smart,  eat 
your  heart  out!)  that  prevents  their 
use  in  certain  rooms  and  buildings. 
— Al  Papianou  '57 


How  did  we  live  without  the  Web — 
more  specifically,  search  engines?  I  can 
quickly  find  answers  online  without 
leaving  the  comfort  of  my  home  or 
hunting  through  books.  No  longer 
do  I  spend  hours  going  from  store  to 
store  looking  for  the  best  prices;  I  can 


search  online  for  the  best  deal.  I  can 
even  locate  long-lost  classmates,  for- 
mer teachers,  and  relatives  with  whom 
I've  lost  touch.  Of  course  without  the 
Web,  I  wouldn't  have  my  current  job! 
— Amy  Man  '96, 

Director  of  Web  Development,  WPI 


Here's  the  question  for  our  next  issue: 

What  job  have  you  held  that  taught  you  the  most  important 
lessons  about  life  or  work? 

Send  answers  to  transformations@wpi.edu 

or 

Editor,  Transformations,  WPI,  100  Institute  Road,  Worcester,  MA  01609-2280 


81 


In  September  2004 
George  Awiszus 

held  the  second 
annual  golf  tournament  in 


memory  of  classmate  Craig 
Abraham,  who  died  in  2002. 
Proceeds  go  to  a  college  fund  for 
Craig's  three  sons  and  provide  a 
memorial  scholarship  for  an 
Ashland  High  School  student. 
Last  year  Craig's  widow,  Louise, 
presented  the  scholarship  to 
Jared  Renzullo,  who  is  now  a 
freshman  at  WPI.  Visit  www 
xraigabraham.com  for  more 
information. 


Mark  FitzMaurice  works  at 
Intel  in  Columbia,  S.C.  He  was 
recently  promoted  to  hardware 
design  engineering  manager  in 
the  modular  and  telecom  server 
division. 

James  Heighton  joined  Consigli 
Construction  as  a  project  executive. 

(~*\  /^     Charles  Kincaid 
V^      /      manages  bridge 
\*J  .+—J     and  construction 
inspection  services  for  Popli 
Consulting  Engineers  and 
Surveyors  in  Rochester,  N.Y. 

Bernie  Mara  joined  Arrow 
International  as  director  engi- 
neeting  development,  develop- 
ing disposable  catheters  and 
other  products  for  critical  and 
catdiac  care.  He  will  relocate 
from  Atlanta  to  the  Reading, 
Pa.,  area  with  his  wife,  Susan, 
and  their  daughters,  Elaine  and 
Christine. 


David  Rubinstein  was  named 
chief  operating  officer  of  Invoke 
Solutions,  a  Web-services  com- 
pany backed  by  BAIN  Capital. 
Invoke  provides  a  Web  platform 
for  conducting  focus  group 
studies  over  the  Internet. 

John  Tirrell's  article  on  variable 
speed  drives  for  narural  gas  pre- 
heat systems  was  published  in 
Pipeline  &  Gas  Journal.  Since 
1996  he  has  worked  at  CHI, 
managing  transmission  and  dis- 
tribution projects. 

Robert  Valentine  lives  in 
Auburn,  Mass.,  where  he  is 
active  on  the  school  committee. 

fV   /^      Wright  Line  in 
^t     *"^     Worcester  promot- 
\*J  ^y      ed  Michael 
Gagnon  to  vice  ptesident  of 
marketing  and  hired  Gary 
Wong  as  field  application  engi- 
neet  in  the  data  centet  market- 
ing group. 


Nick  Gall  (M.S.)  is  senior  vice 
president  and  principal  analyst 
for  META  Group.  A  former 
intellectual  property  lawyer,  he 
leads  online  workshops  on  IT 
infrastructure  and  consolidation. 

Brian  McLaughlin  and  his 

wife,  Teresa,  are  the  proud 
parents  of  a  son,  Sean  William, 
born  Jan.  20,  2003. 

/~\       /     Robert  Bunce 

^£   /\       continues  with  his 
\<J      JL     career  at  IBM  in 
East  Fishkill,  N.Y.,  where  he  is 
currently  a  senior  engineering 
manager  in  ASIC  development. 

Rick  Hajec  is  vice  president  of 
marketing  and  sales  at  Vectron 
International.  He  lives  in 
Windham,  N.H. 

Jackson  Nickerson  is  associate 
professor  of  organization  and 
strategy  at  Olin  School  of 
Business,  where  his  management 
research  on  manufacturing 


Transformations    \    Winter  200-1     39 


operations  in  the  pharmaceutical 
industry  will  by  used  by  the 
FDA  to  revise  safety  regulations 
and  procedures. 


86 


Karen  Berka 
Bruewer 

published 


85 


Sue  (Morgan) 
Castriotta  writes, 
"I  finished  my 
Ed.D.  degree  at  UMass  Amherst 
in  February  2004.  I  am  in  my 
seventh  year  as  a  computer 
science  faculty  member  at  Keene 
State  College  in  New  Hampshire, 
where  I  work  with  first-year 
students  and  future  K-12  tech- 
nology teachers."  She  lives  in 
Keene  with  her  husband,  Lou 
Castriotta  '84,  and  their  two 
daughters. 

Michael  Commisso  is  a  soft- 
ware engineer  at  Nortel  Works. 
He  lives  in  Brookline,  N.H., 
where  he  has  been  active  on 
the  school  board. 

Peter  Gurney  received  the  Air 
Line  Pilots  Association  2004 
Presidential  Citation  for 
Outstanding  Service  in  Air 
Safety  for  successfully  diverting 
a  Boeing  777  to  Kona,  Hawaii, 
after  an  engine  bearing  failed  en 
route  to  Los  Angeles.  The  three- 
hour,  single-engine  divert  of 
United  Airlines  flight  842  from 
Auckland,  New  Zealand,  took 
place  on  March  17,  2003. 
Gurney,  who  finished  a  three- 
year  Naval  Reserve  tour  of  duty 
last  year,  is  currently  assigned  as 
contingency  operations  officer 
with  the  Pacific  Command, 
Pearl  Harbor.  In  civilian  life  he 
remains  a  B-777/200  first  officer 
for  United  Airlines  in  Los 
Angeles. 

Eric  Peterson  is  vice  president 
of  Innovative  Products  & 
Equipment  in  Lowell,  Mass., 
where  he  works  with  fellow 
VPs  (and  ATO  brothers) 
Dale  Beaver  '82  and  Kevin 
Prince  '84. 

Henry  Skinner  is  CEO  of 
NeoGenesis  Pharmaceuticals 
in  Cambridge,  Mass. 


"Managing  Mayhem  in  the 
Midwest:  The  Indiana  State 
Police  Laboratory  System," 
a  forensic  science  column  in 
the  Summer-Fall  2004  issue 
of  NEACT  Journal.  She  has 
achieved  the  title  of  Forensic 
Scientist  I  at  the  Indiana  State 
Police  Crime  Laboratory  in  Fott 
Wayne. 

Larry  Cardani's  second  daugh- 
ter, Anna,  was  born  Jan.  27, 
2004.  "Big  sister  Loren  loves 
helping  out,"  he  writes. 

Craig  Malone  (M.S.)  joined 
the  management  team  of 
XTREMEX3  in  Chantilly,  Va., 
as  chief  technology  officer  and 
senior  vice  president  of  product 
development. 

Liz  Mendez  returned  to  WPI  in 
April  2004  to  speak  at  a  forum 
called  Scientists  in  the  Federal 
Government  Serving  the 
American  People.  Liz  serves  as 
a  GS-14  scientist  in  the  EPA, 
conducting  risk  assessments  on 
dietary  and  environmental  expo- 
sure to  pesticides. 

Ed  Ortler  is  vice  president  of 
sales  for  Open-Silicon  Inc.  in 
Sunnyvale,  Calif. 

Chris  Whitney  is  building  a 
two-seater  sports  car,  a  minimal- 
ist mix  between  a  Porsche  91 1 
and  a  914,  which  he  first 


■P*-»*'   - 


.  _ 


envisioned  in  his  senior  year  at 
WPI.  After  years  of  sketching  on 
dinner  napkins  and  meeting 
notes,  he  is  finally  at  work  on 
his  dream  car.  He  plans  to  drive 
it  from  Maine  to  ( lalifornia, 
including  a  stretch  on  the 
Kancani.ingus  Highway  in  New 
I  lampshire,  over  the  ( lolorado 


Rockies,  and  up  the  Pacific 
Coast  Highway.  You  can  track 
progress  on  the  tube  frame  and 
drive  ttain  on  his  Web  site, 
www.xt4.net. 


87 


Former  soccer 
player  David  King 
coaches  youth 
soccer  in  his  hometown  of 
Douglas,  Mass.,  where  he  has 
been  fund-raising  and  lobbying 
the  town  for  expanded  playing 
facilities.  He  works  as  a  program 
manager  at  EMC  Corp. 

Paul  Lubas  and  his  wife,  Paula, 
had  their  first  child,  Christopher 
Henry,  on  March  14,  2004. 
They  live  in  Chatham,  N.J. 

After  14  years  with  General 
Electric,  Brian  Teague  has 
changed 
careers.  A 
summa  cum 
laude  gradu- 
ate of  the 
University  of 
Richmond 
Law  School,  he  is  now  a  practic- 
ing patent  attorney  with  Alston 
&  Bird  LLP  in  Charlotte,  N.C. 

Karyn  Van  De  Mark  continues 
in  the  Molecular  Technologies 
group  of  Biogen  Inc.,  in  Cam- 
bridge, Mass.  Her  husband,  Jeff 
Denker  '88,  works  for  Analogic 
in  Peabody.  Their  daughters  are 
Katie,  6,  and  Jenna,  2. 


88 


Larry  Chisvin  is 

chief  operating 
officer  for  PLX 
Technology  in  Sunnyvale,  Calif. 


/"~\  y"~V     Ken  Descoteaux 

^£   V»  I      and  his  wife, 
\J  _S       Leslie  DeSimone, 
announce  the  birth  ot  their 
second  child,  Alexandra  Rose, 
on  May  5,  2004.  She  joins  her 
brother,  Marc,  S,  in  their  Stow, 
Mass..  home. 

Michael  Eldredge  was  elected 
a  vice  president  ai  Morgan 
Construction  C  <>..  where  he  has 
worked  since  l')S2.  serving  in 
the  company's  Rolling  Mill  unit, 
and  in  its  Sparc  and  Guides 
division. 


Jeff"  Goldmeer  was  promoted  to 
manager,  Combustion  Systems 
Lab,  at  GE's  Global  Research 
Center  in  Niskayuna,  N.Y.  He 
manages  a  team  of  20+  engi- 
neers and  technicians,  develop- 
ing and  testing  innovative  com- 
bustion technologies  for  the 
company's  power  generation, 
aircraft  engine,  and  rail  busi- 
nesses. 

Rob  Laventure  and  his  wife, 
Elsa,  had  a  son,  Nathan  Miguel, 
on  Feb.  16,  2004,  making 
3-year-old  Nicolette  a  proud  big 
sister.  Rob  joined  Phillips  Semi- 
conductor in  January  2004  as 
an  account  manager  for  the  Los 
Angeles  market. 

Jodi  (Medeiros)  McLane 

joined 
Bowditch  & 
Dewey  as  an 
attorney  in 
the  intellec- 
Upf  '  I    tual  property 

v .      t—*-'        W    practice.  She 
is  based  in  the  company's 
Framingham,  Mass.,  office. 

Michael  Moser  and  Lisa 
(Desrochers)  Moser  '90 

returned  to  New  Hampshire, 
after  13  years  in  Pennsylvania 
and  Virginia.  Mike  works  with 
BAE  Systems,  and  Lisa  contin- 
ues to  relish  keeping  up  with 
their  three  kids. 

Scott  Orzell  is  chief  operating 
officer  of  Women's  Health 
Connecticut,  which  he  saws  is 
the  country's  largest  group  prac- 
tice, with  1 50  OB/GYNs  and 
mid-level  practitioners  through- 
out the  state.  He  lives  in 
Coven  try- 
Erin  Ryan  and  Don  Gale 
announce  the  birth  ol  their 
second  child.  M.ic\c  Anora.  on 

Nov.  4,  2003.  Their  3-year-old, 
Connor  Jack,  is  enjoying  life  .is 

a  big  brother. 

Carl  Schwarz  and  his 
wife,  Rebecca,  wed  in  2001, 
announce  the  birth  ol  their  son, 
(  .listen,  in  April  200  i.  I  axl 
continues  to  work  as  a  senior 
project  engineet  at  Phoenix 
Electric  <  lorp.  in  (  anion,  Mass. 


4  0     Transformation!   \   Winter 


Glenn  Washer,  his  wife,  Karen, 
and  their  children — Maggie, 
Bailey,  Tobey,  Jack,  and  Beau — 
have  relocated  to  Columbia, 
Mo.,  where  Glenn  joined  the 
faculty  of  the  Department  of 
Civil  and  Environmental 
Engineering  at  the  University  of 
Missouri.  He  can  be  contacted 
at  washerg@missouri.edu. 

y^V    y"V     John  Erickson 

V- 1  I     I     was  appointed 
^    \J     building  inspector 
for  the  town  of  Milford,  Mass. 

Greg  Harrington  and  his  wife, 
Cathy  Brown,  are  happy  to 
announce  the  birth  of  their  first 
child,  Emily  Grace,  on  July  14, 
2004.  Greg  was  promoted  to 
principal  fire  protection  engi- 
neer at  the  National  Fire 
Protection  Assoc,  where  he  co- 
edited  the  2003  editions  of  its 
Building  Construction  and  Safety 
Code  Handbook  and  Life  Safety 
Code  Handbook. 

Paul  Kirkitelos  was  appointed 
to  the  advisory  board  of  Falcon 
Natural  Gas.  He  is  co-founder 
and  COO  of  Rabbitt  Capital 
Management,  LCC. 

Patti  Newcomer-Simmons  and 

her  husband,  Stan,  are  thrilled 
to  announce  the  birth  of  their 
first  child,  Margaret  Kathleen 
(Megan),  on  May  8,  2004.  They 
live  in  Glenn  Allen,  Va. 

Ron  Skoletsky  and  his  wife, 
Marie  Morel-Seytoux,  announce 
the  birth  of  Blaise  Eddy,  born 
June  23,  2004.  Three-year-old 
sister  Freya  welcomes  Blaise  as 
her  new  squeeze  toy. 

Jennifer  (Lambert)  and  Brian 
Smith  have  two  children — 
Timothy  (1999),  and  Katelyn 
Rose,  born  April  17,  2004. 
Brian  is  director  of  transporta- 
tion at  Staples  Inc.  Jennifer  left 
an  exciting  career  in  the  elec- 
tronics manufacturing  industry 
to  be  a  full-time  mother  and  a 
fitness  instructor.  She  competes 
nationally  in  NOVA  fitness 
competitions,  which  involve 
military-style  obstacle  courses 
and  other  fitness  skills.  She 


placed  13th  overall  in  the  U.S. 
Championships  and  hopes  to 
attend  the  World  Champion- 
ships. "Thanks  to  the  loving 
support  of  my  biggest  fan  and 
coach  (Brian),  I  am  able  to  pur- 
sue these  goals  and  serve  as  a 
positive  role  model  for  other 
women,"  she  says. 

Vincent  Tyer  is  president  of 
Taconic  Builders  Inc.  A  2002 
MBA  graduate  of  the  Stern 
School  of  Business,  he  has  two 
daughters,  Caidin,  5,  and  Kerry,  3. 

Demetrios  Venetis  writes, 
"I  am  thrilled  and  overjoyed  to 
announce  the  birth  of  our  first 
child,  Sophia  Irini,  on  April  22, 
2004.  Both  Mom  (Val)  and 
baby  are  doing  great,  and  Dad  is 
on  an  emotional  high."  They 
live  in  Storrs,  Conn. 


91 


Michael  Maglio 

joined  Tibbetts 
Engineering  Corp. 
as  a  project  manager  in  the  civil 
engineering  division.  He  lives  in 
Plainville,  Mass.,  with  his  wife 
and  two  daughters. 

Robert  Millington  married 
Kerrin  Lauria  on  April  25, 
2003.  He  is  a  project  manager 
at  Pratt  &  Whitney  in  Cheshire, 
Conn. 

Cris  Pierry  is  vice  president, 
product  development,  for  the 
online  music  service  provider 
MusicNet.  He  is  based  in  the 
Seattle  office. 

/"V  /"^k     John  Adams  relo- 
^-1       /      cated  to  Taipei, 
_S    **^     Taiwan,  for  a  two- 
year  assignment  as  Asia  factory 
operations  manager  for  Tera- 
dyne  Inc.  He  is  there  with  his 
wife,  Rhonda,  and  their  two 
daughters,  Jessica,  4,  and 
Brooke,  1. 

Magued  Barsoum  and  his  wife, 
Mariette,  are  proprietors  of 
Divine  Kitchens  LLC  in  West- 
borough,  Mass.  To  celebrate  the 
September  2004  opening,  they 
hosted  a  series  of  culinary  events 
featuring  local  chefs  preparing 
and  serving  their  specialties. 


Where  in  the  world?  Visitors  to  the  Roman  Coliseum  are  commonly 
accosted  by  representatives  of  various  tour  companies  trying  to  induce  them  to 
take  their  tour.  Surprisingly,  Jeff  Goldmeer  '89  and  his  wife  were  approached 
by  a  young  man  who  said,  "So,  you  went  to  Worcester  Poly  Tech?  I'll  give  you 
a  discount  for  your  tour."  It  turns  out  the  tour  guide  was  raised  in  Boston  and  is 
now  living  in  Rome.  "The  discount  was  only  one  Euro,"  says  Jeff,  "but  it  was  a 
great  tour!"  Membership  has  its  advantages,  after  all. 

Send  us  a  picture  and  tell  us  where  you've  worn  your  WPI  letters  lately. 


Antonio  Daniele  married  a  fel- 
low Sikorsky  Aircraft  employee, 
Anna  Maria  Kazmierczak,  last 
summer. 

Jennifer  (Wood)  and  Michael 
Mastergeorge  '93  announce  the 
birth  of  Caroline  Rose  on  May 
4,  2004.  She  joins  her  siblings — 
John,  5,  and  Eliza,  3 — in  their 
Amherst,  N.H.,  home. 

Robert  Rosenblatt  married 
Susan  Erne  on  Oct.  12,  2004. 
A  graduate  of  the  Philadelphia 
College  of  Osteopathic  Medi- 
cine, he  is  completing  his  resi- 
dency in  internal  medicine  at 
the  University  of  Connecticut 
Medical  School. 

Dorothea  (Carraway)  Wong 

was  named  director,  strategy 
and  development,  for  Pratt  & 
Whitney,  where  she  has  worked 
since  graduation.  She  holds  a 
master's  degree  in  metallurgy 
from  RPI  and  an  MBA  from  the 
Harvard  Business  School. 


•^V    /">      Matt  Boutell  and 

V-  I    *^W     his  wife,  Leah,  had 
^   ^^y      a  son,  Elliot 
Matthew,  on  Aug.  8,  2004.  His 
siblings  are  Jonathan,  Caleb, 
and  Elise.  Matt  is  finishing  his 
Ph.D.  in  computer  science  at 
the  University  of  Rochester. 

Al  Grasso  was  promoted  to  sen- 
ior vice  president  and  director 
of  the  Command,  Control, 
Communications,  and  Intel- 
ligent (C3I)  Federally  Funded 
Research  and  Development 
Center  (FFRDC),  operated  by 
MITRE  for  the  U.S.  Depart- 
ment of  Defense. 

Brian  Kuchar  joined  Frisella 
Engineering  in  Wakefield, 
Mass.,  as  a  project  landscape 
architect. 

Kathleen  Lamkin-Kennard 
and  Scott  Kennard  '98  had 

their  third  child,  William 
Dylan,  on  March  31,  2004. 
They  live  in  Brockport,  N.Y. 


Transformations    \    Winter   2004     4  1 


Bill  Lewis  continues  to  grow  his 
Internet-based  real  estate  com- 
pany, propertysites.com,  and  his 
software  development  company, 
Enobis.  He  and  his  wife,  Julie, 
live  in  Ellicott  City,  Md.,  with 
their  daughters,  Caroline  and 
Jillian. 

Mark  Russell  is  finishing  his 
eighth  year  in  the  Navy,  current- 
ly serving  as  an  instructor  pilot 
in  VT-27  with  Michael  Lohan 
'94.  "I  am  also  privileged  to  be 
going  on  my  eighth  year  mar- 
ried to  the  lovely  and  beautiful 
Katherine  Connery,  whom  I 
met  while  attending  WPI.  We 
have  two  great  kids — Emma,  6, 
and  Owen,  2. 

Michael  Thibodeau  writes, 
"Eleven  years  and  two  doctor- 
ates (DMV  and  Ph.D.  with 
board  certification  in  anatomic 
pathology)  after  graduating  from 
WPI,  I  have  begun  my  first  per- 
manent position  as  a  senior  sci- 
entist (toxicologic  pathologist) 
at  Boehringer  Ingelheim 
Pharmaceuticals  in  Ridgefield, 
Conn.  I  live  in  the  beautiful 
hills  of  New  Milford  with  my 
wife,  Kate,  and  two  children, 
Ryan  and  Brooke." 

•"■v       /     Christine 
V-  I  /  I       (Jesensky) 
_^X       I     and  Benjamin 
Bennett  '96  live  in  Bedford, 
Mass.,  with  their  son,  Timothy 
Orlean,  born  in  2003.  "Tim  is 
always  into  mischief  and  keeps 
us  (and  our  poor  dog,  Emily) 
on  our  toes!"  they  write. 

Scott  Boulay,  an  enrolled  actu- 
ary, was  named  a  principal  at 
Boulay,  Donnelly  &  Supovitz 
Inc.  He  lives  in  Shrewsbury, 
Mass. 

Jennifer  Charland  is  a  project 
manager  for  the  Boston  law  firm 
Ropes  &  Gray. 

Peter  Demarest  married  Julie 
Dienno  on  April  24,  2004.  Best 
man  was  Roger  Dufour.  They 
live  in  Bowie,  Md. 

Jason  Makofsky  is  in  his  iliird 
and  final  year  at  Boston  College 
of  Law.  He  expects  to  pass  the 


bar  in  July  2005  and  practice  in 
the  Boston  area,  focusing  on 
real  estate,  construction,  regula- 
tory, and  intellectual  property 
law.  He  and  his  wife,  Kelly 
McQueeney  '92,  live  in  Natick. 
Kelly  received  her  master's  in 
environmental  engineering  from 
UMass  Amherst  in  1993  and  is 
now  a  senior  project  manager 
at  Shaw  Environmental  & 
Infrastructure  in  Stoughton. 

Yvonne  (Bergstrom)  Proulx 

and  her  husband,  Jeffrey,  are 
proud  to  announce  the  birth  of 
a  daughter,  Catherine  Jeanette, 
on  June  3,  2003.  They  live  in 
Grafton,  Mass. 

Bethany  Salek  and  her  hus- 
band, Andrew,  welcomed  their 
first  child,  Lindsey  Grace,  on 
Aug.  3,  2004.  Bethany  celebrated 
her  10-year  anniversary  with 
Saint-Gobain,  in  Worcester, 
where  she  is  a  product  and 
production  manager. 

After  completing  postdoctoral 
work  with  the  Centers  for 
Disease  Control  and  Prevention 
in  2003,  Kristina  Zierold 
joined  the  faculty  of  the  Depart- 
ment of  Environmental  Health 
Sciences  in  the  University  of 
South  Carolina's  Arnold  School 
of  Public  Health.  Using  her 
training  in  exposure  assessment 
and  epidemiology,  she  focuses 
her  research  on  the  human 
health  outcomes  of  pollutant 
exposures. 

y"~v    ^     Derek  and 
CI  ^     Cynthia 
^/     ^y      (Stachnra) 

Adams,  and  big  sister  Charlotte, 
announce  the  arrival  of  Marcus 
Edward  on  June  1 1 ,  2004.  They 
live  in  Skippack,  Pa.  Cynthia 
has  passed  her  PE  exam  in 
Pennsylvania  and  is  now  a  proj- 
ect engineer  in  the  Kulpsvillc 
office  of  Schoor  DePalma  Inc. 

Marie  (Meier)  and  Greg  Avixa 
'93  welcomed  their  first  child, 
David  Gregory,  on  May  15, 
2004.  Greg  works  as  a  projec  i 
engineer  tor  I  iillette,  and 
Marie  is  a  principal  engineer  at 


American  Superconductor.  They 
live  in  Burlington,  Mass. 

Alexis  (Kirk)  and  Ryan 
Clement  '96  happily  announce 
the  birth  of  a  son,  Max  Ryan, 
on  Dec.  18,  2004.  Ryan  is  plant 
manager  at  Matheson-Trigas, 
and  Alexis  works  at  Ibis 
Technology.  They  live  in 
Danvers,  Mass. 

Jennifer  (Anderson)  Crock  and 
her  husband,  Karl,  had  a  baby 
boy,  Philip  Ezra,  on  July  26, 
2004.  Big  brother  Nathan  wel- 
comed him  to  their  Wilming- 
ton, Del,  home.  Jen,  in  addi- 
tion to  being  a  proud  mom,  is 
a  program  manager  for  space 
propulsion  and  ordnance  prod- 
ucts at  Alliant  Techsystems. 

Lisa  (Caponi)  de  Mars  and  her 

husband,  Robert,  had  a  son, 
Owen  Lane,  on  April  24,  2004. 
Heather  (Liimehan)  Desmarais 

and  her  husband,  Dale,  have 
a  daughter,  Kyla  Rose,  born 
March  1,  2004.  The  happy 
family  lives  in  Hampden,  Mass. 
Heather  received  her  master's 
degree  in  engineering  manage- 
ment from  UMass  Amherst  in 
2003. 

It's  been  a  busy  year  for  Jeralyn 
(Clouart)  and  Chris  Haraldsen 
'96.  Almost  a  year  after  the 
birth  of  a  daughter,  Kate 
Denise,  Jeralyn  received  her 
Ph.D.  in  molecular  microbiol- 
ogy from  Tufts  University 
School  of  Medicine  in 
September  2004.  The  family 
moved  to  Waterbury  Center, 
Vt.,  where  Jeralyn  is  pursing 
postdoctoral  research  at  the 
University  of  Vermont,  and 
Chris  works  for  PPT  Vision. 
James  LaGrant,  his  wife,  Irish, 
and  daughter,  Sophie,  became 


poster  children  for  Oxford,  Pa.'s 
annual  5K  race,  held  Sept.  25, 
2004.  "Little  did  I  know  that 
our  picture  (and  my  prominent 
WPI  letters!)  would  be  used 
for  the  organization's  Web  site 
banner  and  headline  photo,"  he 
writes. 

Jeffrey  Mullen  and  his  wife, 
Kerry,  are  pleased  to  announce 
the  birth  of  their  daughter,  Julia 
Rose,  in  April  2004.  Jeff  is  a 
technical  support  engineer  for 
Optos  Inc.  They  live  in  Tewks- 
bury,  Mass. 

Eric  Pearson  is  assistant  vice 
president,  eServices,  for  Enter- 
prise Bank  and  Trust  Co.  in 
Lowell,  Mass. 

%    David  Boulanger 
works  at  Babcock 
Power.  He  and  his 
wife,  Alicia,  live  in  West 
Warwick,  Mass. 
Michelle  Bruneau  wed  Jeffrey 
Atchison  on  April  24,  2004. 


Bridesmaid  Alison  Kmiecik 

flew  in  from  the  Netherlands  for 
the  special  occasion.  After  a 
Caribbean  honeymoon  on  a  tall 
ship,  the  couple  resides  in 
Woodlyn,  Pa. 

Ryan  Daly  is  finishing  his  train- 
ing in  internal  medicine  at 
Boston  Medical  Center  in 
preparation  lor  a  cardiology 
residency  at  the  Cleveland 
Clinic  foundation. 

After  moving  to  the  Sacramento 
area  in  2002.  Krystcn  Lainc 
has  accepted  a  position  in  the 
Oakland  office  ofFugTO  West. 
pan  of  FugTO  Imern.uion.il. 
where  she  will  develop  .i  I  ,|S 
enterprise  lor  data  analysis, 

assei  management,  and  product 

support. 


42     Transformations    \   Winter  2004 


Cynthia  Mitchell  recently  relo- 
cated to  Spring  Lake  in  western 
Michigan.  She  continues  as  a 
senior  project  engineer  for  Pratt 
&  Whitney. 

Jesse  Parent  returned  to  his  for- 
mer position  as  a  principal  engi- 
neer with  Sorenson  Media  in 
Salt  Lake  City.  He  has  been 
touting  international  improv 
festivals  with  his  newly  formed 
group  JoKyR  and  Jesster. 


97 


Ralf  Bruyninckx 

(M.S.  FPE) 
recently  stepped 
into  the  management  seat  at 
FPC  (Fire  Protection  Consult- 
ants), the  pioneering  Belgian 
firm  founded  by  his  father,  Ed 
Bruyninckx.  Last  year  the  com- 
pany managed  the  installation  of 
safety  and  sprinkler  systems  in 
theme  park  resorts  throughout 
Europe. 

Cindy  (Young)  and  Mark 
Burke  '95  welcomed  their  first 
child,  Jared  Alexander,  in 
February  2004.  Cindy  is  a 


family  physician  at  Moses  Cone 
Hospital,  and  Mark  manages 
bioinformatics  and  IT  for  the 
Depattment  of  Plant  Pathology 
at  North  Carolina  State 
University. 

Peter  Gobis  married  Maria 
Ribaudo  last  year.  He  works  for 
Senior  Aerospace  in  Sharon, 
Mass. 

Shannon  Hogan  received  her 
degree  in  osteopathic  medicine 
from  the  University  of  New 
England  in  June  2004.  She  is 
currently  a  first-year  pediatric 
resident  at  Connecticut 
Childten's  Medical  Center. 


Alison  Possas  married  Christo- 
pher Johnson  on  April  18, 
2004.  Terri  Green  '99  per- 
formed "The  Rose"  during  the 
wedding  procession,  with 
Jimmy  Pavlat,  Mike  Fyrberg, 
Kevin  Osborn  '98,  and  Kiki 
(Dreyer)  Abraham  '00  in  atten- 
dance. After  a  honeymoon  in 
Lake  Tahoe  and  San  Francisco, 
the  couple  returned  to  their  new 
home  in  Tolland,  Conn. 

Douglas  Reilly  is  vice  president 
of  operations  for  NanoOpto 
Cotp.  in  Somerset,  N.J. 

William  Spratt  is  facilities 
director  for  the  Nashoba 
Regional  School  District  in 
Bolton,  Mass. 

Jami  Walsh  is  pleased  to 
announce  that  after  four  years 
with  Prism  Environmental  she 
has  joined  the  Water/Wastewater 
Engineering  Dept.  at  Earth  Tech 
Inc.'s  Concord,  Mass.,  office. 

y"V    /""V     Julie  Davis  and 
V.  1  V      Keith  Richard 

^S    ^— *     were  married  Sept. 
5,  2004,  with  Sarah  Furey, 
Carolyn  LaCamera,  Erica 
Lotz,  Jessica  Sands,  and 
Jeremy  Richard  '96  in  the  wed- 
ding parry.  Julie  and  Keith  pur- 
chased a  home  in  Shrewsbury, 
Mass.,  in  April.  Julie  was  pro- 
moted to  staff  scientist  at 
Genzyme  Corp.  in  July. 

Jill  Baryza  LeFevre  and  her 

husband,  Gene,  are  happy  to 
announce  the  birth  of  their 
daughter,  Gabriella  Maria,  on 
Aug.  11,  2004.  They  live  in 
Peekskill,  N.Y. 

A.  J.  Meuse  (Ph.D.)  is  president 
and  CEO  of  Associates  of  Cape 
Cod,  manufacturer  of  endotoxin 
and  beta-glucan  detection  prod- 
ucts for  the  pharmaceutical 
industry. 

Christopher  Pacitto  manages 
the  Fort  Myers  branch  of  GFA 
International,  a  geotechnical 
engineering  and  materials  test- 
ing firm  serving  all  of  Florida. 


"Life  will  never  be  the  same 
again!"  writes  Jennifer  Childs 

Smith  on  the  birth  of  her  twins, 
Benjamin  Fuller  and  Connor 
Matthew.  They  weighed  in  on 
Feb.  7,  2004,  at  5  pounds,  15 
ounces,  and  6  pounds,  respec- 
tively. She  lives  in  Niskayuna, 
N.Y.,  with  her  husband,  Jeff, 
and  the  twins'  big  brother, 
Austin. 

y"V  ^""V     Mark 

V  1  V  1     LaRochelle 

^r     ^      matried  Laura 
Schonback  last  year. 

Lisa  (Angle)  and  Garren 
Walters  '98  announce  the  birth 
of  their  first  son,  Justin,  in 
November  2003.  They  live  in 
Nashua,  N.H. 

/"""V    y"V     Kristin  Connarn 
I     III     anc'  Frederick  Toy 

V-/  V-/     were  married  on 
Sept.  4,  2004,  in  Hampstead, 
N.H.  Their  best  man  was  Keith 
Berard. 

Matthew  Dube  and  Erica 
Tworog  were  married  July  1 8, 
2004,  on  Town  Neck  Beach  in 
Sandwich,  Mass.  They  live  in 
Westborough,  Mass. 

Maureen  Hamilton  (M.S.)  was 
named  project  manager,  special- 
izing in  molecular  biology,  at 
ECI  Biotech  in  Worcester. 

Wes  Marcks  was  promoted  to 
field  application  engineer  at 
Vision  Systems. 

An  engineering  scholarship  in 
memory  of  Trevor  Martin  was 
established  by  the  Greater 
Gardner  Chamber  of 
Commerce.  Trevor  was 
employed  at  Tyco  Safety 
Products  when  he  died  at  age 
27,  after  a  lifelong  battle  with 
muscular  dystrophy. 

Brian  Morgan  left  his  post  as 
conservation  commission  chair- 
man for  Billerica,  Mass.,  to 
attend  law  school  at  Syracuse 
University. 

Ben  Newton  married  his  long- 
time sweetheart,  Camelli  Voci, 
last  year. 


1st  Lt.  Stephen  Sacovitch  mar- 
ried Michelle  Swiderek  last  year. 
He  is  stationed  at  Wright- 
Patterson  Air  Force  base. 

James  Valis  works  for  Edward 
Jones  Investments  in  Massachu- 
setts. He  was  recently  involved 
in  opening  a  new  branch  in 
Narragansett,  R.I. 


01 


Lauren 
Golmanavich 

(M.S.)  is  a  quality 
control  manager  at  EqualLogic 
Inc.  She  married  Scott  Mclver 
on  April  24,  2004. 

Brynn  Hart  and  Matt  Hanson 

were  married  May  29,  2004,  in 
Seattle.  They  honeymooned  in 
Bora  Bora  before  returning 
home  to  Omaha,  Neb.  Matt  is 
serving  as  an  Air  Force  lieu- 
tenant stationed  at  Offutt  AFB. 
Brynn  sells  diagnostic  imaging 
equipment  for  GE  Healthcare. 

Amanda  Kight  and  Paul 

Muller  were  married  on  June 
19,  2004.The  wedding  day  was 


made  even  more  special  (and 
fun!)  by  the  attendance  of 
classmates  Matt  Cartel,  Ernie 
DiMicco,  Adam  Covati,  Alex 
Knapp,  Shane  Wilhelmsen, 
Ben  Carl,  Mike  Fluet  (with 
wife  Maurissa),  and  Ben 
Leclerc.  See  wedding  pictures  at 
www.paulandamanda.com.  Paul 
is  a  1st  lieutenant  working  on 
his  master's  degree  in  physics  at 
the  Air  Force  Institute  of  Tech- 
nology. Amanda  is  a  Ph.D.  can- 
didate in  engineering  at  Wright 
State  University  and  also  works 
as  a  conttactor  for  the  Air  Force. 

Ryan  Kilgore  has  moved  to 
Canada  with  his  wife,  Lauren 
Kennedy,  to  begin  a  Ph.D.  in 


Transformations    \    Winter  2  004     4  3 


human  factors  at  the  University 

or  Toronto. 

Tracy  Patturelli  and  Antonio 

Troncoso  were  married  May  8, 
2004.  They  live  in  Boxborough, 
Mass.,  where  they  are  continuing 
their  engineering  careers. 


02 


Esteban 
Burbano  de  Lara 

of  Quito,  Ecuador, 
started  his  own  business  intel- 
ligence company,  NOUX, 
(www.nouxbi.com)  in  May 
2003.  He  has  partnered  with 
IBM  and  Business  Objects  Corp. 
to  develop  data  warehouses  for 
key  clients  in  Ecuador  and  the 
South  America  region. 

Elizabeth  Sarah  Cash  and 
Jeremy  Hitchcock  '94  were 
married  last  year  in  a  small 
double-ring  ceremony  at 
Gethsemane  Lutheran  Church 
near  their  home  in  Manchester, 
N.H.  Jeremy's  attendants  includ- 
ed Tim  Wilde.  Also  present  at 
the  ceremony  were  Sarah 
Themm,  Meri  Campbell,  Jon 
Graham  '01,  and  Ben  Parks  03. 
More  WPI  alumni  were  able  to 


join  the  festivities  at  a  celebra- 
tory barbecue  the  next  day.  Liz 
and  Jeremy  plan  to  take  a  honey- 
moon cruise  in  the  Mediter- 
ranean later  in  the  year. 

Lori  Luiz  became  engaged  to 
James  Dascoli  on  Nov.  8,  2003. 
The  wedding  will  be  on  Sept. 
17,  2005,  in  Easton,  Mass. 

Jessa  Thomas  matried  Eric 
Marshall  on  Aug.  28,  2004. 
They  honeymooned  in  Fiji  and 
live  in  Webster,  Mass. 

Sean  Nelligan  works  for  UPS  in 
Worcester  as  an  industrial  engi- 
neering supervisor.  He  and  his 
wife,  Sarah,  live  in  Clinton, 
Mass. 

Mark  Szela  works  for  Goldmith, 
Prest  &  Ringwall  Inc.  He  and 
his  wife,  Kelly,  live  in  Webster, 
Mass. 


03 


Kerry  Lee 
Anderson  and 
Benjamin 


Kennedy  '00  were  married  on 
July  17,  2004.  She  is  working  on 
a  Ph.D.  in  biomedical  optics  at 
Boston  University,  and  he  is  a 


hardware  engineer  at  Emulex  Corp. 

Mark  Anderson  works  at  the 
Naval  Undersea  Warfare  Center. 
He  lives  in  Westport,  Mass.,  with 
his  wife,  Jill. 

y"*V      /      Leslie  Clayton 
I     1/1       (M.S.)  works  in 
\^/      JL      the  civil  engineer- 
ing department  of  Seamon, 
Whiteside  &  Assoc,  in  Mount 
Pleasant,  S.C. 

Graduate  Management 
Programs 

Joaquim  Ribeiro  ('58  MBA) 
joined  the  board  of  Kadant  Inc. 
in  Acton,  Mass. 

Master  of  Mathematics 
for  Educators 

Whitney  Biafore  '98  earned 
National  Board  Certification  in 
secondary  mathematics.  She 
teaches  at  Toll  Gate  High  School 
in  Warwick,  R.I. 

Dan  Seltzer  '02  teaches  high 
school  math  in  Waterford, 
Conn. 


Master  of  Natural 
Science 

Stan  Kundra  '74  has  announced 
his  plans  to  retire  from  Farming- 
ton  (Conn.)  High  School,  where 
he  has  taught  for  35  years.  He 
will  stay  on  as  a  part-time  con- 
sultant managing  the  school's 
computer  system,  and  will  do 
some  traveling  in  South  America. 

Donna  Ray  '80  joined  the 
science  faculty  at  Pembroke 
Academy  in  New  Hampshire. 

School  of  Industrial 
Management 

Francis  Elliott  '78  received  the 
2004  Award  of  Merit  from  the 
Armed  Forces  Committee  of 
Wotcester  County.  A  Navy  veter- 
an who  served  in  the  Pacific  and 
Far  East,  he  is  commander  of  the 
Worcester  Veterans  Council  and 
has  been  active  in  the  American 
Legion  and  other  veterans 
groups. 


Everett  D.  Collins  '31  of  West 
Springfield,  Mass.,  died  June 
13,  2003.  His  wife,  Arline 
(Riggs),  died  in  1996.  Survivors 
include  a  brother-in-law  and  a 
nephew.  Collins  was  an  engi- 
neer at  Spaulding  Sports 
Worldwide.  He  belonged  to 
Phi  Sigma  Kappa  and  Tau 
Beta  Pi. 

Otis  E.  Mace  '31,  a  longtime 
Baltimore  resident,  died  May 
12,  2004.  He  was  the  founder 
and  retired  president  of  Mace 
Electric  Co.  Inc.  His  wife,  the 
former  Eleanor  "Dilly"  Dilworth, 
died  in  1991.  Mace  attended 
WPI  through  the  generosity 
of  an  aunt,  Florence  Mace 
Putnam,  who  allowed  him  to 
board  with  her  in  her  Harvard 
Street  home  and  helped  with 
his  expenses.  Mace  later  honored 


her  by  establishing  the  Putnam 
Memorial  Scholarship  Fund.  A 
Presidential  Founder  and  life- 
time member  of  the  President's 
Advisory  Council,  he  belonged 
to  Alpha  Tau  Omega. 

Hugo  R  Borgatti  '33  of 

Woodstock,  111.,  and  Dunedin, 
Fla.,  died 
Nov.  13, 
2003.  Pre- 
deceased by 
his  wife, 
Catherine 
(Monahan), 
he  leaves  two  sons  and  a  daugh- 
ter, seven  grandchildren,  and 
seven  great-grandchildren. 
Highlights  of  his  35-year  career 
with  United  States  Rubber  Co. 
(now  Uniroy.il)  include  the 
design  ot  barrage  balloons, 
which  were  flown  over  England 


-<?4 


to  deter  enemy  aircraft,  and 
rubber  life  rafts  used  by 
downed  pilots. 

John  A.  Henrickson  '33  of 

Sun  City  Center,  Fla.,  died 
April  12,  2004.  A  longtime 
employee  of  U.S.  Steel  Corp., 
Henrickson  started  at  the  for- 
mer American  Steel  and  Wire- 
Division  in  Worcester  and  later 
served  at  the  company's  research 
laboratories  in  the  Cleveland 
and  Pittsburgh  areas.  He  leaves 
his  wife,  Evelyn,  a  son,  a 
daughter,  four  grandchildren, 
four  great-grandchildren,  and 
his  brother,  Harold  F. 
Henrickson  '36.  He  belonged 
to  Theu  Chi, 

Transfbrmatioru  recently  learned 
of  the  death  ol  Paul  S. 
Grierson  Jr.  '34  ol  DeKalb, 

III.,  in  2002.  A  member  of  Phi 


Gamma  Delta  and  Tau  Beta  Pi, 
he  was  rented  from  Gibbs  & 
Cox  Inc.  Grierson  and  his  wife, 
Dorothy,  had  two  sons  and  two 
daughters. 

Plummer  Wiley  '35  died  Jan. 
29,  2004,  at  his  Baltimore  resi- 
dence. His  wife,  Jean  (Larash), 
predeceased  him.  Wiley  joined 
Chesapeake  &:  Potomac  Tele- 
phone (now  part  of  Verizon)  in 
1939  and  retired  as  an  engi- 
neering manager  in  1975.  A 
charter  member  ot  the  Alden 
Society,  he  received  the  I  lerben 
F.  Taylor  Alumni  Award  for 
Distinguished  Service  to  WPI 
in  1980.  He  belonged  to  I'heta 
t  hi,  l.iu  Beta  Pi.  ami  Skull. 

Theodore  C  Andieopouloi 

'38  of  Buffalo,  N.Y.,  brother  of 

George  Andreopoulos  '42,  died 


44     Transformations   |   Winter  200 


Nov.  20, 
2003.  Other 
survivors 
include  two 
sons  and  his 
close  friend 
Helen 

Maldovan.  His  wife,  Doris 
(Woolff),  died  in  1984. 
Andreopoulos  earned  a  bache- 
lor's degree  in  aeronautical  engi- 
neering at  MIT  in  1940,  and  a 
master's  degree  in  theoretical 
and  applied  mechanics  at  the 
University  of  Buffalo.  He  was  a 
structural  analyst  whose  45-year 
career  included  positions  at 
Boeing  and  numerous  other 
aviation  companies.  He 
belonged  to  Sigma  Xi. 

Donald  M.  Burness  '39  of 

Pittsfield,  Mass.,  died  April  26, 

2003.  Predeceased  by  his  wife, 
Helen,  he  is  survived  by  two 
sons  and  four  grandchildren. 
Burness  was  retired  from  a  long 
career  with  Eastman  Kodak 
Research  Laboratories,  where  he 
helped  develop  color  film  for 
consumer  sales  and  devised  a 
method  for  synthesizing  vita- 
min A.  He  belonged  to  Lambda 
Chi  Alpha,  Phi  Lambda 
Upsilon,  and  Sigma  Xi. 

Frans  E.  Strandberg  '39  of 

Venice,  Fla.,  died  March  16, 

2004.  A  Navy  Sea  Bees  officer 
during  World  War  II,  he 
worked  on  naval  construction 
projects  and  later  retired  from 
USG  Corp.  as  a  mechanical 
engineer.  Survivors  include  his 
wife,  Elsie  (Olson),  a  brother, 
a  niece,  and  a  nephew.  Strand- 
berg belonged  to  Lambda  Chi 
Alpha. 

Harold  E.  White  '39  (SIM 

'55)  of  Kennebunk,  Maine, 
died  April 
26,  2004. 
He  leaves  his 
wife,  Betty 
(Wallace),  a 
son,  two 
daughters, 
four  grandchildren,  and  three 
great-grandchildren.  White 
spent  his  career  with  Norton 


Co.,  starting  as  a  factory  engi- 
neer and  rising  to  research 
director.  He  retired  in  1982  as 
a  vice  president.  A  member  of 
Theta  Chi,  he  belonged  to  the 
President's  Advisory  Council. 

Eric  S.  Anderson  '40  of 

Laconia,  N.H.,  died  May  5, 
2004.  His 
wife,  Hazel 
(Casperson) 
died  in 
August. 
^y-        Mk    Surviving 
Rl^^S__^B  I   are  a  son, 
a  daughter,  two  grandchildren, 
and  two  great-grandchildren. 
Anderson  worked  for  many 
years  as  a  service  manager  for 
Turbo  Power  and  Marine  Inc., 
a  division  of  Pratt  &  Whitney. 
He  belonged  to  Lambda  Chi 
Alpha. 

Willard  J.  Riddick  '40  of  San 

Diego,  Calif.,  died  Jan.  3, 
2004.  He  was  predeceased  by 
his  wife,  Mary  Jane.  A  U.S. 
Navy  veteran,  he  was  retired 
from  employment  with  the  fed- 
eral government.  He  belonged 
to  Sigma  Alpha  Epsilon. 

Raymond  L.  DeLisle  '41  of 

Leominster,  Mass.,  died  Feb.  8, 
2004.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Marie 
(Thibodeau),  two  sons,  and 
four  grandchildren.  In  1948 
DeLisle 
joined  his 
father  at 
the  former 
DeLisle 
Fashions, 
which  he 
later  owned  and  operated  until 
his  retirement  in  1982.  He 
belonged  to  Phi  Kappa  Theta. 

George  W.  Knauff  '41  of 

Colorado  Springs,  Colo.,  died 
Feb.  8,  2004. 
He  is  sur- 
vived by  his 
wife,  Alice 
(McKee),  a 
son,  and  a 
daughter. 
Knauff  was  a  retired  major 
with  37  years  of  service  in  the 


Marine  Corps  Reserves.  He 
worked  as  a  sales  representative 
for  Buffalo  Forge  Co.  for  40 
years  and  later  retired  as  a 
steam  locomotive  engineer  for 
the  historic  Cumbres  &  Tolter 
Scenic  Railroad  between  Colo- 
rado and  New  Mexico.  He 
belonged  to  Phi  Sigma  Kappa 
and  Skull. 

Albert  S.  Goodrich  '42  of 

Sandy  Hook,  Conn.,  died  Jan. 
19,  2004.  He  was  predeceased 
by  his  wife,  Mary  (Kinghorn). 
Goodrich  was  retired  from 
Smith-Corona  as  a  mechanical 
engineer.  He  belonged  to 
Lambda  Chi  Alpha. 

James  L.  Loomis  Jr.  '43  of 

Bethany,  Conn.,  died  Dec.  13, 

2003.  He  married  Eleanor 
Jones  in  1943  and  worked  for 
Farrel-Birmingham  Co.  and 
Pryer  Corp.  He  belonged  to 
Alpha  Tau  Omega. 

Robert  Pettibone  Seaton  '43 

of  Norristown,  Pa.,  died  Oct. 
21,  2003.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Ruth  (Howley),  two  daughters, 
two  stepsons,  a  stepdaughter, 
1 1  grandchildren,  and  two 
great-grandsons.  A  naval  aviator 
who  served  in  the  Pacific  theater 
during  World  War  II,  Seaton 
retired  from  Allen-Bradley  Co. 
in  1985  as  manager  of  the  Mid- 
Atlantic  area.  Aftet  losing  his 
left  leg,  Seaton  devoted  his  time 
to  the  AMP-PEER  program  at 
Magee  Rehabilitation  Hospital, 
counseling  fellow  amputees.  He 
belonged  to  Phi  Gamma  Delta 
and  Skull. 

Robert  C.  Brown  '44  of  East 
Rumford,  Maine,  died  April  5, 

2004.  A  longtime  sales  service 
engineer  for  Boise  Cascade 
Paper  Co.,  he  retired  in  1983. 
His  wife,  Ann  (Colby),  died  in 
2002.  Survivors  include  three 
sons,  two  daughters,  16  grand- 
children,  and  10  great-grand- 
children.  Brown  belonged  to 
Phi  Sigma  Kappa. 

Transformations  recently  learned 
of  the  death  of  Robert  B. 
Foster  '46  in  2002.  A  resident 


of  Windsor,  Conn.,  and  North 
Port,  Fla.,  he  leaves  his  wife, 
Sally  (Buccheri),  five  sons,  two 
daughters,  and  seven  grandchil- 
dren. Foster  was  an  actuary  for 
Travelers  Insurance  Co.  for  39 
years  before  he  retired.  He 
belonged  to  Alpha  Tau  Omega. 

James  B.  Evans  Jr.  '47  of 

Andover,  Mass.,  died  Feb.  15, 
2004.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Elizabeth  (Stohlman),  four 
sons,  four  daughters,  and  eight 
grandchildren.  Evans  received  a 
master's  degree  in  electrical 
engineering  from  WPI  in  1949. 
He  worked  for  Bell  Labs  until 
he  retired  in  1981. 

Harold  L.  Cole  '47  of 

Topsham,  Maine,  died  Feb.  8, 
2004.  Predeceased  by  his  wife, 
Harriet  (Clark),  he  leaves  two 
sons,  two  daughters,  nine 
grandchildren,  and  one  great- 
grandchild. Cole  began  his 
career  at  General  Electric  Co. 
and  later  retired  from  Raytheon 
Corp.  He  belonged  to  Tau  Beta  Pi. 

George  W.  Allen  '48  of 

Glastonbury,  Conn.,  died  April 
8,  2004.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Joyce,  two  sons,  two  daughters, 
and  six  grandchildren.  Allen 
began  his  career  with  Pratt  & 
Whitney,  where  he  served  as  a 
mechanical  engineer  for  seven 
years.  He  then  became  a  guid- 
ance counselor  and  math 
teacher,  first  at  East  Hartford 
High  School,  then  at  Penney 
High  School.  He  belonged  to 
Phi  Sigma  Kappa. 

Lennart  M.  Berg  '48  of  South 
Lyme,  Conn.,  died  May  7, 
2004.  He  was  the  husband  of 
Irene  (Walton)  and  the  father 
of  Pamela  Berg  McNary  '85. 
He  also  leaves  two  sons  and 
three  grandchildren.  Another 
son  predeceased  him.  Berg  was 
a  self-employed  builder  of  cus- 
tom colonial  homes,  who 
joined  his  father  in  the  trade 
after  graduation.  He  belonged 
to  Phi  Sigma  Kappa. 

Charles  D.  Rehrig  '48  of 

Barrington,  N.J.,  died  Jan.  30, 


Transformations    \    Winter   2004     4  5 


2004.  He  is  survived  by  his 
wife,  Janice  (Ridley),  a  son,  two 
daughters,  and  four  grandchil- 
dren. Rehrig  was  an  instrumen- 
tation engineer  for  United 
Engineers  8c  Constructors.  He 
belonged  to  Phi  Sigma  Kappa 
and  Skull. 

Edmund  J.  (Salatkiewicz) 
Salate  '48  of  South  Hadley, 
Mass.,  died  March  12,  2004. 
A  mechanical  engineer  for  the 
U.S.  Government,  he  was 
retired  from  the  Department  of 
Housing  and  Urban  Develop- 
ment. He  previously  worked  for 
NASA's  Electronic  Research 
Center  in  Cambridge.  A  son,  a 
daughter,  and  three  grandchil- 
dren survive. 

George  M.  Thomson  '48  of 

Wayne,  N.J.,  died  Sept.  25, 

2003.  A 
retired  staff 
engineer  at 
MIT-Draper 
Laboratories, 
he  and  his 
wife, 

Dorothy  (Marino),  had  two 
sons.  Thomson  belonged  to 
Sigma  Phi  Epsilon. 

Saverino  Ciani  '49  died  May 
13,  2004,  in  his  Shrewsbury, 
Mass.,  home.  A  graduate  of 
Clark  University,  he  spent  his 
career  with  the  Mutual  Fire 
Insurance  Association  of  New 
England.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Bergie  (Bolstad),  and  several 
nieces  and  nephews. 

John  I.  "Ive"  Logan  '49  of 

Delmar,  N.Y.,  died  April  10, 

2004.  He 
leaves  his 
wife, 

I    Barbara 


(Shaw),  a 
son,  three 
daughters, 
seven  grandchildren,  and  two 
great-grandchildren.  Logan 
earned  a  certificate  in  traffic 
engineering  from  Yale  Univer- 
sity and  served  as  traffic  engi- 
neer tor  the  city  of  Providence. 
1  le  retired  troni  the  federal 


Highway  Administration  in 
1987.  He  belonged  to  Phi 
Sigma  Kappa. 

Francis  W.  Norton  '50  of 

Augusta, 
Ga.,  died 
May  24, 
2004.  He 


was  the  hus- 
band of  the 
former 

Eleanor  Carr,  and  the  father 
of  John  P.  Norton  '81,  who 
survive  him,  along  with  two 
grandchildren.  Norton  was  a 
retired  site  superintendent  for 
Monsanto  Co. 

John  W.  Peirce  '50  died 
April  9,  2004,  at  his  home  in 
Sherborn,  Mass.  He  leaves  his 
wife,  Susan  (Davenport),  two 
sons,  a  daughter,  and  four 
grandchildren.  Peirce  graduated 
from  the  Massachusetts  Mari- 
time Academy  and  served  in 
the  Navy  during  the  Korean 
War.  He  retired  from  The 
Foxboro  Company  after  30 
years  as  manager  of  price  policy. 
He  then  became  owner  and 
president  of  H.R.  Prescott  and 
Sons.  He  belonged  to  Phi 
Gamma  Delta. 

Gary  Geissler  '51  of  Placida, 
Fla.,  died  Nov.  12,  2003.  A 
retired  chemical  consultant, 
he  worked  for  Merck  &  Co., 
Chemtron,  and  SCA  Chemical 
Services.  He  and  his  wife, 
Eleanor  (Delaney),  had  a  son 
and  three  daughters. 

Roger  W.  Lane  '51  died  at 
home  on  Vashon  Island, 
Seattle, 
Wash., 
on  May  7, 
2004. 

Predeceased 
by  his  wife, 
Sara 

(Sprinkle),  he  leaves  two  sons,  a 
daughter,  and  seven  grandchil- 
dren. A  former  engineering 
supervisor,  1  ane  was  retired 
from  Boeing  Aerospace  Co., 
where  he  worked  for  38  years. 


Charles  R.  Holland  '52  of 

Summerville,  S.C.,  died  March 

I,  2003.  A  longtime  engineer 
with  Monsanto,  he  earned  an 
MBA  at  American  University. 
Holland  is  survived  by  his  wife, 
Lynn,  five  daughtets,  three 
stepchildren,  and  25  grandchil- 
dren. He  belonged  to  Theta 
Chi. 

John  D.  Coupe  '53  died  Feb. 

I I,  2004.  His  survivors  include 
his  wife,  Mavis,  two  sons,  a 
daughter,  four  stepsons,  seven- 
teen grandchildren,  and  two 
great-grandchildren.  He  was 
predeceased  by  his  first  wife, 
Sylvia,  and  a  stepson.  Coupe 
earned  a  mastet's  degree  and  a 
doctorate  in  economics  from 
Clark  University.  He  was  pro- 
fessor emeritus  at  the  University 
of  Maine,  Orono,  where  he 
taught  for  many  years,  and  also 
served  as  vice  president  for 
finance  and  administration.  He 
belonged  to  Phi  Sigma  Kappa. 

Robert  H.  Paine  '53  of 

Honeoye  Falls,  N.Y.,  died  May 
14,  2004.  A  1951  graduate  of 
the  University  of  Rochester,  he 
eatned  his  master's  degree  in 
chemistry  at  WPI  and  his 
Ph.D.  at  the  University  of 
Rochester  in  1961.  Paine  was 
retired  from  Eastman  Kodak. 
He  also  taught  chemistty  at  sev- 
eral colleges  and  earned  tenure 
at  Rochester  Institute  of  Tech- 
nology in  2003.  Survivors 
include  his  wife,  Barbara,  a  son, 
a  daughter,  and  two  grandchil- 
dren. 

Leonard  V.  Mello  '54,  former- 
ly of  Louisville,  Ky,  died  Sept. 
14,  2003.  He  retired  from 
National  Homes  Corp.  and 
later  lived  in  Florida.  He 
belonged  to  Phi  Kappa  Theta. 
Richard  P.  Quintin  '55  of 
Bradenton,  Fla.,  died  M.iv  5> 

2004.  He  is  survived  by  his 
wile,  Jeanne,  three  suns,  ,i 
daughter,  and  eight  grandchil- 
dren. Quintin  received  an  MBA 
from  the  1  (artford  ( iraduate 

(  ientei  and  was  retired  from 


Hamilton  Standard  as  director 
of  materials. 

Peter  J.  Stephens  '56  of 

Audubon,  Pa.,  died  Feb  13, 
2004.  His  wife,  Mary,  survives 
him,  along  with  a  son,  a  daugh- 
ter, and  four  grandsons. 
Stephens  spent  his  career  with 
Exxon  and  retired  in  1987  as 
a  marketing  executive.  He 
belonged  to  Lambda  Chi 
Alpha. 

Fred  C.  Magnuson  '57  of 

Blandon,  Pa.,  died  Feb.  5, 
2004,  leaving  his  wife,  Eleanor 
(Hynes),  three  daughters,  and 
five  grandchildren.  His  career 
in  the  Bell  Telephone  System 
included  Western  Electtic,  Bell 
Telephone  Laboratories,  and 
New  Jersey 
Bell  Tele- 
phone. He 
later  served 
as  a  non- 
stipendiary 
clergyman 
at  All  Saints  Episcopal  Church. 
He  belonged  to  Lambda  Chi 
Alpha. 

Transfonnations  recently  learned 
of  the  death  of  Richard  E. 
Lorenz  '58  in  1996  in  Cali- 
fornia. He  married  Sallie  Coons 
in  1958  and  worked  for  Dravo 
Corp.  and  Factor)'  Mutual 
Insurance  Co.  He  belonged  to 
Phi  Sigma  Kappa. 

Harold  W.  Taylor  '58  died  at 
home  in  Pocasset,  Mass.,  on 
Feb.  20,  2004.  He  worked  as  a 
salesman  in  the  family  business, 
Lofstedt  &:  Taylor  Fine  Furni- 
ture, and  for  Jordan  Marsh  in 
Worcester.  He  is  survived  by 
three  sons,  a  daughter,  and  two 
granddaughters.  I  le  belonged 
to  Phi  Sigma  Kappa. 

Charles  H.  Rodcnburg  '59  of 
Lynn  Haven,  Fla.,  died  April  5i 

2004.  I  le  leaves  his  wile. 
Bonnie,  and  a  son.  Rodcnburg 
was  retired  from  Northrop 
i  .iiiniin.in  t  orp„  where  he 
worked  as  a  quality  control 
engineer  lor  main  \c.us.  1  [e 
belonged  to  Phi  Sigma  Kappa. 


4  6     Transformation!    |   Winter  Jim, 


Ernest  F.  Woodtli  '59  of 

Tucson,  Ariz.,  died  May  19, 

2003.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Anne, 
a  son,  two  daughters,  and  four 
grandchildren.  Woodtli  was 
retired  from  General  Electric 
Co.  He  belonged  to  Pi  Tau 
Sigma. 

Joseph  A.  DiGiallonardo  '61 

of  Millbury,  Mass.,  died  May  4, 

2004.  A  mathematician,  he 
earned  a  master's  degree  from 
the  University  of  Michigan  and 
completed  advanced  graduate 
study  at  Michigan  State  Uni- 
versity. His  federally  funded 
research  on  oscillation  theory 
was  published  by  the  Society 
for  Industrial  and  Applied 
Mathematics.  DiGiallonatdo 
worked  for  Digital  Equipment 
Corp.  for  eight  years.  Despite 
his  struggle  with  mental  illness, 

DO 

he  continued  his  mathematical 
research  and  his  volunteer 
tutoring.  Survivors  include  a 
sister  and  two  nephews. 

Transformations  recently  learned 
of  the  death  of  Alfred  H. 
Kastberg  '61  in  2002.  A  resi- 
dent of  Stafford,  Va.,  he  was  the 
retired  executive  vice  president 
of  the  Henry  L.  Hanson  Co. 
His  wife,  Lilly,  died  in  1996. 
Surviving  family  members 
include  a  son,  rwo  daughters, 
three  grandchildren,  and  three 
great-gtandchildren. 

Richard  H.  Eriksson  '64  died 
Feb.  15,  2004,  at  his  home  in 
South  Windsor,  Conn.  He 
leaves  his  wife,  Alice  Kaptonak, 
a  son,  a  daughtet,  and  four 
grandchildren.  Eriksson  was 
retired  from  Pratt  &  Whitney 
as  a  senior  engineer.  He  held  a 
master's  degree  from  RPI  and 
belonged  to  Lambda  Chi  Alpha 
and  Pi  Tau  Sigma. 

James  Higginbottom  Jr.  '66 

(SIM)  of  Venice,  Fla.,  died 
March  8,  2004.  He  was  91. 
Predeceased  by  his  wife, 
Marguerite  (Striebel),  he  leaves 
a  son,  a  daughter,  four  grand- 
children, a  great-grandson,  and 
a  close  friend,  Phyllis  Higgins. 


Higginbottom  was  the  rented 
president  of  New  England  High 
Carbon  Wire  Corp.,  where  he 
worked  for  48  years. 

Joseph  L.  Paquette  '68  died 
Jan.  26,  2004,  leaving  his  wife, 
Linda,  two  sons,  a  daughter, 
and  three  grandchildren. 
Paquette  was  the  owner  of  Sir 
Speedy  Printing  Centet  in 
Windsor  Locks,  Conn.  He 
belonged  to  Phi  Kappa  Theta. 

George  P.  Allendorf  Jr.  70 

(Ph.D.)  of  Billerica,  Mass.,  died 
May  7,  2004,  at  age  64.  A 
graduate  of  Boston  College,  he 
earned  his  doctorate  in  chem- 
istry at  WPI.  Allendorf  was 
retired  as  vice  president  of  M/A 
Inc.  He  also  taught  at  Mass  Bay 
Community  College.  Survivors 
include  his  wife,  Elizaberh 
(Fuoco),  three  sons,  and  a 
daughter. 

Richard  E.  Bergeron  '70  of 

Malvern,  Pa.,  died  April  26, 
2004.  He  was  the  founder  of 
Bergeron  Solutions  and  a  vol- 
unteer fundraiser  and  spokes- 
person for  his  disability,  amy- 
otrophic lateral  sclerosis  (Lou 
Gehrig's  disease).  He  leaves  his 
wife,  Wendy,  a  daughter,  and 
three  stepdaughters.  Bergeron 
belonged  ro  Phi  Sigma  Kappa. 

Richard  Diamond  '70  of 

Worcester,  Mass.,  died  May  1, 
2004.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Barbara  (Marten),  and  two 
daughters.  Diamond  was  owner 
and  operator  of  R.  Diamond 
Distributors,  handling  auto 
parts  and  specialized  tools. 

Robert  H.  Spring  '72  (SIM)  of 
Holden,  Mass.,  died  March  15, 
2004,  at  the  age  of  83. 
Predeceased  by  his  wife,  Mary 
(Kastbetg),  he  leaves  two  sons, 
a  daughter,  and  six  grandchil- 
dren. Spring  was  retired  as  a 
time-study  engineer  for  Henry 
L.  Hanson  Co. 

Thomas  L.  Girard  '76  (MSM) 
died  Feb.  26,  2004,  at  his  home 
in  Centreville,  Va.  Survivors 
include  his  wife,  Claire,  a  son, 
and  a  daughter.  Girard  was  a 


financial  specialist  for  Lockheed 
Martin. 

Joseph  J.  Lucchesi  '76  of 

Tewksbury,  Mass.,  died  Nov.  2, 

2003,  after  a  10-year  battle 
with  muscular  dystrophy.  His 
wife,  Lori  (Francoeur),  and  two 
sons  survive.  Lucchesi  worked 
as  a  chemist  for  Fisons,  Copley 
Pharmaceuticals,  and  Boston 
Analytical  Corp.  before  he 
retired  due  ro  his  illness. 

David  E.  Green  '81  of  Granby, 
Mass.,  died  June  6,  2004.  He 
was  president  of  A.  R.  Green  & 
Son  Inc.,  a  position  held  by  a 
family  member  for  four  genera- 
tions. Survivors  include  his 
wife,  Roberta  (Lepak),  and 
three  daughters.  Green 
belonged  to  Phi  Gamma  Delta. 

Transformations  recently  learned 
of  the  death  of  Waleed 
Mohammed  Hajjar  '81 

(Ph.D.)  in  2002.  He  was  a  sales 
manager  for  Quantum  Medical 
Systems.  He  and  his  wife, 
Linda,  had  a  son  and  two 
daughters. 

Harold  E.  Errington  '82 

(SIM)  of  Belgrade,  Maine,  died 
June  5,  2004,  at  the  age  of  77. 
He  leaves  his  wife,  Tamara,  two 
sons,  two  daughters,  17  grand- 
children, and  21  great-gtand- 
children.  Errington  was  retired 
from  Bay  State  Abrasives  Co. 
with  37  years  of  service. 

Stephen  Sciarro  Jr.  '83  (SIM) 
of  Westborough,  Mass.,  died 
May  26,  2004.  He  was  76.  He 
was  an  industtial  engineer  for 
Bay  State  Abrasives  Co.  for 
more  than  40  years  before  he 
retired.  His  survivors  include 
his  wife,  Beverly  (Smith),  a 
daughtet,  two  sons,  and  a 
grandson. 

J.  Alan  Bill  '85  (SIM),  62,  of 
Shrewsbury,  Mass.,  died  Feb.  3, 

2004.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Mary 
(O'Malley),  three  sons,  and 
four  grandchildren.  Bill  was  a 
retired  sales  manager  for  Sandoz 
Chemical. 

James  R.  Bandlow  '92  of 

Winter  Springs,  Fla.,  died 


Jan.  9,  2004,  at  the  age  of  39. 
He  leaves  a  daughter,  a  son,  and 
his  mother,  Constance  Sheldon, 
of  Palm  Bay,  Fla.  Bandlow  was 
a  senior  structural  engineer  for 
P.S.I.  Inc. 

Michael  F.  Buvarsky  '93  died 
April  24,  2004,  in  his  Brook- 
lyn, Conn.,  home.  He  was  47. 
His  wife,  Joan  (Barton),  sur- 
vives. A  1978  graduate  of 
Wentworth  Institute  of  Tech- 
nology, Buvarsky  came  to  WPI 
in  1991  and  earned  a  bachelor's 
degree  in  computer  science 
with  high  distinction  in  two 
yeats.  He  was  a  software  engi- 
neer ar  Si  Corp.,  and  the 
owner  of  a  Web  site  design 
company,  Westfield  Designs. 
He  belonged  to  Upsilon  Pi 
Epsilon. 

John  S.  Grossi  '95  of 

Waltham, 
Mass.,  died 
March  13, 
2004.  He 
was  a  senior 
quality 
assurance 

engineer  for  Funk  Software  and 

a  member  of  Alpha  Phi 

Omicron.  He  leaves  his  fiancee, 

Kyle  Montouri,  and  his  parents. 

Carlo  M.  Cioffi  '99  of 

Brookline, 
Mass.,  died 
May  3, 
2004.  He 
worked  as  a 
chemical 
engineer  for 
Nuvera  Fuel  Cell.  His  survivors 
include  his  parents,  Elaine  and 
Pietro  CiofFi  of  Milan,  Italy, 
and  a  brother. 


Correction: 

Our  obituary  of  Tsu-Yen  Mei  '49 

in  the  Fall  2003  issue  reporred 
that  Mei  earned  a  mastet's  degree 
in  liberal  arts  at  Illinois  Institute 
of  Technology.  His  friend  Yunting 
Kwan  '52  informs  us  that  Mei's 
degree  was  actually  in  mechanical 
engineering.  Transformations  regrets 
the  error. 


Transformations    \    Winter   2004     47 


TimeCapsule 


Every  time  you  access  your  computer's  hard 
drive,  you're  tapping  into  the  innovative  work 
of  Jake  Hagopian  '39. 


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As  an  advisory  engineer  in  IBM's  Research  Laboratory 
in  San  Jose,  Calif.,  Jacob  J.  Hagopian  perfected  the  spin-coating 
method  for  making  computer  disks,  which  tevolutionized  both 
how  and  how  quickly  files  were  read  from  magnetic  media. 


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Jacob  Hagopian's  work  on  o  method  for  coaling  magnetic  disks  is  detailed 
on  a  page  taken  from  his  IBM  journal,  an  item  that  is  part  of  the  Hagopian 
papers  held  in  Special  Collections  in  WPI's  George  C.  Gordon  Library. 

In  1953,  work  began  at  IBM  on  RAMAC  (Random  Access 
Method  of  Accounting  and  Control),  the  first  computer  with  a 
disk  drive.  The  drive,  or  disk  file,  as  it  was  called,  contained  SO 
disks  stacked  one-quarter  inch  apart,  on  a  rotating,  vertical  shaft. 
A  single  pair  of  magnetic  heads  moved  in  between  the  disks  to 
read  or  write  the  tracks.  To  move  to  another  disk,  the  arm  con- 


taining the  heads  had  to  pull  out  completely  and  then  travel  up 
or  down.  Designers  solved  the  problem  of  maintaining  constant 
spacing  between  the  magnetic  head  and  the  slightly  fluttering 
disks,  but  Hagopian  noticed  two  problems  with  their  method. 
First,  a  bulky  air  compressor  was  needed  to  supply  the  large  vol- 
ume of  air  required  to  "float"  the  heads  and  keep  them  from 
crashing  into  the  disks.  Second,  with  just  two  read-write  heads, 
scanning  an  entire  file  was  an  extremely  slow  process  (it  took 
about  eight  minutes  to  search  through  all  50  disks). 

Flying  heads,  spinning  disks 

Hagopian  reasoned  that  if  the  heads  could  be  made  to  float 
without  the  use  of  air  compressors,  100  heads  could  be  ganged 
to  scan  each  of  the  disk  surfaces  simultaneously.  "I  recognized 
that  the  rotation  of  the  disk  pulled  along  air  molecules,  creating 
its  own  pressure  layer  without  the  need  for  air  supply,"  he 
explained  in  an  IBM  report  on  the  project.  "This  simple  but 
very  important  effect  is  fundamental  to  slider  air-bearing  design 
principles."  He  created  an  elementary  form  of  the  "flying"  head 
by  placing  the  taper-flat,  polished  face  of  a  circular  aluminum 
capsule  down  on  a  rotating  magnetic  disk;  the  capsule  floated 
on  a  self-generated  film  of  air.  "I  was  elated  by  the  flying  head 
and  what  it  could  do,"  he  said.  "I  immediately  submitted  a 
patent  disclosure  describing  the  two  basic  air-bearing  surface 
shapes  needed  for  stable  operation." 

Before  the  RAMAC  could  become  a  commercial  product, 
another  problem  had  to  be  solved:  how  to  apply  the  magnetic 
coating  to  the  disks.  "We  tried  dipping,  spraying,  and  silk- 
screening  techniques  to  applv  the  magnetic  ink  to  the  disk," 
Hagopian  said,  "but  none  gave  a  smooth,  uniformly  thin  coat- 
ing." So  he  took  his  work  home.  According  to  his  daughter, 
Anita,  he  used  one  of  his  wife's  stockings  and  the  family's  record 
player  to  control  the  flow  of  paint  as  it  poured  onto  a  record 
turning  at  75  rpm,  using  centrifugal  force  to  evenly  coat  the 
album.  This  spin-coating  method  was  later  patented — one  ol 
24  patents  under  Hagopian's  name. 

Hagopian  died  in  I99S  at  the  age  of  80.  His  family  donated  a 
small  collection  ol  his  papers,  including  one  of  his  notebooks,  to 
(iordon  library's  Special  <  oUectiow. 


4  8     Transformations    |   Winter  J  004 


Research  expertise  of  the  WPI  faculty 

^■■M 

Aerodynamics  and 

Computational  Modeling 

* 

hydrodynamics 

Computer-Aided  Manufacturing 

Holography                   \ 

Aerospace  Engineering 

Cryptography 

Industrial  Math  and  Statistics 

V 

Analog  Integrated  Circuit  Design 

Data  and  Knowledge  Base 

Information  and  Network  Security.".    \ 

A.l./lnlelligent  Tutoring  Systems 

Systems 

Inorganic  Membranes 

SWellfteWigatioVGeolocation 
So  ftware^  Engineering 

iioengineering 

Data  Mining  and  Visualization 

Machine  Vision 

iioinformatics 

Drug  Design  and  Synthesis 

Manufacturing 

liomaterials 

[-Commerce 

Medical  Imaging 

Spacecraft  onll  EledricX 

iiomechanics 

Enterprise  Resource  Planning 

Medical  Sensors 

Propulsion     \\         \ 

iioprocessing 

Environmental  Engineering 

Metal  Processing 

Surface  Metrology  >        V 

iiolechnology 

Fire  Protection  Engineering 

Nanolechnology 

System  Dynamics               \ 

lolalysis 

Fuel  Cells 

Networking  and  Distributed 

Tissue  Engineering    Ai 
Ultrasound  Propagations^, 
Wireless  Networks 

jvil  Infrastructure 

Gas  and  Plasma  Dynamics 

Computing 

Composite  Materials 

Highway  Safety 

Photonics 

■> 


WPI  graduate  studies  and  research 
expands  the  realm  of  what's  possible. 


Departments 
and  Programs 

Biology  and  Biotechnology 

Biomedical  Engineering 

Biomedical  Sciences 

Chemical  Engineering 

Chemistry  and  Biochemistry 

Civil  and  Environmental  Engineering 

Computer  and 
Communications  Networks 

Computer  Science 

Electrical  and  Computer  Engineering 

Fire  Protection  Engineering 

Management 

Manufacturing  Engineering 

Materials  Science  and  Engineering 

Mathematical  Sciences 

Mechanical  Engineering 

Physics 


rs,  founder,  president  and  CEO  of  ECI  Biotech,  earned  his  M.S.  in  biology  from  WPI  in  1 988  and  his  Ph.D.  in  biomedical  engineering  in  1992 


Expand  what's  possible  for  you. 


Are  you  looking  to  deepen  your  understanding 
of  your  profession?  Are  you  ready  to  take  your 
career  to  a  new  level?  Or  is  now  the  right  time 
to  prepare  for  a  brand  new  career?  Whatever 
your  reasons  for  continuing  your  education, 
WPI  makes  it  possible.  Take  courses  that  match 
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Learn  more  about  graduate  studies  at  WPI: 

On  the  Web:   grad.wpi.edu/?gradquery 
By  e-mail:   gradquery@wpi.edu 
Or  call:   508-831-5301 


. 


+* 


'"mm** 


Leather  fire  bucket, 


Special  Collections, 
Gordon  Librai 


*,v-»"'   JF 


Early  colonial  laws  required  citizens  to  fill 
buckets  with  water  at  sunset  and  place 
them  on  their  doorstep  should  a  fire  break 
out  during  the  night.  The  name  on  a 
bucket  provided  proof  that  a  citizen  had 
done  his  civic  duty.  This  bucket  belonged 
to  Daniel  Waldo  (1724-1808),  son  of 
Cornelius  Waldo,  who  sold  the  land  on 
which  WPI  now  stands  to  Stephen 
Salisbury  I,  and  father  of  Daniel  Waldo 
Jr.,  a  member  of  the  Worcester  Fire 
Society  (org.  1793).  Waldo's  fire  bucket 
was  acquired  by  WPI  in  the  mid-1980s 
by  Albert  G.  Anderson  Jr.,  head  librarian 
from  1963  to  1991. 


M'.^' 


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Science  and  Technology. 
And  Life.. 


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198065113 


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Departments 


2  Starting  Point 

3  Letters 

4  Campus  Buzz 

Meet  Carol  Simpson,  WPI's  new  provost 
and  senior  vice  president;  leading  European 
mathematician  Umberto  Mosco  joins  the 
Mathematical  Sciences  Department  as  the 
new  Harold  J.  Gay  Professor;  you  are 
cordially  invited  to  attend  the  inauguration 
of  WPI's  15th  president;  men's  basketball 
has  a  hoop-dreams  season;  and  more. 

8       Inside  WPI 

Proactive  outreach  by  the  Office  of  Admissions 
gave  Zimbabwe  native  Batsirai  Tafadzwa 
Mutetwa  '07  a  new  place  to  call  home. 

1 0       Investigations 

Through  their  work  in  the  highly  competitive 
field  of  fuel  cells,  Professor  Ed  Ma  and  his 
team  resolved  a  huge  roadblock.  Now 
Shell  has  made  their  patented  membrane 
technology  the  centerpiece  of  its  plans  for 
the  hydrogen  economy. 

1 2       Explorations 

The  ways  in  which  WPI  oversees  the  safety 
and  security  of  hundreds  of  students  who 
travel  each  year  to  project  centers  throughout 
the  world  has  made  it  a  leader  in  risk 
management. 

34      Class  Notes 
44       Time  Capsule 

After  graduation,  Sarcey  San-Tsai  Chen  '24 
became  vice  president  of  American 
Engineering  Corp.  in  his  native  Shanghai. 
When  Japanese  troops  invaded,  he  valiantly 
opposed  the  aggressors  and  became  a 
martyr  for  the  Chinese  people. 


About  the  cover 

The  photo  illustration  was  created  by  Diane  Fenster, 
an  internationally  exhibited  digital  photographer  and 
photo  illustrator  who  began  using  the  computer  as 
an  artistic  tool  in  1989.  Her  work  has  been  called 
an  important  voice  in  the  development  of  a  true 
digital  aesthetic.  She  was  the  first  artist  to  be  inducted 
into  the  Photoshop  Hall  of  Fame,  sponsored  by  the 
National  Association  of  Photoshop  Professionals 
and  Adobe  Systems  Inc. 


16       Striving  for  Future  Success 

WPI's  Office  of  Minority  Affairs  piques  the  interest  of  Worcester  middle  school 
students  in  engineering  careers  through  innovative  summer  camp  programs. 

19       Filling  the  Gap  in  Oral  Health  Care 

Dismayed  by  the  Commonwealth's  designation  as  a  "slate  of  decay"  because 
of  the  inadequate  oral  health  care  il  provides  to  Medicaid-eligible  children, 
John  Gusha  '80  marshalled  local  dentists  and  nonprofit  agencies  to  form 
the  Central  Massachusetts  Oral  Health  Initiative. 

22       Power  to  the  People 

Before  Richard  Hansen  76  brought  solar  electrification  to  developing  countries 
such  as  the  Dominican  Republic  and  Honduras,  people  used  flashlight  batteries 
to  power  their  radios  and  kerosene  lomps  lo  light  iheir  homes. 


1 


VOLUME    104,     NUMBER    1 
SPRING   2005 


■ 


V 


Zoom  in... 


26       Life  in  the  Espresso  Lane 

Starbucks  coffee  +  a  WPI  chemical  engineer  =  a  bottomless  cup  of  worldwide 
success.  Michelle  (Petkers)  Gass  '90  made  a  career  change  that  led  her  to 
transform  the  coffee  giant's  Frappuccino  drink  line  into  a  mini-empire. 

29  Home  (and  Work)  Schooled  Professional 

WPI's  Advanced  Distance  Learning  Network  spans  the  globe  to  bring 
a  world  of  career-advancing  degrees  to  fast-track  professionals. 

30  Your  World,  at  Your  Fingertips 

Enter  the  technologically  savvy  mind  of  serial  entrepreneur  Robert  Diamond  '56, 
who  created  the  Caller  ID  service  for  your  telephone  and  innovative  tech- 
nologies that  let  you  keep  a  virtual  eye  on  your  loved  ones  and  your  home. 


Students  engage  with  technology  at  the  Step  into  Strive  Jr. 
program  (see  page  16). 

Photo  by  Dan  Vaillancourt 


'A  school  is  not  a  factory.  Its  raison  d'etre  is  to  provide 
opportunity  for  experience." 

—J.  L.  Carr,  British  novelist,  The  Harpole  Report 

Profiles  of  graduates  are,  in  my  opinion,  one  of  the  most  interesting 
features  in  any  alumni  magazine;  professional  passions  can  tell  you  much  about 
people.  From  a  university's  perspective,  these  profiles  fulfill  a  vital  purpose: 
alumni  are  its  best  ambassadors.  They  elevate  the  name  of  the  institution 
through  the  work  they  do;  they  are  the  "sales  force"  that  trumpets  the  benefits 
of  its  education,  thereby  ensuring  its  future. 

Before  I  arrived  on  campus  last  summer  to  become  the  editor  of 
Transformations,  I  confess  I  made  certain  assumptions  about  WPI  and  its 
alumni.  Because  of  the  size  of  the  school  and  its  relatively  small  alumni  base, 
I  thought  there  would  be  a  fairly  limited  number  of  inreresting  alumni  to 
profile.  Too,  because  I  was  hooked  into  WPTs  history  as  a  polytechnic  institute, 
I  assumed  that  most,  if  not  all,  alumni  would  be  engineers,  scientists,  or  techno- 
sawy  geeks. 

It  wasn't  long  before  I  learned  that  a  smaller  university  doesn't  necessarily 
translate  into  a  smaller  world  for  our  alumni.  I  discovered  just  the  opposite  is 
true:  where  our  alumni  find  themselves  in  the  world  is,  well,  the  world.  But, 
more  interesting  than  where  our  alumni  find  themselves  in  their  professional 
lives  is  finding  out  what  they  are  doing.  Quite  simply,  a  WPI  education  offers 
the  right  mix  of  learning  and  experience,  of  study  and  opportunity,  in  preparing 
graduates  to  make  their  mark  in  the  world  in  ways  that  truly  make  a  difference 
in  the  lives  of  millions. 

This  issue  of  the  magazine  highlights  a  few  of  these  individuals.  Richard 
Hansen  '76,  a  leader  in  the  field  of  solar  electrification,  has  lit  up  homes  and 
helped  small  businesses  run  equipment  in  the  Dominican  Republic,  Honduras, 
and  other  developing  countries  (page  22).  John  Gusha  '80  has  brought  together 
local  dentists  and  nonprofit  agencies  to  provide  routine  dental  care  for  children 
from  Worcester's  low-income  families  (page  19).  Robert  Diamond  '56,  who  holds 
an  engineeting  patent  on  Caller  ID,  has  developed  technologies  that  enable  us  to 
keep  a  virtual  eye  on  our  vacation  homes,  our  kids,  and  even  our  aging  parents 
(page  30).  And  Michelle  (Petkers)  Gass  '90,  a  senior  vice  president  at  Starbucks, 
developed  the  successful  Frappuccino  line  of  beverages  and  has  contributed 
significantly  to  the  coffee  gianr's  success  (page  26). 

But  it's  not  just  out  alumni  who  are  making  a  difference  in  the  world.  WPI's 
strong  outreach  to  minorities  in  Worcester's  middle  schools  piques  their  interest 
early  on  in  engineering's  diverse  disciplines  (page  16).  The  university's  vigorous 
international  recruitment  and  enrollment  has  brought  stellar  students  to  campus, 
including  Zimbabwe  native  Batsirai  Mutetwa  07,  who  plans  to  use  her  biochem- 
istry degree  as  a  stepping-stone  on  the  path  to  becoming  a  pediatrician  (page  8). 

There's  much  more  in  this  issue,  including  Professor  Ed  Ma's  exciting  work 
in  developing  technology  that  could  become  the  heart  of  a  hydrogen  refueling 
network  for  cars  within  the  next  decade  (page  10)  and  a  behind-the-scenes  look 
at  how  WPI's  Interdisciplinary  and  Global  Studies  Division  ensures  the  safety  anil 
security  of  hundreds  of  students  who  study  in  our  project  centers  (page  12). 

I  hope  you  enjoy  reading  about  the  difference  WPI  makes  in  the  world, 
As  always,  I  welcome  your  comments  on  this  issue. 

Amy  E.  Dean 
Editor 


Amy  E.  Dean 
Editor 


Michael  W.  Dorsey 
Director  of  Communications 

Michael  J.  Sherman 
Design  Director 

Bonnie  McCrea 
Production  Manager 

Peggy  Isaacson 

Graphic  Designer/Editor 

Joan  Killough-Miller 
Alumni  News  Editor 

Patrick  O'Connor 
Principal  Photographer 

re:design,  pascal 
Design 

Mark  Fisher 
Department  Icons 


Alumni  Communications  Committee 

Robert  C.  Labonte  '54,  chairman;  Kimberly  A.  (Lemoi) 
Bowers  '90,  James  S.  Demetry  '58,  William  J.  Firla  Jr.  '60, 
William  R.  Grogan  '46,  Amy  L.  (Plack)  Marr  '96,  Harlan  B. 
Williams  '50 

Editorial  Board 

Anne  McParrland  Dodd  '75;  Dana  Harmon,  director, 
Physical  Education,  Recreation,  and  Athletics;  Natalie  Mello, 
director,  global  operations,  lntetdisciplinary  and  Global 
Studies  Division;  Robert  Oborne,  senior  advancement 
researcher.  Development  and  University  Relations;  Denise 
Rodino,  executive  ditector,  Corporate  and  Foundation 
Relations;  Liz  Siladi,  executive  director,  Individual  Giving, 
and  director.  Planned  Giving;  Greg  Snoddy,  director.  Healthy 
Alternatives;  John  Trimbur,  professor.  Humanities  and  Arts; 
Rick  Vaz,  associate  professor,  Electrical  and  Computer 
Engineering,  and  associate  dean,  Interdisciplinary  and  Global 
Studies  Division:  Kevin  Wynn,  associate  director.  Media 
Relations,  and  university  spokesman 

www.wpi.edu/+Transformations 
e-mail:  transformations@wpi.edu 

Diverse  views  presented  in  this  magazine  do  not  necessarily 
reflect  the  opinions  of  the  editor  or  official  WPI  policies. 
Address  correspondence  Eo  the  I  diini.  li.m-.loim.uiom.  WPI, 
100  Institute  Road,  Worcester,  MA  01609-2280. 
Phone:  508-831-6037;  Fax:  508-831  5604 

Transformations  (ISSN  1538-5094)  is  published  quarterly 

h\  <lu  Division  ol  M.irkcnng  uul  Communications  lor  the 
WPI  Alumni  Association.  Primed  in  1  IS  \  b)  Mercantile/ 

Image  Press. 

Periodical  postage  paid  at  Won       i   Mass.,  and  at  additional 
mailing  offices.  Postmaster,  please  send  address  chai 
address  above.  Entire  contents  I  >2005i  Worcester  Polytechnk 

Institute. 


WPI 


Xhctk*  «nd  Tt\hw4i»fjj 


Touched  by  fire 

The  Winter  2004  edition  of  Transformations  is 
a  gem  for  the  ages!  The  articles  have  done  a 
wonderful  job  touching  on  the  great  variety  of 
careers  in  fire  protection  today.  Through  my 
current  position  at  NFPA,  I  work  with  many  of 
the  more  than  75,000  NFPA  members  from 
around  the  world  and  nearly  7,000  volunteers 
serving  on  NFPA  technical  committees  that  help 
write  codes  and  standards  that  touch  virtually 
every  corner  of  today's  society.  Almost  all  of 
these  individuals  are  directly  involved  with  safety 
design,  loss  prevention,  fire  mitigation,  and  other 
important  duties  consistent  with  WPFs  fire  pro- 
tection engineering  degree  program. 

After  a  quarter  century  of  service,  WPFs  program  has  estab- 
lished itself  as  a  cornerstone  in  the  professional  integrity  of  the 
fire  protection  community.  WPI  has  become  a  household  name 
among  fire  protection  professionals,  and  Fm  looking  forward  to 
the  next  quarter  century  of  service  and  support  from  this  impor- 
tant source  of  higher  education. 

I'm  proud  to  be  a  WPI  alumnus,  and  doubly  proud  to  be 
part  of  the  FPE  program,  knowing  that,  like  WPI,  I'm  making  a 
difference  by  helping  the  world  become  a  safer  and  better  place. 

Casey  C.  Grant  '89  (M.S.,  FPE) 

Assistant  Chief  Engineer, 

National  Fire  Protection  Association 

Quincy,  Mass. 

I  read  with  delight  the  Winter  2004  issue  of  Transformations, 
particularly  the  fearure  articles  concerning  fire  protection  and 
WPFs  engineering  efforts  in  fire  prevention. 

My  father,  Earl  G.  Page  Jr.  '42,  who  passed  away  two  years 
ago,  devoted  much  of  his  professional  career  to  fire  prevention. 
During  the  time  I  was  at  WPI  and  shortly  thereafter,  my  father 
was  president  and  chairman  of  the  board  of  Grinnell  Fire 
Protection  Company.  He  worked  closely  with  officials  at  WPI  to 
bolster  and  support  the  fledgling  program  on  fire  protection.  As 
I  recall,  the  company  even  funded  some  scholarships.  My  father 
was  devoted  to  the  cause  of  fite  protection  and  particularly 
to  WPI,  having  received  a  distinguished  alumni  award  [in  1983]. 
I  know  he  would  have  been  delighted  to  tead  the  rich  and 
engrossing  history  of  the  program  that  developed  over  the  years. 


I  followed  a  slightly  different  track  after  gradu- 
ating from  WPI,  going  on  to  receive  my  juris  doctor. 
After  practicing  for  many  years  with  a  statewide 
Florida  firm  and  chairing  the  firm,  I  began  my  own 
litigation  boutique  practice  of  15  lawyers  in  West 
Palm  Beach  and  Stuart.  It  is  always  wonderful  to  stay 
in  touch  with  WPI  and  read  of  the  interesting  pro- 
grams available  to  students. 

Stephen  C.  Page  '74  (HTE) 

Stuart,  Fla. 

I  loved  the  Winter  2004  issue!  As  a  WPI  grad  in  fire 
protection  engineering  and  knowing  several  of  the 
FPEs  interviewed,  I'm  perhaps  biased — but  I  really 
enjoyed  it.  Helping  point  out  things  that  FPEs  do  illustrates 
some  of  the  more  attractive  features  of  our  profession.  The  satis- 
faction that  comes  with  the  fact  that  we  make  a  difference  and 
save  lives  and  property  isn't  bad,  either. 

Bernie  Till  '00  (M.S.,  FPE) 
Orangeburg,  S.C. 

Family  gratitude 

I  was  delighted  to  come  upon  the  story  about  my  father,  Jacob  J. 
Hagopian  '39,  in  the  Winter  2004  issue  ["Time  Capsule"]. 

In  1958,  our  family  moved  from  Los  Angeles  to  San  Jose, 
Calif,  which  was  still  a  small  town  in  the  Santa  Clara  Valley. 
Dad  had  taken  a  job  with  IBM's  research  laboratoty,  newly  built 
in  the  midst  of  vast  apricot  orchards. 
He  was  their  33rd  employee. 

Dad  was  enthusiastic  about  the 
future  of  the  computer  and  often 
talked  to  us  of  its  vast  potential.  Over 
the  years,  he  loved  to  tell  the  story  of 
how  a  last-resort  experiment  with  a 
spinning  vinyl  record  and  one  of  our 
mother's  nylon  stockings  helped  him 

(Letters,  continued  on  page  33) 

Write  to  us 

We  welcome  your  letters.  Please  include  your  full  name, 
year  of  graduation,  and  current  address.  The  editor 
reserves  the  right  to  determine  the  suitability  of  letters 
for  publication  and  to  edit  them  for  accuracy  and 
length.  We  regret  that  not  all  letters  can  be  published. 


E-mail:  transformations@wpi.edu 

Fax:  508-831-5604 

Mail:  Editor,  Transformations,  WPI 

100  Institute  Road 

Worcester,  MA  01609-2280 


Transformations    \   Spring  2005     3 


CampusBuzz 


World-Renowned 
Mathematician  Joins  Faculty 

Umberto  Mosco,  one  of  Europe's  highly  regarded  mathematicians, 
joined  WPI  in  January  as  the  new  Harold  J.  Gay  Professor  in  the 
Mathematical  Sciences  Department.  Mosco  has  been  at  the  forefront 
of  mathematical  research  in  nonlinear  analysis  for  the  past  40  years, 
focusing  on  partial  differential  equations,  convex  analysis,  optimal 
control,  and  variational  calculus.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Accademia 
Nazionale  delle  Scienze  detta  dei  XL  and  has  been  honored  with 
some  of  Europe's  most  prestigious  honors,  including  the  Alexander 
von  Humboldt  Foundation  Research  Award  and  the  Antonio  Feltrinelli 
Award  for  Mathematics,  Mechanics,  and  Applications  from  the 
Accademia  Nazionale  dei  Lincei.  In  2004,  he  was  invited  to  deliver 
the  Marconi  Lecture  at  the  Royal  Swedish  Academy. 


A    Transformation!    \  Spring  2005 


WPI  Welcomes  Carol  Simpson 
as  Provost,  Senior  Vice  President 

Carol  Simpson,  a  leading  academic  administrator,  faculty  member, 
and  researcher  in  the  field  of  geology— and,  most  recently,  associate 
provost  for  research  at  Boston  University— has  been  named  provost 
and  senior  vice  president.  She  is  the  first  woman  to  hold  the  position 
of  provost  at  WPI  and  succeeds  John  F.  Carney  III,  who  retired  last 
year. 

"Carol  Simpson  emerged  from  a  strong  pool  of  candidates  due  to 
her  broad  international  background,  her  experience  in  building 
interdisciplinary  academic  programs,  and  her  deep  understanding 
of  faculty  research  and  funding  opportunities,"  said  President  Dennis 
Berkey  during  the  announcement  of  her  appointment.  "She  is  a 
strong  advocate  for  diversity  and  women's  issues  in  K-12  and  higher 
education.  She  is  superbly  qualified  for  this  position." 

As  provost  Simpson  is  responsible  for  the  university's  academic 
and  research  programs;  as  senior  vice  president  she  serves  as  the 
senior  member  of  the  president's  staff.  Her  primary  charge  includes 
reviewing  the  undergraduate  curriculum  to  ensure  excellence  in 
general  education  as  well  as  within  fields  of  study;  strengthening 
selected  academic  and  research  areas,  especially  in  the  life  sciences; 
recruiting  and  retaining  outstanding  faculty;  and  broadly  supporting 
the  university's  continuing  increase  in  quality  and  stature. 

Simpson's  research  interests  lie  in  the  areas  of  structural  geology 
and  tectonics,  especially  in  applying  material  science  principles  to 
deformation,  kinematics,  and  vorticity  analysis  of  rocks.  She  has 
authored  more  than  50  refereed  publications  and  over  80  conference 
papers,  and  has  worked  in  mountain  ranges  on  four  continents, 
most  recently  in  central  South  America  and  central  Scandinavia. 


Fuller  Chemi 

New  Labs  for  a  New  Curriculum 

WPI's  first-year  chemistry  laboratory  experience  has  been  completely  transformed  to  enable. 
students  to  learn  chemistry  through  a  real-world,  project-enriched  curriculum  that  Will  teac' 
students  how  to  analytically  approach  problem  solving  and  scientific  discovery:  The  curric. 
change  was  made  possible  by  a  $3  million  renovation  to  the  suite  of  freshrrian  chemistry 
laboratories  in  Goddard  Hall  and  a  full  upgrade  in  equipment  and  instrumentati- 

The  changes  were  officially  unveiled  in  February  to  honor  the  gifts  and  grants  \h 

nearly  half  of  the  cost  of  the  renovation,  including  a  $1  million  gift  from  the  Ge< 

H.  Fuller  Foundation;  the  laboratories  are  known  as  the  Fuller  C 

contributors  include  the  Pfizer  Foundation,  Pfizer  Global  Research  and  Development,  th 

Class  of  1  954,  numerous  alumni  and  friends,  and  WPI  Trustee  John  L.  tgMattina,  president  of 

Pfizer  Global  R&D,  and  his  wife,  Mary.  I     5 


Inventor,  author,  and  futurist  Raymond  Kurzweil  will  deliver  the 
address  at  WPI's  137th  commencement  exercises  on  Saturday,  May 
21 .  His  talk  is  titled  "When  Humans  Transcend  Biology."  He  will  also 
receive  an  honorary  doctor  of  science  degree. 

Kurzweil,  who  was  inducted  in  2002  into  the  National  Inventors  Hall 
of  Fame,  was  the  principal  developer  of  a  number  of  firsts  — the  first 
print-to-speech  reading  machine  for  the  blind,  the  first  CCD  flatbed 
scanner,  the  first  text-to-speech  synthesizer  capable  of  recreating  the 
grand  piano  and  other  orchestral  instruments,  and  the  first  commer- 
cially marketed  large-vocabulary  speed  recognition  system.  He  has 
received  numerous  awards,  including  the  Lemelson-MIT  Prize,  the  1999 
National  Medal  of  Technology,  the  1994  Dickson  Prize,  Engineer  of 
the  Year  from  Design  News,  Inventor  of  the  Year  from  MIT,  and  the 
WPI  Presidential  Medal. 

He  is  the  author  of  The  Age  of  Intelligent  Machines  (named  Best 
Computer  Science  Book  of  1990),  The  Age  of  Spiritual  Machines: 
When  Computers  Exceed  Human  Intelligence  (published  in  nine 
languages  and  a  former  No.  1-ranked  bestselling  book  on  Amazon.com), 
and  Tfie  Singularity  Is  Near:  When  Humans  Transcend  Biology  (Viking, 
Sept.  2005).  According  to  an  Amazon.com  preview,  Kurzweil's  latest 
book  portrays  a  human-machine  civilization  where  our  experiences 
shift  from  real  reality  to  virtual  reality  and  where  our  intelligence 
becomes  nonbiological  and  trillions  of  times  more  powerful  than 
unaided  human  intelligence.  His  Web  site,  KurzweilAI.net,  is  the 
leading  resource  on  artificial  intelligence. 


Transformations    \    Spring  2005     5 


CampusBuzz 


Best  Season  Yet  for  Men's  Basketball 


The  2004-05  season  was  marked  by  several  historic  milestones  for 
the  men's  basketball  team:  the  team  was  ranked  24th  nationally  in 
February;  its  24  wins  broke  the  previous  record  of  20  wins  in  a 
single  season  (set  in  1984-85  and  tied  in  2003-04];  and  it  clinched 
the  New  England  Women's  and  Men's  Athletic  Conference  regular 
season  title,  earning  the  No.  1  seed  in 
the  NEWMAC  postseason  tournament, 
which  it  won  by  edging  out  Wheaton, 
64-60,  before  an  enthusiastic  crowd  in 
Harrington  Auditorium. 

The  tournament  victory  gave  WPI  a  first- 
round  bye  in  the  NCAAs;  it  was  the  first 
time  in  20  years  that  a  men's  team  from 
WPI  reached  the  national  championship. 


But  on  Friday,  March  11,  the  team  saw  its  hoop  dreams  dashed  as 
it  lost,  99-80,  to  York  College  in  the  Sweet  Sixteen  of  the  NCAA 
Division  III  tournament. 

Before  WPI  defeated  Western  Connecticut,  79-77,  in  the  NCAA 
Division  III  second-round  game  at  Harrington 
Auditorium  on  March  5,  Worcester  Telegram 
&  Gazette  correspondent  Craig  Holt  wrote  an 
insightful  article 
about  the  team's 
success,  portions 
of  which  are 
excerpted  below. 


More  than  likely,  none  of  the  current  juniors  on  the  WPI 
men's  basketball  team  had  taken  a  jumper,  or  even  walked  a  few 
steps,  the  last  time  the  Engineers  reached  the  NCAA  Tourna- 
ment [in  1985]. 

This  year's  club,  which  has  eight  juniors  on  its  roster,  can 
take  solace  in  the  fact  that  its  dedicated  juniors  stuck  with  the 
program  and  produced  43  victories  over  the  last  two  years. 
According  to  fourth-year  WPI  coach  Chris  Bartley,  that  means 
playing  pressuring,  man-to-man  defense,  and  pushing  the  ball 
up  court  at  all  times.  Bartley  also  likes  his  team  to  share  the  ball 
in  its  half-court  offense,  and  run  an  effective  motion  offense. 

The  juniors  on  the  roster,  who  represent  Bartley's  first 
recruiting  class,  include  guards  Kevin  Reidy,  Brett  Dickson, 
Mike  Prestileo,  Brian  Steele,  and  Ryan  Flynn,  and  forwards 
Jason  Krol,  Travis  Weber,  and  Steve  Furber. 

"The  juniors  are  the  guys  who've  really  turned  the  program 
around,"  Bartley  said.  "They  were  the  ones  who  took  the  leap 
of  faith  and  trusted  in  the  vision  that  I  had  for  the  program. 
They've  been  great  role  models  as  we've  brought  younger 
players  into  the  program.  The  juniors  have  shown  the  younger 
players  the  good  work  ethic  and  the  team  attitude  that  it  cakes 
to  be  successful  at  this  level." 

Steele,  Prestileo,  Dickson,  and  Flynn  have  been  diligent 
in  their  efforts  to  help  revive  WPI  basketball.  That  includes 


From  left,  Ryan  Flynn  '06,  Ryan  Cain  '07,  and 
Coach  Chris  Bartley.  Game  photos  by  Steve 
Lanava,  courtesy  of  Worcester  Telegram  &  Gazette. 


playing  hoops  year-round,  honing  their  skills  in  summer 
leagues,  and  staying  in  game  condition. 

"When  we  came  in  as  freshmen,  we  were  all  smaller  and 
weaker,"  Prestileo  said.  "Our  first  year,  the  program  was 
freshman-dominated  with  guys  brought  in  by  Coach  Bartley. 
He  told  us  from  the  beginning  that  it  was  going  to  be  a  process 
for  us,  and  things  weren't  going  to  get  better  right  away.  But  he 
also  told  us  that  if  we  put  in  the  time  and  the  extra  work, 
things  would  definitely  get  better.  The  last  two  years,  we've  seen 
the  fruits  of  our  labor." 

The  basic  college  basketball  experience,  along  with 
increased  knowledge  of  one  another  and  each  player's  role,  has 
helped  the  juniors  evolve,  Flynn  said.  "Everyone  does  his  role 
very  well  on  this  team.  We  don't  have  all  the  talent  in  the  world 
compared  to  most  teams,  but  we  play  very  well  together,  and 
we  have  a  great  group  of  guvs.  Everybody  is  on  the  same  page, 
everybody  works  hard." 

"Playing  together  and  working  out  together  have  helped  us 
get  better  .is  a  team,"  Dickson  said.  "When  we  started  out  .is 
freshmen,  we  all  were  trying  to  find  out  where  we  fit.  1  think 
we  started  jelling  at  the  beginning  ol  our  sophomore  year. 
Since  then,  we've  established  our  roles  and  have  come  together 
rather  nicely." 

— Courtesy  of  Craig  Holt 


6    Transformations   \  Spring  2005 


2005  University  Ambassadors 

The  University  Ambassador  Awards,  which  recognize  excellence  in 
representing  WPI  to  the  outside  world,  were  introduced  last  year  to 
highlight  the  important  role  faculty,  staff,  and  students  have  in 
building  the  reputaticn  of  the  university.  This  year's  winners  are,  from 
left,  Tiffany  Carl  '05,  a  management  engineering  major;  Fabio 
Carrera,  IGSD  Global  Program  manager  and  director  of  the  Venice 
and  Boston  project  centers;  and  Ken  Stafford  and  the  WPI/Mass. 
Academy  FIRST  Robotics  Team. 

New  Electronic  Front  Door 

WPI's  home  page  (www.wpi.edu)  has  a  new  look  and  design— the 
product  of  several  months  of  research  and  creative  and  technical 
work  by  the  university's  communications,  marketing,  and  Web 
development  staffs.  Its  centerpiece  is  a  large  window  featuring  a 
revolving  set  of  photos  which,  in  combination  with  brief  messages, 
conveys  the  essence  of  the  WPI  experience  to  visitors,  particularly 
prospective  undergraduates  and  their  parents.  For  alumni,  the  new 
design  provides  a  more  direct  route  to  the  Alumni  home  page. 


Worcester  Polytechnic  Institute  (WPI) 


I  [ej  |_+J  Whnp://wpl.edu/ 


-a.-  : 


VZRI 


Of  spocmi  merest  to:  Aljmni   Corporations    Campus  Community  (myvVPl) 

Search:  2-EoK!  Qnows  Q  Directory  W 

options.. 


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UNIVERSITY  NEWS 

President  Berkey  to  be 

Inaugurated  May  20 

In  a  ceremony  rich  with 

tradition.  WPI  will  honor  the 

past,  celebrate  the  present, 

and  look  boldly  to  the  future 

as  it  inaugurates  its  15lh 

president.  Dennis  D.  Berkey.  on  the  Quadrangle 

on  Mav  20.  Visit  ilw  (BsmgtBBtJBS  Wi'k  silt'-. 


MAJOR  EVENTS  &  CEREMONIES 

Protect  Presoniatcn  Day  ten  ia 
Prpsrignrs  Inauguration  lib  2D 
137th  Commgncemoni  Exercises  w  i» 

TODAY'S  EVENTS 

Announcements 
Vsa  ivpi  dunno  your  March  school  break  I 

Arts&  Entertainment 
SocComm  MSEC:  Reel  Bg  Fgh  Tickets  Sates 
Drawn  Tcoetrwr.  An  Exhfcton  by  Lnda  Baker-Csntu 


The  Inauguration  of  WPI's  1 5th  President 

You  and  your  family  are  cordially  invited  to  join  the 
WPI  community  for  the  inauguration 
of  President  Dennis  D.  Berkey 
on  Friday,  May  20,  at  2:30  p.m., 
on  the  Quadrangle  (rain  location: 
Harrington  Auditorium).  The  historic 
ceremony,  steeped  in  tradition,  will 
feature  an  address  by  the  president  to 
alumni,  students,  parents,  faculty,  staff, 
representatives  of 
other  colleges, 
universities,  and 
learned  societies, 
government  offi- 
cials, and  members 
of  the  business, 
not-for-profit,  and 
civic  communities. 
The  ceremony  will 
be  followed  by  a 
reception  in  the  Campus  Center. 

For  more  information  and  to  register,  go  to 
www.  wpi.  edu/+ inauguration. 


X  D«>»is  D.  Berkey 
Ma>20,2005 


Transformations    \   Spring  2005    7 


By  Joan  Killough-Miller 


While  intdl      ional  enroll- 
ments at  many  colleges  and 
universities  are  still  lagging  in 
the  wake  of  9-11,  WPI  is 
cruiting  and  enrolling  more 
nternational  students  than 
..  before  the  terrorist  attacks. 
Inquiries  from  prospective 
undergraduates  overseas 
increased  by  600  between 
2002  and  2004  and  the 
number  of  international  stu- 
dents accepted  and  confirmed 
was  up  by  94  percent  in  the 
same  period. 

Biochemistry  major  Batsirai 

"Batz"  Tafadzwa  Mutetwa  '07, 

a  native  of  Zimbabwe,  chose 

WPI  for  the  personal  attention  it 

gives  to  students  and  its 

innovative  educational  system. 

Batz  was  educated  in 

countries  before  coming  to  WPI. 

She  has  since  added  another  to 

her  list,  having  completed  her 

Humanities  Sufficiency  in  London. 

Next  year,  she'Ij    ravel  to  the 

'    --kok  Project  C 

cience,  technology,  a 


mJJi 


*       \ 


^ 


society  project.  She's  a  resident 
advisor  for  Sanford  Riley  Hall,  a 
member  of  the  International 
Student  Council  and  the  Black 
Student  Union,  and  a  first 
responder  for  WPI's  Emergency 
Medical  Services.  She  swims,  is  on 
the  varsity  track  team,  and,  in 
her  spare  time,  is  involved  in  a 
variety  of  student  groups.  Although 
she's  traveled  a  long  way  to  be 
at  WPi,  she  says,  "I  couldn't  see 
myself  anywhere  else." 

Where  are  you  from? 

For  me,  such  a  simple  question  can 
become  a  long  conversation.  I  was 
born  in  Zimbabwe  and  lived  there  until 
I  was  1  1 .  My  mother  is  a  diplomat,  so 
the  family  moved  around  a  lot.  I  went 
to  high  school  in  Switzerland,  but 
before  that  my  family  lived  in  Belgium 
for  three  years. 

To  some  people,  "Where  are  you 
from?"  means  "Where  were  you  born?" 
In  Zimbabwe,  it's  defined  by  what  area 
of  the  country  your  parents  come  from, 
no  matter  where  you  were  born.  In 
America,  people  often  want  to  know 
where  you  lived  last  before  you  came 
here,  or  where  you  grew  up  the  longest, 
or  where  you  had  the  most  cultural 
influences.  It  depends  on  how  you 
define  "from." 

Your  English  is  almost  flawless. 

My  first  language  is  Shona,  which 
we  speak  in  Zimbabwe.  Once,  when 
I  was  doing  physics  homework  with 
some  classmates,  my  dad  called. 
While  I  was  talking  with  him,  I  broke 
into  Shona.  I  saw  my  friends'  faces 
drop;  they  were  like,  What  was  that? 
I  learned  English  in  first  grade.  I  can 


converse  in  French,  which  I  learned 
when  my  family  was  in  Belgium. 
There,  I  also  learned  Dutch  and  German, 
which  I  haven't  used  in  quite  a  while.  I 
also  understand  Italian  and  Spanish. 

Why  did  you  choose  WPI? 

It  was  quite  a  debate  in  my  family.  My 
parents  were  educated  in  Zimbabwe, 
then  went  to  school  in  England  for  their 
degrees.  My  mom  wanted  me  to  study 
in  England;  my  dad  said,  "How  about 
somewhere  else  — maybe  the  States." 
At  a  college  fair  in  Switzerland,  I  met 
Ed  Connor  [WPI's  associate  director 
of  admissions  and  coordinator  of  inter- 
national admissions].  We  talked  and 
then  followed  up  with  phone  calls  and 
e-mails.  I  applied  to  seven  schools; 
WPI  was  the  only  one  that  gave  me 
personal  attention.  I  always  got  a 
response  from  a  real  person,  not  just  a 
general  message  to  the  masses.  I  can 
definitely  say  that  is  one  of  the  reasons 
I  came  here. 

I  also  liked  the  projects.  The  theme 
of  my  London  Sufficiency  was  Shake- 
spearean and  Dickensian  London. 
I  haven't  been  to  Asia  yet,  but  I'll  be 
doing  project  work  there  next  year. 

What  would  you  like  to  do 
after  you  graduate? 

I  want  to  be  a  pediatrician.  I  love 
medicine:  it's  challenging,  like  a 
puzzle,  and  I  love  puzzles.  People  tell 
you  their  symptoms,  and  then  you  have 
to  systemically  go  through  those  clues 
to  figure  out  what's  going  on.  My 
dad's  a  doctor.  When  I  was  a  child  in 
Zimbabwe,  I'd  visit  his  practice  and 
see  that  people  absolutely  loved  him. 
They  always  came  back  to  thank  him 
or  just  to  say  hello.  You  can  really 
make  a  difference  in  people's  lives. 
After  I  earn  my  bachelor's  degree  in 


biochemistry,  my  goal  is  to  study  at  a 
medical  school  in  the  United  States.  But 
before  I  start  my  medical  practice,  I'd 
like  to  work  for  the  United  Nations  or  a 
humanitarian  organization. 

Was  it  hard  for  you  to  feel  at 
home  at  WPI? 

My  mom  brought  me  to  campus  my 
freshman  year  for  orientation  at  the 
International  House.  She  saw  me 
adjusting  well  and  decided  to  leave 
a  day  early  for  an  upcoming  business 
trip.  I  told  her,  "Sure.  It's  okay.  You 
can  go."  When  she  arrived  back 
home,  she  was  told,  "Batz  just  called, 
and  she  was  cryyyyying...."  I'd  gotten 
lost  on  the  way  to  an  orientation  event, 
and  the  only  route  I  knew  was  the  way 
back  to  my  dorm  room  in  Institute  Hall. 
The  moment  I  got  there,  I  called  home. 
I  said,  "Mom,  why  did  you  leave  me? 
I  don't  know  what  I'm  doing  here.  I'm 
only  1  7— take  me  back!"  But  it  didn't 
take  long  after  that  to  feel  settled 
here  and  start  making  friends.  I  never 
thought  about  transferring  because 
I  couldn't  see  myself  anywhere  else. 
WPI  has  become  so  much  a  part  of 
the  person  I'm  becoming. 

What  advice  would  you  give 
to  other  international  students, 
to  help  them  adjust  to  campus? 

You  have  to  find  people  who  know 
you,  who  you're  comfortable  with, 
and  who  you  can  talk  to.  That's  what 
makes  it  home  for  me.  WPI's  my  home 
away  from  wherever  home  is.  I've 
made  really  strong  connections  with  the 
people  here;  every  day  I'm  amazed  at 
the  kinds  of  people  I  meet.  You  never 
know:  the  person  who  sits  next  to  you 
in  class  who  you  never  talk  to  could  be 
someone  who  has  an  interest  outside 
of  their  major  that's  out  of  this  world. 


Transformations    \    Spring  2005     9 


A  vision  of  tomorrow's  hydrogen 
economy  could  boil  down  to  this: 
a  vehicle,  powered  by  an  environ- 
mentally friendly  fuel  cell,  pulls  up 
to  the  pumps  at  the  local  "gas" 
station  to  refill  its  tank  with  pure, 
inexpensive  hydrogen. 


Economy 


One  of  the  largest  academic  palladium 
membrane  groups  in  the  world:  clockwise 
from  front,  Pederico  Guazzone,  Research 
Assistant  Professor  Ivan  Mordilovich, 
Research  Assistant  Professor  Erik  Engwall, 
Engin  Ayturk,  Afpna  Saini,  Professor  Ed 
Ma,  Rajkumar  Bhandari 


For  more  than  a  decade,  Yi  (Ed)  Hua  Ma 
has  been  working  to  overcome  one  of  the  most 
important  obstacles  standing  in  the  way  of  the 
widespread  use  of  fuel  cells:  the  high  cost  of 
producing  hydrogen  pure  enough  to  power  the 
cells  without  poisoning  their  catalysts.  The  U.S. 
Department  of  Energy  has  set  a  target  price  for 
hydrogen  of  $1.50  per  kilogram  to  make  small- 
scale  applications,  such  as  fuel  cell-powered  cars, 
economical;  it  costs  about  $5  to  produce  that 
much  pure  hydrogen  right  now. 

Ma,  the  director  of  WPI's  Center  tor  Inor- 
ganic Membrane  Studies  and  the  Frances  B. 
Manning  Professor  of  Chemical  Engineering, 
and  his  team  (which  currently  includes  two 
research  assistant  professors,  Erik  Engwall  and 
Ivan  Mardilovich,  and  tour  Ph.D.  students), 
have  developed  technology  that  could  become 
the  heart  of  a  hydrogen  refueling  network  tor 
cars  within  a  decade  or  so. 

Since  2001,  the  research  has  benefited  Iroin 
more  than  $2  million  in  funding  from  Shell  International  Exploration  ex.'  Production  Inc. 
and  Shell  Hydrogen.  Shell  has  invested  more  than  SI 00  million  in  hydrogen  research  since 
1999  and  wants  to  be  the  first  company  to  develop  a  successful  hydrogen  refueling  system. 

Ma's  approach  to  hydrogen  production  uses  an  uitrathin  membrane  made  of  palladium. 
The  membrane  is  integrated  with  a  reactor  that  employs  steam  reforming  and  catalysts  to 
extract  hydrogen  from  natural  gas.  The  palladium  membrane  allows  only  the  hydrogen  to 
pass  through;  high-pressure  carbon  dioxide,  the  other  primary  product  ol  die  reaction, 
can  be  stored  tor  sequestration  or  used  in  enhanced  nil  recovery. 

The  technology  otters  several  advantages  over  existing  hydrogen  production  systems. 
For  one,  the  reactor  can  operate  at  significantly  lower  temperatures  than  conventional  reactors 
(e.g.,  500"  (.',  versus  1)0  io  900"  O.  which  means  it  ...in  be  made  from  less -expensive 
materials.  It  also  combines,  in  a  single  device,  the  processes  of  generating  and  separating  the 


10    Transformations   \  Spring    \00S 


"We  believe -that  we  have  developed  one 
of  the  best  processes  available  for  building 
palladium  membranes  on  porous  metal  supports. 
But  we  also  know  there  are  other  competitors 
out  there,  so  we  have  to  keep  making  progress 
to  maintain  our  edge." 

-Ed  Ma 


hydrogen,  which  will  dramatically  cut  both 
operating  costs  and  the  size  of  the  reactor,  help- 
ing pave  the  way  for  distributed  applications. 

"Making  hydrogen  is  a  well-developed 
process  that  involves  several  steps,"  says  Ma, 

"including  high-temperature  reforming,  low-  and  high-temperature  shifts,  and 
preferential  oxidation  and  separation.  Our  breakthrough  was  finding  a  way  to 
lump  all  of  these  processes  into  a  single-unit  operation." 

One  of  the  most  important  milestones  during  the  course  of  the  research 
was  a  patented  process  for  building  the  palladium  membranes,  which  can  be 
as  thin  as  10  microns.  Ma  and  his  team  first  began  working  with  palladium 
membranes  in  the  early  1990s  with  large  multiyear  research  grants  from  rwo 
semi-nonprofit  agencies  in  Taiwan.  "During  that  time,  I  made  a  decision  that 
could  have  turned  out  good  or  bad,"  Ma  says.  "Fortunately,  it  turned  out  to  be 
very  good." 

The  decision  was  ro  build  the  membrane  on  a  porous  metal  support,  rather 
than  the  more  common  ceramic  support.  Ma  knew  it  would  be  easier  to  build  a 
membrane  supported  by  metal  into  a  metal  reactor,  but  he  also  knew  that  the 
components  of  a  stainless-steel  substrate  could  contaminate  the  palladium  at  high 
temperarures,  thereby  significantly  decreasing  its  effectiveness.  His  team  solved 
the  problem  by  developing  a  method  of  "growing"  a  protective  oxide  layer  on 
top  of  the  steel,  then  forming  the  palladium  membrane  on  top  of  that. 

This  process  earned  Ma,  who  is  a  fellow  of  the  American  Institute  of 
Chemical  Engineers,  and  his  team  a  patent  in  November  2001.  It  was  also  around 
that  time  that  Shell,  which  had  been  carefully  studying  the  progress  of  various 
academic  research  teams  working  on  novel  hydrogen  production  techniques, 
learned  about  the  patented  membrane  technology  and  decided  to  make  it  the 
centerpiece  of  its  plans  for  the  hydrogen  economy. 

"We  believe  that  we  have  developed  one  of  the  best  processes  available  for 
building  palladium  membranes  on  porous  metal  supports,"  says  Ma.  "But  we  also 
know  there  are  other  competitors  out  there,  so  we  have  to  keep  making  progress 
to  maintain  our  edge.  With  the  support  we're  receiving  from  Shell,  we  hope  to 
keep  doing  just  that." 


The  diagram  illustrates  the  WPI  reactor  that  will 
convert  methane  into  pure  hydrogen  for  use  in 
Fuel  cells.  Methane  and  water,  as  steam,  enter 
the  reaction  chamber  (A)  at  one  end.  From 
these  starting  products,  steam  reforming  and 
catalysts  produce  hydrogen  and  carbon 
dioxide.  The  central  stainless  steel  tube,  which 
is  closed  at  one  end  (D),  is  coated  with  an 
ultrathin  palladium  membrane  (C)  that  lets  only 
hydrogen  through;  the  hydrogen  exits  at  the 
tube's  open  end  (B).  The  photomicrographs 
show  the  palladium  membrane  applied  to  the 
stainless-steel  support,  with  an  oxide  layer  in 
between  the  palladium  and  the  metal  to  pre- 
vent the  membrane  from  being  contaminated 
by  metal  components. 


Transformations    \    Spring  2005     I   I 


Sending  Young  Adults  into  the  World 


Safety,  Security,  and  Risk 
Management  Issues  of  WPI's 
Global  Programs 

Natalie  Mello  is  director  of  Global  Operations 
in  WPI's  Interdisciplinary  and  Global  Studies 
Division,  which  oversees  the  university's  off- 
campus  project  centers.  Through  this  unique, 
nontraditional  study-abroad  program,  students 
are  given  the  opportunity  to  complete  profes- 
sional-level projects,  designed  to  resolve  real- 
world  problems,  while  immersed  in  a  different 
culture.  Mello  oversees  the  administration  and 
management  of  project  centers  in  the  United 
States,  Europe,  the  Far  East,  Latin  America, 
Africa,  and  the  South  Pacific.  Her  job  involves 
student  recruitment,  risk  management,  health 
and  safety  issues,  participant  orientation, 
and  faculty  advisor  training.  This  winter, 
Transformations  sat  down  with  Mello  to  learn 
more  about  the  training  and  oversight  of  the 
university's  global  program  that  assures  the 
safety  and  security  of  its  students. 

1 .  WPI's  Global  Perspective  Program  has  grown  since  the 
first  project  center  was  established  in  Washington,  D.C.,  in 
1974;  today,  there  are  more  than  20  student  project  centers 
on  five  continents.  Last  year,  61  percent  of  WPI's  graduating 
class  of  614  students  completed  a  project  off  campus.  How 
do  you  oversee  the  safety  and  security  of  such  a  large 
number  of  students  in  so  many  different  locations? 

1  work  closely  with  WPI  faculty  and  staff.  The  university's  risk  man- 
agers assist  in  identifying  risks  inherent  in  sending  students  and 
advisors  off  campus,  controlling  those  risks  whenever  possible,  and 
instituting  strategies  for  managing  all  other  risks.  I  work  in  tandem 
with  Student  Life  staff — including  the  dean  of  students,  the  director 
of  the  counseling  center,  and  the  director  of  disability  services — in 
creating  nonacademic  training  workshops  for  project  center  advisors 
so  they  can  handle  such  matters  as  team  dynamics,  homesickness, 
alcohol  abuse,  gender  issues,  cultural  sensitivities,  and  general  health 


and  safety  concerns.  I  also  work  with  faculty  in  their  roles  as  advisors 
and  center  directors. 

These  collaborative  efforts  are  supplemented  by  our  site-specific 
handbooks  for  students  and  their  families  and  mandator)'  student 
orientation  sessions.  In  sum,  good  training  and  site-specific  informa- 
tion enables  us  to  reasonably  oversee,  year-round,  the  safety  and 
security  of  a  great  number  of  students  at  different  locations. 

2.  Project  center  students  need  to  be  sensitive  to  health  and 
safety  issues  unique  to  the  country  they  are  visiting.  How  do 
you  indoctrinate  students  on  such  issues? 

Our  Going  Global  @  WPI  handbooks,  which  cover  all  centers,  are 
continually  updated.  Previously,  students  were  handed  loose  papers, 
asked  to  read,  sign,  and  return  them,  and  told,  "Oh,  by  the  way,  tell 
your  parents  about  this,  too."  Our  handbooks,  now  given  to  students 
and  their  families,  are  comprehensive  resource  manuals  that  cover 
required  paperwork  and  turnover  deadlines,  information  from  the 


I  2     Tra tisfortn a  1  i on s    \   Spring  20(1^ 


To  learn  more  about  what  WPI  students  have  accomplished  through  their  global  projects, 
visit  www.wpi.edu/+global/lnteractions. 


U.S.  State  Department  and  the  Centers  for  Disease  Control,  emer- 
gency contact  information,  the  university's  off-campus  policies,  and 
logistical  information  about  where  students  will  be  living. 

All  global  program  students  must  attend  orientation  sessions; 
those  who  are  traveling  abroad  attend  a  general  session  where  paper- 
work is  distributed  and  everyone  watches  the  film  Safety  and  Study 
Abroad.  Site-specific  orientations  are  convened  for  each  group.  The 
handbook  is  distributed  and  reviewed,  and  there  are  Q&A  sessions. 
A  third  orientation  is  for  out-of-country  destinations  and  covers  the 
use  of  cell  phones  provided  by  WPI. 

3.  How  does  the  program  accommodate  the  needs  of 
students  with  disabilities  or  those  who  have  diabetes,  food 
allergies,  and  other  health-related  issues? 


receive  that  information  over  the  summer  to  give  them  ample  time 
to  contact  their  family  physician. 

Regardless  of  where  the  students  travel,  they  are  always  alerted 
to  the  risks  of  contracting  HIV  and  AIDS.  A  sure  way  to  get  the  stu- 
dents' attention  on  this  critical  issue  is  when  I  tell  them,  "If  it's  wet 
and  it  isn't  yours,  don't  touch  it!"  I  also  remind  them  that  it  doesn't 
matter  whether  you're  in  Worcester  or  Windhoek  [Namibia] ,  tattoos 
and  piercings  increase  the  chance  of  contracting  those  diseases. 

4.  How  are  faculty  center  advisors  indoctrinated  on  health 
and  safety  issues? 

Each  May  we  hold  a  retreat  for  faculty  who  will  be  project  center 
advisors  the  following  academic  year.  This  carefully  planned  day, 


Above,  Zurich,  D-Term  2001 :  Elizabeth  Levandowsky  '02,  Ondrej  Cistecky 
'02,  and  Taeyun  Choi  '02;  right,  Bangkok,  C-Term  1999:  Leon  Vehaba  '00, 
Alexander  Lulzky  '00,  and  Irving  Liimatta  '00 


Upon  acceptance  in  the  program,  students  detail  physical,  sensory, 
psychiatric,  or  learning  impairments  on  a  self-disclosure  form.  WPIs 
director  of  disability  services  then  contacts  those  students  to  discuss 
on-site  accommodations.  Sometimes  it's  a  mattet  of  not  rooming  a 
nonsmoker  with  a  smoker;  other  times,  accommodations  are  more 
complicated.  For  example,  a  wheelchair-bound  student  would  not  be 
able  to  participate  in  Venice  due  to  a  physical  environment  that's 
beyond  our  control,  but  we  would  work  with  that  student  to  find  a 
viable  alternative  project  placement. 

All  students  are  required  to  reveal  health-related  conditions  that 
may  affect  them  while  off  campus.  This  information  ensures  that 
appropriate  resources  will  be  on  site  in  an  emergency.  Students  are 
advised  to  bring  required  prescriptions  in  an  amount  that  will  last  for 
the  duration  of  their  stay  and  to  keep  them  in  original  containers 
that  show  pharmacy  documentation — loose  pills  in  a  plastic  bag  will 
not  make  it  through  customs.  There  are  locations  where  vaccinations 
are  recommended  by  the  Centets  for  Disease  Control;  students 


developed  in  collaboration  with  campus  experts,  uses  case  studies 
from  our  experiences.  Included  in  the  interactive  session  are  such 
issues  as  cultural  adjustment,  low  self-esteem,  gender  discrimination, 
sexual  assault,  high-risk  activities,  policy  violations,  alcohol  abuse, 
eating  disotders,  academic  dishonesty,  off-campus  adjudication, 
confidentiality,  time  management,  and  dealing  with  dysfunctional 
teams.  Our  campus  experts  guide  the  advisors  through  these  issues, 
alert  them  to  outcomes  if  they  are  handled  improperly,  and  describe 
specifically  how  each  issue  needs  to  be  addtessed  to  ensure  the  best 
outcome. 

Out  faculty  training  program  is  a  fairly  unique  model.  In  2003, 
TIAA-CREF's  Hesburgh  Award  committee  recognized  WPI  as  one 
of  four  "certificate  of  excellence"  schools  for  its  exceptional  faculty 
development  programs  designed  to  enhance  undergraduate  teaching 
and  learning. 

5.  What  effect  did  the  9-11  terrorist  attacks  have  on  the 
program? 

Because  WPI  was  proactive  in  its  risk  management  practices  prior  to 
9-11,  we  had  a  system  in  place  for  contacting  every  student  and  then 


Trans  for  inn  ti  ons    \    Spring  2005     13 


contacting  their  families  to  let  them  know  their  child  was  okay.  On 
that  day,  we  had  a  few  students  in  Europe  and  a  large  group  at  the 
Goddard  Space  Flight  Center,  outside  of  D.C. 

However,  as  a  result  of  that  event,  we  immediately  developed  a 
secure  Web  site — containing  all  contact  information  for  students  and 
families,  accessible  only  to  those  responsible  for  the  students'  health 
and  safety — to  supplement  paper  copies.  I  now  carry  a  pocket  PC 
with  that  information  so  a  telephone  failure  won't  prevent  us  from 
having  24-7  accessibility. 

We  also  implemented  a  cell  phone  policy;  now 
participants  at  foreign  sites  carry  cell  phones  provided 
by  the  university.  We  know  they  work,  we  know  the 
telephone  numbers  before  anyone  leaves  campus,  and 
we  know  the  bill  is  paid  so  service  won't  be  shut  off. 
The  cell  phones  enable  us  to  contact  participants  in  the 
event  of  an  emergency  and  keep  us  in  touch  with  stu- 
dents as  they  travel  before  or  after  the  program  so  we 
know  when  flights  are  canceled  or  if  any  mishaps  have 
occurred  while  students  are  traveling  on  their  own. 

Overall,  WPFs  Global  Perspective  Program  did  not 
suffer  as  a  result  of  that  awful  day;  our  programs  con- 
tinued without  cancellation.  The  following  month,  we 
had  a  record  number  of  applications  (444,  compared  to 
412  the  previous  year);  we  sent  more  students  away  in 
2002-03  than  in  any  other  year.  Our  program's  philos- 
ophy is  based  on  the  need  for  international  understand- 
ing, an  end  that  is  most  effectively  attained  through 
living  and  learning  in  another  culture.  Terrorist  acts  will 
not  cause  us  to  deviate  from  our  fundamental  belief  in  the  value 
of  the  off-campus  experience  that  WPI  provides  to  its  students. 

6.  What  happens  when  a  natural  disaster,  such  as  the 
tsunami,  or  a  terrorist  attack,  like  the  Madrid  train  bombings, 
takes  place? 

No  matter  what  the  crisis  is,  the  first  order  of  business  is  to  contact  all 
students  at  an  affected  location.  While  both  the  Madrid  train  bomb- 
ings and  the  tsunami  occurred  before  the  start  of  programs  in  those 
project  centers,  some  students  had  traveled  to  the  sites  early.  Within  a 
few  hours,  we  were  able  to  ascertain  the  safety  and  well-being  of  the 
students  in  Spain  and  Thailand  and  contact  their  families. 

Next,  we  evaluated  what  effect,  if  any,  those  events  would  have 
on  our  programs.  For  Madrid,  we  relied  on  information  from  our 
contacts  at  the  Overseas  Security  Advisory  Council  (part  of  the  State 
Department)  and  other  reliable  sources.  We  also  took  into  account 
confusion  over  who  was  responsible  for  the  bombings  (which 
occurred  on  a  Thursday)  and  whether  the  act  was  connected  to  the 
election,  which  was  scheduled  for  Monday,  and  we  delayed  the  start 
of  that  program  tor  a  few  days. 


The  effect  of  the  tsunami  was  different.  Our  project  center  is  in 
Bangkok,  which  wasn't  physically  impacted  by  this  disaster.  We  did, 
however,  tell  students  that  they  were  not  to  travel  to  the  tsunami- 
affected  areas.  Even  though  the  Thai  government  encouraged  tourists 
to  return  to  Phuket  and  other  resorts  in  the  area,  we  felt  there  were 
too  many  unknowns  about  the  long-tetm  effects — for  example, 
water-borne  diseases — that  would  put  our  students  at  risk. 


)YV  WHH  men  wiurvt-jj 


Above,  London,  D-Term  2001 :  William  Espinola  '02,  Stephen  Caldwell  '02, 
Erin  Jabs  '02,  and  Jahdiel  Fyfield  '02;  right,  Venice,  E-Term  1998:  Tanya 
Corrado  '99,  James  Behmke  '00,  and  Gabriel  Flores  '99 

7.  How  do  you  respond  to  parents  concerned  about  the 
safety  of  their  children? 

To  parents  who  are  very  concerned  because  their  child  is  in  an  area 
of  the  world  where  a  natural  disastet  or  a  terrorist  attack  has  just 
occurred,  I  offer  reassurance  and  remind  them  of  the  crisis  manage- 
ment system  we  have  in  place.  To  return  to  9-1 1  for  a  moment,  we 
had  a  student  at  Goddard  |near  Washington,  D.C]  whose  mother 
was  in  Manhattan.  They  were  frantic  to  hear  from  each  other,  but 
were  unable  to  connect  directly  by  phone.  1  relaxed  messages 
between  them  until  they  were  able  to  make  a  connection. 

However,  we  are  less  sympathetic  with  a  patent  who  expects  us  to 
coddle  their  child  by  acquiring  passports  tor  them,  by  making  excep- 
tions to  a  policy,  or  by  granting  them  permission  to  accompany  their 
child  oft  campus.  (Our  experience  has  shown  that  it  students  can't 
manage  to  get  their  own  passports,  they  are  probably  not  read)  l"i  the 
unique  circumstances  they'll  face  on  their  own  in  a  foreign  culture.) 


14     Transformations    |   Spring 


'Our  program's  philosophy  is  based  on  the  need  for  international  understanding,  an  end 
that  is  most  effectively  attained  through  living  and  learning  in  another  culture." 


In  our  handbooks,  we  include  a  "parent-to-parent"  letter  that 
offers  advice  from  WPI  employees  whose  children  have  parricipated 
in  the  program.  Included  are  words  of  wisdom  on  health  and  safety 
issues,  as  well  as  tips,  such  as,  "Let  them  know  what  you  are  con- 
cerned abour  and  ralk  rhese  issues  our.  Make  sure  they  understand 
what  your  expectations  of  them  are  and  that  you  trust  them  to  make 
good  decisions."  Since  we  began  including  the  letters,  we've  had 
fewer  phone  calls  from  worried  parents. 

8.  WPI's  Global  Perspective  Program  was  selected  as  one  of 
10  noteworthy  institutional  programs  by  NAFSA:  Association 
of  International  Educators  in  its  2003  report,  Profiles  of  Success 
at  Colleges  and  Universities.  How  noteworthy  is  WPI's  program, 
in  relation  to  programs  at  other  colleges  and  universities? 

Our  aggressive  risk  management  practices  are  narionally  regarded  as 
rhe  model  in  srudy-abroad  programs.  In  addition  to  NAFSA's  recog- 
nition and  the  Hesburgh  Award,  WPI  was  one  of  seven  colleges  and 
universities  in  the  United  States  and  Mexico  to  be  honored  in  the 
third  annual  Andrew  Heiskell  Awards  program  for  Innovation  in 
International  Education.  [The  Institute  of  International  Education 
created  these  awards  to  promore  international  education  programs 


that  are  making  a  real  difference  in  the  lives  of  the  students  and 
communities  they  serve.]  Our  Global  Perspective  Program  received 
an  Honorable  Mention  award  in  the  Study  Abroad  category  for  pro- 
viding an  innovative  program  and  service,  and  making  study  abroad 
more  accessible  to  a  broader  student  population. 

I've  been  asked  to  lead  workshops  and  conference  sessions  on 
the  subject  of  risk  management  at  professional  meetings.  In  addition, 
I've  been  consulted  on  issues  relating  to  risk  management,  health, 
and  safety  by  colleagues  at  various  institutions — Connecticut 
College,  Boston  University,  Loyola  Marymount,  UC-Santa  Batbara, 
the  University  of  Rhode  Island,  and  Wellesley  College,  to  name  a 
few — as  well  as  at  companies  with  study-abroad  programs.  I've  also 
contributed  to  a  chapter  titled  "Maximizing  Safety  and  Security  and 
Minimizing  Risk  in  Education  Abroad  Programs,"  in  the  most  recent 
edition  of  NAFSA's  Guide  to  Education  Abroad  for  Advisers  and 
Administrators,  considered  "the  bible"  for  study-abroad  professionals. 

9.  How  do  WPI's  project  centers  influence  the  lives  and 
future  careers  of  students? 

I  can  only  speak  anecdotally  about  the  influence  of  our  off-campus 
projecr  experience,  as  we've  not  yet  collected  data.  But  I  know  students 
who  adopted  a  minor  in  international  studies  as  a  result  of  their  expe- 
rience; others  changed  majors;  a  few  decided  engineering  was  not  the 
right  career  choice.  Some  have  decided  to  seek  employment  overseas; 
others  pursued  careers  with  companies  that  have  overseas  opportuni- 
ties. Many,  many  students  say  their  experience  was  life-changing. 
At  a  minimum,  it  increases  their  curiosity  about  other  cultures  and 
whets  their  appetite  fot  more  travel.  Every  student  who  participates 
in  the  program  gains  a  greater  understanding  of  the  world  and, 
perhaps  more  important,  a  greater  understanding  of  themselves. 

10.  What  aspect  of  your  job  has  given  you  the  greatest 
sense  of  accomplishment? 

Before  they  leave  for  the  program,  most  of  the  students  are  awkward 
presenters  and  writers  and  lack  confidence  in  their  ability  to  tackle 
and  solve  the  problem  presented  by  the  project.  Then,  15  weeks  latet, 
you  see  a  remarkable  transformation:  the  students  are  comfortable 
standing  in  front  of  people  and  presenring  the  work  rhey've  done; 
you  can  sense  their  confidence  and  their  pride. 

Most  students  return  eager  to  talk  about  their  off-campus 
experiences.  I've  harnessed  that  energy  by  gerting  students  involved 
in  Global  Ambassadors,  where  they  share  their  enthusiasm  for  the 
program  wirh  current  and  prospective  WPI  students,  visiting  digni- 
taries, alumni  groups,  and  anyone  else  who  wants  to  know  about 
the  program  from  rhe  students'  perspective. 

While  professional  recognition  from  my  colleagues  at  other 
schools  is  gratifying,  it's  being  involved  in  a  program  rhat  does  so 
much  for  our  students  that  keeps  me  enthusiastic  and  gives  me  a 
deep  sense  of  personal  satisfaction. 


Transformations    \   Spring  2005     1  5 


Through  innovative  summer  camp  programs, 
WPI's  Office  of  Minority  Affairs  encourages 
children  to  take  the  first  step  toward 
a  future  career  in  engineerir 


Future  Succes 

By  Eileen  McCluskey      Photography  by  Patrick  O'Connor  and  Dan  Vaillancourt 


*- 


J 


Calvin  Hill,  director  of  WPI's  Ol 
and  Gina  Melendez  '06,  reseoH 


Support,  and  Inclusion  to  Stud 


On  a  January  evening,  in  the  Campus  Center  Odeum, 
20  middle  school  students  and  their  parents  focus  intensely  on 
an  assignment.  Individually,  they  puzzle  over  an  illustration 
showing  four  boxes;  each  box  contains  nine  dots.  Gina 
Melendez  '06,  research  assistant  in  WPI's  Office  of  Minority 
Affairs,  instructs  everyone  to  make  a  design  by  connecting 
the  dots.  Brows  furrow  as  the  group  hunkers  down. 

"Time's  up,"  Melendez  calls  out  a  short  time  later.  She  asks 
for  volunteers  to  show  the  group  their  creations.  Three  kids 
and  one  adult  head  for  a  flip  chart  to  draw  triangles,  rectangles, 
and  squares  within  the  confines  of  each  box. 

"Here's  another  design  idea,"  Melendez  offers,  as  she  draws 
sweeping  lines  that  burst  through  the  frames  of  the  boxes  and 
dive  back  in.  "Did  anyone  besides  me  connect  their  dots  by 
going  outside  the  box?" 

No  one  had.  Why? 

"Solid  lines  mean  stay  inside,"  one  child  suggests. 

"Not  with  engineering,"  Melendez  answers.  "In  engineering, 
there's  no  such  thing  as  the  box."  Seeing  puzzled  expressions, 
she  explains,  "We  start  with  all  our  ideas,  not  just  the  obvious 
or  the  ones  that  seem  correct.  There's  no  right  answer,  only 
possible  solutions." 

Engineering  a  youthful  interest 

Welcome  to  Step  into  Strive  Jr.,  an  eight-workshop  series 
designed  by  the  Office  of  Minority  Affairs  to  generate  excitement 
and  pump  up  enrollment  in  WPI's  summer  day  camp,  Strive  Jr. 
The  weeklong  program  brings  African-American,  Latino,  and 
Native  American  students  from  Worcester  public  middle 
schools  to  campus  to  experience  engineering's  diverse  disci- 
plines by  designing  flying  cars,  spaceships,  or  new  cosmetics. 

Strive  Jr.  morphs  into  Strive,  a  summer  residential  camp  for 
high  school  students  that  takes  them  deeper  into  the  sciences 
by  letting  them  hit  the  labs  to  test  water  quality,  build  robots 
that  respond  to  sound,  and  explore  how  to  make  artificial  skin. 


"Our  summer  programs  increase  the  likelihood  that 
Worcester's  minorities  will  set  their  sights  on — and  begin 
preparing  for — an  engineering,  math,  or  science  career,"  says 
Calvin  Hill,  director  of  the  Office  of  Minority  Affairs.  "With 
the  Strive  programs,  we  aim  to  nurture  engineering's  most  under- 
represented  minorities,  spending  more  and  more  time  with  them 
as  they  grow  older,  so  they'll  one  day  matticulate  at  WPI." 

Building  a  future 

At  each  "Step  into"  workshop,  a  WPI  faculty  member  introduces 
an  engineering  discipline  with  a  hands-on  exercise.  In  January, 
Gretar  Tryggvason,  head  of  WPI's  Mechanical  Engineering 
Department,  spoke  while  images  of  rockets,  computers,  and 
airplanes  flashed  across  a  large  screen.  "Mechanical  engineers 
are  everywhere,"  he  told  participants.  "They  work  in  software 
companies,  car  manufacturers,  utilities,  and  the  government. 
When  the  flying  car  becomes  a  reality,  mechanical  engineers 
are  going  to  be  there." 

For  Hill  and  Melendez,  the  think-out-of-the-box  exercise  is 
a  metaphor  for  the  socio-economic  box  from  which  they  want 
the  children  to  escape.  "For  a  variety  of  historical  and  cultural 
reasons,"  says  Hill,  "participation  in  math,  science,  and  engi- 
neering in  the  United  States,  especially  by  the  populations  tar- 
geted by  our  programs,  has  not  reflected  the  diversity  of  the 
nation's  population  [see  box,  next  page].  There  is  a  lack  of 
minority  role  models  in  the  science  and  engineering  fields  and 
low  cultural  and  familial  expectations  for  attending  college." 

Melendez  and  Hill  expect  to  keep  the  "Step  into"  enthu- 
siasm marching  through  April,  when  an  engineering  design 
competition  will  give  students  and  parents,  working  in  teams 
of  three  or  four,  the  opportunity  to  design  a  desk,  build  a  proto- 
type, and  make  a  presentation  at  an  awards  dinner.  A  panel  of 
WPI  faculty  will  select  the  winning  design. 

Back  at  the  January  workshop,  Hill  and  Melendez  seem  to 
have  achieved  their  goal:  parents  and  kids  are  thinking  ahead  to 


Transformations    \   Spring  2005     1  7 


the  summer.  One  parent,  Noemi  Mendez,  asks  about  the  cost  of 
the  program.  When  she  hears  $125,  she  whispers  to  the  person 
sitting  next  to  her  that  she's  seen  a  similar  program  advertised 
for  $400.  "This  is  a  good  deal,"  she  adds,  then  smiles  at  her  11- 
year-old  son,  Gabriel  Navarro.  "I'll  definitely  send  him  to  this 
program."  Another  parent,  Elaine  Watson,  says  that  her  1 1-year- 
old  son,  John,  "will  most  definitely  come  here  this  summer. 


It's  wonderful  that  WPI  is  doing  this.  It  shows  the  kids  that 
there  are  other  things  out  there  and  gives  them  the  opportunity 
to  start  learning  new  things  while  they're  still  so  young." 

This  is  exactly  what  Melendez  wants  to  hear.  "I  want  to 
help  the  kids  see  that  they  can  plan  for  college,"  she  says.  "And 
I  want  the  parents  to  come  away  from  the  workshops  thinking, 
'Hey,  our  kids  can  be  engineers.' "  D 


Diversity  means  overcoming  not-so-great  expectations 


The  good  news:  The  American  Council  on  Education  reports 
that  African-American,  American  Indian,  Asian-American, 
and  Hispanic  enrollments  in  American  colleges  increased  by 

51.7  percent  from  1991  to 
2001,  to  more  than  4.3 
million  students. 


WPI  is  part  of  a  national 
collaboration  of  colleges 
and  universities  seeking  to 
increase  enrollment,  retention,  and  graduation  of  the  nation's 
underrepresented  minority  students  in  science,  technology, 
engineering,  and  mathematics.  It  is  one  of  five  members 
of  the  Northeast  Alliance  for  Minority  Participation  in 
Undergraduate  Education  in  Science,  Mathematics,  and 
Engineering— a  group  that  includes  Northeastern  University, 
the  University  of  Massachusetts  Amherst,  the  University  of 
Rhode  Island,  and  the  University  of  Connecticut.  The 
Northeast  Alliance  is  one  of  32  similar  alliances  involving 
450  institutions  of  higher  learning;  each  is  funded  by  the 
Louis  Stokes  Alliance  for  Minority  Participation  (LSAMP), 
a  project  of  the  National  Science  Foundation  created  by 
congressional  mandate  in  1991. 

"It's  good  for  the  country  to  make  diversity  a  priority,"  says 
Minority  Affairs  Director  Calvin  Hill.  "Diversity  of  thought 


The  bad  news:  According  to  the  2003  Census  Bureau 
report,  African-Americans  represent  1 1  percent  of  the 
nation's  workforce  yet  hold  a  mere  4  percent  of  science 
and  engineering  jobs  requiring  a  bachelor's  degree  or 
higher;  Hispanics  constitute  13  percent  of  workers,  but 
hold  only  3  percent  of  these  jobs. 


and  people  is  an  essential  need  in  our  ever-changing 
global  workforce." 

Indeed,  in  2002  the  Congressional  Commission  on  the  Advance- 
ment of  Women  and  Minorities  in  Science,  Engineering, 
and  Technological  Development  stated:  "Unless  the  science, 
engineering,  and  technology  labor  market  becomes  more 
representative  of  the  workforce  as  a  whole,  the  nation  may 
well  face  severe  shortages  in  workers  [in  these  fields],  such 
as  are  already  seen  in  many  computer-related  occupations." 

So  far,  the  LSAMP  network  has  begun  the  long  journey  toward 
equal  participation.  In  2003,  over  23,000  underrepresented 
minorities  earned  their  science,  math,  engineering,  or  tech- 
nology degrees,  up  from  22,000  in  2002.  In  1991,  when 
the  project  started,  the  figure  was  only  7,000.  "As  a  nation, 
we  need  50,000  a  year  to  make  significant  progress,"  notes 
A.  James  Hicks,  LSAMP  director.  "We're  heading  in  the 
right  direction." 


Filling  the  gap  in  oral  health  care 
for  Worcester's  underserved 

In   2003,  the  Robert  Wood  Johnson 
Foundation  selected  John  Gusha  as  one 
of  10  honorees  to  share  a  $1.2  million 
Community  Health  Leadership  Program 

Meet  John  Gusha  '80 

a  dentist-activist  who  is  dedicated 

to  giving  a  healthy  smile  to  those 

who  can't  afford  it 

award,  for  his  "exceptional  and  effective 

approach  to  addressing  the  myriad 
health-care  challenges  facing  people  in 
communities  across  the  United  States." 
It  is  the  nation's  highest  honor  for 

By  Joan  Killough-Miller 

Photography  by  Patrick  O'Connor 

community  health  leadership. 

^ 

Transformations    \   Spring  2005     1  9 


"A  State  of  Decay."  That's  what  the  Massachusetts  Society  fot 
the  Ptevention  of  Cruelty  to  Children  called  its  2004  report 
on  the  commonwealth's  oral  health-care  system,  which  leaves 
the  majority  of  Medicaid-eligible  children — about  380,000 — 
without  dental  treatment. 

"Worse  than  a  third-world  country"  is  how  Holden  dentist 
John  Gusha  '80  describes  the  epidemic  of  dental  neglect  that 
festers  in  his  own  backyard.  Worcester's  unfluoridated  water, 
along  with  sugary  snacks,  creates  special  concerns  for  the  city's 
children,  he  says,  adding  that  two  out  of  three  students  seen  in 
public  school  screenings  suffer  from  untreated  decay,  with  an 
average  of  three  to  four  cavities  each.  This  contrasts  sharply 
with  the  private-pay  patients  he  sees  at  his  Holden  office.  "In 
Suburbia  USA,  where  I  practice,  I  see  very  little  decay  in  chil- 
dren's teeth,  due  to  fluoride.  Those  kids  are  being  raised  so  that 
by  the  time  they're  30,  probably  90  percent  won't  have  a  filling 
in  their  mouths.  That  discrepancy  has  got  to  be  addressed." 

From  plaque  to  politics 

Five  years  ago,  Gusha  brought  together  local  dentists  and  non- 
profit agencies  to  form  the  Central  Massachusetts  Oral  Health 
Initiative.  Through  CMOHI,  he  has  received  $3.6  million  in 
grants  (his  major  sponsor  is  the  Health  Foundation  of  Central 
Massachusetts)  to  Kind  ongoing  programs,  including  fluoride 
varnish  treatments  and  dental  screening  programs  in  21  area 
schools.  In  addition.  CMOHI  has  invested  about  $400,000  in 
a  public  awareness  campaign  on  the  fluoride  issue. 

"When  we  started  the  initiative,  we  sat  down  to  discuss 
solutions,"  he  says.  "It  all  came  down  to  things  that  happen  on 
a  global  level — problems  with  the  Medicaid  system,  legislative 
issues,  and  awareness  about  oral  health — as  opposed  to,   I  low 


do  I  get  a  dentist  to  fill  this  cavity?'  Dentists  are  willing  to  do 
their  part."  [The  American  Dental  Association  estimates  private 
dentists  provide  an  average  of  $36,000  in  free  or  discounted 
care  given  each  year.]  But,  Gusha  points  out,  "It's  easier  to  vol- 
unteer abroad  than  it  is  to  serve  the  needs  that  exist  here  in 
Central  Massachusetts."  Friends  who  have  served  in  third-world 
countries  tell  him,  "John,  I  can  do  brain  surgery  over  there,  but 
they  won't  let  me  fill  a  tooth  here  without  CORI  [background] 
checks  and  an  impossible  amount  of  credentialing,  even  though 
I'm  already  licensed  as  a  private-practice  dentist!" 

To  remedy  a  critical  shortage  of  dentists  available  to 
patients  on  MassHealth — the  state's  Medicaid  program  for 
children  from  low-income  families  and  fostet  children — Gusha 
is  working  for  reforms.  "In  Worcester  County,  there  are  only 
a  handful  of  private  dentists  who  accept  MassHealth — and  no 
one  wants  to  be  added  to  the  list,"  he  says.  "The  problem  is, 
if  I  take  one  Medicaid  patient,  by  law  I  have  to  accept  every 
Medicaid  patient  who  requests  treatment.  I  would  be  inundated 
with  phone  calls."  With  reimbursement  rates  lower  than  the 
actual  cost  of  care,  he  says,  "I  couldn't  stay  in  business." 

"Caseload  cap"  regulations  in  other  states  allow  dentists 
to  limit  the  number  of  Medicaid  patients  they  accept.  Gusha 
has  been  working  tor  years  with  Massachusetts  state  senator 
Harriette  Chandler  to  implement  a  two-year  pilot  program  to 
test  the  impact  in  Worcester  County.  With  300  private-practice 
dentists  in  Central  Massachusetts.  Gusha  savs.  "II  cvcrvone 
took  a  little  bit,  it  would  help  the  problem  immensely." 

rhe  M.ue's  maddeningly  inefficient  processing  ol  claims 
,ilsci  needs  reform.  "Dentists  would  rather  work  for  free  than 
struggle  with  the  M.issl  le.ilth  system,"  Gusha  says.  "Demists 
aren't  going  to  sign  tip  lor  a  program  that  keeps  denying  claims 


2  0     Transformation!   \  Spring  . 


"When  we  started  t. 
Oral  Health  Initiath 
we  sat  down  to  discu: 
solutions.  It  all  came  d< 
to  things  that  happen 
a  global  level  —  proble 
with  the  Medicaid  system 
legislative  issues,  and 
awareness  about  oral 
health—as  opposed  to, 
'How  do  I  get  a  dentist 


this  cavity?' 


and  has  them  writing  letters  all  the  time  just  to  collect  a  Si 5 
or  $20  payment.  It's  just  not  worth  it."  That's  why  he's  also 
pushing  for  a  private,  third-party  administrator  (TPA)  to 
process  claims,  a  solution  that  has  helped  in  other  states. 

Drilling  home  his  message 

Gusha's  first  efforts — a  free  clinic  in  a  church,  where  volunteers 
used  flashlights  to  peer  into  patients'  mouths — has  evolved  to 
advocating  for  structural  change  on  a  statewide  level.  As  a  fac- 
ulty member  at  the  University  of  Massachusetts  Medical  School 
in  Worcester,  he  is  among  a  group  of  dentists  and  physicians 
who  are  developing  a  dental  residency  program  that  will  help 
integrate  oral  health  into  the  medical  curriculum  and  provide 
a  much  needed  dental  presence  in  Worcester's  hospitals. 

He  devotes  one  day  a  week — time  taken  away  from  his 
private  practice — to  meet  with  state  legislators,  write  grants, 
and  work  to  convince  the  public  that  fluoride  is  as  essential  as 
childhood  vaccinations  and  that  dental  care  is  not  a  luxury, 
but  a  "mainstay"  of  overall  health. 

Momentum  for  change  is  growing,  and  recognition  from 
the  Robert  Wood  Johnson  Foundation  (see  page  19)  has  helped 
Gusha  gain  the  ear  of  Rep.  James  McGovern  (D-MA)  and  sen- 
ators Edward  Kennedy  (D-MA)  and  John  Kerry  (D-MA).  "The 
phone  calls  get  answered  quicker  now,"  he  jokes.  Although 
Gusha  is  often  put  in  the  media  spotlight,  he  points  to  the 
many  heroes — dentists,  educators,  and  politicians — who  have 
rolled  up  their  sleeves  for  this  battle.  "I  could  certainly  work 
full  time  on  this  problem,"  he  says.  "We  could  use  a  dozen  peo- 
ple working  on  it.  All  you  can  do  is  hope  to  make  a  difference." 

In  the  meantime,  the  majority  of  low-income  children  go 
without  routine  care  that  would  prevent  serious  problems  down 


the  line — even  though  federal  law  requires  Medicaid  dental  cov- 
erage for  children  from  birth  to  age  21.  "To  let  this  generation 
grow  up  with  as  much  decay  as  is  in  their  mouths  is  criminal 
neglect,"  says  Gusha.  In  fact,  the  advocacy  organization  Health 
Care  for  All  has  filed  a  class  action  suit  against  the  common- 
wealth for  failure  to  provide  adequate  dental  services  to 
Medicaid-eligible  children. 

For  adults,  the  safety  net  is  even  thinner.  Two  years  ago, 
Medicaid  eliminated  all  dental  care  for  people  over  21.  Adults 
with  acute  problems  might  resort  to  the  emergency  room,  only 
to  be  given  a  prescription  for  an  antibiotic  or  painkiller  and 
referred  to  one  of  Worcester's  two  community  health  centers. 
"There  they'll  find  a  waiting  room  full  of  people,  and  two  den- 
tists dedicated  to  treating  emergencies  all  day  long,"  says  Gusha. 
"It's  first  come,  first  served,  with  waiting  lists  of  up  to  a  year  for 
comprehensive  care."  He  has  seen  an  abscessed  tooth  progress 
to  a  brain  stem  abscess  and  systemic  infection.  "It  ended  up 
costing  $200,000  in  hospital  care  that  could  have  been  prevented 
by  treating  a  cavity  three  years  before,"  he  says. 

Making  a  difference — statewide,  or  in  the  life  of  an  indi- 
vidual— is  what  keeps  Gusha  going.  He  recalls  one  teenager 
who  came  to  a  Worcesrer  clinic  for  treatment  from  a  rural  town 
at  the  western  reaches  of  the  county.  "I'm  looking  at  his  chart, 
which  has  red  marks  indicating  decay,  everywhere,"  Gusha  says, 
"and  I'm  trying  to  figure  out  where  to  start.  From  behind  the 
chair  I  say,  'OK,  Billy,  what  can  we  do  for  you  today?'  and  he 
turns  to  me  and  says,  'Doc,  I  can't  get  a  date!'  He  gives  me  a  big 
grin;  I  see  that  his  teeth  are  broken  down  right  across  the  gum 
line.  I  worked  on  him  for  three  hours  and  was  able  to  build  up  all 
his  front  teeth.  Though  he  needed  to  come  back  for  root  canals 
and  orher  work,  we  were  able  to  give  him  a  smile  that  day."  D 


Transformation s    \   Spring  2005    2  1 


A  vision  of  renewable  energy  for  developing 
m   ^        countries  bridges  the  energy  divide 

rower 

T^  to  the     1 

People 

By  Wendy  Wolfson 


Richard  Hansen  76  keeps  pictures  of  Felipe  Martinez  and  his 
wife,  Altagracia,  on  display  in  his  office.  The  Martinez  family, 
who  live  in  Puerto  Plata,  Dominican  Republic,  were  his  first 
solar  electrification  customers — among  almost  two  billion  peo- 
ple worldwide  living  in  rural  areas  too  remote  to  be  connected 
to  a  traditional  electricity  grid.  Before  Hansen  installed  their 
solar  panel,  the  family  used  flashlight  batteries  to  power  their 
radio  and  kerosene  lamps  to  light  their  home. 

For  developing  countries  with  abundant  sunlight  and 
without  extensive  coverage  from  an  electric  grid, 
solar  panels  make  cost-effective  sense:  elec- 
tric power  generated  from  the  panels 
costs  less  than  their  current  energy 
sources  and  provides  clean,  renew- 
able energy.  With  an  output 
of  50  to  100  watts,  stand- 
alone solar  units  can  power 
lights  and  small  appliances  in 
homes  and  small  businesses. 

Hansen's  office,  located 
in  a  converted  mill  building 
in  Chelmsford,  Mass.,  is  a 
scrapbook  of  the  20  years  his 
Global  Transition  Group  has 
invested  in  introducing  clean 
solar  power  to  rural  towns  in 
the  Dominican  Republic, 
Honduras,  and  other  develop- 
ing countries.  The  winding 
roads  he  and  colleagues  have 
traveled  in  4x4  Toyota  pick- 
ups filled  with  photovoltaic 
(PV)  panels  have  made  rural 


energy  delivery  for  several  thousand  customers  a  reality  and 
created  a  model  of  success  for  the  renewable  energy  business. 

Searching  for  a  better  life 

The  oil  embargo  of  1973  hit  the  nation  while  Hansen  was 
studying  mechanical  engineering  at  WPI  and  piqued  his  inter- 
est in  renewable  energy.  Fresh  out  of  college,  he  landed  a  job  in 
the  nuclear  program  at  Westinghouse;  his  first  assignment  was 
designing  a  refueling  method  for  a  floating  nuclear  reactor.  He 
wasn't  comfortable  with  the  nuclear  industry,  "mainly  due,"  he 
says,  "to  the  issue  of  spent  fuel  storage."  While  being  groomed 
for  management  (he  earned  an  MBA  from  Boston  University), 
his  interest  in  the  energy  sector  grew,  particularly  through 
designing  machinery  to  solve  environmental  and  safety  issues. 
But  corporate  life  wasn't  for  him.  Instead,  he  returned 
to  a  frequent  vacation  spot,  the  Dominican  Republic, 
in  1984  with  a  photovoltaic  module  and 
began  researching  electricity  use  patterns. 

"At  the  time,  about  two  million  people 
out  of  a  population  of  seven  million  had  no 
power  at  all,"  he  says.  "With  a  photovoltaic 
panel,  you  can  run  fluorescents  and  low- 
power  lights,  radios,  and  TVs."  Analysis  of 
energy  costs  showed  that  about  50  percent 
of  the  people  were  spending  $6  a  month  or 
more  on  kerosene,  dry  cells,  and  car  batteries. 
"Their  monthly  incomes  were  $100  to  $200," 
he  says,  "so  the  question  then  became,  what 
can  people  pay?" 

Hansen  spent  a  decade  introducing 
photovoltaics  in  the  Dominican  Republic 
and  Honduras,  financing  the  first  system 
himself  as  a  demonstration.  Through  Enersol 

Transformations    \   Spring  2005     23 


"When  you  have  electricity,  you  can  run  sawmills,  process  crops,  make 
things  with  sewing  machines,  and  turn  it  into  economic  development." 

—  Robert  Pratt,  director  of  the  Renewable  Energy  Trust  of  the  Massachusetts  Technology  Collaborative 


Associates — the  nonprofit  he  started  in 
1984  to  introduce  solar  technology  to 
remote  rural  areas  in  Latin  America  by 
assisting  local  organizations  and  training 
solar  technicians — he  set  up  a  revolving 
micro-credit  fund.  "Only  a  certain  per- 
centage of  people  could  afford  a  module 
on  a  cash  basis  at  harvest  time,"  says 
Hansen.  "A  system  cost  between  $500 
and  $1,000."  Micro-credit  was  used  to 
establish  affordable  payment  plans  and 
help  local  solar  entrepreneurs  reach  more 
customers. 

Enersol  secured  funding  from  U.S. 
foundations,  Sandia  National  Labs,  and 
USAID  to  implement  programs  in  the 
Dominican  Republic  and  Honduras, 
then  linked  up  with  the  Rural  Electrical 
Cooperative  Association's  international 
program  to  provide  technical  assistance 
on  their  efforts  in  Belize,  Guatemala,  and 
Bolivia.  Having  introduced  PV  technol- 
ogy, Enersol  Associates  now  supports 
community  projects  that  use  solar  units 

for  potable  water-pumping  to  improve  health  and  to  run  laptops 
in  schools  to  enhance  rural  education. 

"Richard  was  never  able  to  get  a  government  to  step  in 
and  be  a  partner  with  him,  but  he's  incredibly  persistent,"  says 
Robert  Pratt,  director  of  the  Renewable  Energy  Trust  of  the 
Massachusetts  Technology  Collaborative,  who  has  had  a  long 
relationship  with  Hansen  through  the  development  of  power 
projects  in  Guatemala  and  El  Salvador.  "He  made  it  work  with 
a  lot  of  blood,  sweat,  and  tears,  and  initially  depended  on  phil- 
anthropic organizations  for  cash  flow."  For  the  past  20  years, 
Hansen  has  raised  millions  of  dollars  to  assist  in  bringing 
renewable  energy  to  developing  countries  in  areas  local  govern- 
ments have  been  unable  to  reach. 

Electricity  brings  enlightenment 

Hansen  returned  to  the  United  States  in  1992  with  a  wife  and 
a  family.  A  year  later,  he  started  Soluz  [the  name  is  a  combina- 
tion of  sun  and  light  in  Spanish],  a  business  and  technology 
development  company  that  combines  distributed  photovoltaic 
technology  with  an  unsubsidizcd  rental,  or  fee-for-scrvice,  offer- 


ing. He  raised  $3  million  in  capital  to 
establish  two  pilot  subsidiary  opera- 
tions— Soluz  Dominicana  (1995)  and 
Soluz  Honduras  (1998) — to  purchase 
solar  systems  and  lease  them  to  rural 
customers.  By  2002,  the  two  operations 
had  rolled  out  a  total  of  3,000  rental 
systems,  managed  by  30  local  employ- 
ees, resulting  in  more  than  200,000 
monthly  rental  payments. 

Including  cash  and  micro-credit 
sales,  Soluz  has  served  over  6,000  cus- 
tomers; however,  developing  methods 
to  reach  challenging  rural  locations  is 
still  a  wotk  in  progress.  Economic  diffi- 
culties in  the  countries  where  Soluz  does 
business,  including  hurricanes,  currency 
fluctuations,  and  arbitrary  government 
grid  extension  policies,  have  made 
Hansen  rethink  his  business  model. 
Soluz  is  currently  pitching  solar  rental 
«.  I     as  a  flexible  way  to  pre-electrify  in  con- 

junction with  government  plans 
to  extend  the  grid. 
In  1996,  Hansen  started  Global  Transition  Consulting 
(GTC),  a  joint  venture  of  Soluz  and  Enersol  to  allow  other  insti- 
tutions access  to  their  nonprofit  and  for-profit  experiences.  His 
primary  focus  is  now  on  consulting.  "Our  highest  value  is  in 
know-how  and  assisting  global  transition  to  sustainable  energy," 
he  says,  adding  that  the  consulting  company  advises  international 
organizations  on  rural  energy  projects  and  has  recently  been  work- 
ing under  USAID  funding  in  the  Philippines  and  the  World  Bank 
Group  in  Bolivia.  GTC  also  funnels  royalties  (a  percentage  of  con- 
sulting revenues)  back  to  Enersol  to  support  community  educa- 
tion and  health  projects.  Hansen's  Global  Transition  Group  now 
consists  of  Enersol,  Soluz,  and  GTC — with  about  40  dedicated 
staff  in  several  locations. 

Hansen's  achievements,  says  Pratt,  have  not  been  just  in 
providing  electricity,  but  in  providing  opportunity.  "When  you 
have  electricity,  you  can  run  sawmills,  process  crops,  make  things 
with  sewing  machines,  and  turn  it  into  economic  development, 
he  says.  "You  can  link  better  standards  nl  living  to  additional 
jobs.  Richard  Hansen  believes  in  his  mission.  I  le  is  absolutely 
dedicated  to  making  the  world  better.    D 


24     Transformations    \   Spring  200$ 


Page  23,  a  pastor  and  his  family  in  Trinidad  beside  their  newly  installed  PV  system  that  powers  lights,  radio,  PA  system  (loudspeaker),  and  even  an  electric 
guitar  used  during  church  services.  Page  24,  customers  of  Soluz  Honduras  outside  their  PV-enhanced  home.  Above,  Richard  Hansen  (at  right)  en  route  with 
two  young  helpers  to  an  early  installation  in  Puerto  Plata  in  1985.  Below,  left,  Hansen  with  longtime  friend  and  solar  dealer  Teofilo  Cepeda,  whose  business 
startup  following  training  by  Enersol  in  1988  has  led  to  sales  of  over  1,000  systems  in  the  Dominican  Republic.  Below,  right,  staff  members  at  the  Soluz 
Dominicana  service  center  in  Cotui. 


Transformations    \     Spring  2005    25 


When  Michelle  Gass  '90 

left  a  marketing  position  with 

Procter  &  Gamble  for  Starbucks 

Coffee  Company,  her  career— 

and  the  rapidly  expanding 

company— got  a  rejuvenating  jolt. 


In  the  1990s,  Starbucks  Coffee  Company  was  rapidly 
scooping  up  the  coffee  market,  having  grown  to  a  half-billion- 
dollar  business  with  700  stores  nationwide.  But  it  was  still  in  its 
formative  stages,  says  Michelle  (Petkers)  Gass  '90,  who  joined 
the  company  in  1996  as  the  Frappuccino  marketing  manager. 
The  blend  of  rich  Starbucks  coffee  and  cold  milk  grew  from 
what  she  describes  as  "a  very  small  part  of  our  business"  to  a 
line  of  10  flavors  in  three  versions.  "Today  the  Frappuccino  is  a 
significant  part  of  our  business,  with  new  seasonal  flavors  intro- 
duced every  year,  such  as  last  summer's  Java  Chip." 

Since  Gass  joined  Starbucks,  the  coffeemaker's  stock  price 
has  made  an  orbital  leap  of  451  percent — from  $8.25  per  share 
on  Sept.  30,  1996,  to  $45.46  per  share  on  Sept.  30,  2004. 
Today,  with  more  than  7,500  retail  locations  in  North  America, 
Latin  America,  Europe,  the  Middle  East,  and  the  Pacific  Rim, 
annual  sales  for  the  world's  leading  retailer,  roaster,  and  brand 
of  specialty  coffee  are  at  $5  billion. 

A  double  shot  at  success 

"I  was  introduced  to  the  world  of  the  consumer  and  loved  it," 
Gass  says  of  her  undergraduate  internship  and  postgraduate 
position  in  Cincinnati-based  Procter  &  Gamble's  health-care 
products  research  and  development  group.  Along  with  her 
knowledge  of  chemical  engineering,  Gass  discovered  a  knack 
for  understanding  the  consumer  and  driving  innovations  from 
that  perspective.  "One  of  the  great  models  P&G  provides  is 
that  the  technical  and  the  consumer  perspectives  coexist." 


When  her  husband,  Scott,  had  the  opportunity  to  move  to 
the  West  Coast,  Gass  considered,  "Why  not?  I  feel  ready  for  an 
entrepreneurial  adventure."  At  Seattle-based  Starbucks,  her  pas- 
sion for  discerning  consumer  needs  and  attitudes  transformed 
the  coffee  giant's  newly  introduced  ice-blended  coffee  and 
mocha  drink  line  into  a  mini-empire;  at  the  same  time,  she 
attended  the  University  of  Washington's  evening  executive 
MBA  program,  earning  her  degree  in  1999.  "That's  just  one 
indication  of  how  inspiring  it  is  for  me  at  Starbucks,"  she  says, 
crediting  the  company's  enttepreneurial  culture.  "We're  known 
for  how  well  we  treat  our  partners,"  she  adds,  referencing  the 
term  Starbucks  uses  for  its  employees.  All  partners  are  granted 
stock  options — Starbucks  was  one  of  the  first  companies  to 
offer  this  to  its  part-timers  before  becoming  publicly  traded; 
part-time  partners  also  receive  comprehensive  health  coverage. 
As  a  result  of  these  and  other  benefits,  Starbucks  now  ranks 
No.  1  1  of  100  best  companies  to  work  for  in  America  (according 
to  Fortune s  Top  100  and  the  Great  Place  to  Work  Institute). 


26     Transformations    \   Spring  2005 


M      II 


„    i-Ji         era       _«, 


H^Mny  1  m^ 

%k 

■m 

Jl 



As  Starbucks  has  grown,  so  have  Gass's  responsibilities.  In 
200 1  she  was  promoted  to  vice  president  of  the  beverage  category, 
which  represents  70  percent  of  the  company's  product  portfolio. 
In  May  2004  she  was  elevated  to  senior  vice  president,  category 
management,  where  she  oversees  a  150-person  department  and 
drives  the  company's  beverage,  food,  coffee,  and  merchandise 
product  line  globally.  "This  includes  leading  talented  partners  on 
both  the  product  marketing  and  R&D  sides  of  the  business," 
she  explains.  "In  essence,  this  team  is  the  innovation  engine  for 
Starbucks  retail  stores." 

Engineering  her  career 

Gass  is  quick  to  credit  her  undergraduate  education  for  her 
business  success,  citing  the  WPI  approach  to  education,  with 
its  blend  of  academic  skills  and  projects.  "The  project  piece 
was  a  critical  component  that  showed  me  how  to  be  successful 
in  the  corporate  world,"  she  says.  "And  the  notion  of  collabo- 
ration is  so  fundamental  to  how  we  operate  at  Starbucks." 


Her  professors,  she  adds,  "were  inspiring  about  academics, 
leadership,  and  life." 

Gass  did  her  science,  technology,  and  society  project  in 
Washington,  D.C.,  assessing  the  progress  on  key  Superfund 
program  projects  with  Rick  Sisson,  director  and  professor  of 
manufacturing  engineering,  materials  science  and  engineering, 
and  mechanical  engineering.  "Michelle  was  one  of  the  best  stu- 
dents I  ever  had,"  Sisson  says,  noting  that  Gass  and  her  project 
partners  worked  12-hour  days  in  Washington  and  that  her  pre- 
sentation wowed  higher-ups  at  the  Environmental  Protection 
Agency.  "She  drove  the  whole  thing.  Michelle's  the  reason  that 
project  was  so  incredible." 

"The  formal  presentation  I  gave  for  that  project  [which 
won  the  President's  IQP  Award  that  year]  was  my  first,"  says 
Gass.  "Through  it,  I  found  I  really  enjoyed  public  speaking  and 
the  excitement  of  sharing  a  vision.  Now  I  give  presentations 
and  speeches  every  day — in  board  rooms,  in  meetings  with  Wall 
Street  analysts,  and  to  thousands  of  partners."  [Gass  will  receive 


Transformations    \   Spring  2005    27 


WPI's  Ichabod  Washburn  Young  Alumni  Award  for 
Professional  Achievement  at  Reunion  Weekend  2005.] 

The  next  cuppa 

Gass  sees  tremendous  opportunities  for  Starbucks  in 
coffee's  continuing  popularity.  "Coffee  is  a  staple  in 
people's  lives,"  she  says.  "In  the  United  States  alone, 
50  percent  of  the  population  consumes  coffee  every 
day.  We  see  this  figure  as  an  opportunity  to  build 
more  stores  and  bring  in  more  customers,  and  we  have 
significant  plans  to  do  that.  We  see  very  strong  growth 
in  the  coming  five  years.  Within  the  company,  we  still 
think  of  Starbucks  as  being  quite  young." 

Too,  the  company's  international  trade  policies  are 
considered  progressive:  in  2003,  97  percent  of  its  coffee 
purchases  were  at  outright  prices,  versus  commodities 
market  prices.  "We  pay  $1.20  per  pound,  a  significant 
premium  over  commodity  prices  of  $.55  and  $.70  per 
pound,"  says  Gass.  "The  prices  we  pay  our  farmers 
help  them  maintain  sustainable  businesses,  and  we  have 
a  sustainable  supply  of  high-quality  coffee." 

As  for  how  other  coffeeshops  fare  against  such  an 
enormous  competitor,  industry  watchers  say  Starbucks 
doesn't  stifle  the  little  guys.  "We've  seen  huge  growth 
in  the  independent  coffeeshop  market,  even  with 
Starbucks'  growth,"  says  Matt  Milletto,  consulting 
director  of  the  Eugene,  Ore-based  Bellissimo  Coffee 
InfoGroup  Inc.,  which  provides  consulting  services  to 
independent  coffeehouses.  According  to  the  latest  esti- 
mates by  the  Specialty  Coffee  Association  of  America, 
more  than  half  of  the  18,000-plus  coffeeshops  across 
the  nation  are  independents. 

"We  make  the  idea  of  great  coffee  better  known 
generally,"  says  Gass.  "And  we  educate  the  public 
about  the  quality  and  experience  of  a  phenomenal 
cup  of  coffee." 

A  pot  of  gold 

"I  feel  very  proud  to  be  associated  with  Starbucks," 
says  Gass.  "If  I  didn't  feel  absolutely  impassioned 
about  my  work,  I  wouldn't  be  here." 

The  energy  and  passion  she  demonstrates  for 
her  employer  is  surpassed  only  by  her  celebration  of 
family.  "Scott  and  our  two  children  are  the  light  of 
my  life,"  Gass  says.  She  attends  all  of  5-year-old 
Megan's  school  plays  and  dance  recitals  and  enjoys 
plenty  of  playtime  with  toddler  Will.  "Starbucks  is 
very  supportive  of  my  family  life.  We're  all  thriving — 
my  family,  the  company,  it  all  fits  together  so  well. 
I  really  feel  this  job  has  been  my  destiny."  D 


28     Transformation)   |  Spring  200 


By  Rachel  Fau 


i  Conrado's  globally  active 
professional  and  personal 
life  meshed  well  with  WPIs 
Advanced  Distance  Learning 
Network  MBA  program. 


Jordi  Conrado  '04  typifies  today's  highly  mobile 
professional.  Over  the  past  five  years  he  has  changed  jobs  three 
times,  moved  twice,  and  traveled  throughout  the  United  States 
and  Europe.  What  may  not  be  typical,  however,  is  that  he  com- 
pleted a  top-drawer  MBA  program  at  the  same  time,  thanks  to 
WPFs  Advanced  Distance  Learning  Network  (ADLN). 

"I  was  looking  for  a  flexible  MBA  program  compatible 
with  my  travels,"  says  Conrado,  who  enrolled  in  1999  while 
living  in  Concord,  Mass.,  and  working  for  a  company  based  in 
San  Jose,  Calif.  He  returned  to  his  native  Barcelona  in  2001; 
two  years  later,  he  began  working  in  London  and  spending 
weekends  in  Spain.  Through  it  all,  he  progressed  in  his  courses 
as  smoothly  and  seamlessly  as  did  students  on  campus.  "One  of 
the  best  things  about  the  program  is  that  in-class  students  and 
ADLN  students  follow  the  same  program  and  maintain  the  same 
pace,"  he  says.  "This  forces  ADLN  students  to  keep  up  and  facil- 
itates a  free  exchange  among  in-class  and  ADLN  students." 

ADLN  offers  degree  and  certificate  programs  with  the 
same  courses,  content,  and  instructors  as  WPFs  on-campus  pro- 
grams, but  with  one  important  difference:  students  never  have 
to  be  on  campus.  They  can  earn  an  MBA  in  the  management 
of  technology,  an  M.S.  in  fire  protection  engineering,  or  an 
M.S.  in  civil  and  environmental  engineering;  or  they  can  enroll 
in  a  number  of  graduate  certificate  programs.  According  to 
Pamela  Shelley,  ADLN  assistant  director,  most  of  the  300  or 
so  students  are  working  professionals  and  part-time  students. 
"Many  people  mix  and  match,  taking  some  classes  on  campus 


and  others  online,"  she  says.  "This  flexibility  is  extremely 
important  for  busy  professionals." 

The  quality  of  the  program  is  just  as  important.  "There  is 
complete  parity  between  our  campus  courses  and  our  distance 
courses,"  says  Shelley.  "For  example,  students  in  our  distance 
courses  often  work  in  teams  on  group  projects.  They  share 
material  and  negotiate  issues  just  as  they  do  on  the  job.  Many 
students  say  that  in  the  workplace  they're  constandy  interacting 
on  projects  with  people  in  other  locations.  That's  how  the 
global  economy  is  today." 

Distance  learning  has  come  a  long  way  since  the  ADLN 
MBA  program  began  in  1979.  "Ours  is  the  second-oldest  dis- 
tance MBA  program  in  the  country,"  says  Norm  Wilkinson, 
director  of  graduate  management  programs.  "In  the  early  days 
we  used  site-based  video  conferencing.  We  would  videotape  the 
course  and  ship  it  to  other  sites;  the  professor  would  travel  to 
the  site  a  few  times  a  semester.  Then  the  program  evolved  into 
an  individual  videotape  format  where  we'd  send  tapes  to  students 
enrolled  in  the  course.  We  went  completely  online  in  2000." 

Conrado's  experience  gave  him  the  flexibility  to  earn  an 
advanced  degree  and  the  tools  for  functioning  in  today's 
more  globally  based  work  environment.  "I  have  colleagues 
in  Australia  and  places  around  Europe,"  he  says,  adding  that 
ADLN's  virtual  student  team  concept  of  sharing  material  and 
negotiating  issues  has  made  his  virtual  work  team  easy  to 
manage.  "Earning  my  degree  through  ADLN  prepared  me 
to  succeed  in  today's  global  workplace."  O 


Transformations    \   Spring  2005    29 


Serial  entrepreneur  Robert  Diamond  '56  combines  an  engineering  education 
with  marketing  savvy  to  create  technologically  innovative  consumer  gems. 

Your  World,  at  Your  Fingertips     ^  y 

By  Wendy  Wolfson     Photography  by  Patrick  O'Connor  \^ 


£       Bob  Diamond  is  in  your  home. 

r         First,  he  gave  you  Caller  ID.  Now  lie  lets  you 
watch  over  your  aging  parents  or  rambunc- 
tious kids  while  you're  at  work,  keep  a  virtual 
eye  on  your  vacation  home  in  Aspen,  and 
even  turn  up  the  heat  in  your  home  before  you  leave  the  office. 
His  Manhattan-based  company,  Xanboo — the  world's  lead- 
ing provider  of  Internet-enabled  devices — has  been  showered 
with  numerous  honors:  the  2001  and  2002  Consumer  Electronics 
Show's  prestigious  Innovations  Design  and  Engineering  Showcase 
Award,  the  2001  New  York  Technology  Fast  50  Shooting  Stat 
award,  Home  Automation  magazine's  Top  50  Editor's  Picks 
for  2001,  the  Most  Promising  Company  award  at  the  Energy 
Venture  Fair,  and  Electronic  House  magazine's  New  Product 
Ediror's  Pick,  to  name  a  few. 

Matthew  Growney,  a  venture  capitalist  at  Motorola,  and  a 
Xanboo  investor,  says  Diamond  can  sense  a  market  opportunity 
and  match  it  to  a  consumer-proven  technology.  "He's  a  serial 
entrepreneur  who  builds  the  value  chain  from  the  consumer's 
point  of  view,"  says  Growney.  "It's  a  very  smart  approach: 
instead  of  building  the  technology,  Bob  has  been  very 
pragmatic  at  building  value." 


Take,  for  example,  his  solution  for  monitoring  the  elderly. 
"There  was  a  study  done  at  Miami  University,  in  Ohio,  on  a  big 
problem:  elders  living  at  home,  with  the  focus  on  caregivers, 
who  are  very  often  their  grown  children,"  says  Diamond.  "Their 
burden  is  overwhelming."  Xanboo's  system — which  Diamond 
describes  as  "an  extension  of  the  baby  monitor  concept  that 
works  by  tracking  habits" — gives  caregivers  an  extra  set  of  eyes 
via  a  remotely  accessible,  always-on  "smart  home"  monitoring 
system.  The  in-home  wireless  sensors  (for  door  contact,  water, 
temperature,  and  motion),  controls  (for  power,  lighting,  and 
thermostat  control),  and  cameras  provide  alerts  on  such  things 
as  wandering  (sensed  as  "abnormal  traffic")  to  an  overflowing 
bathtub  or  an  appliance  that  has  been  left  on  unattended. 

Justin  Moor,  program  manager  in  the  Area  Office  of  Aging 
of  Northwestern  Ohio  Inc.,  researched  similar  products  on  the 
market  but  couldn't  find  anything  as  comprehensive  as  Xanboo's. 
"Sensors  and  video  cameras  in  homes  enable  caregivers  to  check 
on  their  parents,"  he  says.  "Even  if  they  are  not  monitoring 
the  system  24-7,  they  can  have  messages  sent  to  them 
via  phone  or  e-mail." 


Robert  Diamond  '56  has  evolved  from  his  pre-computer  days 
as  an  engineering  student  to  a  technological  wizard. 


3  0     Transformations   \  Spring  2005 


3  beginning,  Caller  ID 

was  looked  at  as  an  invasion  of 
privacy.  We  wrote  a  lot  of  papers 
advocating  the  'Peephole  Theory.' 
nebody  knocks  at  your  door, 
>ok  through  your  peephole 
-  (  who  it  is.  If  I  make  your 
fir:  :rthen  your  knowing  who 


From  schlepper  to  soaring  success 

Diamond's  career  path  was  forged  early  in  his  life  by  a  chance 
remark  made  by  his  older  brother. 

"I  grew  up  in  Worcester,  a  poor  kid  in  a  factory  town,"  says 
Diamond,  who  started  earning  money  at  the  age  of  eight  by 
shining  shoes  and  seemed  headed  for  a  career  as  a  laborer.  His 
brother,  on  the  other  hand,  was  in  college  and  viewed  as  the  fam- 
ily genius.  One  day  Diamond  came  home  tired  from  his  job  as  a 
baker's  apprentice.  His  brodier  told  him,  "You'd  better  get  used 
to  it;  you're  a  schlepper,"  using  the  Yiddish  word  for  laborer. 

Stung  by  the  remark,  Diamond  enrolled  at  Worcester 
Junior  College,  where  upon  graduation  he  was  urged  to  apply 
to  Harvard  and  MIT,  but  he  felt  WPI  was  the  best  choice.  He 
studied  for  his  electrical  engineering  degree  like  a  fiend,  he  says, 
while  working  part  time  in  a  bakery,  in  a  factory,  and  in  con- 
struction. He  graduated  second  in  his  class. 

He  landed  a  job  at  Philco  as  a  senior  engineer,  then 
worked  in  sales,  marketing,  business  development,  and  sales 
management  at  FXR,  a  microwave  equipment  manufacturer. 
When  a  company  executive  left  to  work  for  North  American 
Philips,  Diamond  followed,  and  became  director  of  marketing 
for  its  broadcast  TV  division. 

Entrepreneurship  comes  calling 

Through  his  sales  and  marketing  contacts,  Diamond  says  he 
became  "the  enabler,  finding  the  application,  fitting  the  tech- 
nology to  it."  He  started  Robert  Diamond  Inc.,  an  engineering 
consulting  and  manufacturer's  representative  firm.  As  middle- 
man, he  brought  the  Hughes  CMOS  chip  technology  to  Timex 
for  watches  and  to  Milton  Bradley  for  portable  game  technology, 
and  the  Fairchild  LED  technology  to  Monroe  to  make  an  early 
four-function  calculator.  "By  this  time,  I  wasn't  designing  any- 
thing anymore,"  Diamond  says.  "I  was  doing  more  business." 

In  the  early  1980s  his  firm  focused  on  telecommunications. 
With  one  of  his  clients,  he  won  a  contract  to  manufacture  the 
5000  Series  cordless  telephone  for  AT&T,  which  provided  the 
technology.  Diamond's  client  provided  the  factory  in  Singapore. 


The  connection  with  AT&T  and  Bell  Labs  took  Diamond 
in  a  new  direction.  With  his  Singapore  partner  and  an  invest- 
ment of  $50,000  each,  they  launched  a  Caller  ID  business, 
CIDCO  Inc.,  in  Morgan  Hill,  Calif.  They  developed  a  Caller  ID 
unit  (Diamond  holds  an  engineering  patent)  and  received  their 
first  production  order  from  Bell  Atlantic.  CIDCO  provided  the 
fulfillment  services  and  operated  a  400-person  call  center  where 
customers  could  order  the  service  through  a  toll-free  number. 

"In  the  beginning,  Caller  ID  was  looked  at  as  an  invasion 
of  privacy,"  he  recalls.  "We  launched  a  whole  campaign  saying 
that  you  have  a  right  to  know  who  the  caller  is.  We  wrote  a  lot 
of  papers  advocating  the  'Peephole  Theory'  If  somebody 
knocks  at  your  door,  you  can  look  through  your  peephole  and 
see  who  it  is.  If  I  make  your  phone  ring,  then  your  knowing 
who  I  am  is  not  invading  my  privacy.  If  I  call  you,  I'm  not 
allowed  to  be  anonymous."  CIDCO  landed  contracts  in  the 
United  States  with  Nynex,  Amerirech,  SBC,  and  all  the  regional 
Bell  companies,  and  internationally  with  Japanese  phone  com- 
pany NTT  and  Hong  Kong  Telecom. 

The  birth  of  Xanboo 

Diamond  then  took  CIDCO's  business  model — working  with  a 
large  service  provider  to  develop  services  to  offer  to  its  customer 
base — and  created  Xanboo  [simply  "a  unique  name,"  explains 
Diamond].  Founded  on  the  concept  of  allowing  users  to  con- 
trol, command,  and  view  their  home  or  business  remotely  over 
the  Internet,  Xanboo  designs  Internet-based  services  and  appli- 
cations for  both  the  consumer  and  business  markets.  Its  business 
partners  include  Motorola,  which  markets  the  Home  Monitoring 
and  Control  System.  Xanboo  is  currently  working  with  Living 
Independently  on  a  motion-sensor-based  system  for  the  elderly 
that  uses  less  intrusive  monitoring  than  die  system  used  in  Ohio. 

"My  belief  is  that  you  just  need  to  get  OUI  there  into  the 
mainstream,"  says  Diamond.  "Things  will  find  you,  and  you 
will  find  things.  I'.ui  oi  success  is  having  vision;  much  of  it  is 
jumping  on  opportunities."  D 


32     Transformation!   |  Spring  JOl)1, 


(Continued  from  page  3) 

perfect  the  method  of  coating  magnetic  disks. 

I  understand  WPI's  George  C.  Gordon  Library  will  host  an 
exhibit  of  our  father's  work  in  2006.  Were  he  alive  today,  I  know  he 
would  be  pleased  to  have  his  work  on  display  at  his  alma  mater.  On 
his  behalf,  I  and  my  brother  and  sisters  extend  our  warmest  thanks  to 
curator  Rodney  Obien  for  this  honor. 

Eva  Hagopian  Long 

Eugene,  Ore. 


A  letter  from  Ecuador 

■v-V        ^P^^Sj     '  ^  ''^e  t0  f°now  UP  on  ,m  profit  chat 
m^^^^      ■     appeared  in  the  Summer  2004  issue  of 
^k    ^^^^^^^^  Transformations  ["...and  life"].  I  have 

J^S^fe?"  spent  the  past  five  months  enjoying  the 

BLJe^^  Amazonian  jungle,  visiting  a  rainforest- 

dwelling  communiry,  meeting  highly  respected  shamans,  learning 
about  medicinal  plants,  soaking  in  the  hot  springs  of  Papallacta, 
admiring  the  work  of  Otavalo  arrisans,  and  being  tossed  like  a  fish 
by  the  powerful  waves  of  the  Pacific.  I've  also  been  treated  to  full 
tuition,  living  expenses,  medical  insurance,  language  training,  and 
airfare  to  Ecuador — Rotary  Internarional  has  been  phenomenally 
generous  in  giving  me  an  Ambassadorial  Scholarship,  which  has 
covered  the  adventures  listed  above  . . .  and  will  cover  five  more 
months  of  paradise.  By  the  time  my  scholarship  ends,  I  will  have 


lived  in  Ecuador  from  August  2004  to  May  2005. 

During  the  spring  semester,  I  hope  to  collect  oral  histories  from 
four  impoverished  Andean  communities.  I  also  plan  to  collaborate 
with  professors  from  WPI  and  the  Universidad  San  Francisco  de 
Quito  to  assess  potential  student  projects  involving  clean  drinking 
water  and  irrigation  systems.  Harnessing  wind  power  may  provide 
the  energy  necessary  to  pump  water  from  a  river  running  between 
two  Andean  peaks.  This  would  drastically  improve  the  villagers' 
quality  of  life  as  well  as  childhood  nutririon.  Grants  from  the  United 
States  government  via  the  Inter-American  Foundation  may  cover 
funding  and  building  materials,  and  I  would  love  to  hear  from 
alumni  and  students  with  experience  and/or  interest  in  this  area. 

Karen  Kosinski  02  (BT) 

Lumbisi,  Ecuador 


Editor's  note:  For  more  information  about  fellowships  and  scholar- 
ships, go  to  www.wpi.edu/+FS.  Learn  more  about  WPI's  Global 
Project  Centers  at  www.wpi.edu/+IGSD. 

Correction 

The  "Hot  Gear"  pictures  in  the  Winter  2004  issue  of  Transformations 
("Investigations")  were  taken  by  Jason  Kramarczyk  '04  and  Melissa 
Barter  '04,  David  Hartman  '04,  Jonathan  Martin  '04,  Marc  Moseley 
'04,  and  Aaron  Vanney  '04. 


Which  university  offers  the 

only  MBA  east  of  the  Rockies  that 
ranked  in  the  Top  10  in  both  Career 
Prospects  and  Opportunities  for 
Women?     YoiirS. 

We  know  that  when  choosing  an  MBA  program,  nothing  matters 
more  than  the  doors  it  opens  for  you.  The  MBA  at  WPI  launches 
more  rewarding  careers  and  provides  greater  opportunities  to  move  into 
desirable  career  paths  that  will  inspire  and  challenge  you  for  a  lifetime. 

Know  where  you  want  to  go?  Choose  the  MBA  that  will  get  you  there. 


AACSB-International  Accredited 

Princeton  Review:  #2  in  U.S.,  Greatest  Opportunities 
for  Women;  #9,  Best  Career  Prospecrs 

Justness  2.0:  #9  in  U.S.,  Where  Your  Career  Prospecrs 
Are  Brightest 

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Best  Online  MBA  Programs 


For  more  information 

508-831-5218 

vnww.mgt.wpi.edu 


Transformations    \   Spring  2005    33 


ss  Notes 


Slaying  Connected  with  Old  Friends 

Material  for  Class  Notes  comes  from  newspaper  and  magazine  clippings,  press  releases, 
and  information  supplied  by  alumni.  Due  to  production  schedule,  some  notes  may  be  out  of 
date  at  publication,  but  may  be  updated  in  future  issues.  Please  allow  up  to  6  months  for 
your  news  to  appear  in  print.  Submit  your  Class  Note  at  www.wpi.edu/+Transformations 
or  alumni-editor@wpi.edu.  You  may  fax  it  to  508-831-5604,  or  mail  it  to  Alumni  Editor, 
Transformations,  WPI,  100  Institute  Road,  Worcester,  MA  01609-2280. 


1930s 

4  Jack  Brand  '36  and  his  wife,  Dot,  attended 
the  first-ever  operation-wide  Manhattan 
Project  Reunion  &  Symposium,  held  in 
June  2004  in  Elmira,  N.Y.  Jack's  address,  at 
the  National  Warplane  Museum,  included 

■    reflections  on  his  contributing  work  at  the 
University  of  Chicago,  and  his  role  as  super- 
intendent of  instruments  at  Clinton  Lab- 
oratories in  Oak  Ridge,  Tenn.  Jack  and  Dot 
celebrated  their  65th  wedding  anniversary  in 
July  2004.  They  live  in  Hockessin,  Del. 


Class  Notes 


1940s 


Trustee  Emeritus  A  had  cause  to 

celebrate  after  receiving  a  duplicate  of  his 
1973  Herbert  F.  Taylor  Alumni  Award  for 
Distinguished  Service.  The  original  plaque 
was  destroyed  by  a  1999  fire  in  his 
Schenectady,  N.Y.,  home.  Although  he  was 
displaced  for  months  while  the  house  was 
repaired,  Al  kepi  up  his  with  his  duties  as 
class  correspondent.  (This  photo  of  Al  and 
his  wife,  Phyllis,  was  taken  at  the  Mohawk 
Golf  Club,  where  Al  is  a  senior  member.) 


Howard  Freeman  '40  celebrated  the  50th 
anniversary  of  Jamesbury  Corp.  last  summer. 
A  retrospective  in  the  Telegram  &  Gazette 
lauded  him  as  a  forward-thinking  entrepre- 
neur and  a  hands-on  leader.  Now  in  retire- 
ment, he  still  spends  time  on  site,  sharing 
history  with  the  new  owners  from  Metso 
Corp. 

Ralph  Smith  '43  writes  from  Kennebunk, 
Maine,  where  he  stays  active  in  town  affairs. 
"Among  other  things,  the  selectmen  have 
just  appointed  me  to  another  three-year  term 
on  the  Site  Plan  Review  Board,  which  meets 
once  a  month  to  review  and  approve  all 
plans  for  commercial  and  industrial  develop- 
ment for  conformance  with  the  zoning 
ordinances  before  they  can  go  forward. 
Reviewing  all  this  data  and  drawings  keeps 
my  engineering  skills  honed." 

"Still  skiing,"  writes  Burton  Wright  '43, 
who  reports  that  he  races  once  or  twice  a 
year  and  always  places  first  or  second  in  the 
70+  age  category. 


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1950s 


Richard  Amidon  '50  is  back  in  the  New 
Hampshire  House  of  Representatives,  serv- 
ing as  chief  of  staff  for  House  Speaker  Doug 
Scamman,  who  was  elected  in  2004.  Amidon 
was  Scamman's  chief  of  staff  during  his  pre- 
vious term  as  speaker,  1986-90.  From  1997 
to  1999,  Amidon  held  the  post  of  director  of 
legislative  services. 

John  Burke  '52  writes  from  Deer  Park, 
N.Y.,  where  he  is  retired  from  teaching  elec- 
tronics courses  in  the  BOCES  vocational 
program.  His  wife,  Florence,  passed  away  in 
March  2004.  He  has  six  grandchildren. 
Howard  Dworkin  '55  is  a  nuclear  medicine 
physician  at  William  Beaumont  Hospital 
and  an  adjunct  professor  of  radiology  at  the 
University  of  Michigan.  A  past  president  of 
the  Society  for  Nuclear  Medicine,  he  has 
worked  to  advance  continuing  education 
and  certification  in  his  specialty. 
Ted  Coghlin  '56  was  honored  with  the 
2004  Isaiah  Thomas  Award,  given  by  rhe 
Telegram  &  Gazette's  Visions  2000  program, 
in  recognition  of  "a  lifetime  of  unselfish 
service  to  the  Worcester  community."  The 
newspaper  recounted  his  many  contributions 
to  local  causes  and  noted  that  Ted  has  con- 
tinued the  legacy  of  helping  that  was 
established  by  his  father  and  grandfather. 
Coghlin  was  presented  with  .i  replica  of 
Thomas's  famous  printing  press  .it  the  Feb. 

14,  2005i  awards  ceremony  in  Mechanics 

Hall. 

Jasper  Frccse  '58  lives  in  Greeley,  Colo., 
where  he  is  ,i  professional  engineer  and  land 
surveyor.  I  le  returned  to  New  England  last 

summer  to  celebrate  his  5()ih  reunion  al 
Norwalk  High  School  in  Connecticut. 


34     Transformations    \  Spring  200S 


Reunion  Weekend:  June  10-12,  2005 


Stanley  Sokoloff  '59  received  the  2004 
Outstanding  Alumni  Achievement  Award 
from  Suffolk  Law  School. 


1960s 


James  Forand  '62  is  CEO  of  Electroplating 
Technologies  Ltd.  in  Philadelphia.  The  com- 
pany received  its  12th  patent  in  November 
2004,  for  a  new  continuous-strip  process 
that  removes  surface  bubbles  from  the  elec- 
trolytic bath  and  replaces  depleted  solution 
with  fresh  reagents. 

David  Smith  '62  is  retired  from  a  civil  engi- 
neering career  that  included  15  years  in 
Indonesia,  as  well  as  stints  in  Papua  New 
Guinea  and  Australia.  He  returned  to  his 
birthplace,  Manchester,  Conn.,  where  he  is 
active  in  the  historical  society. 

Andrew  Terwilleger  '62  writes,  "After  28 
years  with  the  merged  city/county  govern- 
ment in  Lexington,  Ky,  I  retired  as  traffic 
engineering  manager.  Besides  continuing 
with  church  work  and  some  engineering 
consulting,  I  plan  to  be  more  active  with 
Kiwanis,  Habitat  for  Humanity,  and  other 
volunteer  groups." 

William  Savola  '63  joined  the  physics 
faculty  of  Springfield  (Mass.)  Technical 
Community  College  as  an  assistant  professor. 

Howard  Sachs  '65  is  chair  of  environmental 
programs  at  Penn  State  in  Harrisburg,  Pa. 

David  Johnson  '69  retired  from  Lucent 
Technologies  in  2000  and  now  teaches  busi- 
ness classes  at  a  local  community  college. 
"Living  in  the  Beaufort-Hilton  Head  area  of 
South  Carolina  provides  great  opportunities 
for  golf  and  water  sports,"  he  writes. 

Ed  Mierzejewski  '69  is  director  of  the 
Center  for  Urban  Transportation  Research  at 
the  University  of  South  Florida.  He  was 
recently  elected  to  the  International  Board  of 
Directors  of  the  Institute  of  Transportation 
Engineers.  "Still  happily  married  (34  years) 
to  Aline,"  he  writes,  "and  actively  involved 
in  marriage  preparation  ministry." 


1970s 


James  Abraham  '71  joined  Stifel,  Nicolaus 
&  Co.  as  a  vice  president  in  the  Chicago 
office,  after  1 2  years  with  UBS  Financial 
Services. 

Herbert  Hedberg  '73  is  senior  vice  presi- 
dent of  operations  at  Cetek  Co.  The  work  of 
his  division  makes  it  possible  to  increase  the 
efficiency  of  discovering  new  pharmaceutical 
compounds  by  applying  automation,  infor- 
matics, and  production  paradigms  to  the 


Where   in  the  WoHd.    There  is  no  railroad  bridge  from  New  England  to 
Worcester,  England,  but  Vinay  Mudholkar  '70  (M.S.CE)  built  a  career  that  took  him  from 
WPI  to  the  U.K.,  where  he  recently  worked  on  the  London-Glasgow  line.  He's  spent  the 
last  30  years  crisscrossing  the  globe,  modernizing  railway  structures  built  at  the  turn  of  the 
19th  century,  and  paving  the  way  for  high-speed  rail  travel  in  the  21st.  Vinay  got  on  board 
with  the  Boston  &  Maine  Railroad  in  the  1970s  as  a  structural  engineer,  and  has  arrived  as 
Amtrak's  director  of  construction. 

Send  us  a  picture  and  tell  us  where  you've  shown  your  WPI  letters  lately. 


process.  He  has  continued  his  association 
with  WPI  by  offering  internships  within  his 
division,  and  he  is  exploring  opportunities 
for  further  collaboration.  In  October  2004 
he  attended  the  World-Changing 
Technologies  seminar  held  at  Higgins 
House. 

Ken  Lexier  '73  and  his  wife,  Sue  Ellen,  live 
in  the  wilds  of  Maine,  where  Ken  has  been 
practicing  law  at  a  small  firm  in  Skowhegan 

for  13  years.  They  have  two  sons Stephen, 

26,  and  Christopher,  28,  who  was  recently 
married  in  Rhode  Island.  "We  are  hoping  to 
be  grandparents,"  they  write.  "We  would 
love  to  hear  from  classmates  at 
klexier@mainelegal.net." 

Rand  Refrigeri  '73  is  the  new  chief  fire  pro- 
tection engineer  for  Richard  D.  Kimball,  an 
Andover,  Mass.,  engineering  firm  providing 
HVAC,  electrical,  plumbing,  and  FPE  serv- 
ices. 

Davis  Balestracci  '74  relocated  to  Portland, 
Maine,  after  20  years  in  Minnesota  and 
Phoenix.  An  independent  consultant  in  sta- 
tistical quality  improvement  (see 
www.dbharmony.com),  he  has  chaired  the 
Statistics  Division  of  the  American  Society 
for  Quality  and  now  writes  a  monthly  col- 
umn for  Qtiality  Digest.  Combining  his  "day 
job"  with  a  growing  interest  in  the  psycholo- 


gy of  organization  and  change  management, 
he  has  been  involved  in  government  efforts 
to  improve  health  care  systems  in  the  United 
Kingdom.  "I  am  single  again,"  he  writes, 
"and  looking  forward  to  four  seasons.  The 
past  two  years  of  1 15-degree  summers  in 
Phoenix  nearly  did  me  in!" 

David  Korzec  '74  recently  became  a  project 
manager  for  the  University  of  California 
Medical  Center's  Office  of  Design  and 
Construction.  He  will  be  managing  major 
capital  infrastructure  improvements  to 
Medical  Center  campuses  throughout  San 
Francisco. 

John  Mathews  '74  earned  a  master's  in  pub- 
lic administration  last  year  at  the  Center  for 
Public  Policy  and  Administration  at  UMass 
Amhersr,  while  working  full  time  managing 
design  and  construction  of  the  university's 
new  $97  million  combined  heating  and 
power  plant.  He  has  published  articles  on 
sustainable  energy  policy  and  market  econo- 
mics. His  Web  site  is  LowCarbonEnergy.org. 

Leo  Letendre  '75  received  the  Ransom  J. 
Arthur  award,  which  is  U.S.  Masters  Swim- 
ming's highest  honor  for  service.  In  his  20 
years  with  the  organization  he  has  served  on 
the  board  of  directors  and  the  Rules  Com- 
mittee, and  has  organized  local  programs  in 
the  St.  Louis  area.  Letendre  recently  relocated 


Transformations    \   Spring  2005     35 


Public  Eye 


nr  f~\    S~*\  ...  Bill  Rabinovitch  '58  appeared  on 

0  to  address  the  artistic  controversy  over 
Christo's  "Gates"  exhibit  in  Central  Park,  with 
"Give  Me  a  Break"  commentator  John  Stossel 
posing  the  question  "Is  it  Art?  Or  Not?"  ...  Fred 
Molinari  '63  was  interviewed  in  Test  and  Measure  on  the  success  of 

his  company,  Data  Translation  ...  The  Smithsonian's  Air  & 
featured  an  update  on  Jim  Dunn  '67's  fuel  cell  airplane  ...  The  Worcester 

reported  on  the  rebirth  of  Kennedy  Die  Castings  as  Thermalcast  LLC,  where 
former  owner  and  president  Paul  Kennedy  '67  remains  as  an  employee.  The  company 
was  founded  in  1948  by  his  father,  the  late  Francis  Kennedy  '30  ...  The  J. 
was  nominated  for  the  Rock  and  Fame.  The  Boston 

portrayed  Jay  Geils  '70  living  quietly  in  Groton,  Mass.,  and  performing  with  Blues  Time 
and  the  New  Guitar  Summit.  Geils,  who  attended  WPI  with  former  band  members  Magic 
Dick  and  Danny  Klein,  told  the  Globe,  "Engineering  just  didn't  work  out  for  us."...  In  the 
wake  of  the  Indian  Ocean  tsunami,  Chortsiri  Sophonpanich  '80,  president  of  the  Bangkok 
Bank  and  Thai  Bankers'  Association  president,  was  quoted  in  Tl  .:   and  a  number 

of  area  newspapers,  offering  extensions  on  debt  payments  to  customers  affected  by  the 
disaster  ...  Don  Montgomery  '83,  director  of  service  marketing  for  Unisys  Corp.,  was  the 
subject  of  a  cover  story  and  executive  interview  in  DM  E  :    magazine  ...  Barry 

Fougere  '86,  CEO  of  Colubris  Networks,  was  profiled  in  Mass  High  Ti  eh's  "Movers 
&  Innovators"  column  ...  Mitch  Sanders  '88,  president  of  ECI  Biotech,  was  honored  with 
the  Boston  Museum  of  Science  TechCitizenship  Award,  which  recognizes  the 
philanthropic  efforts  of  area  companies  that  give  back  to  the  community  ...A  photo  of  Air 
Force  pilot  Stacey  (Cotton)  Bonasso  '90  was  part  of  an  exhibit  called  "Leaders  in  Peace  & 
War"  at  the  Attleboro,  Mass.,  Women  at  Work  Museum,  in  the  section  devoted  to 
aviation  and  the  armed  forces  ...  Tl  featured  Maria  Cotoia  '93  to 

illustrate  an  article  on  increased  consumer  demand  for  auto  safety  features.  She  and  her 
two  children,  Anthony,  4,  and  David,  22  months,  were  pictured  strapped  into  their  2005 
Honda  Odyssey  ...  The  rer  (Mass.)  H  ran  a  story  about  Sundar 

Victor  '93,  who  was  visiting  his  mother  in  India  when  the  tsunami  struck,  sparing  their 
hometown,  but  devastating  other  areas.  Victor  is  now  back  in  Massachusetts,  where  he 
works  as  a  computer  specialist  with  Verizon  ...  Eric  Tapley  '01,  owner  of  3000K  Inc.  in 
Worcester  was  quoted  in  a  Telegram  &  Gazette  article  on  the  difficulty  of  finding 
qualified  full-service  Web  designers  ...  Dragonfly  Game  Design,  founded  by  2004 
graduates  Michael  Gesner  and  Michael  Melson,  was  a  finalist  in  The  Bit 

»n,  which  is  also  known  as  the  BAWLS 
competition.  Their  entry,  Q'Bicles,  is  scheduled  for  release  this  year,  and  a  demo  of  the 
game  will  be  available  atwww.qbicles.com. 


to  the  Kalamazoo,  Mich.,  area.  After  gradu- 
ating from  WPI,  he  was  named  an  NCAA 
postgraduate  scholar. 

Joe  Williams  '77  remains  at  Ford  Motor 
Co.  as  a  program  management  supervisor  for 
the  new  2006  Fusion.  He  remarried  last  year 
and  writes,  "I  am  having  fun  getting  to 
know  my  new  family,  and  traveling  to  car 
shows  all  over  the  country  showing  my  two 
matching  classic  Mustangs.  Life  is  good,  and 
I  hope  you  all  are  doing  well!" 


Gary  Wnek  '77  was  appointed  co-director 
of  The  Institute  for  the  Integration  of 
Management  and  Engineering  (TIIME)  at 
Case  Western  Reserve  University.  He  is  the 
founder  of  two  companies,  and  the  former 
chairman  of  the  chemical  engineering  pro- 
gram at  Virginia  Commonwealth  University. 

Steve  Pace  '78  is  senior  vice  president  and 
principal  ot  Commercial  Property  Services 
in  Santa  Clara,  Calif.  He  was  profiled  as  a 
"winner"  in  the  real  estate  world  bv  the 
Silicon  Valley/San  Jose  Business  Journal.  As 


CPS's  top  producer  for  2003,  Steve  leased 
18.5  million  square  feet  and  sold  another 
10.5  million,  with  $1.5  billion  in  transac- 
tional value. 

James  Shuris  '78  (M.S.,  CE/MB)  is  the  new 
town  engineet  for  Concord,  Mass. 

Charles  Berger  '79  is  town  engineer  for 
Watertown,  Mass. 

Dean  Bogues  '79  joined  Valence  Technol- 
ogy in  Austin,  Texas,  as  vice  president  of 
sales  and  marketing. 


1981 


Stephen  Fontes  is  a  senior  software  engineer 
in  IBM's  WebSphere  Application  Server 
Development  Group. 


1982 


Kevin  Brownlie  works  for  Hologic  Inc.  in 
Bedford,  Mass.  He  and  his  wife,  Kristyne, 
live  in  Waltham. 

Matt  Flynn  was  named  vice  president  and 
CEO  of  St.  Joseph  Healthcare  in  Bangor, 
Maine. 

Remit  k  French  joined  Oracle  Corp.'s 
Applications  Group.  He  and  his  wife, 
Marianne,  have  two  children,  John,  12,  and 
Meredith,  9. 

Benjamin  Hutchins  is  a  columnist  for  the 
Katahdin  Times  in  Millinocket,  Maine. 
After  spending  a  weekend  in  Worcester  last 
summer  for  a  newspaper  seminar  given  by 
the  Telegram  &  Gazette,  he  wrote  about 
classmate  Derek  Bacon  and  his  Web  memo- 
rial, "Parade  of  Shoes"  (www.eyrie.net/derek). 
The  site  has  links  to  a  number  of  other  pages 
dedicated  to  Bacon,  who  died  in  1996. 

John  Kemp  and  Mary  Houten-Kemp  '81 

live  in  Irvine,  Calif,  with  their  two  children, 
Meghan  and  Michael.  Mary  is  a  commercial 
real  estate  appraiser  for  Continental  Realty 
Advisors.  John  is  president  of  HydroAir,  a 
division  of  ITT  Industries  that  manufactures 
and  sells  jet  and  pump  systems  for  whirl- 
pools and  spas  throughout  the  world. 

Mike  Kirschner  is  president  of  Design 
Chain  Assoc. 


1983 


Mark  Boivin  was  appointed  president 
and  CEO  ofDanChem  Technologies  in 
Danville,  Va.  He  moved  there  in  2003  with 
his  wife,  Fern  (Amuan)  and  their  three 
teenagers,  Brittany.  Tony,  and  Joey. 


36     Transformations    \  Spring  2005 


Reunion  Weekend:  June   10-12,  2005 


1984 


John  Bibinski  and  his  wife,  Kathryn,  are 
proud  to  announce  the  birth  of  Melissa 
Joanne  on  Aug.  19,  2004.  She  joins  her  sis- 
ters, Christina  and  Diana.  The  family  is 
enjoying  their  sixth  year  in  Marlborough, 
Mass. 

After  years  of  working  on  major  projects, 
Jean  Salek  Camp  has  opened  her  own  con- 
sulting business,  specializing  in  project  engi- 
neering and  construction  management.  She 
and  her  husband,  David,  celebrate  20  years 
of  marriage  this  year  and  continue  to  enjoy 
living  in  paradise  on  Kauai,  Hawaii. 

Daniel  Farrar,  a 

former  GE  division 
president,  became 
a  partner  in  the 
Cleveland-based 
buyout  group  of 
Morgenthaler,  a 
middle-market 
private-equity  and 
venture  capital  firm. 

Amine  Khechfe  lives  in  Silicon  Valley  with 
his  wife  and  two  young  boys.  He  co-founded 
PSI  Systems  Inc.  with  a  former  grad  school 
professor  from  Stanford.  "Our  newest  divi- 
sion, Endicia,  is  growing  rapidly,  which  is 
fun,"  he  writes. 

Marie  McClintock  is  helping  minister  to 
homeless  children  in  an  orphanage  on  the 
outskirts  of  Khartoum,  the  capital  of  Sudan. 
She  has  spent  many  years  working  on  con- 
struction projects  in  impoverished  areas  of 
Africa  and  translating  bibles  into  minor 
Arabic  dialects. 

Michael  Ortolano  is  vice  president  of 
Absolute  Machinery  Corp.  in  Worcester. 

Maj.  Paul  Thurston  retired  from  the  Air 
Force  with  20  years  of  service.  He  and  his 
family  live  in  Greenwich,  Conn.,  where  he  is 
pursing  a  new  career  as  a  business  consultant. 


1985 


After  21  years  at  the  EcoTarium  (formerly 
New  England  Science  Center),  Jesse 
Anderson  has  accepted  the  position  of  direc- 
tor of  audio-visual  services  for  Holy  Cross 
college  in  Worcester. 

Chris  Cavigioli  got  married  last  summer  to 
Carrie,  "a  wonderful  woman  who  hails  from 
Singapore,"  he  writes.  They  met  in  Beijing 
at  a  Bible  study  group.  Chris  is  director  of 
product  marketing  for  NemeriX,  a  fabless 
semiconductor  company  based  in  Switzer- 
land and  Cambridge,  U.K.  (Chris  is  based  in 


Silicon  Valley.)  NemeriX  makes  low-power 
GPS  chipsets  and  recently  developed  a  new 
chipset  for  wireless  devices  that  works  deep 
indoors. 


1986 


Mike  Maguire  celebrated  1 1  years  at  SAP 
America,  where  he  is  vice  president,  business 
development,  for  the  Supply  Chain  Solutions 
Division.  He  is  very  busy  with  his  two 
daughters,  Kelly,  8,  and  Allyson,  5,  and  is 
active  in  the  Mansfield,  Mass.,  special  educa- 
tion program. 


1988 


Lisa  AJpers  married  Robert  Manning  on 
April  27,  2004,  in  Portland,  Maine.  They 
live  in  Chestetfield,  Ohio. 

Scott  Sarazen  left  his  post  as  senior  vice 
president,  life  sciences,  for  MassDevelop- 
ment,  to  join  Straumann  Holding  AG, 
a  Swiss  medical  device  maker.  Last  year 
Sarazen  was  named  one  of  Boston  Business 
Journals  Top  40  under  40. 

Charlie  Wilder  joined  Monadnock  Devel- 
opmental Services  as  IT  manager.  He  also 
teaches  computer  science  at  Keene  State 
College. 


1989 


Jeffrey  Goldmeer  and  his  wife,  Sandra,  are 
proud  to  announce  the  birth  of  their  third 
child,  Amitai  Hillel.  Brothers  Ezra  and 
Ethan  are  very  excited  about  the  latest  addi- 
tion to  the  family. 

Fran  Hoey  was  promoted  to  senior  vice 
president  at  Tighe  &  Bond.  He  has  been 
with  the  firm  since  1992  and  was  instru- 
mental in  its  entry  into  the  GIS  market. 
Fran  and  his  wife,  Beth,  live  in  Holyoke, 
Mass.,  with  their  children,  Conor,  Frank  and 
Lindsay. 

Chuck  Johnson  (M.S.  EE)  was  promoted  to 
vice  president,  development  engineeting,  at 
Candela  Corp,  where  he  has  worked  for 
more  than  17  years. 

Michael  Masuck  married  Kim  Childress  on 
Oct.  10,  2004,  in  Laguna  Beach,  Calif.  He 
works  for  Foundry  Networks  and  lives  in 
Irvine. 


1990 


Navy  Lt.  Cmdr.  Albert  Mousseau  received 
his  third  Navy  and  Marine  Corps  Commen- 
dation Medal  for  his  leadership  in  the  devel- 
opment of  the  Advanced  Anti-Radiation 


Guided  Missile  and  the  Quick  Bolt  Advanced 
Technology  Demonstration  missile  test.  He 
is  assigned  to  Air  Test  and  Evaluation 
Squadron  3 1 ,  based  in  China  Lake,  Calif. 

Brian  Weissman  has  a  new  job  as  senior 
software  QA  engineer  at  Cymer  Inc.  in  San 
Diego,  developing  automated  tests  for  con- 
trol systems.  "The  family  survived  the 
move,"  he  writes,  "and  we  are  now  residing 
in  Escondido." 

Maj.  Rory  Welch  recendy  returned  from 
a  four-month  deployment  to  Baghdad, 
where  he  served  as  a  strategist  on  the  Multi- 
National  Force-Iraq  headquarters  staff.  He  is 
currently  assigned  to  the  Plans  Division  at 
Headquarters,  Air  Force  Space  Command,  in 
Colorado  Springs. 

New&JW 

Who:      Stephen  Phillips  '62 

What:      Royal  Heath  United 

Where:   Norwood,  Mass. 

Why:       Dedicated  to  bringing  you  the  freshest, 
most  nutritious  all-natural  health  prod- 
ucts, including  royal  jelly,  bee  propolis, 
and  bee  pollen,  harvested  locally  and 
produced  without  heat  or  dehydration. 

Web:       RoyalHealthUnited.com 

Who:      Matthew  Patron  '88 

What:     Chips  Electronic  Cafe 

Where:  Chelmsford,  Mass. 

Why:      The  latest  electronic  technologies  and 
know-how,  mixed  with  great  food  and 
drinks,  in  a  comfortable  relaxed 
environment. 

Web:       chipsecafe.com 

Who:      Nilufer  Soucek  '98 

Two  Doves  Wedding  Consulting 

Where:  Denver,  Colo. 

Why:       "I've  always  loved  the  beauty  and 
romance  of  weddings.  I  don't  think 
there  is  anything  more  wonderful  than 
helping  two  people  plan  the  beginning 
of  their  life  together." 

Web:      two-doves.com 

Who:  Garrett  Banuk  '01 

What:  The  Qwerty  (high-tech  gaming  center) 

Where:  Weymouth,  Mass. 

Why:  "Friends  don't  let  friends  game  alone." 

Web:  theqwerty.com 


Transformations    \   Spring  2005    37 


Bookshelf 


Recent  and  new  publications  by  WPI 
alumni,  faculty,  and  staff 

Building  Fire  Performance  Analysis 

by  Robert  W.  Fitzgerald  '53,  John  Wiley  &  Sons,  Ltd. 

Robert  Fitzgerald,  professor  of  civil  and 
environmental  engineering  in  WPI's  Center  for 
Firesafety  Studies,  bases  this  comprehensive 
analysis  of  building  fire  performance  on 
contemporary  fire  knowledge  and  experience, 
focusing  on  the  functions  of  fire  and  fire 
defenses  to  understand  how  a  building  will 
behave  during  a  fire.  The  515-page  book  is 
geared  to  fire  safety  practitioners  making  day- 
to-day  risk-informed  decisions,  including 
building  code  officials,  fire  service  officers,  fire  safety  engineers,  the 
fire  equipment  industry,  insurance  inspectors  and  underwriters, 
architects,  and  facility  risk  managers. 

Performance-Based  Building  Design  Concepts 

by  Brian  J.  Meacham  '84  (editor),  International  Code  Council 

Ar^r^~^2/k^m    The  2001  publication  of  the  International 

Code  Council's  (ICC)  Performance  Code  for 
Buildings  and  Facilities  ushered  in  a  new  era 

45£|g2^^S^s^2    °^  building  regulations  in  the  United  States. 
Meacham's  publication  is  designed  as  a 
companion  to  the  2001  book,  geared  to 
building  design  and  performance  professionals 
who  want  to  learn  more  about  performance, 
how  to  apply  performance  concepts 
appropriately,  and  what  to  look  for  in  the  review  of  designs  that 
have  been  developed  using  the  ICC  PC.  He  is  a  principal  risk  and 
fire  consultant  with  Arup,  in  its  Westborough,  Mass.,  office,  and  is 
also  an  adjunct  FPE  professor.  David  Lucht,  former  director  of  WPI's 
Fire  Protection  Engineering  program,  penned  the  introduction. 


ft 


GLOWING 
GENES 


Glowing  Genes:  A  Revolution  in  Biotechnology 

by  Marc  Zimmer  '88  (Ph.D.),  Prometheus  Books 

The  genes  that  produce 
bioluminescence  in  jellyfish,  coral,  and 

§*  I   other  organisms,  are  shedding  new 

v  I    light  on  a  wide  variety  of  scientific 

'  ■  '    problems,  from  cancer  to  bioterrorism. 

Connecticut  College  professor  Marc 
Zimmer  has  written  the  first  popular 
science  book  on  the  emerging  field  of 
bioluminescence.  He  describes  these 
genes  as  "the  microscopes  of  the  new 
millennium,"  because  they  hold  the 
potential  for  advances  in  medicine, 
manufacturing,  and  agriculture.  The 

book's  spectacular  color  plates  show  a  sampling  of  the  transgenic 

organisms  that  have  been  produced. 

Dominica:  Land  of  Water 

by  Jonathan  Bird  '90,  Jonathan  Bird  Photography 

"It  has  been  said  that  if  Christopher 
Columbus  could  explore  the 
Caribbean  again  today,  Dominica  is 
the  only  island  he  would  still 
recognize,"  writes  photographer 
Jonathan  Bird.  His  newest  book 
depicts  the  island  of  Dominica  (not 
to  be  confused  with  the  Dominican 
Republic),  revealing  a  tropical 
paradise  unspoiled  by  sugar  cane 
plantations  or  by  casinos,  malls  and  resorts.  The  96-page  soft  cover 
book  includes  90  images,  from  towering  mountain  waterfalls  to  a 
volcanically  heated  boiling  lake,  printed  on  art-grade  glossy  paper. 

7b  have  your  recently  published  book  featured  in  this  column, 
please  send  a  copy  (prepublication  proofs  are  acceptable)  to  Editor, 
Transformations,  WPI,  100  Institute  Road,  Worcester,  Mass.  01609. 


Jeffrey  Yoder  moved  to  North  Carolina  last 
fall  with  his  wife,  Nanette,  and  daughter, 
Hannah  (now  almost  4).  Jeff  and  Nanette 
started  new  faculty  positions  at  North 
Carolina  State  University,  where  they  will 
continue  their  research  programs  (visit 
www4.ncsu.edu/-jayoder)  and  be  involved 
in  the  teaching  and  training  of  graduate  and 
vererinary  students.  The  family  welcomed  a 
new  baby  girl,  Ella  Berit,  on  Jan.  25,  2005. 
"We  are  all  well  and  enjoying  the  cooler 
weather  (as  compared  to  Florida)  in  North 
Carolina,"  he  writes. 


1991 


Amber  (Chorna)  Hcrrick  and  her  husband, 

An.lv.  welcomed  their  son,  Kenai  Charles, 


into  the  world  on  June  29,  2004.  "He  is  a 
very  happy  baby,  and  I  am  enjoying  staying 
home  with  him  and  his  big  sister,  Denali, 
who  is  almost  3,"  she  writes. 

M.misli  Kumar  joined  MDB  Capital  Group 
in  Santa  Monica,  Calif,  as  vice  president — 
equity  research,  technology. 


1992 


Julie  Bailly-Krapes  writes  from  Denver, 
Colo.,  "In  the  past  two  years  I've  gone  from 
working  for  J.D.  Edwards,  to  I'copleSoft, 
and  now  Oracle,  due  to  mergers.  I  write  the 
documentation  and  curricula  tor  our  manu- 
facturing software.  My  husband,  Brian,  and 
1  have  identical  twins,  Aaron  Michael  and 
Brandon  Richard,  horn  March  2l),  2004." 


David  Colombo  opened  a  new  engineering 
firm,  Power  Engineers,  LCC,  in  Shrewsbury, 
Mass.,  providing  power  and  lighting  design 
services  tor  utility  companies,  municipalities, 
colleges,  and  industrial  facilities  throughout 
New  England.  He  holds  a  master  of  engi- 
neering degree  from  Rl'l. 

Valerie  (Kschinka)  Mason  was  promoted  to 

operational  excellence  leader  for  US  Surgical 
in  North  Haven,  Conn.,  where  she  oversees 
all  Six  Sigma  projects  and  mentors  project 
leaders.  She  is  also  responsible  lor  improve- 
ment through  I  can  Manufacturing  princi- 
ples. Valerie  and  her  husband,  Michael,  live 
in  Oxford,  Conn.,  where  they  enjoy  life  with 
their  three  ««)s  Michael,  5.  Nicholas.  •(.  and 

(  hristopher,  2. 


38     Transformation!   |   Spring  2005 


Anthony  Putorti  earned  a  doctorate  in 
mechanical  engineering  at  the  University  of 
Michigan  in  Ann  Arbor.  A  fire  protection 
engineer  with  Roson-Lapina,  he  lives  in 
Exton,  Pa.,  with  his  wife,  Patti. 

David  Sheppard  (M.S.  FPE)  is  a  senior  fire 
research  engineer  for  the  federal  Bureau  of 
Alcohol,  Tobacco,  Firearms  and  Explosives. 
He  lives  in  Maryland  with  his  wife  and  three 
children. 


1993 


Jennifer  Almy  is  director  of  quality  assur- 
ance at  Broncus  Technologies,  a  startup 
medical  device  company  working  to  provide 
a  better  quality  of  life  for  emphysema 
patients.  "I  hope  to  be  back  in  New  England 
in  another  year  or  so,"  she  writes.  "I'm 
always  home  for  Christmas  and  love  to  catch 
up  with  my  old  college  friends!" 

^fl     ^^k  Chris  Supple 

ager  of  office  services 
for  the  1 1 5-attorney 
law  firm  of  Pierce 
Atwood,  with  offices 
in  Maine,  New 
Hampshire,  and 
Massachusetts.  He  and 
his  family  live  in  Cape  Elizabeth,  Main.e 

Joseph  Wenc  left  St.  Paul  Travelers 
Insurance  after  7+  years  and  is  now  with 
Zurich  North  America  Insurance  as  an  assis- 
tant vice  president  and  actuary.  Wife  Kate 
( Ranum )  Wenc  is  staying  home  with  their 
children,  Stefan,  5,  and  Isaac,  3.  They  live  in 
the  Twin  Cities  suburb  of  Eden  Prairie, 
Minn. 


1994 


Stacy  and  Leonard 
Belliveau  welcomed 
future  WPI  graduate 
Maya  Raelen,  born 
Sept.  18,  2004. 
Leonard  works  out 
of  the  Marlborough, 
Mass.,  office  of 
Hughes  Assoc.  Inc., 
a  fire  protection  engineering  and  code  con- 
sulting firm  headquartered  in  Baltimore. 

Todd  McCabe  was  promoted  to  project 
executive  at  Consigli  Construction  Co. 

Yvonne  (Bergstrom)  Proulx  and  her  hus- 
band, Jeff,  along  with  their  daughter, 
Catherine,  announce  the  birth  of  Rachel 
Ann  on  Nov.  10,  2004.  They  live  in 
Grafton,  Mass. 


Christine  Rauh-Adelmann  was  relocated 
to  Maui,  Hawaii,  as  the  supervisory  scientist 
of  R&D  for  Trex  Enterprises.  Husband 
John  Adelmann  is  a  project  manager  for 
Goodfellow  Brothers.  "We  have  four  beauti- 
ful children:  Dermot,  6,  Julia,  5,  Lilly,  3, 
and  Jake,  l'/2,  who  love  the  ocean  and  visit- 
ing Boston.  If  anyone's  ever  in  Maui,  look  us 
up!"  she  writes. 

Gayle  (Sanders)  Reh  and  her  husband, 
Brian,  are  thrilled  to  announce  the  birth  of 
their  son,  Nolan  James,  on  May  27,  2004. 
Gayle  works  for  Garlock  Sealing  Technolo- 
gies as  a  process  engineer.  They  live  in 
Fairport,  N.Y. 


1995 


Rachel  Stratford  sends  this  summary  of  the 
last  decade:  "After  graduating  from  WPI,  I 
joined  the  Peace  Corps  and  spent  two  years 
in  Malawi,  East  Africa.  My  projects  there 
included  upgrading  a  village  by  bringing  in 
water  service  and  roadways.  I  then  traveled 
around  southeastern  Africa  before  returning 
to  work  for  Barletta  Engineering,  a  Boston 
contracting  firm.  In  May  2004  I  married  my 
husband,  Luis." 


1996 


"Lemons  or  lemonade?"  writes  Doug 
Borden,  who  was  laid  off  by  a  D.C.-area 
government  contractor  last  year.  He  turned 
this  into  a  positive  experience  by  using  rhe 
time  to  finish  his  master's  in  quality  assur- 
ance. It  also  brought  the  opportunity  to 
teach  at  the  national  Graduate  School  and 
to  provide  consulting  services  to  two  compa- 
nies. Doug  received  a  new  job  offer  just  after 
completing  his  degree  and  is  now  a  program 
manager  with  STG  International,  where  he 
manages  contracted  support  services  to  the 
U.S.  Coast  Guard  offices,  provided  by  the 
team  of  STG  and  Anteon.  The  team  has 
members  in  54  locations,  including  Alaska, 
Hawaii,  Guam,  and  Puerto  Rico. 

David  Boulanger  married  Alicia  Gamache 
in  2003.  They  welcomed  their  first  childten, 
Lauren  Elizabeth  and  Emma  Lynn,  on  Oct. 
15,  2004. 

Carolyn  Day  married  Daniel  Highlands  on 
Oct.  16,  2004.  She  is  a  student  at  the 
Boston  Architectural  Center. 

Joseph  Maraia  is  a  patent  attorney  with 
Hamilton,  Brook,  Smith  &  Reynolds.  He 
lives  in  Acton,  Mass.,  with  his  wife,  Joan. 

Enith  Morillo  has  remarried  and  moved  to 


Syria,  where  she  is  studying  Arabic  at  the 
University  of  Damascus  and  home  schooling 
her  two  teenage  sons.  She  has  written  of  her 
struggles  and  challenges  in  collections  of 
poems  and  short  stories,  which  she  hopes  to 
publish.  She  recently  shared  some  reflections 
on  the  meaning  of  success  and  the  life  les- 
sons she  learned  at  WPI  and  in  the  years 
since  1998,  when  she  graduated  with  a  mas- 
ter's degree  in  electrical  engineering  from 
WPI,  five  months  pregnant.  Her  journey 
brought  many  transitions,  including  career 
changes,  a  divorce,  and  a  research  assistant- 
ship  in  Australia. 

Success,  she  says,  is  the  contentment 
within.  "I  reconnected  with  WPI  in  2003  by 
volunteering  for  the  GEMS  and  Strive  pro- 
grams. My  professional  dream  was,  and  still 
is,  to  become  a  WPI  professor.  I  believe  the 
life  lessons  I  learned  at  WPI  empower  me 
day  to  day.  I  honestly  admit  that  I  may  have 
forgotten  the  intricacies  of  echo  cancellation, 
but  I  know  that  the  ability  to  figure  them 
out  when  needed  was  instilled  in  me,  along 
with  the  aptitude  to  reach  out  and  keep 
soaring." 


1997 


James  DeCelles  (M.S.  CE)  is  the  new  assis- 
tant chief  engineet  for  the  Pawtucket  (R.I.) 
Water  Supply  Board. 

Andrew  Quirk  is  now  a  partner  in  Kratzert, 
Jones  &  Assoc,  the  full-service  engineering 
firm  where  he  interned  for  three  summers 
while  at  WPI.  He  is  working  on  a  master's 
degree  in  transportation  and  urban  engineer- 
ing at  the  University  of  Connecticut. 

Glen  Sergeant  married  Sarah  Takacs  on 
July  3,  2004.  He  is  a  manager  at  M  Cubed 
Technologies  in  Monroe,  Conn. 

Matt  Tricomi  married  his  wife,  Denise,  in 
New  Zealand,  in  March  2004.  They  live  in 
Golden,  Colo.,  where  Matt  is  an  enterprise 
architect  for  Northrop  Grumman. 


1998 


Navy  Lt.  Slade  Brockett  completed  a  two- 
year  assignment  on  the  staff  of  Commandet, 
U.S.  Naval  Forces  Europe.  He  and  his  family 
moved  from  London  to  Bremerton,  Wash., 
where  he  is  once  again  assigned  to  a  subma- 
rine— the  USS  Ohio. 

Stephen  Davis  was  promoted  to  project 
manager  at  Earth  Tech  Inc.,  a  Tyco  compa- 
ny. He  is  currently  managing  construction  of 
an  $8.6  million  manufacturing  facility  for 


Transformations    \   Spring  2005    39 


AFC  Cable  Systems,  another  Tyco  company. 
Brian  Favela  works  for  ATI  Research.  He 
and  his  wife,  Alicia,  live  in  Stow,  Mass. 

Kimberly  James  recently  lost  her  husband, 

Abdelhadi  Tanji.  He  passed  away  on  Feb.  15, 

2005. 

Daniel  Kilcoyne  married  Tara  Luhta  last 

year. 

John  Lambie  is 
engaged  to  Wendy 
Anthony,  a  second- 
year  law  student  at 
South  Texas  College  of 
Law.  They  plan  to 
marry  on  July  3, 
2005,  in  Houston.  John  is  a  project  manager 
at  ThoughtFarm  Soft  Technologies. 
Anne  Pareti  received  her  juris  doctor  degree 
from  the  University  of  Connecticut  School 
of  Law  last  year.  She  is  an  associate  in  the 
Intellectual  Property  Group  of  Burns  & 
Levinson,  LLP,  and  a  registered  patent  agent. 


Michigan  and  will  be  working  for  Intel  Corp. 
Irving  and  his  wife,  Trisha,  live  in  Ann  Arbor. 


1999 


Jason  Dubois  and  his  wife,  Katharine,  are 
proud  to  announce  the  birth  of  their  second 
child,  Adam  James,  on  Aug.  6,  2004.  Adam 
joins  big  brother  Cole,  3.  Jason  is  a  product 
engineer  at  Smith  &  Wesson  in  Springfield, 
Mass. 

Marlon  Mitchell  works  for  Arch  Wireless  in 
Westborough,  Mass.  He  married  Kathleen 
Collins  last  year. 

Cara  Rucci  is  pursuing  a  medical  degree 
at  Saba  University  School  of  Medicine, 
located  on  Saba,  a  small  Dutch  island  in 
the  Antilles.  She  married  Christopher 
Yergen,  a  fellow  student,  last  year. 


2000 


Irving  Liimatta  is  expecting  his  first  child 
in  May  2005,  and  his  MBA  in  April  2006. 
He  is  a  grad  student  at  the  University  of 


2001 


Bentley  Kern  and  Jacqueline  Lanfiranchi 

'02  were  married  Oct.  9,  2004,  in 
Sturbridge,  Mass.  They  live  in  Clinton. 

Keith  Romano  works  for  Danaher  Tool 
Group  in  Springfield,  Mass.  He  married 
Karen  Pincince  last  year. 

Michael  Weber  and  his  wife,  Lindsey 
(Fuller),  own  their  own  business,  Minuteman 
Press,  in  Enfield,  Conn.  They  married  in 

2003  and  now  live  in  Manchester. 

2002 

Mona  Ellum  (M.S.)  joined  the  Middletown, 

Conn.,  office  of  Wright-Pierce  as  a  project 

engineer. 

Christopher  Hill  married  Michelle  Travison 

on  May  29,  2004. 

Estelle  Houde  successfully  defended  her 

master's  thesis  in  biochemistry  in  December 

2004  and  will  be  officially  graduating  from 
the  University  of  New  Hampshire  next  fall. 

Tim  McGreal  (M.S.  FPE>,  president  of 
SafetyWise  LCC,  has  patented  the  Alarm 
Arm,  a  smoke  detector  and  mounting  sys- 
tems that  will  be  available  for  shipping  in 
May  2005.  He  has  a  number  of  other  FPE 
products  that  he  plans  to  develop  once  this 
product  is  on  its  feet. 


2003 


Benjamin  Alesbrook  works  for  Integrated 
Process  Technologies  in  Marlborough,  Mass. 
He  lives  in  Auburn,  with  his  wife,  Heather. 

Joseph  Bufanda  joined  the  faculty  of 
Ipswich  (Mass.)  High  School  last  fall. 

Ensign  Ryan  Clarke,  USN,  completed 
Primary  Flight  Training  at  NAS  Whiting 
Field  in  Milton,  Fla.,  and  is  now  undergoing 


Advanced  Flight  Training,  Tactical  Jets,  at 
NAS  Meridian  in  Mississippi.  The  program 
takes  12  to  18  months,  after  which  Ryan 
will  received  the  coveted  Navy  Wings  of 
Gold. 

Edward  Jolley  (M.S.EV)  is  in  his  third  year 
of  law  school  at  New  England  School  of 
Law.  He  married  Cynthia  DeVries  last  year, 
and  plans  to  join  her  in  her  Hudson,  Mass., 
law  practice  after  graduation. 
Arthur  Scholz  is  working  on  the  Gamma- 
ray  Large  Area  Space  Telescope  for  the 
Stanford  Linear  Accelerator  Center. 


2004 


Christina  Byrne  joined  The  Di  Salvo 
Ericson  Group,  Structural  Engineers  Inc.,  in 
Ridgefield,  Conn. 

Lisa  Hunter  (M.S.)  opened  a  hair  salon, 

Snip-its  Haircuts  for  Kids,  located  at  The 

Shoppes  at  Blackstone  Valley,  Millbury, 

Mass.,  last  year. 

Christopher  Lacasse  works  for  Raytheon  in 

Portsmouth,  R.I.  He  is  engaged  to  Jennifer 

Harvey,  a  student  at  Springfield  Technical 

Community  College. 

Ian  Munger  was  appointed  to  the  police 

department  in  Wells,  Maine,  in  January. 

Joseph  Reinsch  enlisted  in  the  Navy's 
Delayed  Entry  Program.  He  reported  for 
basic  training  at  the  Navy's  Recruit  Training 
Center  in  Great  Lakes,  III. 

School  of  Industrial 
Engineering 

Harold  Long  '77  was  promoted  to  chief 
technology  officer  of  INS  (International 
Network  Services)  in  Santa  Clara,  Calif, 
where  he  has  worked  since  1 993. 


Alumni  to  be  honored  at  Reunion  2005 


Robert  H.  Goddard  Award  for  Outstanding  Professional 
Achievement:  Marshall  Levine  '55,  Philip  Baker  '65, 
Todd  Akin  '70,  Michael  Dolan  '75,  Judith  Nitsch  '75, 
Eric  Hahn  '80,  Chartsiri  Sophonpanich  '80 

Herbert  F.  Taylor  Award  for  Distinguished  Service  to 
WPI:  Howard  Freeman  '40,  Robert  Cahill  '65, 
Philip  Ryan  '65,  Patricia  Graham  Flaherty  '75 

John  Boynton  Young  Alumni  Award  for  Service  to  WPI: 

Michael  Donahue  '90 


Ichabod  Washburn  Young  Alumni  Award  for 
Professional  Achievement:  Thomas  Arseneault  '85, 
Stephen  Hooley  '85,  Stacey  Cotton  Bonasso  '90, 
Michelle  Petkers  Gass  '90;  and  Kevin  Buckler  '89, 
Peter  Quinn  '89,  and  Edward  LaFortune  '90 

William  R.  Grogan  Award  for  Support  of  the 
Mission  of  WPI:  Bernard  Brown  (posthumously) 


Obituaries 

1920s 

Diran  Deranian  '29  died  Aug.  14,  2004. 
He  leaves  his  wife,  Marion  (Tuysuzian).  A 
longtime  resident  of  Holden,  Mass., 
Deranian  served  as  a  mechanical  engineer  at 
Heald  Machine  Co.  for  more  than  30  years. 
He  belonged  to  Tech  Old  Timers  and  often 
led  the  50-Year  Associates  contingent  at  WPI 
Reunion  parades. 

1930s 

Paul  E.  Nelson  '32  AXA  died  Aug.  18, 
2004.  The  retired  owner  of  Hillside  Acres 
Farms  in  Vermont,  he  was  predeceased  by 
his  wife,  Marion. 

Herbert  W.  Daniels  Jr.  '33 

of  Watertown,  Mass.,  died 
July  26,  2004.  He  leaves 
his  wife,  Dorothy  (Coffey). 
Daniels  was  a  longtime 
mechanical  engineer  at 
the  Boston  Navy  Shipyard. 

He  belonged  to  Theta  Upsilon  Omega 

(nowZOE). 

Carl  G.  Silverberg  '33  of  Sturbridge,  Mass., 
died  Sept.  10,  2004,  leaving  his  wife,  Mabel 
(Nordman).  During  his  career  at  American 
Optical  Co.,  he  patented  new  technology 
for  color  television,  lasers,  and  eyeglass 
manufacture. 

William  E.  Burpee  '34  0X  of  Reading, 
Mass.,  and  Naples,  Fla.,  died  July  16,  2004. 
Husband  of  the  late  Thelma  (McClintock) 
Burpee,  he  retired  from  Raytheon  Co.  as 
chief  engineer. 

E.  Lovell  Smith  Jr.  '34  AXA  of  Hobe 
Sound,  Fla.,  died  Nov.  14,  2003,  leaving  his 
wife,  Janet.  He  was  retired  from  Hamilton 
Sunstrand  Corp. 

Osmond  L.  Kinney  '35  OTA,  a  former 
resident  of  Waynesboro,  Pa.,  died  July  8, 
2004.  He  was  predeceased  by  his  wife,  Gayl 
(McConnell).  Kinney  worked  for  Potomac 
Edison  Systems  for  40  years. 

Paul  S.  Krantz  Sr.  '35  of  Worcester  died 
July  1 ,  2004,  leaving  his  wife,  Cecile 
(Gemme).  He  worked  for  Wyman-Gordon 
Co.  for  many  years  and  later  retired  from 
Kropp  Forge  Co. 

Verner  R.  Olson  '35  AXA,  a  41-year 
veteran  of  DuPont  Co.,  died  Oct.  11,  2004, 
in  Toledo,  Ohio.  His  wife,  Martha,  died 
in  1998. 


\^ 


-    if 


Harold  F.  Pomeroy  '36 

died  Nov.  11,  2004,  in 
Glastonbury,  Conn.  A 
longtime  resident  of 
Pittsfield,  he  worked  for 
Northeast  Utilities  for  42 
years.  His  wife,  Mary 
Delores  (Murray),  survives  him. 

,^g[^^  Emeritus  Professor  B. 

.  %        Allen  Benjamin  '37  ATQ 

of  Wayland,  Mass.,  died 
Jan.  12,  2003.  He  leaves  his 
wife,  Eleanore  (Conant). 
Benjamin  joined  the  Civil 
Engineering  faculty  in  1963 
as  WPI's  first  professor  of  city  planning  and 
retired  in  1980. 

John  H.  Chapman  '37  <S£K  of  DeLand, 
Fla.,  died  June  16,  2004,  leaving  his  wife, 
Marjorie.  He  was  retired  from  American 
Optical  Co.  as  assistant  plant  manager. 

Vincent  F.  Johnson  '37  of  Naples,  Fla., 
died  Sept.  1,  2004.  A  former  insurance 
executive  for  Marsh  &  McLennan,  he  leaves 
his  wife,  Mary. 

Francis  B.  Swenson  '38  OX,  former  owner 
of  Swenson's  Men's  Shop  in  Walpole,  Mass., 
died  Sept.  5,  2005.  His  wife,  Gladys 
(Walker),  survives  him. 

Ralph  E.  "Putt"  Dudley 
'39,  a  former  principal  and 
mathematics  teacher  at 
Douglas  Memorial  High 
School,  died  Sept.  21, 
2004.  After  earning  a 
master  of  natural  science 
degree  at  WPI  in  1960,  Dudley  became  head 
of  the  Math  and  Science  Department  at 
Quinsigamond  Community  College.  His 
wife,  Lois  (Wentzell),  died  in  1998. 


1940s 


Clayton  H.  Allen  '40 

AXA  of  Chebeague  Island, 
Maine,  died  Aug.  25,  2004. 
His  wife,  Doris,  survives 
him.  A  former  consultant 
for  Bolt,  Beranek  & 
Newman  Inc.,  he  developed 
and  patented  several  noise  control  devices 
through  The  Clayton  H.  Allen  Corp. 

^^^k.  Joseph  M.  Halloran  '40 

^P^l  died  Ocr.  16,  2004,  at  his 

rgr-r-^        .  home  in  North  Haven, 
Conn.,  leaving  his  wife, 

^  y  —-  Elizabeth  (Walsh) .  He  was 

\    «\  a  manufacturer's  representa- 

>  3»\  tive  and  owner  of  Halloran 

Equipment  Co. 


Benedict  K.  Kaveckas  '40  of  Merrimack, 
N.H.,  died  Aug.  7,  2004.  He  was  a  retired 
mechanical  engineer  whose  career  included 
Western  Electric  and  Wang  Laboratories. 
His  wife,  Doris  (Granda),  predeceased  him. 

J.  Philip  Berggren  '41 
<I>XK  of  Ivoryton,  Conn., 
died  June  29,  2004,  leaving 
his  wife,  Lorraine.  A  former 
company  officer  at  Aetna 
Life  &  Casualty,  he  retired  as 
director  of  technical  services. 

Richard  J.  Vaughn  '42  died  Aug.  24,  2004, 
at  his  Mashpee,  Mass.,  home.  A  longtime 
supervisor  at  Ptatt  &  Whitney,  he  is  survived 
by  his  wife,  Katherine  (Gibbons). 

Harold  W.  Brandes  '43 

OX,  a  longtime  Holden 
resident,  died  June  21, 
2004.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Margaruite  (Johnson).  He 
earned  a  certificate  from 
the  School  of  Industrial 
Engineering  in  1956  and  worked  for  Reed 
Rolled  Thread  Die  Co.  for  40  years. 

Carl  E.  Hartbower  '43  AXA  died  Oct.  7, 
2004,  at  his  home  in  Fair  Oaks,  Calif.  He 
leaves  his  wife,  Luella.  After  retiring  from 
the  U.S.  Deparrment  of  Transportation, 
he  did  private  consulting  and  teaching  for 
10  years. 

William  M.  Walker  '43 
SAE  of  Walpole,  Mass., 
died  Nov.  4,  2004.  Hus- 
band of  the  late  Helen 
(LaVigne),  he  retired  from 
Timken  US  Corp.  as  dis- 
trict sales  manager. 

Walter  W.  "Jake"  Brown  Jr.  '44  €>K0  of 

Beverly,  Mass.,  died  Feb.  16,  2004.  He  was 
district  chief  of  the  Worcester  Fire  Depart- 
ment for  4 1  years.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Mildred. 

William  A.  Hermonat  Jr.  '44  ATQ  of 

Rochester,  N.H.,  died  June  18,  2003.  His 
wife,  Judith,  survives  him.  Hermonat  was  a 
self-employed  consultant  in  chemistry  and 
accounting. 

Robert  W  Brower  '46  of  Burnsville,  Minn., 
died  June  23,  2004.  A  former  purchasing 
manager  for  Toro  Co.,  he  leaves  his  wife, 
Amy. 

Vincent  M.  LaSorsa  '46  of  South 
Huntington,  N.Y.,  died  May  7,  2004,  leav- 
ing his  wife,  Jane.  He  was  a  retired  program 
manager  for  Norden. 


Trans  fo 


rm  at 10  ns 


I    Spring  2005     4  1 


Thomas  E.  Lempges  '46  OK©  of  Fulton, 
N.Y.,  died  Aug.  5,  2004.  He  was  retired 
from  Niagara  Mohawk  as  vice  president, 
nuclear  generation.  His  wife,  Caryl 
(Norton),  died  in  1984. 

Richard  H.  Merritt  '46  0X,  a  longtime 
engineer  for  Norton  Co.  and  Bay  State 
Abrasives,  died  Sept.  1,  2004,  in  Worcester. 
He  leaves  his  wife,  Beverly  (Anderson). 

Malcolm  A.  Morrison  '46  ATC2  of  Annan- 
dale,  Va.,  died  April  21,  2004.  He  was  a 
supervisor  in  the  U.S.  Patent  and  Trademark 
Office.  His  wife,  Marion,  survives  him. 

Alva  L.  Rogers  '46  Jr.  AXA  of  Chatham, 
Mass.,  died  Sept.  6,  2004.  He  was  retired 
from  Honeywell  International  Inc.  His  wife, 
Deborah,  survives  him. 

Guy  H.  Nichols  '47  6X  died  Oct.  1,  2004, 
in  Cincinnati,  leaving  his  wife,  Christine 
(Ryan).  He  was  an  aeronautical  engineer 
who  worked  on  the  Polaris  missile  program 
at  General  Electric  and  later  served  as  a  sales 
representative  for  Magna  Engineering. 


Campus  Mourns  Faculty,  Staff 

Robert  (Bobby)  Taylor,  lead  technician  in 
WPI's  Mechanical  Engineering  Department, 
died  Dec.  23,  2004.  Taylor  worked  at  WPI 
for  37  years  and  was  well  known  for  his 
involvement  with  the  university's  SAE  Race 
Team,  Autocross  Club,  and  Wireless 
Association.  He  also  belonged  to  Skull.  He 
leaves  his  wife  of  33  years,  Susan  B.  (Brown) 
Taylor,  two  daughters,  his  father,  a  sister,  a 
nephew,  and  several  nieces. 

Krishnaswamiengar  Keshavan,  former  pro- 
fessor of  civil  and  environmental  engineer- 
ing at  WPI,  died  Dec.  25,  2004,  after  a  long 
illness.  Keshavan  joined  the  WPI  faculty  in 
1967  and  taught  here  for  31  years,  retiring 
in  1998  at  the  age  of  69.  During  that  time, 
he  served  two  five-year  terms  (between  1 976 
and  1986)  as  head  of  the  Civil  Engineering 
Department.  He  received  his  bachelor  of  sci- 
ence degree  in  civil  engineering  from  the 
National  Institute  of  Engineering  in  Mysore, 
India.  He  went  on  to  earn  a  master's  degree 
in  civil  engineering  from  the  State 
University  of  Iowa  in  1960  and  a  doctorate 
in  civil  engineering  from  Cornell  University 
in  1963.  Before  coming  to  WPI,  Keshavan 
taught  tor  four  years  as  a  professor  of  civil 
engineering  at  the  University  oi  Maine  in 
Orono.  He  also  worked  as  a  consultant  with 
'  i  the  United  Nations  Educatinn.il. 
Scientific  and  Cultural  Organization)  during 
the  1970s  and  spent  a  year  as  director  ot 


Russell  W.  Wood  '48  Z*E  of  Malta,  N.Y., 
died  Aug.  22,  2004,  leaving  his  wife  of 
20  years,  Diane  (Gruby).  His  first  wife, 
Margaret  (Graves),  died  in  1983.  Wood  was 
an  engineer  in  General  Electrics  nuclear 
submarine  program. 

George  V.  Lehto  '49  ATQ  of  Silver  Spring, 
Md.,  died  July  30,  2004.  He  was  retired 
from  Penn  Central  Corp.  His  wife,  Pearl, 
survives  him. 

Former  basketball  captain  Stephen  J.  Ucich 
'49  OK0  of  Wethersfield,  Conn.,  died  Oct. 
24,  2004.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Pauline.  Ucich 
taught  mathematics  and  computer  science  at 
Hartford  Public  High  School. 


1950s 


Mustafa  Tevfik  Sonmez 

'51  of  Auburn,  Calif.,  died 
July  16,  2004,  leaving  his 
wife,  Christie.  A  native  of 
Turkey,  he  returned  there 
and  worked  for  Tumpane 


Co.,  serving  as  chief  engineer  and  Air  Force 
liaison  in  the  construction  of  military  instal- 
lations. He  later  taught  electrical  engineering 
at  the  University  of  Petroleum  and  Minerals 
in  Dhahran,  Saudi  Arabia. 

Lysle  P.  Parlett  '52  ATQ  died  Oct.  23, 
2004,  at  his  home  in  Hayes,  Va.  His  wife, 
Ann  (Wood),  predeceased  him.  Parlett 
worked  for  NASA  in  the  Full-Scale  Wind 
Tunnel  at  Langley  Research  Center. 

Samuel  W.  Rinn  III  '52  ATQ  died  July  24, 
2004,  in  Tucson,  Ariz.  He  was  retired  from 
Swindell  Dressier  Construction  as  an  electrical 
engineer.  He  is  survived  by  four  daughters. 

William  G.  Mears  '53  AXA  of  Kennett 
Square,  Pa.,  died  June  24,  2004,  leaving 
his  wife,  Erica.  An  automotive  engineer 
at  Mobil  Research  and  Development  for 
37  years,  he  later  retired  as  president  of 
Dynamic  Engineering  Inc. 

Edwin  R.  Prantis  '54  0X,  of  Milton, 
Mass.,  died  Sept.  22,  2002,  leaving  his  wife, 
Yedviga  Ann.  He  was  retired  from  Ebasco 
Services  as  principal  engineer. 


environmental  engineering  at  the  University 
of  the  Philippines,  1975-76.  As  part  of  his 
work  with  UNESCO,  he  traveled  the  world 
extensively.  He  is  survived  by  his  wife,  Sita, 
three  children  (Rango  '80,  Leela  '88,  and 
Maya  '88),  and  six  grandchildren. 

Roger  N.  Perry  Jr.  '45  OX,  former  director 
of  public  relations  at  WPI,  died  Jan.  9, 
2005,  after  a  short  illness.  Perry  served  as  an 
engineer  in  the  Merchant  Marine  during 
World  War  II,  returning  to  WPI  to  earn  his 
mechanical  engineering  degree  in  1947. 
After  graduation,  he  joined  Norton  Co., 
where  he  made  a  career  change  from  engi- 
neering to  public  relations.  In  1964,  he 
became  WPI's  first  full-time  PR  director,  a 
post  he  held  until  his  retirement  in  1988. 
He  was  the  first  editor  of  Quest,  which 
reported  on  major  gifts  to  WPI,  and  served 
part  time  as  its  senior  writer  lor  many  years, 
His  own  gift  to  "support  the  preservation 
and  dissemination  of  WPI's  history  and  her- 
itage" was  covered  in  Quest  in  1993.  Perry 

(bunded  the  Worcester  <  lounty  Public 
Relations  Association,  which  named  us 

highest  honor  for  him.  I  le  was  ,i  longtime 


alumnus  advisor  to  Theta  Chi  fraternity  at 
WPI,  a  member  of  Skull,  and  a  member  and 
officer  of  Tech  Old  Timers.  Perry  leave  his 
wife,  Pauline,  four  children  (including  Tina 
Buckley  '78  and  Dick  Perry  '79),  and  seven 
grandchildren. 

Jean  E.  (Smith)  Pritchard,  wife  of  former 
director  of  athletics  and  head  football  coach 
Bob  Pritchard,  died  Jan.  15,  2005.  She  was 
91.  Her  husband  died  in  1978,  shortly  after 
he  retired  from  WPI.  She  is  survived  by 
their  daughter,  Diane  Pritchard,  and  several 
nieces  and  nephews.  Jean  and  Diane 
returned  to  campus  for  many  years  to  attend 
the  Hall  of  Fame  banquet  and  to  present  the 
Pritchard  Award  at  the  Homecoming  foot- 
ball game.   I  he  award,  named  in  honor  of 
her  late  husband,  is  given  to  the  most  out- 
standing back  and  lineman.  (Defensive  back 
Bryan  Douglass  '06  received  the  award  fol- 
lowing the  I  [omecoming  game  with  Union 
last  October.) 


42     Transformation!   \  Spring  2005 


Roger  J.  Dufresne  '55  (SIM)  of  Atlanta, 
Ga.,  died  Sept.  7,  2004.  He  was  82.  A  for- 
mer divisional  vice  president  for  Norton  Co., 
he  leaves  his  wife,  Malvina  "Molly"  (Rice). 

F.  John  Jolda  '56  of  East  Douglas,  Mass., 
died  Nov.  12,  2004.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Frances  (Gonsorcik).  An  electrical  engineer, 
he  worked  at  George  J.  Meyer  Manufactur- 
ing Co.  and  later  taught  at  Central  New 
England  College  and  the  Salter  School. 

John  J.  Kelly  '57  IAE  died  Oct.  19,  2004, 
in  Baton  Rouge,  La.,  leaving  his  wife,  Jean. 
He  worked  for  Earle  Enterprises  and  later 
was  self  employed  as  a  consulting  engineer. 

George  A.  Rodes  '57  SOE  of  Marion,  S.C., 
died  Aug.  17,  2004.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Sylvia  (Bryant).  He  was  a  retired  civil  engi- 
neer for  the  Federal  Highway  Administration. 

Robert  D.  Tent  '57  died  March  13,  2004. 
His  wife,  Emily,  survives.  A  resident  of 
Agana,  Guam,  he  worked  in  the  Undersea 
Service  Division  of  Fluor  Ocean  Service. 

Charles  A.  Tyson  '57 

AXA  of  Mountain  View, 
Calif.,  died  Oct.  24,  2004. 
His  wife,  Noriko,  survives 
him.  Tyson  was  a  senior 
staff  scientist  and  fellow 
of  SRI  International. 


1960s 


Theodore  H.  Langley  '61  died  Aug.  15, 
2004,  at  home  in  Falmouth,  Maine.  He  was 
a  design  engineer  for  Stone  &  Webster,  now 
part  of  The  Shaw  Group. 

John  C.  Woodbury  '62  of  Worcester  died 
Aug.  8,  2004,  of  progressive  supranuclear 
palsy.  He  was  a  retired  vice  president  and 
manager  of  marketing  and  advertising  for 
Woodbury  &  Co.  Inc.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Virginia  (Quick). 

Transformations  recently  learned  of  the 
death  of  Edward  N.  Santos  '64  0X  in 

2000.  An  employee  of  General  Electric,  he 
leaves  his  wife,  Marion,  of  Raleigh,  N.C. 

David  W.  Swenson  '69  of  North  Andover, 
Mass.,  died  Oct.  21,  2003.  He  was  a  devel- 
opment engineer  for  Lucent  Technologies 
Netwotk  Systems. 


1970s 


Clement  P.  Clark  '70  (SIM)  of  Holden, 
Mass.,  died  June  14,  2004.  He  was  88.  A 
longtime  industrial  engineet  for  Norton  Co., 
he  leaves  his  wife,  Marjorie  (Clough). 

William  C.  Leslie  '71  of  Mount  Lebanon, 
Pa.,  died  suddenly  on  Aug.  7,  2004.  He 


leaves  his  wife,  Julie  (Pasichuke).  A  former 
Navy  submariner,  his  career  in  nuclear  con- 
struction services  included  Westinghouse 
and  AREVA. 

James  R.  Hosey  Sr.  '74  (SIM)  of  West 
Yarmouth,  Mass.,  died  July  29,  2004.  A 
retired  manager  for  the  Heald  division  of 
Cincinnati  Milacron  Co.,  he  leaves  his  wife, 
Margaret  (Staples). 

William  E.  Booth  '75  of  Dover,  Mass.,  was 
killed  in  a  riding  accident  Aug.  29,  2004.  A 
patent  attorney  and  principal  in  the  Boston 
law  firm  Fish  &  Richardson,  he  was  an 
accomplished  equestrian  and  scuba  diver. 
His  wife,  Christy,  survives  him. 

Pauline  I.  Kalagher  '78  (MNS)  died  June 
24,  2004,  in  Worcester.  A  longtime  teacher 
at  Milford  (Mass.)  High  School,  she  held 
three  master's  degrees  and  a  Ph.D.  in  edu- 
cation. 


1980s 


Peter  J.  Virbasius  '80  (PLE)  of  Pocasset, 
Mass.,  died  July  23,  2004.  A  longtime 
industrial  engineer  for  Wyman-Gordon  Co., 
he  leaves  his  wife,  Madeline. 

Daniel  K.  Helle  '81  (SIM)  of  Rutland 
Mass.,  died  July  9,  2004,  at  age  65.  He  was 
retired  from  Norton  Co.  His  wife,  Beverly 
(Boulanger),  survives  him. 

Louis  E  "Chip"  Coffin  III 

'82  OIK  of  Mountain 
View,  Calif,  died  Dec.  30, 
2004,  following  a  long  and 
courageous  struggle  with 
cancer.  A  design  engineer 
for  Digital  Equipment 
Corp.  and  later  Microsoft,  he  held  dozens 
of  patents  and  left  his  mark  on  many  well- 
known  consumer  products,  including  the 
next  generation  of  Xbox  video  game  con- 
soles. His  wife,  Susan  (Deane)  survives  him. 

Gary  A.  Glowacki  '82  ATT2  of  Nantucket, 
Mass.,  died  unexpectedly  Sept.  20,  2004, 
in  his  sleep.  A  former  project  engineer  for 
NASA's  Space  Shuttle  program,  he  returned 
to  Nantucket  in  1987  to  run  his  family's 
business,  Outdoor  Power  Equipment  Inc. 
Survivors  include  his  fiancee,  Susan 
McCarthy,  and  his  parents. 

Dennis  P.  Lynch  '82  (SIM)  of  West 
Brookfield,  Mass.,  died  Sept.  20,  2004, 
leaving  his  wife,  Jean  (Pratt).  He  was  56. 
A  former  metallurgist,  he  later  served  as  a 
programmer  for  various  manufacturing 
companies. 

Jonathan  J.  Crofton  '87  died  Sept.  20, 
2004,  at  his  home  in  Westborough,  Mass. 


He  is  survived  by  his  wife,  Diane  (Riley). 
Crofton  was  a  management  recruiter  for  Oxford 
Global  Resourcing  Co. 

Ephraim  A.  Scheier  '89  (M.S.  FPE)  of  Katy, 
Texas,  died  July  25,  2004.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Lorna  (Lamont).  A  fire  protection  engineer  with 
BP  America,  he  was  active  in  the  Safety  and 
Health  Division  of  the  AlChe. 


2000s 


Nathaniel  G.  Keith  '01  Q5ZK  of  Milford, 
N.H.,  died  Feb.  28,  2005,  in  a  skiing  accident. 
He  leaves  his  fiancee,  Jennifer  Burzycki  '02, 
his  parents,  his  stepparents,  a  brother  and  a 
sister.  Keith  was  a  staff  engineer  at  Haley  & 
Aldrich,  Inc. 

Alumni  Deaths  Confirmed 

Recent  improvements  in  database  sharing  have 
enabled  WPI  to  confirm  the  deaths  of  following 
alumni.  Classmates  are  welcome  to  contact  the 
Alumni  Editor  for  more  information,  if  available. 

'21  Francis  Towle  (1983) 
'27  Eustace  I.  Merrill  (1980) 
'31  William  U.  Matson  (2001) 
'33  Charles  H.  Newsome  (1984) 
'34  William  A.  Michalek  (1976) 
'35AlvaroA.  Silva  (1979) 
'35  Louis  D.  Soloway  (1973) 
'35  Max.  H.  Voight  (2000) 
'37  Samuel  S.  Naistat  (1991) 
'39  Charles  S.Stevens  (1993) 
'39  Raymond  B.  Piper  (1988) 
'40  John  D.  Morrison  (1988) 
'41  John  F.McElroy  (2001) 
'45  Leonard  E  Moore  (2001) 
'45  G.Walter  Webb  (1997) 
'46  Allan  W.  McCoy  (1988) 
'46  SidneyS.  Sperling  (1992) 
'50  James  F.  O'Connor  (1998) 
'53  Hugh  R.  McLaughlin  (1978) 
'53  Paul  C.  Murray  (1984) 
'57  Thordur  Grondol  (1996) 
'58  Richard  E.  Lorenz  (1996) 
'59  Robert  A.  Steen  (2000) 


Transformations    \   Spring  2005    43 


Time  Capsule 


Before  the  United  States  entered  World  War  II, 
Sarcey  San-Tsai  Chen  '24  valiantly  opposed 
Japanese  aggression  in  China. 


The  news  filtered  in  slowly  to  WPI's  Alumni  Association 
office,  starting  with  a  dispatch  received  in  July  1940:  Sarcey  San-Tsai 
Chen  '24,  vice  president  of  American  Engineering  Corp.  in  Shanghai, 
had  been  kidnapped  and  possibly  killed.  The  association  asked 
Margaret  Fuller  Gardner  for  her  assistance;  prior  to  her  marriage, 
she  had  lived  in  Worcester,  and  Chen  and  other  Chinese  students 
had  been  frequent  visitors  ro  the  Fuller  home. 

"Unfortunately,  it  is  true  that  Sarcey  Chen  was  assassinated  by 
the  Japanese,"  wrote  Chih  Meng,  director  of  the  China  Institute  in 
America,  in  a  1944  letter  to  Gardner.  "The  information  is  rather 
meager.  It  happened  about  1940."  Mrs.  Chu  Shih-ming,  wife  of  a 
Chinese  diplomat,  could  add  little  more:  "What  you  wrote  about 
Sarcey  Chen  is  all  true.  I  am  very  sorry  that  I  cannot  give  you  further 
information  regarding  him  while  the  war  is  still  going  on." 

A  class  standout 

Chen  was  born  August  4,  1902,  in  Soochow,  China.  He  attended 
Tsing  Hua  College  in  Peking  before  entering  WPI  and  earning  a 
degree  in  electrical  engineering.  According  to  the  1923  Aftermath 
(the  student  yearbook),  "ST."  had  a  reputation  for  putting  "punch" 
into  his  studies  and  activities.  He  played  with  "cleverness  and  skill" 
as  soccer  team  captain,  headed  up  the  tennis  team  (his  "mean  racket" 
netted  a  singles  championship),  was  vice  president  of  the  debating 
society  and  the  Cosmopolitan  Club,  and  was  a  member  of  Tau  Beta 
Pi  and  Sigma  Xi.  "When  he  says,  'I  don't  know  yet,'"  wrote  the  edi- 
tors of  the  yearbook,  "you  may  rest  assured  that  it  will  not  be  long 
before  he  finds  out,  and  what  is  more,  finds  out  right.  In  the  future, 
we  expect  to  hear  more  of  this  live  wire." 

A  country  in  chaos 

In  a  letter  dated  October  28,  1946,  Haw  King  Chen,  nephew  of 
Chen,  wrote: 

I  suppose  you  have  heard  of  the  tragic  death  of  my  uncle,  Sarcey  Chen; 
he  died  as  a  martyr  to  the  cause  of  active  resistance  to  Japanese  aggres- 
sion. He  was  shot  by  the  traitor  Wang  Ching-wei,  chairman  of  the  pup- 
pet government  sponsored  by  the  Japanese  invaders.  This  occurred  about 
six  years  ago.  At  that  time  things  really  looked  very  dark  for  China.  The 
change  came  when  America  entered  the  war . . . 

Japanese  designs  on  China  began  in  1931.  Faced  with  a  grow- 
ing population  and  depleted  raw  materials,  troops  seized  Manchuria, 
a  region  rich  with  potential  tor  industrial  development  and  war 
industries.  The  Japanese  pushed  to  the  south  of  the  Great  Wall, 
into  northern  China,  and  to  the  coastal  provinces.  On  July  7,  1937, 
Chinese  and  Japanese  troops  clashed  outside  Beijing  near  the  Man." 


Polo  Bridge  in  a  skirmish  that  marked  the  beginning  of  China's 
War  of  Resistance. 

While  Japan  steadily  gained  territory,  China  itself  was  in  turmoil. 
Chiang  Kai-shek,  head  of  the  Nationalist  Party  (the  Kuomintang, 
or  KMT),  chose  to  focus  on  "internal  unity  before  external  danger" 
and  embarked  on  anti-communist  extermination  campaigns  to 
deplete  the  nation's  growing  Communist  Party  (CCP).  But  the  Red 
Army  grew,  especially  after  1935  when  Mao  Tse-Tung  was  elected 
CCP  chairman. 

Wang  Ching-wei,  Chen's  alleged  assassin,  was  a  Chinese  revolu- 
tionary and  political  leader.  He  became  chairman  of  the  KMT  but 
attempted  two  coups  against  Chiang  Kai-shek.  In  1938,  he  traveled 
to  Shanghai  under  the  guise  of  advocating  peace  with  Japanese 
invaders.  Two  years  later,  he  was  appointed  premier  of  the  Japanese 
puppet  government  in  Nanjing. 

Noncombatant  Chinese  people  were  the  first  victims  of 
Japanese  massacres.  Eradication  of  these  "bandits" — a  Japanese  term 
for  resistance  groups  who  opposed  them — was  facilitated  through 
widespread  executions.  While  little  is  known  about  the  events 
leading  up  to  Chen's  abduction  and  his  subsequent  assassination, 
he  is  honored  today  as  a  patriot  who  died  for  his  country. 


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Chen's  legacy 

In  May  1924,  the  WPI  Journal  published  an  article  titled 
"The  Measure  of  a  Man."  which  focused  on  undergraduates 
who  had  been  chosen  by  their  peers  as  class  leaders.  Sarce) 
San-Tsai  Chen  '24  was  one  ot  36  selected.  Each  lc.uk  i  w.is 
asked:  What  do  vou  think  would  make  the  Institute  more  sat- 
isfactory to  undergraduates  and  more  attractive  to  prospective 
students?  Chen  recomiilended  WPI  "revise  certain  pans  ol 
the  curriculum  which  lay  too  much  stress  on  tcslmii.il  details, 

thus  narrowing  down  the  students  viewpoint  on  hie." 


4  4     Transformations    |   Spring  2(l<)> 


Departments 
and  Programs 

Biology  and  Biotechnology 

Biomedical  Engineering 

Biomedical  Sciences 

Chemical  Engineering 

Chemistry  and  Biochemistry 

Civil  and  Environmental  Engineering 

Computer  and 
Communications  Networks 

Computer  Science 

Electrical  and  Computer  Engineering 

Fire  Protection  Engineering 

Management 

Manufacturing  Engineering 

Materials  Science  and  Engineering 

Mathematical  Sciences 

Mechanical  Engineering 

Physics 


Expand  what's  possible  for  you. 


Are  you  looking  to  deepen  your  understanding 
of  your  profession?  Are  you  ready  to  take  your 
career  to  a  new  level?  Or  is  now  the  right  time 
to  prepare  for  a  brand  new  career?  Whatever 
your  reasons  for  continuing  your  education, 
WPI  makes  it  possible.  Take  courses  that  match 
your  interests,  when  and  where  it's  convenient 
(daytime  and  evening  classes  are  offered  in 


Worcester,  at  satellite  campuses  in  the  Greater 
Boston  area,  and  through  distance  learning). 
Choose  from  among  degree  and  certificate  pro- 
grams in  14  disciplines.  Gain  all  the  benefits  of 
studying  at  one  of  the  nation's  top  universities 
and  learning  from  world-class  faculty  members 
and  researchers  who  are  helping  shape  the  fields 
they  teach. 


Learn  more  about  graduate  studies  at  WPI: 

On  the  Web:   grad.wpi.edu/?gradquery 
By  e-mail:   gradquery@wpi.edu 
Or  call:   508-831-5301 


"•""""""""5-DIGIT  01609 

S146  P2 

198065114 


„.II.ILII...I.I..mI.ImI.IImI.II...II...II I.I! 


ONLINE  TECHNOLOGY  MBA 


Online  at  WPI-The  Technology  MBA 

Understand  how  technology  and  management  define  the  future  of  business.  Earn  the  MBA  that 
makes  a  difference — to  your  career — to  your  life.  Nationally  ranked.  Internationally  accredited. 
Completely  online — anytime,  anyplace.  vfisUi^" 

Call  or  click  tor  more  information.  IQHl  \\f  i-M     s^end  u-chnoiogy. 

TO   Wll     ^..„, 
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VV 


A      JOURNAL      OF      PEOPLE      AND      CHANGE 


Departments 


2  Starting  Point 

3  Letters 

4  Campus  Buzz 

Dennis  D.  Berkey  is  formally  inaugurated 
as  WPI's  15th  president;  Ray  Kurzweil 
gives  keynote  address  at  the  137th 
Commencement;  groundbreaking  festivities 
launch  construction  of  WPI's  Life  Sciences 
and  Bioengineering  Center  at  Gateway 
Park;  FPE  becomes  a  department; 
and  more 

12       Inside  WPI 

WPI's  solar  project  lights  the  way  for 
teaching  engineering  in  the  nation's  schools. 

1 4       Investigations 

As  the  demand  for  electricity  climbs,  WPI 
students  are  developing  computer  models  to 
forecast  the  costs  and  benefits  of  retrofitting 
one  of  the  nation's  10  largest  utility 
company's  distribution  networks. 

16       Explorations 

Through  the  university's  Wall  Street  Project 
Center,  alumni  give  coveted  opportunities 
for  undergraduates  to  learn  and  work  in 
prestigious  New  York  investment  firms. 

38       Class  Notes 
44       Obituaries 
48      Time  Capsule 

Harold  Black  '21  enabled  long-distance 
telephone  communications  to  become  as 
clear  as  a  bell  with  his  invention  of  the 
negative  feedback  amplifier. 


EFMOTM* 


""•i 


About  the  cover 

Special  thanks  to  Aaron  Goodale  of  West  Boylston, 
Mass.,  for  his  antique  tops.  Photo  by  Patrick 
O'Connor.  This  page:  It's  life  in  the  fast  lane  for 
Antonella  Allaria  '03,  who  began  working  on 
Wall  Street  shortly  after  graduation,  thanks  to  a 
collaborative  between  WPI  and  Wall  Street  firms. 


20       The  Coming  Energy  Crisis? 

Jack  Siegel  '68,  former  EPA  and  DOE  administrator  and  current  principal  with  Energy 
Resources  International  Inc.,  talks  about  a  variety  of  critical  national  and  global  energy 
and  environmental  issues. 


24       The  End  of  Fossilized  Transportation 

Can  the  nation  turn  the  tide  on  global  warming  and  a  cosily  reliance  on  foreign  oil? 
David  Friedman  '92,  research  director  of  the  Union  of  Concerned  Scientists'  Clean 
Vehicles  Program,  shares  his  views. 


OLUME    104,      NUMB 
MER   2005 


17       Sun  King 

In  the  1980s,  James  Kachadorian  '61  designed  passive  solar  homes  that  are  models 
of  energy  efficiency. 

30       Wind  Power 

Harness  the  wind  and  you  harness  an  untapped  energy  system,  says  Paul  Gaynor  '87, 
president  and  CEO  of  UPC  Wind  Management. 


34       Good  Scoops 

There's  more  than  good  taste  in  your  favorite  Ben  &  Jerry's 
flavor— there's  also  an  ecologically  responsible  manufac- 
turing process,  overseen  by  Pete  Gosselin  '85. 


VHP*  kffe£4GO«* 


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"If  something  is  sustainable,  it  means  we  can  go  on  doing  it 
indefinitely.  If  it  isn't,  we  can't." 

— Jonathon  Porritt,  British  columnist,  author,  and  environmental  advisor  to 
HRH  The  Prince  of  Wales'  Business  and  the  Environment  Programme 


The  fascination  with  spinning  tops  dates  back  thousands  of  years:  the 
dreidel,  used  to  play  a  traditional  Hanukkah  game;  the  art  oikoma  asobi  (top  spin- 
ning), a  pastime  enjoyed  by  the  Japanese;  tsa  lin  (tops),  spun  by  Chinese  children. 
In  Shakespeare's  time,  English  villagers  would  keep  warm  on  cold  days  by  spinning 
a  large  top  in  the  town  square.  The  U.S.  Patent  Office  granted  one  of  the  earliest 
toy  patents  to  the  spinning  top. 

A  quick  snap  of  the  thumb  and  fingers,  several  pushes  on  a  plunger,  or  a 
pull  on  a  rope,  will  set  a  top  spinning  and  hopping  about.  But,  without  a  constant 
supply  of  energy,  the  spinning  must  give  in  to  fric- 
tion and  gravity.  The  energy  needed  to  mobilize  a 
simple  spinning  top  symbolizes  the  focus  of  this 
issue:  the  sustainability  of  the  resources  needed  to 
keep  our  cars  running,  our  homes  comfortable,  our 
businesses  viable.  In  the  United  States,  the  energy 
crises  of  1973  and  1979  provided  us  with  strong 
indications  and  warning  signs  that  oil  did  not  come 
from  bottomless  wells;  today,  petroleum  inventories 
are  low  and  the  rising  costs  of  heating  oil  and  gaso- 
line are  hitting  consumers  hard.  Too,  brownouts 
and  blackouts  have  provided  critical  evidence  that 
our  demands  for  electricity  are  overwhelming  our 
current  delivery  systems. 

For  insights  into  the  topic  of  energy — both 
sustainable  and  renewable — we  look  to  the  work  of 
WPI  students,  faculty,  and  alumni.  Last  year's  solar 
energy  IQP,  in  which  solar  panels  were  installed  on 
the  roof  of  Morgan  Hall,  has  been  so  successful  that 
it  will  be  used  in  teaching  engineering  in  the  nation's 
public  schools.  Extending  the  life  of  electric  grids 
is  the  mission  of  a  team  of  students  and  faculty  who  are  developing  computer 
models  to  forecast  the  costs  and  benefits  of  retrofitting  National  Grid  USA's 
distribution  network. 

For  insights  into  the  world  energy  crisis,  we  interviewed  longtime  energy  and 
environmental  policy  advisor  Jack  Siegel  '68.  The  future  of  our  oil-dependent  cars 
and  trucks  is  analyzed  by  David  Friedman  '92,  research  director  of  the  Union  of 
Concerned  Scientists'  Clean  Vehicles  Program.  We  take  a  look  at  the  viability  of 
wind  power  provided  by  turbine  generators  and  solar  technology  to  power  homes — 
discussed,  respectively,  by  Paul  Gaynor  '87,  of  UPC  Wind  Management,  and  James 
Kachadorian  '61,  founder  of  Green  Mountain  Homes.  And  we  combine  one  of 
summer's  coolest  treats — ice  cream — with  insights  from  Ben  &  Jerry's  director  of 
engineering,  Pete  Gosselin  '85,  into  how  the  company  is  run  in  the  most  ecologi- 
cally responsible  manner  possible  while  upholding  product  quality  and  profitability. 

And  there's  more,  including  an  in-depth  look  at  WPI's  Wall  Street  Project 
Center,  which  teams  students  with  such  firms  as  Lehman  Brothers,  Morgan  Stanley, 
JP  Morgan,  and  Deutsche  Bank,  and  a  look  back  ai  the  inauguration  of  WPI's 
15th  president  and  the  graduation  or  the  Class  of  2005.  I  hope  you  enjoy  this  issue. 
We  welcome  your  thoughts  and  feedback. 

Amy  E.  Dean 

Assistant  Vice  President,  Communications 


Amy  E.  Dean 

Assistant  Vice  President,  Communications 

Michael  W.  Dorsey 
Director  of  Communications 

Michael  J.  Sherman 
Design  Director 

Bonnie  McCrea 
Production  Manager 

Peggy  Isaacson 

Graphic  Designer  and  Copy  Editor 

Joan  Killough-Miller 
Alumni  News  Editor 

Patrick  O'Connor 
Principal  Photographer 

re:design,  pascal 
Design 

Mark  Fisher 
Department  Icons 

Alumni  Communications  Committee 

Robert  C.  Labonte  '54,  chair;  Kimberly  A.  (Lemoi)  Bowers  '90, 
James  S.  Demetry  '58,  William  J.  Firla  Jr.  '60,  William  R. 
Grogan  '46,  Amy  L.  (Plack)  Marr  '96,  Harlan  B.  Williams  '50 

Editorial  Board 

Anne  McPartland  Dodd  '75;  Dana  Harmon,  director, 
Physical  Education,  Recreation,  and  Athletics;  Natalie  Mcllo, 
director,  global  operations,  Interdisciplinary  and  Global 
Studies;  Robert  Oborne,  senior  advancement  researcher. 
University  Advancement;  Denisc  Rodino,  executive  director, 
Corporate  and  Foundation  Relations;  Liz  Siladi,  executive 
director.  Individual  Giving,  and  director,  Planned  Giving; 
Greg  Snoddy,  director,  Healthy  Alternatives,  Club  Sports,  and 
Recreation;  John  Trimbur,  professor,  Humanities  and  Arts; 
Rick  Vaz,  associate  professor,  Electrical  and  Computer 
Engineering,  and  associate  dean.  Interdisciplinary  and  Global 
Studies  Division;  Kevin  Wynn,  associate  director,  Media 
Relations,  and  university  spokesman 

www.wpi.edu/  transformations 
e-mail:  transformations@wpi.edu 

Diverse  views  presented  in  this  magazine  do  not  necessarily 
reflect  the  opinions  of  the  editor  or  official  WPI  policies. 
Address  correspondence  to  the  Editor,  Transformations, 
WPI,  100  Institute  Road,  Worcester,  MA  01609 

Phone:  508-831-6037;  Fax  508-831-5820. 

Transformations  (ISSN  1538-5094)  is  published  quartcrl)  In 

the  Division  ol  Marketing  and  Communications  tor  the  WPI 
Alumni  Association.  Printed  in  I  ISA  In  Mercantile/Image  Press. 

Periodicals  postage  paid  .it  "OObiccster,  Mass .  and  at  additional 
mailing  offices.  Postmaster:  pl  iddresi 

il*,w,  I  inn,  ,,,nu i H-. i'  i  'nits,  \\ ,.[,,-.[,[  l\,K n, Inn,  Institute. 


WPI 


I  he-  \  Inivi  I 

Vicirc  and  technology! 

\.i.l  I  ifi 


Transformed 

I  really  enjoy  Transformations.  I  read  about  people  I  know  and  learn 
fascinating  information.  Nice  work. 

Danielle  LaMarre  Degnan  '89 

Canton,  Mass. 


WPI:  from  the  outside  in 

In  April  my  son,  Max,  who  will  attend  WPI  as  a  freshman  this 
fall,  and  I  took  Amtrak  from  Milwaukee  to  Worcester  to  attend  the 
merit-scholarship  breakfast  and  visit  the  campus.  I'd  say  we  had 
about  as  much  fun  on  the  long  train  ride  as  a  teen  and  his  graying, 
mid-50s  mother  can  have  together.  Once  we  reached  Massachusetts 
and  visited  WPI,  what  most  interested  me  were  the  people  we  met. 
There  was  something  about  their  willingness  to  talk,  with  on-the- 
quick  humor,  energy,  and  attention.  They  really  cared  ...  at  WPI 
and  elsewhere.  To  generalize — and  I  hate  to  do  that — I'd  say  that  we 
Midwesterners,  while  certainly  fun-loving  and  hardy,  are  also  kind 
of  cautious  and  careful.  Out  Worcester  way,  folks  seemed  a  bit  more 
passionate,  outgoing,  and  creative.  Maybe  we  just  visited  on  a  good 
day,  I  don't  know. 

When  we  returned  home,  I  read  in  the  Wisconsin  Outdoor 
Report:  "Loons  have  returned  to  northern  lakes  and  have  been  very 
vocal  at  night.  Ospreys  are  on  their  nesting  platforms  in  northern 
Wisconsin  and  the  first  Canada  goose  goslings  have  been  reported 

in  the  south Spring  peepers  and  wood  and  chorus  frogs  are  still 

calling.  In  the  north,  tamarack  tree  needles  are  emerging  from  the 

buds "  Well,  you  get  the  picture.  Maybe  there  is  no  place  like  home, 

at  least  in  spring,  and  at  least  when  home  is  our  wonderful  Wisconsin. 
But  WPI  and  its  environs  sure  seem  kind  of  wonderful,  too. 

Lynn  Kuhns,  WPI  '09  parent 
Winneconne,  Wis. 


Editor's  note:  The  following  e-mail  was  received  by  President 
Dennis  Berkey.  We  have  the  author's  permission  to  share  this 
with  our  readers. 


Last  Wednesday  [April  20]  my  family  stopped  at  your  school  to  view 
the  campus  and  get  some  information  about  admissions.  My  oldet 
daughter,  Chrystina,  is  a  high  school  junior  and  will  be  attending 
college  soon;  WPI  was  on  her  list  of  colleges  to  view.  We  arrived  late 
and  the  admissions  office  was  just  closing,  but  we  did  manage  to  get 
some  information  about  your  great  school.  We  then  went  back  to 
our  vehicle,  which  was  parked  on  the  street  under  the  footbridge. 
We  were  talking  to  a  student  and  my  wife  happened  to  mention 
that  we  had  atrived  late  and  were  not  able  to  take  the  "official"  tour. 
Another  student  was  walking  by  and  promptly  did  a  180-degree 
turn.  He  said  that  he  had  overheard  my  wife's  comment  and  that 
he  would  be  willing  to  give  us  a  tour  of  the  school,  even  though  it 
was  well  after  hours.  Peter  Kay,  one  of  your  junior  srudents,  then 
spent  the  next  hour  taking  me,  my  wife,  and  daughters  around  the 
campus,  beaming  with  pride  as  we  approached  each  building.  He 
managed  to  get  us  into  a  dorm  so  my  daughter  could  see  the  rooms, 
and  we  saw  the  cafeteria,  a  classroom,  and  many  other  places  of 
interest.  Peter  was  thoroughly  professional  in  his  presentation.  In 
this  day  and  age  it  was  refreshing  to  meet  a  student  who  so  dearly 
loved  his  school.  I'm  not  sure  whether  my  daughter  will  choose 
WPI,  but  I  do  know  that  the  quality  of  student  that  we  saw  there 
will  make  it  high  on  her  list. 

Charlie  Cappello 

Northford,  Conn. 


A  word  to  our  readers 

After  the  Spring  2005  issue  of  Transformations  was  mailed,  we 
discovered  that  an  old  mailing  list  had  been  used  by  our  vendor. 
Image  Mail  Management  has  issued  an  apology  to  the  magazine 
and  its  readers.  Please  accept  out  apologies  as  well  for  any 
■  Ed. 


inconvenience. 


Write  to  us 

We  welcome  your  letters.  Please  include  your  full  name,  year 
of  graduation,  and  current  address.  The  editor  reserves  the  right 
to  determine  the  suitability  of  letters  for  publication  and  to  edit 
them  for  accuracy  and  length.  We  regret  that  not  all  letters  can 
be  published. 

E-mail:  transformations@wpi.edu 

Fax:  508-831-5820 

Mail:  Editor,  Transformations 

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Transformations    \   Summer  2005     3 


) 

i  x 

Dennis  D.  Berkey  was  formally  inaugurated  as  WPI's  15th 
president  and  chief  executive  officer  on  May  20  during  a  ceremony 
on  the  campus  quadrangle.  The  historic  occasion  was  witnessed  by 
more  than  700  alumni,  students,  parents,  faculty,  staff,  government 
officials,  and  representatives  from  the  business,  not-for-profit,  and 
civic  communities.  The  program  featured  a  keynote  address  by  U.S. 
Senator  Edward  M.  Kennedy  and  President  Berkey's  inaugural  address. 

The  centerpiece  of  the  ceremony  was  the  formal  investiture  of  the 
president,  led  by  F.  William  Marshall,  chairman  of  the  WPI  Board  of 
Trustees.  Marshall  was  assisted  by  Robert  E.  Kinicki,  secretary  of  the 
WPI  faculty  and  associate  professor  of  computer  science,  and  Kent  J. 
Rissmiller,  chair  of  the  WPI  Committee  on  Governance  and  associate 
professor  of  social  science  and  policy  studies.  The  newly  installed 
president  was  presented  with  the  symbols  of  his  authority,  including 
the  university's  original  charter  and  the  Presidential  Medallion. 

As  his  first  official  act,  President  Berkey  bestowed  the  university's 


highest  honor,  the  WPI  Presidential  Medal,  on  Senator  Kennedy, 
U.S.  Representative  James  P.  McGovern,  and  WPI  Dean  Emeritus  of 
Undergraduate  Studies  William  R.  Grogan. 

In  his  address,  Berkey  reflected  on  the  past  and  looked  to  the  future.  He 
said  that  he  accepted  the  WPI  presidency  because  of  his  belief  in  the 
power  of  science  and  mathematics  education  to  prepare  young  people 
for  success  and  achievement  in  a  variety  of  fields,  and  because  WPI's 
approach  to  education,  "centered  on  science  and  technology, 
complemented  and  enriched  by  the  other  fine  and  liberal  arts  and  by 
programs  in  management,  seems  to  me  about  as  good  as  it  gets  in 
higher  education." 

The  university's  strong  sense  of  community,  and  the  high  regard  in 
which  the  university  is  held  by  students,  alumni,  faculty,  and  staff, 
also  deeply  impressed  WPI's  15th  president  and  encouraged  him 
during  his  first  year  on  campus.  "I  hope  to  be  the  kind  of  president 
who  is  worthy  of  an  institution  as  loved  as  WPI,"  he  said. 


4     transformations    \   Summer  2005 


Clockwise  from  far  left,  President  Berkey  acknowledges  the  applause  of  the 
audience  and  the  stage  party  (including,  at  left,  Worcester  Mayor  Timothy 
Murray  and  Senator  Edward  Kennedy,  and,  at  right,  former  WPI  President 
Edmund  Cranch);  bagpipers  and  drummers  from  the  Worcester  Fire  Brigade, 
who  led  the  processional;  President  Berkey  and  his  wife,  Catharine,  march  in 
the  recessional;  representing  the  oldest  of  the  nearly  50  colleges,  universities, 
and  learned  societies  that  sent  delegates  to  the  ceremony  were  WPI  trustee 
Howard  Jacobson,  left,  (Harvard  University,  founded  in  1 636),  and  Spencer 
Timm  (College  of  William  and  Mary,  founded  in  1693). 


In  looking  at  the  role  of  higher  education  in  the  coming  years, 
Berkey  stressed  the  importance  of  leadership  and  learning  and  how 
WPI  is  well  positioned  to  impart  these  crucial  skills  on  its  talented 
student  body.  "I  believe  that  WPI  today  has  a  greater  opportunity  to 
make  a  difference  in  our  nation,  and  in  the  world,  than  ever  before. 
This  university  stands  squarely  astride  the  major  forces  that  are 
changing  the  world  with  its  project-enriched  education  centered  on 
science  and  technology,  enhanced  and  made  complete  by  the  ways 
and  works  of  the  arts  and  humanities,  and  expanded  in  perspective 
by  the  global  program  experiences." 

Berkey  provided  a  glimpse  of  how  the  university  will  build  on  its 
strengths  in  the  years  ahead  through  a  broadening  of  WPI's 
academic  programs  — including  a  bachelor  of  arts  degree 
(to  complement  the  existing  bachelor  of  science)  and  the  development 
of  interdisciplinary  programs  that  link  the  humanities  and  arts  with 
technological  disciplines  through  investments  in  forward-looking 
research  — in  the  life  sciences  and  fields  related  to  health  care  and 


medicine,  and  through  new  facilities,  including  a  life  sciences 
research  building  at  Gateway  Park,  adjacent  to  downtown  Worcester 
(see  page  8),  and  a  sports  and  recreation  complex. 

In  his  keynote  speech,  Senator  Kennedy  said,  "Dennis  is  my  kind 
of  president.  His  impressive  30-year  career  as  a  professor  and 
administrator  promoting  excellence  makes  him  an  ideal  choice  to 
lead  WPI,  with  its  strong  tradition  as  a  university  that  continues  to 
raise  the  bar  on  excellence  year  after  year." 

He  went  on  to  stress  the  importance  of  technological  education  in 
today's  complex  world.  "The  future  is  ours  to  build,  and  WPI  is  building 
it.  You're  looking  beyond  the  narrow  horizon  of  today  to  the  needs  of 
tomorrow.  WPI  is  a  modern  university  built  on  New  England  tradition, 
and  your  graduates  are  helping  all  of  us  build  a  brighter  future." 

Learn  more  about  the  inaugural  event  and  read  the  full  text  of  President 
Berkley's  address  at  www.wpi.edu/+inauguration. 


Trans fo 


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Summer  2005    5 


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WPI's  137th  Commencement  was  held  on  Saturday,  May  21 

it  was  the  first  to  be  led  by  President  Dennis  D.  Berkey.  During  the 
outdoor  ceremonies  on  a  breezy  spring  day,  the  university  officially 
conferred  616  bachelor's  degrees,  252  master's  degrees,  and  22 
Ph.D.  degrees. 


Keynote  speaker  Ray  Kurzweil  was  commended  for  three  decades  as 
an  inventor,  entrepreneur,  author,  and  futurist  with  the  awarding  of 
an  honorary  doctor  of  science  degree.  Robert  L.  Diamond  '56,  who 
was  recognized  for  his  lifetime  of  innovation  and  entrepreneurship, 
most  notably  as  the  inventor  of  Caller  ID,  received  an  honorary  degree 
of  doctor  of  engineering,  and  Henry  C.  Lee,  who  was  honored  for 
his  46-year  career  as  one  of  the  world's  foremost  forensics  experts, 
contributing  to  more  than  8,000  criminal  cases,  received  an 
honorary  doctor  of  science  degree. 

In  his  address,  Kurzweil  described  three  great  revolutions:  in  genetics, 
which  promises  new  biotechnology  techniques  to  extend  life;  in 
nanotechnology,  which  can  be  applied  to  areas  such  as  solar 


h  to  meet  future  energy  needs;  and  in  robotics,  which  can  be 
used  to  expand  artificial  intelligence  at  the  human  level. 


—        researc 


He  concluded  his  remarks  by  offering  graduates  advice  for  the  future, 
noting  that  "in  order  to  create  knowledge,  you  need  passion.  You're 
the  only  one  who  can  determine  your  success  or  failure.  If  you  have 
a  passion  ...  see  it  through  to  success.  And,  never  give  in." 

After  the  degrees  were  conferred,  President  Berkey  delivered  a  final 
message  to  the  graduating  class.  "I  am  confident  that  you  will  live 
lives  not  only  of  high  achievement,  but  of  great  personal  satisfaction,' 
he  said.  "And  do  not  go  quietly.  Question  everything,  remembering 
and  using  the  critical  skills  that  you  developed  in  your  classes  and 
projects,  and  in  debates  with  your  faculty  and  fellow  students.  And 
despite  Thoreau's  advice,  pay  attention  to  the  ballot  box  as  well  as 
to  the  man  on  the  street.  You  are  well  prepared  to  determine  and 
contribute  to  leadership  at  all  levels." 

For  more  about  Commencement,  go  to  www.wpi.edu/-hCommencemenl. 


6     Transformation!    \   Summer  2005 


At  the  top  right,  President  Berkey  presents  an  honorary  doctorate  to  forensics 
expert  Henry  Lee;  below,  Provost  Carol  Simpson,  with  the  ceremonial  mace, 
and  graduates  who  completed  Army,  Air  Force,  and  Navy  ROTC  programs 
take  the  Armed  Forces  oath  of  office;  center,  right,  author  and  futurist  Ray 
Kurzweil  delivers  the  Commencement  address. 

Trans  formations    \   Summer  2005 


MoreBuzz 


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Groundbreaking  Ceremony  for  First  Building  at  Gateway  Park 


Ground  was  broken  on  June  27  for  Worcester's  Gateway  Park 
redevelopment  project,  which  is  turning  a  former  industrial  brownfield 
into  an  11-acre,  mixed-use,  life  sciences-based  park  where  WPI  will 
locate  its  life  sciences  and  bioengineering  facilities.  The  project's 
first  building,  the  WPI  Life  Sciences  and  Bioengineering  Center,  is 
scheduled  to  open  in  early  2007.  The  four-story  facility,  located  at 
60-68  Prescott  Street,  will  consist  of  new  construction  to  house 
modern  laboratories  and  support  facilities,  and  a  renovated  former 
industrial  building  to  provide  space  for  offices,  meeting  rooms,  and 
other  amenities.  Construction  is  a  joint  development  of  WPI  and 
the  Worcester  Business  Development  Corporation  (WBDC). 

Prominent  guests  at  the  groundbreaking  included  U.S.  Senator 
Edward  Kennedy,  U.S.  Representative  James  McGovern,  EPA  Deputy 


Regional  Administrator  Ira  Leighton,  Worcester  City  Manager  Michael 
O'Brien,  and  Worcester  Mayor  Timothy  Murray.  "Initiating 
construction  at  Gateway  Park  signals  our  confidence  in  the  ultimate 
success  of  this  important  component  of  downtown  Worcester's 
development,"  said  President  Dennis  Berkey  at  the  groundbreaking. 
"It  is  a  significant  step  forward  for  WPI,  for  the  partnership  with  the 
WBDC,  and  for  the  city.  Locating  our  life  sciences  and 
bioengineering  research  and  graduate  programs  in  state-of-the-art 
facilities  will  bring  an  important  scientific  core  to  this  development, 
which  will  enrich  WPI's  educational  efforts  and  attract  potential 
collaborators  to  the  site,  both  academic  and  corporate." 

For  wore  information  about  Gateway  Park,  go  to  www.wpi.edu 
/News/Releases/20045/gatewayceremony.html. 


Top  of  page,  speakers  at  the  ceremony  included, 
from  left,  Senator  Edward  Kennedy  and  Worcester 
City  Manager  Michael  O'Brien.  Below,  among  the 
participants  helping  with  the  groundbreaking  duties 
were,  from  left,  Congressman  James  McGovern, 
WPI  President  Dennis  Berkey,  Worcester  Business 
Development  Corporation  President  David  Forsberg, 
and  Mayor  Timothy  Murray. 


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8     Transformations   \  Summer  200$ 


Reunion  Weekend  2005 


There  were  smiles  all  around  as  alumni  and  friends  from  the  classes  of 
40,  '45,  '50,  '55,  '60,  '65,  '70,  '75,  '80,  and  '85  returned  to  campus 
June  10-12  to  mark  milestone  reunions,  reminisce  with  classmates,  share 
some  cheer  at  hospitality  suites,  receptions,  and  banquets,  march  in  the 
Reunion  Parade,  learn  something  new  in  Alumni  College  sessions,  present 
President  Dennis  Berkey  with  generous  class  gifts,  and  celebrate  the 
recipients  of  distinguished  alumni  awards  and  the  new  members  of  the 
50-Year  Associates.  View  more  photos  at  alumni.wpi.edu. 


Transformations    \   Summer  2005    9 


MoreBuzz 


Avaya  Chairman  and  CEO  Elected  Chair  of  WPI's  Board  of  Trustees 


Donald  K.  Peterson  '71,  chairman  and  CEO  of  Avaya  Inc.,  a  leading 
global  provider  of  communications  networks  and  services  for  busi- 
nesses, has  been  elected  the  20th  chair 
of  the  WPI  Board  of  Trustees.  He  succeeds 
F.  William  Marshall,  who  has  served  as 
chair  since  2003. 

Peterson  will  lead  the  university's  35- 
member  board  in  its  role  as  owner  and 
overseer  of  the  university.  He  brings  a 
strong  business,  management,  and 
financial  background  to  the  post,  chiefly 
in  the  telecommunications  industry. 

Peterson  became  president  and  CEO 
of  Avaya  when  it  was  spun  off  from 
Lucent  Technologies  in  2000;  he  was 
later  named  chairman.  In  2002,  he 
was  recognized  as  "CEO  of  the  Year" 
by  Frost  &  Sullivan,  a  strategic  marketing 
consulting  and  training  firm.  The  award 
lauded  Peterson  for  leading  Avaya  through  an  outstanding  year 
while  the  telecommunications  industry  as  a  whole  contracted  sharply. 
Since  leading  Avaya  through  its  launch  as  a  fully  independent 
company,  Peterson  has  restructured  the  firm  for  fiscal  stability, 
invested  in  key  growth  areas,  and  led  a  successful  effort  to  extend 
market  leadership  by  building  a  new  global  brand. 


"Don  Peterson's  impressive  career  of  achievement  and  entrepre- 
neurial leadership,  in  roles  of  global  reach  and  profound  importance 
to  the  communications  industry,  makes  him  extremely  well  suited  to 
lead  this  distinguished  university  and  to  provide  a  standard  against 
which  our  students  can  model  their  own  career  aspirations,"  said 
President  Dennis  Berkey.  "A  loyal  alumnus  and  active  member  of  the 
Board  of  Trustees,  Don  understands  well  the  uniqueness  and  value  of 
our  project-enriched  approach  to  education  centered  on  engineering 
and  science,  the  importance  of  our  research  programs,  and  WPI's 
role  in  regional  economic  development.  We  are  honored  and  most 
fortunate  to  have  him  as  our  new  chairman." 

Peterson  began  his  career  in  telecommunications  with  Nortel 
Networks  and  advanced  through  a  number  of  key  financial,  sales, 
and  general  management  positions  in  the  United  States  and  Canada, 
serving  as  CFO  until  his  appointment  to  president  of  Nortel 
Communications  Systems  Inc.  Later,  he  served  as  CFO  of  AT&T's 
Communications  Services  Group  until  AT&T  divested  Lucent  and 
he  became  its  CFO. 

A  native  of  Worcester,  Peterson  earned  a  B.S.  in  mechanical 
engineering  at  WPI  and  an  MBA  at  the  Tuck  School  of  Business 
at  Dartmouth  College.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Council  on  Foreign 
Relations  and  the  World  Economic  Forum,  the  board  of  overseers 
of  the  Tuck  School,  the  board  of  trustees  of  Teachers  Insurance  & 
Annuity  Association  of  America  (TIAA),  and  is  a  trustee  for  the 
Committee  for  Economic  Development. 


New  Admissions  Building  ... 
New  Vision  for  the  Quadrangle 

Construction  of  the  Bartlett  Center,  future  home  to  admissions  and 
financial  aid,  is  making  a  new  vision  of  the  quadrangle  a  reality- 
one  that  removes  parking  and  creates  a  large,  pedestrian-friendly 
green  zone  adjacent  to  residence  halls  and  athletic  facilities.  The 
Georgian  Revival  design  style,  evident  in  nearby  Sanford  Riley  Hall, 
will  include  an  exterior  brick  finish  installed  with  significant  details, 
windows,  and  glass,  enhanced  by  cast  stone  and  slate  details.  The 
building  will  sit  slightly  above  the  surrounding  grade,  accessible  by 
cast  concrete  stairs  and  ramps.  Its  main  entrance  will  be  on  the  east 
side,  near  the  landmark  Beech  Tree  Circle.  Visitors  will  enter  a  large 
reception  lobby,  with  a  seating  area  for  35  people;  also  planned 
are  a  40-seat  presentation  area  and  several  conference  and  meeting 
rooms.  The  building,  made  possible  by  a  donation  from  James  l. 
Bartlett  Jr.  '39  and  his  wife,  Shirley,  is  scheduled  to  open  in  May 
2006.  The  Bartlett  Center  is  registered  with  the  U.S.  Green  Building 
Council  and  has  been  designed  using  sustainable  design  principles 
under  the  Leadership  in  Energy  and  Environmental  Design  program. 

Stay  up-to-date  with  the  progress  of  construction  at  www.wpi  edu 
/About/Barllett/. 


Fire  Protection  Engineering 
Becomes  a  Department 

At  a  Town  Hall  meeting  held  this  spring,  Provost  Carol  Simpson 
announced  that  the  university's  internationally  recognized  Fire 
Protection  Engineering  program  was  being  elevated  to  the  status  of  a 
full  department.  The  program  was  created  in  1  979,  when  WPI  began 
offering  the  nation's  first  master's  degree  in  fire  protection  engineering 
through  its  Center  for  Firesafety  Studies. 

Simpson  also  announced  that  Kathy  A.  Notarianni  '86,  '88,  the 
former  director  of  the  Center  for  Firesafety  Studies,  was  appointed 
head  of  the  new  department  and  named  a  tenured  associate 
professor  of  fire  protection  engineering.  Notarianni  plans  a  number 
of  initiatives,  including  updating  the  curriculum,  enhancing  the 
department's  Ph.D.  program,  and  establishing  a  center  for  fire 
research  to  build  an  active  and  productive  research  program. 
"Since  its  founding  26  years  ago,  our  program  has  developed  an 
outstanding  international  reputation  for  educating  leaders  in  the  field 
of  fire  protection  engineering,"  she  noted.  "As  we  move  forward 
in  our  second  quarter-century,  the  goals  will  be  to  maintain  the 
momentum  within  the  curriculum  and  to  grow  an  internationally 
known  research  program  in  a  broad  range  of  fire  protection 
engineering  and  interdisciplinary  areas." 

In  May,  the  department  strengthened  its  ties  with  commercial  and 
industrial  property  insurer  FM  Global,  building  on  a  working  rela- 
tionship well  into  its  third  decade,  by  extending  their  collaborative 
fire  research  agreement  through  2007.  FM  Global  will  continue  to 
provide  support  for  the  FM  Global  Scholar,  Nicholas  Dembsey, 
associate  professor  of  fire  protection  engineering,  and  a  WPI 
graduate  student.  Since  2003,  FM  Global  has  contributed  more  than 
$600,000  in  equipment  and  funding  to  WPI,  including  state-of-the-art 
fire  propagation  apparatus  for  WPI's  fire  science  laboratory. 


Young  Faculty  Shine  in 
Their  Careers 

This  spring,  the  National  Science  Foundation's  most  prestigious  honor 
for  new  faculty  members— the  Faculty  Early  Career  Development 
(CAREER)  Award— was  given  to  three  WPI  assistant  professors:  Donald 
R.  Brown,  electrical  and  computer  engineering;  Neil  T.  Heffeman, 
computer  science;  and  Jennifer  L.  Wilcox,  chemical  engineering. 
Each  received  grants  of  approximately  $400,000  in  recognition  of 
their  potential  as  promising  researchers  and  educators— teacher- 
scholars  who  are  most  likely  to  become  academic  leaders  of  the  21st 
century.  Since  1995,  19  WPI  professors  have  won  CAREER  Awards. 

Brown  is  undertaking  a  five-year  research  program  to  investigate  and 
develop  new,  more  efficient  and  reliable  cellular  phone  and  sensor 
networks  using  cooperative  communication  systems  in  coordinating 
resource  allocation  and  synchronization.  Heffernan's  research  project 
focuses  on  the  creation  of  a  Web-based  intelligent  tutoring  system  to 
help  8th  grade  students  and  teachers  prepare  for  the  math  portion 
of  the  Massachusetts  Comprehensive  Assessment  Survey  (MCAS). 
Wilcox's  project  aims  to  aid  in  preventing  volatile  metals  selenium 
and  arsenic  from  releasing  into  the  atmosphere  due  to  the  flue  gases 
of  coal  combustion. 


ational  Retailers 
Come  to  Campus 

Two  household  names  are  coming  to  the  Campus 
Center.  On  July  1 ,  the  bookstore,  operated  since 
1 997  as  Tatnuck  Bookseller  at  WPI  by  local 
businesspeople  Larry  and  Gloria  Abramoff, 
reopened  as  a  Barnes  &  Noble  College  Bookstore, 
one  of  about  550  such  stores  owned  by  the 
leading  college  bookstore  company  in  America. 
The  Abramoffs  decided  to  leave  the  college  market 
and  focus  on  their  bookstores  in  Worcester  and 
Westborough.  This  fall,  the  Class  of  1948  Cafe, 
which  is  adjacent  to  the  bookstore,  will  reopen 
as  a  Dunkin'  Donuts  store,  bringing  the  popular 
New  England-based  chain  to  WPI.  Now,  whether 
hunting  for  a  good  read  or  a  hot  cuppa  Joe, 
students  will  find  the  comforts  of  home,  and 
names  they  know,  close  at  hand. 


Donald  Brown,  Neil  Heffernan,  and  Jennifer  Wilcox 


Transformations    \   Summer   2005     1  I 


By  Rachel  Faugno 


year's  "Solar  Energy  and  Photovoltaics  Education  in  Worcester"  IQP 
is  been  so  successful  that  it  will  be  included  in  a  Web-based  resource 
for  teaching  engineering  in  the  nation's  schools.  ^^ 


«ms 


More  and  more,  college  campuses 
are  embracing  alternative  energy.  Last 
year,  an  Interactive  Qualifying  Project 
to  promote  awareness  of  sustainable 
energy— specifically,  solar  energy— 
throughout  Worcester  County  resulted 
in  a  greening  of  the  WPI  campus.  "This 
is  a  nice  step  forward  in  green  energy 
at  WPI,"  says  Brian  King,  project  co- 
advisor  and  assistant  professor  of 
electrical  and  computer  engineering 
(ECE),  about  the  installation  of  solar 
panels  on  the  roof  of  Morgan  Hall. 
The  four-panel  installation,  which  is 
connected  to  the  power  grid  in  the 
building,  generates  roughly  one  kW— 
the  energy  required  to  light  ten  100- 
watt  lightbulbs— of  clean,  renewable 
power.  "But  the  larger  purpose  of  the 
project,"  adds  King,  "was  to  generate 
awareness  of  sustainable  energy  on 
campus  and  throughout  the  Worcester 
community.  There's  a  lack  of  know- 
ledge about  these  issues  that  we  wanted 
to  address  through  the  project's 
educational  component." 

Student  research  showed  that  sustainable 
energy  accounts  for  less  than  1  percent 
of  global  power  production.  Sources 
such  as  wind  and  solar  power,  which 
conserve  natural  resources  and  produce 
minimal  pollution,  are  costly  to  imple- 
ment and  require  substantial  installation 
space.  Furthermore,  federal  funding  for 
sustainable  energy  development  has 
decreased  in  recent  years.  According 
to  project  advisor  Rick  Vaz,  associate 
professor  of  ECE,  "One  way  to  address 
the  problem  is  to  build  public  support  for 
research  and  development  of  environ- 
mentally friendly  energy.  The  obvious 
place  to  begin  is  right  here  on  campus. 
We  need  to  set  a  good  example  both 
for  our  students  and  for  the  Worcester 
community.  Installing  solar  panels 
is  one  small  way  we  can  do  that." 

The  project,  which  involved  two  teams 
of  students  working  consecutively, 
began  with  a  proposal  from  Matt  Arner 
'98,  one  of  Vaz's  former  advisees,  who 
now  works  for  Heliotronics,  a  company 
that  promotes  solar  energy  through 


Opposite  page:  kneeling,  from  left,  project  team  2  members  Mike  LaBossiere,  Sid  Rupani,  Devin  Brande, 
and  Ye  Wang;  standing,  from  left,  Matt  Arner  '98,  team  1  members  Joe  Chapman,  Haitham  Al-Beik,  and 
Jason  Wailgum,  Rick  Vaz,  co-advisor  to  both  teams,  and  team  2  co-advisor  Kankana  Mukherjee.  Not  pic- 
tured: team  1  member  Joe  Ledue  and  team  1  co-advisor  Brian  King.  This  page,  Chris  Salter,  associate 
director  of  plant  services  at  WPI,  at  left,  and  Brande  make  points  during  the  final  project  presentation. 


education.  Vaz  explains,  "The  company 
was  interested  in  working  with  WPI, 
and  Matt  was  helpful  in  guiding  the 
students  toward  resources  to  make 
this  a  reality."  Arner  and  Vaz  wrote 
a  proposal  to  the  WPI  Class  of  1975, 
which  agreed  to  provide  the  initial 
funding.  They  were  then  able  to 
use  the  Massachusetts  Technology 
Collaborative's  incentives  to  help 
make  the  system  financially  viable. 

The  team  effort  led  to  the  installation  of 
a  photovoltaic  array  and  a  Heliotronics 
Solar  Learning  Lab,  a  data  acquisition 
system  with  interactive  software  that 
broadcasts  information  over  the  local 
area  network.  Sid  Rupani  '04  (ME),  a 
member  of  the  second  team,  notes  that 
the  process  of  getting  the  panels  installed 
was,  in  itself,  an  education.  "We  worked 
with  dozens  of  stakeholders,  from  WPI's 
Plant  Services  and  Network  Operations 
to  vendors  and  funding  organizations," 
he  recalls.  "This  was  by  far  the  most 
real-world  contact  I'd  had  on  a  project 
at  WPI." 

Another  project  stakeholder  was 
the  Worcester  public  school  system. 
Working  with  Martha  Cyr,  director 
of  K-12  Outreach  at  WPI,  the  students 
designed  educational  lessons  for 
middle  school  and  high  school  students 
to  promote  solar  energy,  building 
from  a  fundamental  understanding 
of  renewable  energy  to  the  specifics 
of  solar  energy  and  photovoltaics. 

"The  materials  were  designed  to  fit 
state  educational  standards,"  says  Cyr. 
"We  tested  them  during  professional 
development  workshops  for  teachers 
and  received  very  favorable  feedback. 
In  fact,  these  resources  are  so  strong 
that  they'll  be  added  to  the  teachers' 


resource  Web  site  [teachengineering.org] 
and  will  be  available  nationwide." 

The  success  of  the  project  was  a  true 
team  effort.  The  first  team,  which 
focused  on  planning,  was  coadvised 
by  Vaz  and  Kankana  Mukherjee, 
assistant  professor  of  management, 
and  included  Haitham  Al-Beik  '05 
(ECE),  Joe  Chapman  '05  (ECE),  Joe 
Ledue  '04  (ME),  and  Jason  Wailgum 
'05  (ME).  The  second  group  focused 
on  implementation;  those  students 
were  Rupani,  Devin  Brande  '05  (ME), 
Michael  LaBossiere  '05  (ECE),  and 
Ye  Wang  '05  (ECE). 

"If  enough  people  are  aware  and 
willing  to  invest  in  green  energy," 
says  LaBossiere,  "it  can  make  a  big 
difference  in  how  our  energy 
demands  impact  the  planet." 

"This  may  be  a  small  step,  but  it 
demonstrates  an  awareness  of  green 
energy  solutions,"  adds  Wang.  "WPI 
can  claim  to  use  green  power  on 
campus.  More  important,  it  can  make 
a  significant  contribution  to  building 
public  understanding  and  support  for 
sustainable  energy." 

Vaz  agrees.  "Our  primary  goal  was  to 
get  more  people— students,  faculty,  and 
staff— to  think  about  energy  use  and 
learn  a  bit  about  renewable  energy 
sources,  and  to  allow  WPI  to  become 
a  resource  to  the  Worcester  community. 
We  are  hoping  that  some  of  our  student 
groups  that  take  an  interest  in  social  and 
environmental  issues  can  help  make  that 
happen  by  following  up  on  some  of  the 
recommendations  that  came  from  these 
two  IQPs.  This  was  a  community  effort, 
and  we  hope  it  can  result  in  many 
returned  benefits  to  the  community." 


Transformations    \    Summer  2005     13 


Investigations 


By  Rachel  Faugno 


More  Power 

to  the  National  Grid 


Clogged  arteries  can 
dramatically  decrease 
blood  flow  and  eventually 
stop  the  heart;  so,  too, 
can  the  "arteries"  that 
transmit  and  distribute 
electricity  become  clogged 
and  stressed,  leading  to 
catastrophic  failures. 
WPI  students  are  seeking 
ways  to  extend  the  life 
of  the  existing  grid  while 
keeping  the  delivery  of 
electricity  flowing. 


The  Great  Blackout  of  2003 — the  largest  in  North  American  history — began  on 
August  1 4  and  affected  the  northeastern  United  States  and  eastern  Canada.  It  shut  down 
more  than  100  power  plants,  including  22  nuclear  reactors,  knocked  out  power  to  50  million 
people  over  a  9,300-square-mile  area  ranging  from  New  England  to  Michigan,  and  cost  an 
estimated  56  billion  in  related  financial  losses.  The  culprit:  old  and  antiquated  technology. 
At  a  speaking  event  the  following  day  in  a  national  park  in  California — a  state  that  had  expe- 
rienced numerous  brownouts  and  blackouts  in  2001 — President  Bush  told  reporters  that  he 
viewed  the  power  failure  "as  a  wake-up  call...  the  grid  needs  to  be  modernized,  the  delivery 
systems  need  to  be  modernized....  This  particular  incident  has  made  it  abundantly  clear  to  the 
American  people  that  we've  got  an  antiquated  system,  and  now  we've  got  to  figure  out  what 
went  wrong  and  how  to  address  it." 

To  be  sure,  there  are  no  easy  solutions.  The  demand  for  electricity  continues  to  climb 
at  roughly  2  to  3  percent  annually,  fueled  largely  by  an  increase  in  the  installation  of  computer 
equipment  and  the  power  necessary  to  keep  it  cool.  Addressing  the  problem  will  involve  considerable 
cost  and  a  high  risk  of  failure  unless  ways  can  be  found  to  augment  power  companies'  ability 
to  handle  increasing  loads.  That  is  exactly  what  a  group  of  WPI  students  working  with  the 
National  Grid  USA  Service  Company  in  Northborough,  Mass.,  is  hoping  to  do. 

Dollars  and  sense 

Jack  Coyne  '05  (ECE),  Anu  Myne  '06  (ECE),  and  Munaf  Aamir  '07  (SD/MIS)  began 
exploring  new  technologies  for  augmenting  electric  supplies  last  fall  under  the  direction  of 
professors  Khalid  Saeed  (SSPS)  and  Alex  Emanuel  (ECE).  The  team  is  developing  computer 
models  that  forecast  the  costs  and  benefits  of  retrofitting  National  Grid  USA's  distribution 
network  with  storage  and  distributed  generation  devices. 

"We  hope  to  develop  a  tool  to  play  out  different  investment  scenarios,"  says  Coyne. 
"Demand  will  exceed  capacity  before  long,  and  the  company  is  facing  decisions  about  when 
to  upgrade  equipment."  Adds  Aamir,  "If  we  can  extend  the  life  of  a  few  transformers  by  three 
or  four  years,  we've  enabled  the  company  to  defer  millions  ot  dollars  of  expenses  and  possibly 
take  advantage  of  future  technological  advances.  At  the  same  time,  it's  important  that  the 
delivery  of  electricity  remains  adequate  and  reliable."  Demand  and  delivery  are  foremost  in 
the  students'  work.  National  Grid  USA,  the  holding  company  for  National  Grid  Transco's 
U.S.  business,  is  one  of  the  10  largest  utilities  (by  number  of  customers)  in  the  country.  It 
has  the  largest  combined  electricity  transmission  and  distribution  network  in  the  New 
England  and  New  York  region,  with  more  than  3.2  million  customers  in  nearly  900  cities, 
towns,  and  villages. 

"Electricity  is  provided  to  consumers  in  three  stages,"  says  John  Bzura,  principal  engineer 
at  National  Grid  USA.  "First,  generators  at  large  power  plants  produce  electricity — at  around 
10,000  volts — horn  turbines  powered  by  fossil  fuels,  nuclear  hid.  or  water  (hydroelectric 
plants).  Massive  transformers  raise  the  voltage  to  transmission  levels  ol  1  1  >.000  to  765,000 
volts.  Companies  such  as  National  Grid  purchase  the  electricity  and  transmit  it  across  high- 
voltage  transmission  lines  to  substations  (there  are  over  S00  in  Massachusetts],  where  the 
voltage  is  typically  reduced  to  13.800  volts.  From  there  the  electricity  goes  to  distribution 
Utilities,  which  carry  power  from  the  substations  to  customers  and  reduce  the  voltage  to  120 
to  240  volts  lor  homes  and  higher  voltages  lor  larger  customers,  I  he  WPI  project  targets  the 

distribution  of  electricit]  from  the  substation.*' 


14    Transformation!   \  Summer  2005 


•■I 


i        y 


A  major  challenge  for  suppliers  of  elecrricity,  says  Saeed,  is  ro  meet  the  demand  at  peak 
times.  "Electricity  pricing  follows  a  progressive  structure,"  he  explains.  "Getting  supply  at 
peak  demand  levels  costs  more.  Peak  demand  also  strains  the  distribution  system.  We  are 
investigating  ways  to  purchase  electricity  during  low-demand  times  and  store  it  for  use  when 
the  demand  peaks."  This  concept,  called  peak  shaving,  would  require  the  installation  of 
batteries  or  other  storage  devices  at  substations. 

Banking  electricity 

The  team  is  also  exploring  the  installation  of  distributed  small-scale  power  generation  devices 
placed  near  major  consumers  or  at  the  substation.  "This  option  is  becoming  feasible  with 
emerging  technologies  that  include  solar  photovoltaic  (PV)  systems,  microturbines,  wind 
turbines,  and  fuel  cells,"  says  Saeed.  "These  devices  could  be  connected  at  the  substation  to 
deliver  energy  during  peak  loading." 

Despite  the  potential  advantages  of  utilizing  storage  and  distributed  generation  devices, 
both  options  present  challenges.  The  devices  are  expensive  to  install  and  operate,  especially 
in  comparison  to  large-scale  generation.  The  linkup  technology  is  not  yet  fully  developed. 
Charging  and  reloading  batteries  can  create  unexpected  dynamics.  Generators  tend  to  be 
noisy.  And  the  costs  and  benefits  of  the  various  retrofitting  options  are  not  clearly  under- 
stood; their  environmental  impact  is  also  unknown. 

"An  important  challenge  is  that  the  retrofitting  modifications  will  also  affect  the  ways 
in  which  the  electric  utilities  protect  the  distribution  lines  against  abnormal  conditions,  such 
as  lightning  and  short  circuits,"  says  Emanuel.  "We  will  need  to  deal  with  this  problem  in 
the  future  phases  of  the  project." 

Because  of  so  many  variables,  in  both  economic  and  engineering  issues,  "we  are 
employing  a  sysrem  dynamics  model  rhat  simulates  both  the  load  dynamics  and  the  eco- 
nomic implications  for  the  retrofitting  options  selected,"  Saeed  says.  "This  model  will 
propose  ways  to  achieve  low-load  fluctuation,  reduce  the  cost  of  power,  extend  the  life 
of  transformer  equipment,  and  defer  capital  costs." 

Although  the  students  have  yet  to  finalize  their  teport,  Bzura  is  pleased  with  the  results. 
"If  their  proposals  appear  to  be  cost-effective,"  he  says,  "we  will  certainly  examine  them 
closely  for  possible  implementation." 

Myne  adds  that  if  the  model  they're  developing  is  as  useful  as  they  hope  it  will  be,  "the 
implications  of  its  wide-scale  adoption  could  be  huge  in  terms  of  saving  money  and  reducing 
the  chances  of  wide-scale  blackouts." 


At  a  National  Grid  substation  are,  from  left,  project 
team  members  Jack  Coyne  '05,  Anu  Myne  '06,  and 
Munaf  Aamir  '07. 


Transformations    [Summer  2005     15 


From  Apprentices  to  Executives 

WPI's  Wall  Street  Project  Center  Creates 


Win-Win  Career  Outcbmes 


WPI  alumni  who  work 

on  Wall  Street  know  a 

smart  investment  when  they 

see  one.  So  they  champion 

undergraduates  from  their 

alma  mater  who  want  to 

prove  their  worth  in  the 

world  of  high  finance. 


Antonella  Allaria  '03, 

an  analyst  for  Deutsche  Bank, 
says  the  experience  she  gained 
through  her  Wall  Street  project 
made  her  a  hot  commodity 
on  the  job  market. 


The  allure  of  Wall  Street, 

with  its  prestigious  firms  and  pre- 
mier careers,  makes  it  a  magnet 
for  college  graduates;  likewise,  it 
creates  the  need  for  vigorous 
recruitment  to  entice  the  "best 
and  brightest"  to  company  org 
charts.  A  recent  article  in  Current 
magazine  reported  that  schools 
with  a  large  network  of  alumni  in 
powerful  Wall  Street  firms  often 
play  a  big  role  in  shaping  the 
careers  of  their  alma  mater's 
undergraduates  by  actively  partici- 
pating in  the  recruitment  ptocess. 

The  Wall  Street  Project  Center,  launched  six  years  ago  by  WPI 
faculty  and  alumni  VIPs  from  Lehman  Brothers,  Morgan  Stanley, 
JP  Morgan,  and  Deutsche  Bank,  has  given  the  university  a  strong- 
hold in  several  New  York  firms.  "We  have  a  network  with  the  four 
most  influential  investment  banks  in  the  wotld,"  says  Arthur 
Gerstenfeld,  professor  of  management  and  the  center's  original 
visionary.  "Undergraduates  engage  in  serious  projects  through  the 
center.  They're  given  a  lot  of  tesponsibility,  and  they  prove  time  and 
again  that  they're  up  to  the  task.  The  firms  invariably  come  out  with 
products  and  results  they  can  use." 

Teaming  up 

Projects  completed  at  the  center  require  at  least  two  months'  prepara- 
tion on  campus,  followed  by  faculty-guided  work  on  site  for  two 
months.  The  objective  of  every  project  is  to  satisfy  a  specific  need 
for  the  sponsor;  students  are  graded  on  the  outcome. 

"We  place  a  lot  of  emphasis  on  teamwork,"  says  Gerstenfeld, 
"and  that's  vitally  important  on  Wall  Street."  Project  work  is  accom- 
plished by  students  who  are  paired  into  interdisciplinary  teams  of 
two  or  thtee;  math  and  computer  science  majors,  for  instance, 
might  work  with  business  and  industrial  engineering  students. 

"The  key  these  days  is  the  ability  to  work  in  teams,"  says 
Gregory  Friel  '90,  director  of  information  technology  at  Deutsche 
Bank,  which  has  been  sponsoring  center  projects  for  four  years. 
"That's  what  WPI's  curriculum  is  all  about." 

"When  students  come  here  to  do  their  Major  Projects,  they're 
expected  to  crank  out  the  work,"  adds  Scott  Button  '84,  senior 
vice  president  at  Lehman  Brothers.  "This  requires  a  certain  type  of 
person.  Art  [Gerstenfeld]  provides  a  valuable  screening  process — he 
sees  to  it  the  students  communicate  well,  make  intelligent  compro- 
mises, and  can  apply  technology  in  the  real  world." 


Burton  used  a  team  of  four 
students  to  consult  with  Lehman 
Brothers'  risk-reporting  teams, 
which  had  found  their  time- 
critical  work  hampered  by  a 
labor-intensive  system;  not  only 
did  production  of  standard  reports 
take  longer  than  it  should,  but 
each  time  a  customized  report 
was  needed — a  daily  occur- 
rence— the  analysts  had  to  rely 
on  in-house  programmers  for 
help.  How  could  the  firm  more 
nimbly  assess  the  risks  in  their 
high-stakes  transactions  and 
so  avoid  or  swiftly  recover 
from  losses? 

"We  needed  a  solution 
that  would  be  quick  and  didn't 
require  programming,"  says  Burton,  who  sent  one  team  of  two 
students  to  Lehman's  London  offices  to  work  with  the  ctedit  risk 
management  gtoup  and  another  to  New  Yotk  to  help  the  equity 
product  risk  management  team.  "I  set  it  up  this  way  because  I 
wanted  them  to  compete  at  first,"  explains  Burton,  "and  then 
come  back  and  put  it  all  together." 

After  analyzing  the  global  risk-reporring  stt uctutes  in  both 
locations,  the  teams  implemented  Business  Objects,  an  oft-rhe-shelf 
application  that  combines  properties  of  Microsoft  Access  and  Excel 
into  an  all-in-one  reporting  tool  that  enables  users  ro  create  their 
own  reports  in  10  minutes,  instead  of  four  hours,  and  have  full 
control  of  both  the  data  and  the  output  formar. 

Lehman  Brothers'  next  Wall  Street  project  will  continue  what 
this  team  started,  says  Burton,  noting  that  the  students  will  "start 
and  end  in  London  and  New  York,  and  possibly  elsewhere." 

Projects  with  a  purpose 

In  project  after  project,  WPI  students  have  demonsttated  a  knack 
for  saving  Wall  Street's  most  precious  commodities:  time  and  money. 
In  Deutsche  Bank's  latest  project,  undergraduates  helped  accelerate 
ttade  confirmations.  "These  are  enormous  and  complex  transactions," 
says  Friel,  "and  our  clients  want  their  confirmations  very,  very 
quickly.  We  must  be  able  to  confirm  over  a  million  trades  a  day 
within  15  minutes."  The  students'  analysis,  he  says,  will  improve 
customer  service  and  enhance  revenue.  "Next  year,  we  plan  to 
address  another  part  of  rhe  process." 

At  JP  Morgan,  Tiffany  Carl  '05  and  Bao  Jian  Yu  '05  helped 
the  North  American  credit  reseatch  group  shrink  the  time  it  took 
to  generate  daily  analytic  reports,  documents  used  internally  and 
by  thousands  of  the  bank's  clients.  Executives  knew  that  quick 
report  production  would  improve  the  bank's  performance  ratings, 
which  potential  clients  use  to  choose  their  financial  institutions. 


Transformations    \    Summer   2005     17 


Explorations 


Because  of  their  on-campus  research,  "My  partner  and  I  hit  the 
ground  running  when  we  went  on  site,"  says  Carl.  "We  were  able  to 
reduce  report  genetation  time  by  upwards  of  70  percent.  It  was  so 
rewarding  and  really  boosted  my  confidence  in  my  ability  to  work 
in  the  corporate  world." 

"Tiffany  and  Bao  Jian  did  an  excellent  job,"  says  Michael 
Zarrilli  '71,  a  managing  director  at  JP  Morgan,  a  WPI  trustee,  and  a 
Wall  Street  Project  Center  pioneer.  "We've  already  implemented  their 
suggestions.  We  know  that  WPI  students  have  both  the  technical 
background  and  managerial  skills  to  do  a  good  job,  and  that  they're 
well  guided  by  their  professors." 

In  a  Morgan  Stanley  project  completed  last  December,  Conor 
Casey  '04  and  Juan  Varela  '05  were  asked  to  improve  operations 
efficiency  in  the  firm's  prime  brokerage  documentation  group — 20 
employees  in  New  York,  London,  and  Hong  Kong — which  negoti- 
ates and  tracks  contacts  for  new  client  accounts. 

"Kids  from  WPI  don't  sit  around  waiting  for  someone  to 
tell  them  what  to  do,"  says  Casey.  "The  minute  we  got  there,  we 
jumped  right  in."  The  students  recommended  leveraging  an  existing 
computer  application  for  the  documenta- 
tion area  and  reorganizing  the  documenta 
tion  group's  employees.  Says  Carlos  Pena 
'00,  an  associate  with  the  Morgan  Stanley 
group,  "We're  implementing  these  recom- 
mendations now,  confident  they  will 
benefit  the  group  and  the  company." 

One  of  the  center's  original  backers 
is  neither  an  alum  nor  a  faculty  member. 
"The  WPI  culture  and  staff  clearly  play 
an  important  part  in  ensuring  consistent 
results  year  after  year  with  a  broad  array 
of  students,"  says  Jay  Mailer,  executive 
director  for  prime  brokerage  technology 
at  Morgan  Stanley,  who  has  welcomed  a 
steady  stream  of  WPI  students  into  his 
division  since  2000.  Adds  Michael 


\ 


^  ^  \VYv-1 


Ciaraldi,  professor  of  computer  science  at  WPI,  who  works  closely 
with  students  on  their  projects,  "Our  students  are  always  praised 
lavishly  for  their  professionalism  and  the  insights  they  bring.  Often, 
the  companies  begin  implementing  the  students'  recommendations 
before  the  project  is  even  over.  And  many  of  them  get  job  offers 
from  the  firms." 

You're  hired! 

"In  our  first  project,  we  helped  Morgan  Stanley's  prime  brokerage  group 
(MSPB)  analyze  and  streamline  the  workflow  in  the  client  services 
department,"  says  Gerstenfeld,  who  adds  that  both  students — one 
was  Pefia — were  offered  jobs  with  the  group. 

Burton  considers  the  WPI  students  who  teamed  in  New  York 
and  London  for  the  Lehman  Brothers  project  "as  potential  hires. 
We  recruit  from  a  lot  of  different  places,  including  Carnegie  Mellon, 
MIT,  and  Columbia.  In  general,  WPI  students  are  more  interested 
than  the  others  in  having  a  tangible  impact." 

Analyst  Antonella  Allaria  '03,  who  completed  her  project  at 
Morgan  Stanley,  was  snapped  up  by  Deutsche  Bank  right  after 
graduation.  "At  WPI,  I  learned  how  to 
negotiate  and  solve  problems  as  part  of  a 
group — skills  I  use  here  every  day.  I  also 
learned  that  we  must  understand  our  users' 
requirements,  not  just  the  technology.  Part 
of  our  WPI  education  was  not  only  to  be 
technical  experts,  but  to  develop  strong 
communication  skills." 

Michael  Modisett  '02  landed  an  asso- 
ciate's position  with  Deutsche  Bank;  his 
project  with  the  bank,  to  develop  a  help 
system  for  eSPEAR,  gave  him  familiarity 
with  its  complex  trade  settlement  software. 
"The  Wall  Street  Project  Center  gives 
Deutsche  Bank  the  perfect  opportunity 
to  try  out  potential  employees,    he  savs. 
"It  works  for  us  and  tor  WPI." 


"We  recruit  from  a  lot  of  different  places,  including  Carnegie  Mellon,  MIT,  and  Columbia. 
In  general,  WPI  students  are  more  interested  than  the  others  in  having  a  tangible  impact." 

—  Scott  Burton,  senior  vice  president,  Lehman  Brothers 


1  8     Trans  for  m  a  tions    \   S  «  "'  »i  <~  t 


"The  Wall  Street  Project  Center  gives  Deutsche  Bank  the  perfect  opportunity  to  try  out 
potential  employees.  It  works  for  us  and  for  WPI." 

—  Michael  Modisett  '02,  associate,  Deutsche  Bank 


Investing  in  the  future 

"I  spend  10  to  20  percent  of  my  time  mentoring  WPI  students  while 
they  are  at  the  company,"  says  Pena,  who  has  maintained  close  ties 
with  the  center.  "I  enjoy  this  work  because  the  students  are  organized; 
they  are  fast  learners  with  strong  quantitative  skills  and  they  conduct 
themselves  professionally." 

"I  benefited  tremendously  from  WPFs  practical,  applied  educa- 
tion," says  Burton.  "So  I  wanted  to  give  back  to  the  university  and  its 
students.  But  this  isn't  altruism.  It's  good  business.  We  get  young, 
energetic  students,  drop  them  in  a  situation,  and  see  what  they  can  do. 
This  try-buy  of  entry-level  hires  is  good  for  the  recruiting  pipelines." 


"Today,  technology  drives  this  business,"  says  Ftiel.  "Within  1 5 
to  20  years,  you'll  see  this  industry's  CEOs  coming  up  not  from  the 
traditional  sales  path,  but  from  the  technical  side  of  business.  WPI 
students  not  only  have  the  general  interest  in  technology,  but  know 
how  to  use  it  to  make  the  organization  better.  Other  engineers  may 
not  be  able  to  work  well  within  Wall  Street's  global,  matrix-organized 
world.  I'm  consistently  impressed  with  the  students'  ability  to  com- 
municate and  to  organize  their  goals  and  objectives  working  under 
a  strict  10-week  timeline.  They  understand  how  to  escalate  issues 
to  get  things  done." 


Scott  Burton  '84,  senior  vice  president  at  Lehman  Brothers,  says  advising  Wall  Street  projects  lets  him  give  back  to  WPI  and  evaluate  potential  new  hires. 


1f!r' 


mil 


V   - 


••#•    ••  • 


The  Coming  Energy  CRISIS 


By  Christine  Van  Roosen  Photography  by  Patrick  O'Connor 


Jack  Siegel  '68  has  led,  analyzed/  regulated, 

and  advised  energy  and  environmental  policy  and  practices 

worldwide  for  more  than  three  decades.  Starting  his  career  at  the 

Environmental  Protection  Agency  (EPA)  during  a  period  of  intense  focus 

on  the  environment,  he  led  efforts  to  regulate  and  enforce  the  Clean 

Air  Act  of  1 970.  He  joined  the  Department  of  Energy  (DOE)  in  the  late 

1 970s  and  for  1 8  years  served  in  a  number  of  positions,  including 

deputy  assistant  secretary  for  coal  technology  and  acting  assistant 

secretary  for  fossil  energy.  He  is  credited  with  making  DOE's  Clean  Coal 

Technology  program  a  success.  Since  1 994,  Siegel  has  been  a  principal 

with  Energy  Resources  International  Inc.  in  Washington,  D.C.,  which 

provides  tailored  consulting  and  strategic  advice  to  domestic  and 

international  clients  in  power  generation,  current  and  emerging  fuel 

technologies,  infrastructure,  markets  and  restructuring,  air  emissions, 

and  regulatory  and  legislative  issues.  He  was  a  member  of  the 

National  Academy  of  Sciences  Committee  on  Challenges,  Opportunities, 

and  Possibilities  for  Cooperation  in  the  Energy  Futures  of  China  and  the 

United  States  and  has  served  on  the  National  Academies  of  Science 

Energy  and  Environment  Committee,  among  others.  He  is  the  recipient 

of  the  Presidential  Award  for  Superior  Achievement  (1992)  and  the 

Secretary  of  Energy's  Gold  Medal  for  Outstanding  Performance  (1994). 

This  spring,  he  talked  with  Transformations  about  a  variety  of 

national  and  global  energy  and  environmental  issues. 


Transformations    \   Summer  2005     21 


You've  fulfilled  leadership  roles  for  government, 
regulatory,  and  private  organizations  worldwide. 
What  insights  have  you  gained  from  these 
experiences? 

I've  learned  the  importance  of  teamwork  and  open  communica- 
tion— with  the  people  who  work  for  me  and  other  organizations 
and  countries.  It's  imperative  that  everyone  is  fully  aware  of  what 
we'te  trying  to  accomplish  and  how  we're  going  to  get  there.  My 
WPI  education  prepared  me  not  just  to  think  through  issues  in  a 
logical  manner,  but  to  work  effectively  with  people.  Lots  of  good 
ideas  come  from  others;  you  can  build  on  those  ideas  to  come 
up  with  a  better  product  or  a  better  way  of  doing  things. 

I'm  one  of  the  lucky  people  who  got  involved  in  issues  of 
national  and  international  significance  at  their  early  stages.  For 
example,  I  joined  the  EPA  when  envitonmental  concerns  were 
first  being  recognized  and  there  was  a  real  interest  nationwide 
in  dealing  with  them.  I  joined  the  DOE  just  after  the  first 
OPEC  oil  embargo  and  was  there  throughout  several  energy 
crises  when  the  public  demanded  quick  action  to  resolve  the 
eneigy  supply  and  price  issues.  It's  been  exciting  to  work  with 
colleagues  throughout  the  world  in  trying  to  address  these  com- 
mon problems. 

What  are  the  leading  energy  and  environmental 
issues  facing  the  United  States? 

The  most  challenging  eneigy  issues  are  oil  availability  and 
the  price  of  liquid  fuels  for  transportation  applications.  These 
issues  have  been  there  throughout  my  yeats  in  government. 
Most  people  hoped  there  would  always  be  ample  supplies 
and  prices  would  stay  low,  but  instead  we're  starting  to  see  the 
ramifications  of  not  developing  good  alternatives,  such  as  more 
efficient  engines  or  engines  that  utilize  other  fuels,  and  not 
looking  for  alternative  supplies  of  liquid  fuels. 

The  biggest  envitonmental  issue  is  climate  change.  Politi- 
cians are  moving  toward  requirements  to  control  carbon  dioxide. 
While  a  number  of  other  countries  have  formally  recognized 
this  problem  and  have  agreed  to  international  tteaties  to  require 
reductions  in  the  emission  of  greenhouse  gases,  the  United 
States  isn't  quite  there  yet.  Greenhouse  gas  emission  reduction 
is  difficult  to  deal  with;  the  options  are  limited,  and  the  costs 
are  high.  Removing  carbon  dioxide  before  combustion  products 
leave  the  stack  is  a  difficult  thing  to  do.  Sequestering  the  carbon 
dioxide  so  it  can't  be  released  back  into  the  atmosphere  is 
another  big  technical  and  economic  challenge. 

What  about  coal  mining  in  the  United  States? 

We  are  the  world's  second  largest  coal  producer  and  consumer. 
Most  people  don't  realize  that  one-half  of  the  country's  electricity 
is  derived  from  combusting  coal.  Coal  mine  productivity  has 
gone  way  up,  keeping  coal  prices  relatively  flat,  even  though 
consumption  and  production  have  risen  significantly  over  time. 


As  our  country's  population  continues  to  grow,  will 
our  ability  to  generate  electric  power  keep  up,  or 
can  we  look  forward  to  more  brownouts? 

I  don't  think  we've  seen  the  end  of  brownouts.  As  the  economy 
grows,  we'll  need  more  electric  power,  but  we  haven't  built  many 
new  base  load  power  plants.  We  are  building  natural  gas-fired 
plants  to  meet  peak  loads,  but  they  aren't  used  until  the  demand  is 
great.  And  natural  gas  prices  are  high  right  now  and  they're  going 
to  stay  high,  so  electricity  from  those  units  will  be  expensive. 

Base  load  powet  in  the  United  States  is  produced  by 
nuclear,  coal,  and  some  natural  gas  plants.  Coal  plants  produce 
about  50  percent  of  the  electricity  in  the  United  States;  nucleat, 
about  20  percent.  Recently,  with  the  rise  in  oil  and  gas  prices, 
a  lot  of  new  coal  plants  have  been  announced  and  interest  in 
nucleat  fuel  has  increased.  But  no  coal  or  nuclear  plants  are  cur- 
rently being  built  in  the  United  States.  Siting  plants  and  getting 
regulatory  approval  are  key  issues;  it's  anybody's  guess  as  to  how 
long  it  will  take  to  get  plants  online  once  approved.  So,  as  elec- 
tricity demand  rises  and  supplies  remain  constant,  something 
will  have  to  give. 

So,  we  have  an  aging  infrastructure? 

Yes.  The  powet  plants  and  the  transmission  systems  that  get 
the  power  from  the  plants  to  the  end  users  are  overwhelmed 
and  outdated.  Part  of  this  is  related  to  the  difficult  process  for 
getting  approval  to  build  a  ttansmission  line  in  the  United 
States.  If  we  have  a  long  hot  spell — and  it's  bound  to  happen — 
there  will  be  brownouts.  California,  which  was  plagued  by 
electricity  brownouts  and  blackouts  in  2001,  is  poised  for  more 
problems  in  the  future  since  droughts  in  the  northwest  United 
States  have  limited  the  hydroelectric  power  supplied  to  the 
state.  Very  little  new  electricity  capacity  has  been  added.  As  the 
economy  grows,  electricity  demand  will  as  well.  These  issues 
appeat  to  position  California  for  the  types  of  power  shortages 
experienced  in  2001,  but  it  won't  be  the  only  region  of  the 
country  to  face  electric  power  shortages  in  the  future. 

China  is  an  important  energy  hot  spot.  How  will 
its  voracious  energy  consumption  affect  its 
environment? 

It  could  be  horrible.  It's  already  very  bad.  China  is  a  coal-based 
economy.  It  does  have  a  good  renewable  energy  program  and 
commitments  to  install  considerable  quantities  of  renewable 
energy  systems.  China  is  one  of  the  few  countries  in  the  world 
constructing  nuclear  power  plants.  It  has  had  a  very  aggressive 
energy  program  and  is  also  experimenting  with  clean  coal  tech 
nologies.  But  since  coal  is  China's  only  significant  domestic 
energy  resource,  it  will  continue  to  be  used.  Even  il  its  burned 
cleanly  and  efficiently  and  even  with  pollution  control  equip- 
ment and  stringent  standards  for  sulfur  dioxide  emission, 
using  so  much  coal  will  cause  enyironment.il  problems. 


22     Transformations    \  Summer  2005 


f^*  ♦»-«<»#■•»• 


1 


"We've  reached  the  point 

a  lot  of  people  felt  we  wouldn't 

reach  for  another  20  to  30  years 

simply  because  the  developing 

economies  are  growing  faster 

than  anyone  expected." 


But  Chinas  biggest  problem,  in  my  opinion,  is  transportation. 
It  went  from  mostly  bicycles  1 5  years  ago  to  five  million  auto- 
mobiles on  the  road  today;  the  projection  is  50  million  cars  by 
2010  and  100  million  by  2020.  The  nations  roads  aren't  designed 
to  handle  the  traffic  and  the  vehicles  aren't  very  efficient,  resulting 
in  serious  pollution  problems. 

What  about  India?  Is  it  experiencing  similar 
problems? 

India's  heading  in  the  same  direction.  It  didn't  develop  econom- 
ically as  quickly  as  China,  but  its  population  is  growing  a  lot 
faster.  I  don't  know  if  India  is  there  yet,  but  it's  going  to  be  the 
most  populated  country  in  the  world  in  the  near  future.  That 
means  more  cars,  more  energy  consumption,  and  more  pollution. 

Will  increasingly  affluent  nations  such  as  China 
and  India  eventually  consume  as  much  energy 
per  capita  as  industrialized  nations? 

Energy  consumption  in  most  developing  countries  is  pretty 
much  in  line  with  the  gross  domestic  product  (GDP):  when 
the  GDP  grows  1  percent,  energy  consumption  grows  1  percent. 
China  is  increasing  its  consumption  dramatically,  but  energy 
efficiency  was  an  important  priority  in  China  from  the  beginning. 
For  every  percentage  of  increase  in  GDP,  energy  consumption 
has  increased  only  by  0.5  percent.  Whether  other  countries 
follow  that  model  and  whether  China  can  continue  to  keep 
consumption  in  check  remains  to  be  seen. 

Globally,  it  sounds  as  if  we're  at  an  energy 
"tipping  point." 

We've  reached  the  point  a  lot  of  people  felt  we  wouldn't  reach  for 
perhaps  another  20  to  30  years  simply  because  the  developing 
economies  are  growing  faster  than  anyone  expected  and  world  oil 
supply  is  being  questioned.  In  addition,  we're  finding  that  no  one 
has  a  handle  on  how  much  oil  exists  in  the  Middle  East,  the  world's 
major  oil  supplier — that  it  may  not,  in  fact,  be  as  much  as  the 
OPEC  countries  have  maintained.  So  world  oil  demand  continues 
to  increase  while  concerns  exist  about  the  availability  of  supply. 


Another  issue  associated  with  oil  is  refining  capacity.  The 
oil  produced  worldwide  is  getting  increasingly  heavy.  Over 
time,  the  world's  production  of  light  etude  oil  has  declined  as 
a  percent  of  oil  produced.  Since  no  new  refining  capacity  has 
been  added  in  a  long  time,  and  now  that  crude  is  heavier,  existing 
refineries  are  operating  much  less  efficiently.  New  refineries 
would  be  expensive  to  build  and  hard  to  site. 

We  have  all  seen  how  this  has  affected  energy  prices  recent- 
ly. In  addition,  some  believe  that  we  may  soon  witness  an  even 
more  serious  problem — shortages  of  supply  in  some  regions  of 
the  world. 

What  positive  gains  have  been  made  in  the  United 
States  and  the  world  in  regard  to  energy? 

We're  saving  billions  of  dollars  annually  by  using  energy- 
efficient  lighting,  especially  in  hotels  and  large  commercial 
buildings.  The  hybrid  vehicle  is  a  wonderful  step  toward  a  more 
efficient  ttansportation  sector,  and  some  auto  manufacturers  are 
recognizing  the  strong  consumer  interest  in  these.  There  have 
been  great  innovations  in  oil  and  gas  exploration  and  drilling 
technology;  3D  and  4D  seismic  technologies  ensure  that  fewer 
dry  wells  are  drilled,  thus  reducing  costs.  Horizontal  drilling 
technology  is  now  used  in  the  commercial  marketplace  and  has 
dramatically  improved  the  amount  of  oil  and  gas  that  can  be 
produced  from  a  given  well. 

Great  advances  have  been  made  in  wind  energy  technology; 
in  many  nations,  wind  is  close  to  competitive  with  conventional 
energy  sources.  There  have  been  advances  in  solar  technology 
and  clean  coal  technologies,  and  there  are  many  other  promising 
technologies  making  their  way  to  the  commercial  marketplace. 
Even  though  fuel  cells  have  a  long  way  to  go  befote  they're 
going  to  be  viable,  major  automobile  manufacturers  are  actively 
involved  in  fuel  cell  technology  and  research.  There  have  been 
many  positive  accomplishments  made  and,  I'm  sure,  there  will 
continue  to  be  more.  Hopefully,  these  and  other  innovations 
will  at  least  temper  the  bleak  energy  picture  that  I've  painted. 
We're  still  hoping  that  the  energy  "silver  bullet"  will 
emerge  soon.  D 


Transformations    \   Summer  2005    23 


I 


sportatio 


The  SUV  is  in  its  heyday,  and  highway  speed  limits  are  back  up  to  1970s  levels. 
It's  not  an  easy  time  for  energy-efficiency  advocates  to  effect  social  or  policy  change. 
But  David  Friedman  '92  (ME)  has  a  turbocharged  plan  to  free  the  United  States  from 
oil-dependent  transportation,  and  he  isn't  about  to  let  fashion  or  status  quo  stop  him. 


As  research  director  of  the  Union  of  Concerned 
Scientists'  Clean  Vehicles  Program,  David  Friedman  delivers 
his  message  to  Congress,  industry  leaders,  and  the  public: 
The  nation  can  turn  the  tide  on  global  warming  and  a  costly 
reliance  on  foreign  oil.  But  time  is  running  short. 

The  United  States,  says  Friedman,  already  pays  a  high 
price  for  its  oil-dependent  autos  and  trucks,  in  both  dollars  and 
pollutants,  for  starters.  Petroleum  products  comprised  nearly 
one-quarter  of  the  U.S.  trade  deficit  in  2004,  costing  $250,000 
a  minute — a  price  that's  already  doubled  this  year.  Forty  percent 
of  this  demand  originates  with  cars  and  trucks. 

While  Americans  dig  deep  to  pay  escalating  petroleum 
prices,  our  vehicles  cough  up  gasoline's  byproducts.  One  of 
those  emissions,  carbon  dioxide,  alters  the  blanket  of  gases  in 
the  earth's  atmosphere,  trapping  in  the  sun's  heat.  The  concen- 
tration of  carbon  dioxide  in  the  atmosphere,  Friedman  notes, 
now  hovers  near  400  parts  per  million.  "It  will  shoot  to  450 
ppm  within  three  decades,"  he  says,  "if  we  keep  going  the  way 
we  are.  And  if  that  happens,  global  average  temperatures  will 
rise  more  than  two  degrees  centigrade  by  2100,  leading  to 
significant  negative  effects  on  public  health  and  the  economy." 

Driving  change 

But  it  doesn't  have  to  be  that  way.  Friedman  has  mapped  out  a 
three-part  plan  to  slow  global  warming  and  dramatically  reduce 
the  need  for  foreign  oil. 

First,  he  advises  that  we  pump  up  vehicles'  fuel  efficiency 
to  40  mpg  from  today's  paltry  24  mpg.  Conventional  but 
underutilized  automotive  technology  would  accomplish  this 
without  sacrificing  vehicle  size  or  power.  We  also  should  boost 
hybrid  electric  vehicle  sales  via  government  incentives  and 
tighter  standards.  Those  two  moves  would  reduce  greenhouse 
gases  and  level  the  rate  of  oil  imporration,  buying  the  precious 
time  required  to  realize  hydrogen  fuel  cell  technology.  "We 
could  decarbonize  our  energy  systems  within  the  next  50  to 
60  years,"  he  says.  "It  just  takes  commitment,  effort,  and 
some  investment." 

Friedman's  vision  for  a  carbonless  future  is  rooted  in  years 
of  tesearch  that  began  at  WPI.  "I  wanted  to  do  my  MQP  on 
wind  power,"  he  recalls.  "But  my  mentor,  Professor  John  Boyd 
[now  professor  emeritus,  ME] ,  suggested  I  research  hydrogen. 
That  project  has  guided  my  work  ever  since."  So,  too,  has 
WPFs  teaching  philosophy.  "WPI  encouraged  me  to  examine 
the  impact  of  engineering  on  society." 

Friedman  applied  those  lessons  first  at  Arthut  D.  Little, 
where  he  researched  hybrid  and  fuel-cell  vehicles.  Then,  as  a 


Transformations    \   Summer  2005    25 


'If  we  are  to  move  forward  responsibl 
as  a  society,  we  need  to  invest  now  it 
a  variety  of  solutions  ranging  from 
near-term  efficiency  to  long-term 
renewable  energy/' 


7O1 


student  at  the  University  of  California-Davis'  Institute  of 
Transportation  Studies,  he  helped  convert  a  Ford  Taurus  into 
a  60-mpg  electric  hybrid. 

While  at  UC-Davis,  Friedman  met  Jason  Mark,  director  of 
the  UCS  Clean  Vehicles  Program.  "The  decision  to  join  UCS 
was  easy.  I  love  engineering,  but  if  that's  all  I  do,  I  get  bored. 
At  UCS,  I  get  to  use  my  communications  skills  and  still  do 
research.  It's  a  great  blend." 

Electric  ideas 

Friedman  communicates  vigorously  with  Congress  and  industry 
that  a  40-mpg  conventional  vehicle  fleet  would  sacrifice  neither 
performance  nor  safety  and  would  save  consumers  money  at  the 
gas  pump.  But  many  lawmakers  and  automakers  remain  reluc- 
tant to  effect  change.  "The  government  hasn't  stepped  up  to  the 
plate  with  better  fuel  efficiency  standards,"  says  Friedman.  "And 
U.S.  auto  manufacturers  often  shelve  technologies  they  could  be 
using  to  improve  fuel  economy." 

Honda  and  other  foreign  manufacturers,  meanwhile,  have 
begun  incorporating  such  innovations  as  lower-friction  engines 
and  variable  valve  technology  into  their  models. 

International  automakers  have  also  gotten  a  jump  on 
hybrid  electric  vehicles,  which  have  attracted  U.S.  consumer 
interest.  Since  1999,  when  the  Honda  Insight  arrived  in  this 
country,  more  than  200,000  hybrids  have  been  sold.  Toyota 
alone  has  sold  nearly  143,000  Prius  hybrids  since  2000.  The 
company  has  increased  U.S.  production  to  100,000  units  for 
2005,  but  the  wait  list  continues  to  grow.  Ford,  meanwhile, 
has  introduced  one  hybrid  model  at  a  rate  well  below  that  of 
consumer  demand.  GM  has  announced  plans  for  hybrid  pro- 
duction, but  not  starting  until  2007. 

Hybrids  are  appealing  because  they  require  far  fewer  stops 
at  increasingly  pricey  gas  pumps — every  500  to  600  miles  ver- 
sus every  350  to  450  miles  with  conventional  vehicles.  "Also, 
hybrids'  acceleration  is  great  on  the  highway,"  says  Friedman, 
"and  especially  in  town." 

Hybrids  also  further  fuel  cell  technology,  as  their  manufac- 
ture relies  on  electrical  innovations  that  fuel  cell  vehicles  also 
need,  such  as  high-voltage  motors  and  power  electronics.  The 
hybrid  uses  an  electric  motor  and  battery  in  partnership  with 
an  internal  combustion  engine.  The  motor  recoups  energy  in 
stop-and-go  traffic  through  regenerative  braking  and  idles  off 
the  engine  at  stoplights  to  save  fuel.  "As  a  result,"  Friedman 
says,  "a  fleet  of  hybrid  cars  and  trucks  could  average  over 
50  miles  per  gallon." 

Hydrogen:  It's  elemental 

But  with  their  engines  still  tied  partially  to  petroleum,  hybrids 
can  take  the  nation  only  so  far  down  the  road  to  oil-independ- 


ence, which  is  why  Friedman's  ultimate  goal  is  the  fuel  cell- 
powered  vehicle,  run  by  cleanly  produced  hydrogen. 

Fuel  cell-driven  cars  and  trucks  could  run  two  to  three 
times  more  efficiently  than  today's  average  vehicles  and  produce 
zero  harmful  emissions.  Their  efficiency  comes  from  hydrogen 
fuel  cells  that  convert  hydrogen  directly  into  useable  energy 
through  electrochemistry,  unlike  internal  combustion  engines 
that  must  first  convert  gasoline's  chemical  energy  to  thermal 
energy  and  then  to  mechanical  power. 

The  fuel  cell  itself  works  by  supplying  hydrogen  to  the 
anode  side,  where  a  catalyst — typically  platinum — separates  it 
into  electrons  and  protons  (hydrogen  ions).  These  ions  pass 
through  a  filtering  membrane  and,  again  helped  by  the  catalyst, 
mix  with  electrons  and  air-supplied  oxygen  on  the  cathode  end, 
producing  water.  The  electrons  had  to  travel  to  the  cathode 
through  an  external  wire,  since  they  cannot  pass  through  the 
membrane.  As  they  zip  through  the  wire,  they  provide  the 
electricity  to  power  the  motor. 

Hydrogen  is  the  fuel  of  choice  for  these  engineering 
marvels  because  this  simplest-known  element — consisting  of 
one  proton  and  one  electron — allows  for  simplicity  in  the 
components  needed  to  get  the  fuel  cell  system  to  work. 

Although  hydrogen  fuel  cells  are  used  today — by  the  U.S. 
space  shuttle  program,  for  example — the  technology  "has  a 
way  to  go  before  it  becomes  commercially  viable  for  autos," 
says  Friedman. 

Hydrogen  harvesting,  for  example,  presents  a  challenge. 
Since  it  occurs  only  in  conjunction  with  other  elements,  such 
as  oxygen  in  watet,  hydrogen  must  be  isolated  befote  it  can  be 
used  as  fuel. 

Nearly  all  hydrogen  is  produced  today  by  "steam  reforming" 
natural  gas.  In  this  high-temperature  process — up  to  1,470°F — 
natural  gas  reacts  with  steam  and  a  catalyst,  forming  a  hydrogen- 
rich  gas.  Oil  refineries  use  this  well-developed  technology  to  alter 
etude  oil's  chemical  structure  and  produce  gasoline. 

"Natural  gas  is  a  finite  resource,  and  not  without  its  own 
heat-trapping  carbon  dioxide  emissions,"  says  Friedman.  "But 
steam  reforming  still  gives  us  a  good  transition  technology." 

Transition  to  wind  and  water,  that  is — a  duo  promising  the 
cleanest  hydrogen  harvest.  Wind-generated  electricity,  which 
Friedman  notes  "is  quickly  becoming  a  viable  and  economical 
source  of  commercial  electricity,"  can  split  water  into  hydrogen 
and  oxygen. 

"I  see  huge  promise  in  fuel  cells  and  hvdrogen  made  from 
renewable  energy  sources,  but  this  is  not  a  silver  bullet.  If  wc 
are  to  move  forward  responsibly  as  a  society,  we  need  to  invest 
now  in  a  variety  of  solutions  ranging  from  near-term  efficiency 
to  long-term  renewable  energy.  Then  we  cm  have  energy  security, 
clean  air,  more  jobs — everything  we  need  CO  thrive."  D 


26     Transformatiom   \  Summer  2005 


'S  ORIENTATION , 
AT  SOLAR  NOON 


SUN'S  ORIf 
k  AT  SOLAR  I 


MARCH  21 
NORTH  LATfTUOE  40" 


JUNE  21 
NORTH  LATITUDE  40- 


By  Eileen  McCluskey      Photography  by 


James  Kachadorian's  simjpifc  yet  higjhl*' 
effective  house  design  ideas  have  servet 
him  well  since  he  got  involved  in  passive  solar 
technology  in  the  mid-1970s— first  as  founder 
of  Green  Mountain  Homes,  more  recently  as 
author  of  the  popular  how-to  book  The  Passive 
Solar  House:  Using  Solar  Design  to  Heat  & 
Cool  Your  Home.      * 

Snow  still  fills  the  fields  in  Woodstock, 
Vermont,  on  an  early  spring  day.  Though^the  morning  sky 
is  overcast,  it's  light  and  cheery  in  the  dining  room  of  the  home 
where  Jim  Kachadorian  '61  lives.  Oiyside,  the  temperature  is 
a  raw  38  degrees.  Inside,  the  furnace  iS^off.  Warmed  with  just  a 
bit  of  help  from  the  kitchen's  wood-burning  stove,  it's  a  cozy 
70  degrees. 

This  lovely,  comfortable  home  Is  one  of  Kachadorian's  orig- 
inal passive  solar  designs,  built  in  1980.  Perhaps  one  of  its  most 
striking  characteristics  is  that  it  doesn't  look  solar.  There  are  no 


Air  grilles  located  in  the  first  riser  of  the  stairway  discharge 
warm  air  collected  at  the  second  floor  ceiling. 


shiny  photovoltaic  arrays  glinting  from  the  roof,  no  gadgets  or 
machinery  to  harvest  the  sun's  energy,  not  even  a  telltale  plethora 
of  windows — just  thermally  smart  siting  and  construction,  and 
a  concrete  foundation  so  innovative  it  was  patented. 

Inspired  by  crisis 

Before  he  wrote  The  Passive  Solar  House,  Kachadorian  and 
his  small  staff  at  Green  Mountain  Homes  sold  the  company's 
passive  solar  kits.  His  wife,  Lea,  drew  renderings  of  12  basic 
designs  for  the  brochures.  Between  1976  and  1990,  Green 
Mountain  structures  (300  in  all)  sprang  up  as  far  south  as  the 
Carolinas  and  as  far  west  as  Kansas. 

After  the  patent  on  his  solar  slab  foundation  expired  in 
1990,  Kachadorian  focused  on  his  book.  "I  wrote  it  so  anyone 
could  use  my  solar  slab  idea  to  help  harvest  the  sun's  free  energy," 
he  says.  "I  hope  it  might  play  some  small  role  in  transforming 
the  nation's  appalling  energy  policy.  Our  foreign  policy  has 
been  dictated  by  oil  for  far  too  long.  Today,  Iraq  has  the  second 
largest  oil  reserves  in  the  world,  which  is,  of  course,  why  we  are 
at  war  there.  The  irony  is  that  we  have  the  technology  to  turn  this 
situation  around.  We  could  do  it  if  we  took  half  the  money  we're 
spending  on  the  Iraq  war  and  invested  it  in  energy  efHciency." 

This  ex- Army  officer,  who  served  in  Germany  from  1 962 
to  1965,  was  not  always  so  passionate  about  energy  efficiency. 
In  fact,  he  was  making  a  handsome  living  in  the  early  1970s 
as  general  manager  of  a  New  Hampshire-based  home  con- 
struction business.  "We  sold  Post  and  Beam  luxury  homes — 
expensive  playhouses,"  he  says  of  the  energy-hungry  constructs. 
"I  shared  the  industry  opinion  that  home  producers  were  not 
responsible  for  heating  system  design.  Our  homes  had  single- 
glazed  windows  and  patio  doors.  R-13  wall  and  R-20  roof 
insulation  was  considered  more  than  adequate."  [Today's 
standard  homes  have  R-20  wall  and  R-32  roof  insulation.] 

"Like  most  other  people,  I  didn't  get  serious  about  renew- 
ables  and  energy  efficiency  until  the  oil  crisis  hit,"  he  says, 
referring  to  October  1973,  when  OPEC  jacked  crude  prices  by 
70  percent  to  punish  the  United  States  for  its  pro-Israeli  stance 
in  the  Six-Day  War.  Then  came  the  oil  embargo,  when  the 
price  per  barrel  reached  $27  in  New  York  City;  it  had  been 
under  S3  the  previous  summer. 


"When  I  reflected  on  how  Americans  were  living — the 
70-mile-per-hour  speed  limits,  the  inefficient  cars  and  homes 
it  was  obvious  to  me  that  as  a  country  we  had  forgotten  the 
basics  of  good  energy  management,"  he  says.  "I  felt  I  needed  to 
do  something  about  it.  I  no  longer  wanted  to  sell  big  energy- 
guzzling  houses  to  rich  people." 

It  can't  be  done.  Or  can  it? 

Kachadorian  had  long  been  interested  in  solar  energy.  He  stud- 
ied it  on  his  own  in  1974,  growing  excited  about  the  prospect 
of  designing  a  simple,  affordable,  passive  solar  house.  But  as 
excited  as  he  was  about  Green  Mountain  Homes,  he  found 
his  unconventional  ideas  were  not  embraced  by  the  heating 
design  community. 

"When  they  heard  that  heat  was  to  be  stored  in  the  home's 
foundation  at  a  temperature  no  greater  than  comfortable  room 
temperature,  they  told  me,  'This  can't  be  done.  Remember 
Newton's  Law  of  Heat  Transfer:  heat  only  moves  from  hot  to 
cold.'  They  thought  my  design  would  suck  heat  out  of  the 
living  space." 

But  his  passive  solar  home  does  work,  and  he  proved  that 
from  the  start  with  a  model  in  Royalton,  Vermont.  A  team 
from  the  Thayer  School  of  Engineering  at  Dartmouth  College 
independently  monitored  the  prototype's  energy  use,  concluding 
that  "the  purchased  energy  requirements  were  quite  low  and  the 
percent  solar  is  well  above  40." 

If  there's  a  watchword  for  Kachadorian's  passive  solar  design, 
it's  to  keep  it  simple.  Used  well,  standard  building  materials — 
concrete,  windows,  patio  doors — become  the  literal  building 
blocks  of  the  naturally  heated  home. 

The  solar  slab  is  the  basement-less  foundation  tor  the 
house  and  employs  the  same  kind  of  concrete  blocks  that  are 
used  to  build  foundation  walls  in  many  new  homes.  But 
Kachadorian  lays  them  on  their  sides  with  the  holes  lining 
up  horizontally,  forming  air  passages  running  north  to  south. 
When  concrete  is  poured  over  these  blocks,  it  bonds  to  them, 
making  a  huge  concrete  "radiator."  Vents  are  built  into  the 
slab  io  allow  .in  to  circiil  ite  through  the  hom< 

Kachadorian's  understanding  of  traditional  radiators 
inspired  the  solar  slab  design.   The  ample  surface  area  of 


28     Transformations    \   Summer  2005 


baseboard  radiator  fins  allows  the  hot  water  inside  to  transfer 
its  heat  to  the  air.  Similarly,  air  circulates  through  the  solar 
slab's  "fins"  (the  concrete  blocks)  whenever  the  sun  shines.  As 
heat  is  transferred  into  the  home  by  the  south  glass  or  by  heat 
transfer  through  the  wall,  air  alongside  the  south  wall  rises. 
Warmed  air  is  pulled  out  of  the  ventilated  slab  into  the  home, 
and  cooler  air  along  the  north  wall  drops  into  holes  along  that 
wall.  This  thetmo-siphoning  continuously  pulls  air  through 
the  solar  slab. 

An  efficiently  constructed  solar  house  works  in  concert 
with  the  solar  slab.  Good  insulation,  tight  seals,  proper  ventilation, 
and  enough  windows — but  not  too  many — all  work  together 
to  make  the  solar  system  hum. 

Inside  the  house,  sunlight  passes  through  the  glass  in  the 
form  of  short-wave  energy.  As  it  strikes  interior  objects,  the  light 
is  trapped  as  long-wave  energy,  or  heat.  This  is  why  Kachadorian 
warns  against  excessive  glazing;  too  many  windows  would  over- 
heat the  house  on  sunny  days.  The  energy  absorbed  through 
windows  and  patio  doors  is  either  consumed  by  the  heat  demand 
of  the  home,  or  absorbed  by  the  solar  slab. 

At  night,  thermo-shutters  on  the  latgest  windows  keep 
the  heat  in,  allowing  the  house  to  remain  warm  as  the  solar  slab 
surrenders  its  stored  heat  into  the  cooler  living  space.  The  shutters' 
interior  insulation — one  inch  of  foil-faced  urerhane — reflects 
heat  back  into  the  room.  Stops  allow  the  shutters  to  fit  tight, 
eliminating  reverse  thermo-siphoning  at  night. 


A  brighter  future 

Kachadorian's  book  contains  detailed  instructions  on  how  to 
orient  the  house  on  the  site,  determine  the  optimal  square 
footage  of  glass,  calculate  the  proper  size  and  depth  of  the  solar 
slab,  and  figure  the  optimal  size  for  the  backup  heat  source.  The 
second  edition,  due  out  later  this  year,  will  include  a  CD  of  his 
Solar  Prediction  Program,  which  automatically  fills  out  the 
worksheets  that  form  the  basis  of  each  home's  design. 

Will  his  book  change  the  way  the  nation's  homes  are  built? 
"Well,  it  certainly  can't  hurt,"  Kachadorian  muses.  "Our  oil  binge 
will  have  to  end  because  the  price  will  keep  going  up.  We  can't 
drill  our  way  out  of  this  mess,"  he  adds,  referring  to  Congress' 
recent  vote  to  consider  oil  exploration  in  Alaska's  National 
Wildlife  Refuge.  Rather  than  open  up  more  land  for  drilling,  he 
suggests  a  100  percent  tax  on  every  barrel  of  imported  oil,  "to  be 
devoted  to  developing  alternarive  energy  sources.  If  we  did  this, 
we  would  see  an  instantaneous  boom  in  alternative  energy." 

While  he's  been  discussing  his  ideas  on  this  cool  spring  morn- 
ing, Kachadorian's  25-year-old  passive  solar  home  has  remained 
at  a  steady  70  degrees — even  with  the  sun  now  shining  brightly. 

Gazing  at  the  glistening  snow  in  his  backyard,  the  civil 
engineer  makes  another  prediction.  "I  saw  what  happened  in  the 
70s;  people  got  scared,  and  we  started  making  our  homes  more 
energy  efficient.  When  fuel  costs  so  much  that  we  can  no  longer 
afford  it,  we  won't  be  able  to  ignore  this  mounting  problem. 
We'll  wake  up."  D 


An  efficiently  cor    Iicted 
solar  house  works  in 
concert  with  the  solar  slab. 
I^ood  insulation,  tight 
als,  proper  ventilation, 
enough  window; 
but  not  too  many — all 
work  together  to  make 
the  solar  system  hum. 


DEVE 

■Put  into  sides  o 
duct.  locate  near 
center  of 
foundations 


VARY  THICKNESS  OF 
SLAB  ACCORDING  TO 
MASS  CALCULATION 


4  OR  6  MIL  POLY 
VAPOR  BARRIER 


AIR  PASSAGE 
RUNNING  ENTIRE 
LENGTH  OF  BUILDING 


im»'J:MJiM,*,l»l:IJ»]:l 


(IF  FINISHED  GRADE  IS  TO  BE 
MORE  THAN  8"  BELOW  TOP 
OF  FOUNDATION,  EXTEND 
STYROFOAM  OVER  EXPOSED 
WALL;  USE  APPROVED 
COATING  ABOVE  G»»"F> 


FROST  WALL 
(BLOCK  OR  POURED) 


Transformations    \   Summer  2005    29 


If  the  issue  is  how  to  ease  global  warming  and  decrease 
oil  depletion,  the  answer,  says  Paul  Gaynor  '87, 

may  be  blowin'  in  the  wind. 


J 


Photography  by  Patrick  O'Connor  and  courtesy  of  Vestas  Wind  Systems  A/S 


30     Transformations    \   Summer  2005 


By  Joan  Killough-Miller 


4 


Paul  Gaynor  is  blunt  about  the  biggest 
stumbling  block  he  faces  as  a  wind  farm  devel- 
oper. "People  don't  want  to  look  at  them,"  he 
admits.  "It's  not  that  they  don't  believe  that  wind 
energy  is  cost  effective  or  that  it's  not  technologi- 
cally sound.  I  don't  think  you're  going  to  find 
anyone  in  America  who  says  we  should  increase 
our  dependence  on  Middle  Eastern  oil.  Among 
those  who  object,  the  reaction  is  99  percent  visual." 

On  remote  hillsides,  wind  turbine  generators  stand  out 
from  the  landscape  as  significant  pieces  of  infrastructure. 
"That's  why,"  Gaynor  says,  "we  have  to  get  it  right." 

As  president  and  CEO  of  UPC  Wind  Management, 
located  in  Newton,  Mass.,  Gaynor  was  tapped  to  bring  the 
success  of  the  parent  company,  UPC  Group,  to  Norrh  America. 
In  Europe  and  North  Africa,  UPC  affiliates — including  Italian 
Vento  Power  Corporation — have  raised  over  $900  million  in 
financing  and  installed  some  900  utility-scale  wind  turbine 
generators  (WTGs),  with  a  total  capacity  of  more  than  635 
megawatts.  UPC  subsidiary  companies,  positioned  across  the 
United  States  and  in  Toronto,  are  currently  pursuing  some 
2,000  megawatts  in  projects  from  Maine  to  Maui. 

Gaynor  may  be  a  newcomer  to  wind  energy,  but  he's  been 
part  of  the  power  business  since  he  graduated  from  WPI  with 
a  bachelor's  degree  in  mechanical  engineering.  He  started  out 
in  sales,  with  General  Electrics  gas  and  steam  turbine  business, 
then  earned  an  MBA  at  the  University  of  Chicago  and  moved 
into  the  finance  side  of  the  industry.  He  spent  five  years  in 


Singapore  with  GE  Capital's  energy  finance 
business,  where  he  was  involved  in  some  of 
the  region's  landmark  power  transactions. 
He  moved  to  London  as  CFO  of  an  emerging 
market  pipeline  development  subsidiary  owned 
by  GE  Capital  and  Bechtel,  then  returned  to 
Singapore  as  group  CFO  for  Singapore  Power 
Ltd.,  the  country's  national  utility. 
After  10  years  abroad,  Gaynor  came  back  to  the  United 
States  to  join  Noble  Power,  a  private  equity-backed  power 
plant  acquisition  company.  When  a  call  came  from  a  former 
colleague,  he  was  intrigued  by  the  opportunity  to  join  UPC. 
Gaynor  says  he  enjoys  getting  involved  with  startups  and  build- 
ing businesses.  "Wind  is  a  great  business  to  be  in,"  he  says, 
"because  it's  such  an  untapped  part  of  the  U.S.  and  Canadian 
energy  system.  It's  the  only  part  of  the  power  industry  that 
has  any  real  growth  potential  for  the  coming  decades." 

As  the  price  of  fossil  fuels  rises  and  their  environmental 
toll  mounts,  Gaynor  says  that  wind  power  becomes  more 
competitive — and  attractive — to  communities  across  the 
nation.  "Global  warming,  oil  depletion — these  are  real  issues," 
he  explains.  "We  may  not  realize  the  effects  in  our  lifetime, 
but  our  children  and  grandchildren  will.  A  single  wind  farm, 
even  a  relatively  large  one,  isn't  going  to  make  the  skies  go 
from  gray  to  blue.  But  if  we  add  them  in  the  right  spots 
throughout  the  electrical  grid  all  around  the  country,  it 
will  add  up  and  it  will  make  a  difference  for  generations 
to  come." 


Transformation s    \   Summer  2005     3  1 


"Would  you  rather  see  more  of  those  dirty  coal  and  oil  plants 
spewing  smoke,  or  would  you  rather  look  at  wind  turbines,  which 
produce  clean  power?  We  have  to  start  making  some  choices." 


Hawaiians  say  aloha  to  wind  energy 

In  Hawaii — where  there  are  no  fossil  fuel  resources,  and  90  per- 
cent of  the  states  energy  consumption  must  be  imported — the 
decisions  become  more  immediate.  Last  year,  the  Hawaiian  leg- 
islature enacted  a  Renewable  Portfolio  Standard  requiring  that 
by  2020,  20  percent  of  electricity  sold  needs  to  be  generated 
from  renewable  sources.  [As  of  last  year,  18  states  plus  the 
District  of  Columbia  had  passed  similar  legislation.] 

"Hawaii  has  one  of  the  best  wind  resources  in  the  country, 
but  the  state  hasn't  been  using  the  tesource  to  its  fullest  poten- 
tial," says  Gaynor.  "It's  a  situation  where  wind  is  extremely 
competitive,  compared  to  conventional  power  sources.  It  makes 
sense  for  consumers,  it  makes  sense  for  the  state,  and  it  has 
environmental  benefits." 


In  March,  Gaynor  secured 
financing  for  a  $70  million 
project  on  the  island  of  Maui. 
[The  project  is  a  joint  venture 
with  Makani  Nui  Associates, 
which  owns  49  percent.]  The 

30-megawatt  wind  farm  at  Kaheawa  Pastures  will  be  Hawaii's 
first  utility-scale  project  to  be  put  into  service  since  the  1980s. 
Plans  call  for  20  towers,  180  feet  tall,  with  1.5-megawatt 
General  Electric  turbines.  Construction  is  expected  to  begin 
this  summer,  and  the  project  should  be  completed  by  the 
first  quarter  of  2006.  When  operational,  the  wind  farm  will 
supply  up  to  9  percent  of  demand  to  customers  of  Maui 
Electric  Company. 


Power  Density  at  50  m 

NREL  Class 

W/m2 

□  i- 

<  100 

n  '* 

100-200 

□  * 

200-300 

1         1  3 

300-400 

■  < 

400-500 

■  ' 

500-600 

H  6 

600-600 

B    7 

>eoo 

•       City 

HtQhway 

l'.  .—      County  Boundary 

Wntof  Body 

3  2     Transformations    \   Summer  2005 


The  Kaheawa  Pastures  site  is  situated  on  state  conservation 
land,  between  Ma'aleaea  and  Olowalu,  at  elevations  ranging 
from  2,000  to  3,000  feet.  Gaynor  describes  the  spot  with  elation, 
as  he  points  to  it  on  a  wind  resource  map  (opposite  page)  that 
shows  where  strong  trade  winds  are  squeezed  between  the  West 
Maui  Mountains  and  the  Haleakala  volcano.  He  is  equally 
enthusiastic  about  the  natural  beauty  of  the  site.  "In  the  morn- 
ing," he  says,  almost  reverently,  "when  the  sun  is  rising,  you 
can  see  over  to  the  big  island.  It's  virgin  land,  with  nothing 
but  a  few  Jeep  trails.  It  is  absolutely  gorgeous." 

Why,  then,  add  a  wind  farm? 

"Hawaii  had  to  make  a  choice,"  he  answers.  "On  Maui, 
consumers  pay  about  25  cents  per  kilowatt  hour  for  electricity." 
[Retail  rates  in  Hawaii  are  about  twice  the  national  average.] 
According  to  reports  by  the  Hawaii  Wind  Working  Group, 
the  project  was  welcomed  by  residents:  at  hearings  held  by  the 
Board  of  Land  and  Natural  Resources  in  the  early  stages  of  the 
project,  there  was  no  opposing  testimony  from  the  homeowner, 
environmental,  and  native  Hawaiian  associations  present. 


"They  want  us  to  do  this,"  says  Gaynor.  "They're  saying, 
'I  would  rather  look  at  wind  turbines  than  have  my  kids  unable 
to  afford  electricity  and  have  to  deal  with  the  effects  of  global 
warming.'  They  understand  that  it's  not  a  panacea  but  a  piece 
of  the  solution  toward  becoming  more  energy  efficient  and  less 
dependent  on  foreign  oil.  But  there  aren't  enough  Hawaiis  out 
there.  That's  why  we  have  to  proceed  slowly  and  surely." 

The  eastern  outlook 

Back  on  the  East  Coast,  UPC's  major  focus  includes  more  than 
a  half  dozen  active  developments  in  New  England  and  New 
York.  UPC  has  added  a  West  Coast  presence,  in  San  Diego. 

While  New  Englanders  debate  the  aesthetic  impact  of  a 
proposed  offshore  project  on  Nantucket  Sound,  Gaynor — who 
owns  a  home  on  Nantucket — points  out  the  aging  power  plants 
that  dot  the  New  England  coastline.  "People  are  so  used  to 
looking  at  those  old  power  plants  that  they  don't  even  think 
about  them,"  he  says.  "Would  you  rather  see  more  of  those 
dirty  coal  and  oil  plants  spewing  smoke,  or  would  you  rather 
look  at  wind  turbines,  which  produce  clean  power?"  Noting  the 
emissions  from  Cape  Cod's  Canal  Power  Station,  Gaynor  suggests, 
"Next  time  you  drive  over  the  Sagamore  Bridge,  take  a  look  to 
the  east.  I'd  rather  look  at  an  offshore  wind  farm  than  look  at 
that  power  plant  for  the  next  20  years." 

With  so  few  WTGs  operational  in  the  northeast,  "98  per- 
cent of  the  population  in  New  England  and  New  York  haven't 
seen  a  wind  turbine,"  he  points  out.  "There's  nothing  like  actu- 
ally driving  up  to  one  and  touching  it.  It's  an  educational 
process.  Most  people  say,  'This  isn't  so  bad.'  They  realize  they 
don't  have  to  cover  their  ears." 

Much  of  the  battle  over  WTGs  lies  in  getting  beyond  the 
misconceptions  that  stem  from  the  experimental  wind  farms  of 
the  1980s,  which  did  not  live  up  to  the  hype  they  generated. 
Turbine  technology  has  come  a  long  way,  and  today's  WTGs 
are  quieter  and  more  efficient.  Important  lessons  have  been 
learned  about  proper  siting,  as  well.  "We  spend  an  enormous 
amount  of  time  researching  and  picking  our  spots,"  Gaynor 
says.  "We,  as  developers,  must  be  responsible.  More  important, 
we  as  consumers  have  to  start  making  some  choices — there's 
too  much  at  risk  to  get  this  wrong."  D 


Transformations    \   Summer  2005     3  3 


By  Joan  Killough-Miller 

Photography  by  Patrick  O'Connor 


"So,  what  are  we  making  today?"  Pete  Gosselin  '85 
asks  a  couple  of  production  workers  at  the  Ben  &  Jerry's 
Waterbury,  Vermont,  plant,  where  they  are  enjoying  a  break, 
still  garbed  in  their  obligatory  lab  coats,  steel-toed  boots,  and 
voluminous  hair  nets.  While  the  mouth-watering  answer  still 
hangs  in  the  air,  Gosselin  offers  his  own  translation.  "Peanut 
butter  cup  and  vanilla  caramel  fudge.  Ah,  good,  a  single  chunk 
and  a  double  variegate."  To  Gosselin,  ice  cream  is  merely  a 
compressible  emulsion  of  fat,  fluid,  air,  and  ice  crystals,  which 
is  frequently  combined  with  other  incompressible  fluids  (hot 
fudge  and  caramel  syrup,  to  the  lay  person). 

Meet  the  gearhead  behind  the  euphoric  flavors  of  this 
$500  million  ice  cream  enterprise.  K  iossclin's  business  ...ml 


actually  says  Gearhead,  although  he'll  also  answer  to  his  alter- 
nate title,  directot  of  engineering.)  For  the  last  decade,  he's  kept 
Vermont's  Finest  rolling  off  production  lines,  to  the  satisfaction 
of  customers  around  the  world.  The  company's  mission  state- 
ment dictates  that  he  must  do  this  in  the  most  ecologically 
responsible  manner  possible,  while  upholding  product  quality 
and  profitability.  For  Earth  Day  2004,  Gosselin  unveiled  the 
company's  new  thermoacoustic  freezer,  developed  tor  Ben  cv 
lerrv's  by  scientists  at  Penn  State  University  to  keep  ice  cream 
cold  without  heating  up  the  planet  or  depleting  its  ozone  layer 
(see  sidebar).  The  Ncir  York  limes  Magazine  listed  the  thermo- 
acoustic freezer  in  its  annual  "M-.tr  in  Ideas"  special  issue,  and 
Time  ranked  it  among  its  "Most  Am.i/ing  Inventions  of  2004." 


34    Transformations  \  Summer  2005 


Building  a  better  ice  cream 

Gosselin,  who  earned  his  bachelor's  degree  in  mechanical  engi- 
neering, got  into  the  ice  cream  industry  at  a  defining  moment, 
when  process  engineers  had  just  figured  out  how  to  pelletize 
unbaked  cookie  dough  for  injection  into  the  frozen  mix.  Over 
the  last  10  years,  he's  been  on  the  front  lines  in  the  conquest 
of  more  complex  flavors,  involving  larger,  odd-shaped  chunks 
(called  inclusions)  and  multiple  variegates  (the  technical  term 
for  ribbons  of  fudge  or  caramel). 

With  off-the-wall  flavor  concepts  beaming  in  from  all  over 
(pitch  yours  at  the  Suggest-a-Flavor  page  at  Benjerry.com),  it's 
up  to  Gosselin  to  translate  that  boundless  creativity  into  a  reli- 
able manufacturing  process  for  12  to  15  new  product  launches 
each  year.  Once  the  flavor  gurus  in  the  Bizarre  and  D  (R&D) 
department  have  perfected  a  concoction,  they  turn  it  over  to 
engineering  and  say,  "Here  it  is.  We  cooked  up  a  batch  in  the  lab. 
Now  could  you  please  come  up  with  a  process  that  will  deliver 
80,000  pints  a  day,  at  consistent  high  quality?  Thank  you." 

"Ice  cream  has  been  around  a  long  time,"  says  Gosselin. 
"It's  a  fairly  stodgy  industry,  in  terms  of  the  equipment  that's 
available."  For  example,  the  machine  that  spits  out  prefrozen 
chunks  at  a  regular  rate  is  still  referred  to  as  a  fruit  feeder,  a 
term  that  dates  back  to  a  time  when  suspending  strawberries  in 
a  vanilla  base  was  considered  state  of  the  art.  Because  he's  not 
originally  an  ice  cream  guy  (Gosselin  came  to  Ben  &  Jerry's  in 
1994,  after  a  stint  with  Procter  &  Gamble's  consumer  products 
line,  where  he  worked  on  Citrus  Hill  orange  juice  and  packag- 
ing for  personal  care  products),  he's  able  to  think  outside  the 
pint,  so  to  speak,  when  it  comes  to  designing  new  processes. 

SCOOPS 

When  Ben  &  Jerry's  came  up  with  its  Core  Concoctions 
line,  there  was  no  equipment  on  the  market  that  could  force  a 
channel  of  gooey  fudge  or  caramel  syrup  through  the  center  of 
a  pint  of  semisoft  ice  cream.  "How  do  you  deliver  exactly  48 
grams  of  this  stuff  in  a  quarter-second,  every  second  and  a  half, 
and  make  it  stand  up  in  a  cylinder?"  Gosselin  asks,  his  eyes 
lighting  up  at  the  challenge.  He  discovered  the  solution  at  a 
food  equipment  processing  show — but  only  by  venturing 
outside  the  dairy  products  displays. 

Some  of  his  other  sweet  feats  were  finding  a  way  to  spiral 
two  flavors  into  a  single  pint  for  the  Two  Twisted  line  and  keep- 
ing those  pretzels  crunchy  in  the  Chubby  Hubby.  (Chocolate, 
it  turns  out,  is  an  excellent  moisture  barrier,  as  long  as  the  coat- 
ing remains  intact.)  He's  especially  proud  of  the  thick  veins 
of  delicate  marshmallow  nougat  in  Phish  Food,  developed  in 
partnership  with  the  former  rock  band  Phish. 


Hot  concept,  cool  freezer 

For  centuries,  glassblowers  have  heard  their  creations 
"sing"  when  heat  is  discharged  as  acoustic  energy. 
Thermoacoustic  refrigeration  (TAR)  takes  advantage 
of  the  opposite  phenomenon,  using  high-decibel 
sound  waves  to  produce  pressure  oscillations  in 
a  closed  chamber  full  of  an  inert  gas.  As  the  gas  - 
molecules  are  compressed  and  then  allowed  to  expand,  ;: 
they  are  forced  back  and  forth  through  the  channels 
of  a  metal-mesh  stack,  releasing  heat  at  one  end 
and  absorbing  it  at  the  other. 


In  search  of  alternatives  to  the  environmental 
impact  of  conventional  vapor-compression 
refrigeration,  Ben  &  Jerry's  teamed  up 
with  Penn  State  University  researchers 
Steven  Garrett,  Matt  Poese,  and  Robert 
Smith  to  produce  the  world's  first  thermo- 
acoustic ice  cream  chiller.  With  $600,000 
in  funding  from  the  ice  cream  maker, 
researchers  created  a  working  prototype  — 
a  standard  ice  cream  display  case,  hooked 
up  to  a  knee-high  metal  cylinder  filled  with  helium. 
The  power  comes  from  a  souped-up  audio  spea' 
that  emits  a  single  note  at  190  decibels,  100  times 
per  second,  with  a  "bellows  bounce"  resonator  set 
to  regulate  acousto-mechanical  frequency. 


The  public  introduction  of  the  thermoacoustic  chiller  at 
a  Ben  &  Jerry's  scoop  shop  in  Manhattan  on  Earth  Day 
2004  garnered  terrific  media  attention.  "We're  going  to 
end  the  cycle  of  chemical  dependency  for  the  refrigeration 
industry,"  Gosselin  told  the  Wall  Street  Journal,  making 
the  point  that  TAR  relies  on  environmentally  benign  noble 
gases  rather  than  hydrochlorofluorocarbons  (HCFCs)  and 
hydrofluorocarbons  (HFCs),  which  are  key  contributors 
to  ozone  depletion  and  global  warming.  The  exposure 
helped  the  TAR  group  secure  venture  capital  funding 
for  another  three  years  of  research  toward  commercial 
applications,  which  ultimately  could  include  home 
heating  and  air-conditioning,  as  well  as  power  generation. 
Ben  &  Jerry's  continues  to  work  with  the  newly  formed 
Thermoacoustic  Corporation  to  explore  the  economic 
feasibility  of  building  more  cabinets  for  beta  testing  in 
scoop  shops  next  year.  "TAR  is  clearly  'out  of  the  lab,' 
and  we  hope  to  be  part  of  the  next  wave  of 
commercial  development,"  says  Gosselin. 


Adding  environmental  ingredients 

Gosselin  is  quick  to  laugh  off  the  importance  of  his  accomplish- 
ments. "It's  just  ice  cream,"  he  shrugs.  Devotees  of  the  product 
might  beg  to  disagree.  So  might  fans  of  the  corporate  philosophy: 
proceeds  from  the  sale  of  Phish  Food  go  to  the  Waterwheel 
Foundation,  which  has  given  away  more  than  a  million  dollars 
so  far  for  environmental  efforts  on  Vermont's  Lake  Champlain. 
Improved  refrigeration  at  the  company's  St.  Albans  plant 
helped  reduced  energy  consumption  by  an  estimated  948,603 
kilowatt-hours  a  year.  By  converting  to  bulk-feeding  systems, 
ingredients — such  as  the  two  million  pounds  of  cherries  used 
in  Cherry  Garcia — now  arrive  in  2,000-pound  totes,  rather 
than  5-gallon  buckets,  eliminating  47,000  plastic  pails  from 
the  waste  stream  each  year.  Automating  the  pallet-loading 
process — a  hazardous  and  undesirable  job  that  had  to  be  filled 
with  temporary  workers — has  improved  worker  safety  and 
satisfaction. 

"Even  on  the  technology  side,  the  work  we  do  is  a  good 
dovetail  with  the  values  I  learned  at  WPI,"  he  says.  "All  that 
stuff  we  were  asked  to  think  about,  like  the  impact  of  technology 
on  society,  seemed  like  an  academic  exercise  back  then.  But  it's 
real.  The  Ben  &  Jerry's  three-part  mission  (product,  economic, 
and  social)  has  us  thinking  about  that  every  day.  Not  just,  are 
we  making  ice  cream  and  are  we  making  money,  but  are  we  giv- 
ing back  to  the  community,  and  are  we  serving  the  community 
that  works  in  our  factories?" 

Worldwide,  Ben  &  Jerry's  has  served  as  a  role  model  to 
make  other  companies  strive  to  be  better  corporate  citizens, 


Gosselin  notes.  (Although  the  company  was  acquired  by 
Unilever  in  2000,  the  parent  company  is  committed  to  sup- 
potting  the  guiding  principles  of  the  founders  and  to  investing 
at  least  a  million  dollars  annually  into  the  charitable  Ben  & 
Jerry's  Foundation.)  "The  things  they  were  doing  decades  ago 
that  once  were  considered  progressive  are  now  run-of-the-mill 
for  a  lot  of  other  companies,"  Gosselin  says.  "Everybody  said, 
'It  can't  be  done,  it'll  cost  too  much,  it'll  run  us  out  of  business.' 
But  you  can  have  higher  efficiency  and  safer  systems  and  envi- 
ronmentally sustainable  production.  You  can  lead  with  your 
values — and  make  money,  too." 

After  a  decade  devoted  to  ice  cream,  Gosselin  hasn't  lost 
the  desire  for  frozen  confections,  but  he  does  tend  to  think  of 
them  more  clinically  now — an  occupational  hazatd  he  likens  to 
a  medical  doctor  who  sees  naked  bodies  all  day  long,  day  after 
day.  "While  others  are  enjoying  the  ice  cream,  I'm  thinking  fat 
content  and  mouth  feel  and  moisture  barrier."  At  home,  he 
sometimes  gets  flak  for  forgetting  to  bring  home  his  daily  three- 
pint  allotment  (a  fringe  benefit  for  all  employees);  at  the  end  of 
a  long  day,  an  ice  cream  sundae  is  the  last  thing  on  his  mind. 

Still,  for  a  guy  with  a  mechanical  engineering  degree,  it's 
one  cool  job.  D 

Gosselin  explains  the  science  of  thermoaconstics  to  a  couple  of 
cartoon  penguins  in  the  Sounds  Cool  animation  sequence  on  the 
Ben  &  Jerrys  Web  site.  More  technical  specs  and  schematics  can 
be  found  on  Penn  State's  Thermoacoustic  Refrigeration  page, 
www.  acs.psu.  edu/thermoacoustics. 


36     I  r,i  n  sformaiioni    \   Summer  2005 


Time  Capsule 


(Continued  from  page  48) 

In  this  device,  the  input  signal  is  subttacted  from  the  output,  leaving 
just  the  distortion.  The  distortion  is  then  amplified  separately  and 
used  to  cancel  out  the  distortion  in  the  original,  amplified  signal. 

The  technique  worked,  but  the  equipment  was  touchy  and  dif- 
ficult to  maintain.  Black  continued  to  refine  the  feed-forward  amplifier 
for  three  more  years,  all  the  while  searching  for  a  more  elegant 
approach.  The  search  ended  on  Aug.  1,  1927. 

A  famous  ferry  ride 

The  day  started  like  any  other  for  Black.  He  ate  breakfast  in  his 
rented  room  in  East  Orange,  N.J.,  caught  the  Lackawana  train  to 
Hoboken,  then  transferred  to  the  Christopher  Street  ferry,  which 
would  take  him  across  the  Hudson  River  to  lower  Manhattan.  It  was 
a  clear  morning  and  the  sun  glinted  off  the  Statue  of  Liberty. 

Other  engineers  headed  to  Western  Electric  clustered  on  the 
foredeck  to  chat  and  enjoy  the  view,  but  Black  kept  to  himself,  as  he 
usually  did,  thinking.  At  exactly  8:15,  the  solution  to  the  problem 
he'd  been  wrestling  with  for  six  years  came  to  him  in  a  flash.  Search- 
ing his  pockets  and  finding  nothing  to  write  on,  he  ran  to  the  ferry's 
newsstand  and  bought  a  copy  of  the  New  York  Times. 

He  leafed  through  the  paper  and  found  a  page  that  was  printed 
very  faintly,  but  which  clearly  showed  the  date.  On  it,  he  sketched  a 
canonical  diagram  of  a  negative  feedback  amplifier  and  a  few  basic 
equations  to  describe  it,  then  he  signed  the  page.  When  the  ferry 
docked,  he  hurried  to  the  lab,  where  he  asked  another  engineer  to 
review  what  he'd  recorded  and  testify  that  he  understood  it.  The 
framed  page  is  now  a  treasured  artifact  in  the  Bell  Labs  archives. 

The  story  of  Black's  flash  of  insight  has  become  one  of  the  great 
myths  in  engineering  history.  But  Black  always  maintained  that  the 
notion  of  negative  feedback  came  to  him  all  at  once,  Mervin  Kelly 
wrote  that  he  believed  Black  had  worked  out  the  basic  details  of  neg- 
ative feedback  before  that  famous  ferry  ride,  and  only  needed  to  arrive 
at  the  final  mathematical  solution  en  route  to  the  office  that  morning. 

It  has  also  become  clear  over  the  years  that  while  Black  deserves 
the  credit  for  the  invention  of  the  negative  feedback  principle,  other 
Bell  Labs  theorists  played  pivotal  roles  in  making  it  a  success,  including 
Harry  Nyquist,  who  devised  a  widely  hailed  criterion  for  determining 
when  a  negative  feedback  amplifier  would  be  stable  and  free  of  distor- 
tion, or  "singing,"  and  Hendrik  Bode,  who  developed  design  tech- 
niques that  helped  other  engineers  widely  adapt  Black's  idea. 

From  skepticism  to  acceptance 

Though  it  is  now  a  fundamental  tool  in  electrical  engineering,  Black's 
discovery  was  initially  met  with  skepticism  within  Bell  Labs,  in  part 
because  the  idea  was  radical,  but  also  because  Black,  as  an  engineer 
with  only  a  bachelor's  degree  and  a  few  years  of  experience,  rankled 
the  well-educated  researchers  and  theoreticians  who  tended  to  dtive 
the  lab's  technical  development.  Black's  idea  also  met  stiff  resistance 
from  the  U.S.  Patent  Office,  which  took  nearly  10  years  to  approve 
his  application. 

The  delay  in  the  patent  was  partly  due  to  the  large  number  of 
claims  that  Black  included  (the  final  patent  filled  52  pages  of  text  and 
35  sheets  of  drawings)  and  his  stubborn  refusal  to  part  with  any  of 
them.  Alton  C.  Dickieson,  Black's  lab  assistant  at  the  time,  later 
remembered  that  Black  early  on  saw  a  wealth  of  applications  for  nega- 
tive feedback  and  "talked  endlessly  on  this  topic  to  his  colleagues,  and 


THE    NEW    YORK   TIME:  ITURDAY,   AUGUST   8,    1927. 


ITw    "■' 


Bed 


.r1-'*-  ! 


'-■     S 


lA-a 


Hy  if  lit? 


The  page  from  the  Aug.  1,  1927,  New  York  Times  on  which  Black  jotted 
down  equations  and  diagrams  describing  the  negative  feedback  amplifier, 
an  idea  that  came  to  him  in  a  flash  while  riding  the  ferry  to  work. 

to  anyone  who  would  listen."  Blacks  long-range  view  of  the  potential 
of  negative  feedback,  Dickieson  said,  explains  why  he  wrote  his  patent 
claims  so  broadly  and  defended  them  so  fiercely. 

Black  worked  diligently  to  build  working  prototypes  of  a  nega- 
tive feedback  amplifier.  In  1928,  AT&T  decided  to  put  his  discovery 
to  a  major  test.  The  company  simulated  a  transcontinental  phone 
line  in  a  laboratory  in  Motristown,  N.J.,  with  miles  of  cable,  folded 
back  on  itself,  and  a  negative  feedback  amplifier  every  25  miles.  The 
trial  was  deemed  a  success,  and  Black's  invention  went  on  to  become  a 
vital  component  of  the  nation's  long-distance  telephone  inftastructure. 

Black  remained  at  Bell  Labs  for  40  years,  continuing  to  inno- 
vate in  many  areas  of  electronics,  including  signal  modulation, 
earning  patents  and  recognition,  though  never  again  reaching  the 
heights  he  hit  so  early  in  his  career.  His  discovery  of  negative  feed- 
back brought  him  an  almost  endless  series  of  awards  and  honors, 
including  WPI's  Goddard  Award  for  Professional  Achievement,  the 
Institute  of  Electrical  and  Electronics  Engineers  Lamme  Medal,  and 
induction  as  the  25th  member  of  the  Inventors  Hall  of  Fame.  At 
WPI,  he  is  memorialized  with  the  Harold  S.  Black  Scholarship, 
established  by  his  wife,  Meta,  in  1992,  and  the  Hatold  S.  Black 
Award,  given  by  the  Electrical  and  Computer  Engineering 
Department  each  spring  to  exemplary  seniors. 

Black's  notes  in  the  WPI  archives  make  clear  that  he  delighted 
in  these  honors  and  took  great  pride  in  his  achievements.  One  sen- 
tence that  he  included  in  a  handwritten  autobiography  neatly  sums 
up  his  opinion  of  his  place  in  engineering  history,  an  opinion  that 
seems  now  to  be  widely  shared.  "It  is  no  exaggeration  to  say,"  he 
wrote,  "that  without  Black's  invention  of  the  negative  feedback 
amplifier,  combined  with  his  continuous  and  ever-expanding 
research  and  development  of  new  feedback  concepts,  our  exotic 
communications  of  today  would  not  be  possible." 


Transformations    |    Summer   2005     37 


ass  Notes 


Staying  Connected  with  Old  Friends 

Material  for  Class  Notes  comes  from  newspaper  and  magazine  clippings,  press  releases, 
and  information  supplied  by  alumni.  Due  to  production  schedules,  some  notes  may  be  out 
of  date  at  publication,  but  may  be  updated  in  future  issues.  Please  allow  up  to  6  months  for 
your  news  to  appear  in  print.  Submit  your  Class  Note  at  www.wpi.edu/+Transformations 
or  alumni-editor@wpi.edu.  You  may  fax  it  to  508-831-5604,  or  mail  it  to  Alumni  Editor, 
Transformations,  WPI,  100  Institute  Road,  Worcester,  MA  01609-2280. 


pSByj 


]  960s 

Donald  Sanger  '62  lives  in  Stafford,  Conn., 
where  he  exhibits  model  railways  and  devotes 
his  time  to  restoration  work  for  railroad 
museums  throughout  New  England.  He  is 
retired  from  Pratt  &  Whitney. 

Bruce  Maccabee  '64  published  "Inflationary 
Theory  Implications  for  Exttaterrestrial 
Visitations"  in  the  Journal  of  the  British 
Interplanetary  Society,  along  with  his  two 
co-authors.  He  writes  that  recent  advances  in 
physics  do  not  contradict  the  possibility  of 
the  existence  of  extratertestt ial  civilizations, 
and  that  extraterrestrials  may  be  more  inter- 
ested in  gathering  knowledge  of  other  species 
than  in  attempting  direct  communication, 
which  would  explain  their  covertness. 


No  Nukes?  Go  Nukes? 
Bridge  Readers  Speak  Out 

The  United  States  hasn't  built  a  nuclear 
power  plant  for  over  30  years,  but  with 
rising  energy  prices  and  dwindling  oil 
reserves,  some  policy  makers  say  it's  time 
for  a  nuclear  spring— that  the  nuclear 
option  represents  a  clean,  lower-cost 
alternative  to  electricity  made  with  fossil 
fuels. 

In  the  April  Question,  we  asked  readers 
of  WPI's  monthly  e-newsletter  The  Bridge 
what  they  thought.  Of  the  292  respond- 
ents, 69  percent  said  the  benefits  of 
nuclear  power  outweigh  any  environ- 
mental or  safety  concerns;  24  percent 
said  those  concerns  outweigh  the  benefits; 
7  percent  had  no  opinion. 

Each  month,  The  Bridge  gives  readers 
an  opportunity  to  weigh  in  on  important 
issues  of  the  day.  Don't  miss  your  chance 
to  make  your  voice  heard. 

Sign  up  for  The  Bridge  today  by  visiting 
alumni.wpi.edu/News/Bridge. 


Tom  Pease  '65  joined  Lawler,  Matusky  & 
Skelly  Engineers  in  1972,  after  earning  a 
master's  and  doctotate  from  NYU  School  of 
Engineering.  He  was  made  partner  in  1990. 
The  firm  recently  merged  with  HDR  Inc.,  a 
large  national  engineering,  architecture,  and 
planning  firm,  to  become  HDR/LMS,  where 
Tom  now  holds  the  title  of  senior  profes- 
sional associate.  He  lives  in  Carmel,  N.Y. 

Charles  Blanchard  '67  is  the  first  town 
administrator  to  be  hired  by  the  town  of 
Paxton,  Mass.  He  lives  in  Sturbridge. 

John  Hiscock  '69  of  Wilton,  Conn.,  was 
elected  state  director  of  the  New  England 
Water  Works  Association, 

1970s 

Bill  Hillner  '70  recently  completed  a  3  '/2- 
year  assignment  fot  Exxon  in  Angola  and  has 
relocated  to  Port  Harcourt,  Nigeria,  where 
he  serves  as  construction  manager  for  a  large 
offshore  oil  and  gas  project. 

Paul  Ash  '71  was  appointed  superintendent 
of  schools  for  the  Lexington,  Mass.,  public 
school  system,  effective  July  1,  2005.  The 
district  represents  6,200  pupils. 

John  Minasian  '72,  former  dean  of  WPI's 
extended  education  division,  is  now  vice 
president  and  dean  of  Rensselaer  at 
Hartford. 

David  Demers  '74 

('84  M.S.,  FPE)  was 
appointed  by  Gov. 
Mirt  Romney  as 
chairman  of  the 
Massachusetts  Board 
ol  Fire  Prevention 
Regulations.  1  [e  is 
president  ol  Demers 

Associates  Inc.  and  depucj  chiel  ol  the 

I  unenburg  lire  Department. 


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UIJOHUMK20I.  ortiy  mail  t  Alumni  Ediiof. 
hutituic Road.  V/onaur,  MA,  niNN-llxoi.  No phone calli 


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Ed  Gordon  '74  was  featured  in  Loudoun 
Magazine.  A  longtime  member  and  regional 
vice  chairman  of  Mensa,  he  is  involved  in 
planning  conventions  and  events.  Ed  lives 
in  Ashbutn,  Va.,  with  his  wife,  Linda,  whom 
he  met  at  a  Mensa  dinner. 

Bruce  Arey  '75  and  his  wife,  Debbie,  be- 
came grandparents  this  year.  Their  daughter 
Allison  gave  birth  to  Lynda  Sofia  Melo  on 
April  7.  Bruce  and  Debbie  live  in  Grafton, 
Mass. 

David  Fowler  '75  was  appointed  senior 
vice  president  of  marketing  at  Pragmatech 
Software  in  Nashua,  N.H. 

John  Kelly  '75  is  a  ski  groomer  at  the 
Blanford  (Mass.)  Ski  Area.  His  job  was  fea- 
tured in  a  series  on  snow-related  occupations 
in  the  Springfield  Sunday  Republican. 

Douglas  Sargent  '75  is  the  new  director  of 
public  works  for  the  town  of  Northfield,  N.H. 

Gary  Anderson  '76  has  joined  Service  Net- 
work Inc.  in  Worcester  as  director  of  sales. 

John  Casey  '76  was  elected  chairman  of  the 
American  Shipbuilding  Association.  He  is 
president  of  Electric  Boat  in  Groton,  Conn. 

Al  Smyth  '76  reports  that  his  daughter, 
Allison,  was  a  finalist  at  the  2005  Intel 
International  Science  and  Engineering  Fair 
in  Phoenix.  Her  project  was  "Crash 
Monitoring  Device  for  Vehicles  with  Four  or 
More  Wheels."  Allison  is  a  junior  at  the 
Massachusetts  Academ)  ol  Mathematics  and 
Science, 


n  me 

Public  Eye 


hU*^  f*\  The  Shrewsbury  Chronicle  memorialized 

the  late  Jim  Donahue  '44  with  a  story  about  the 
fountains  at  Dean  Park,  which  were  donated  to 
the  town  by  his  wife,  Babs,  in  his  memory  ... 
Worcester  Business  Development  Corp.  director 
Richard  Kennedy  '65  was  mentioned  in  a  front  page  story  in  the  Sunday  Boston 
Globe  contrasting  the  cities  of  Worcester  and  Providence  ...  Dean  Kamen  '73  was 
inducted  into  the  National  Inventors  Hall  of  Fame,  along  with  guitar  icon  Les 
Paul  and  the  late  frozen  foods  pioneer  Clarence  Birdseye  ...  David  Sheehan  '85, 
president  and  CEO  of  Digirad  Corp.,  was  profiled  in  the  San  Diego  Business 
Journal  ...  ECI  Biotech,  owned  by  Mitch  Sanders  '88,  received  a  2005  New 
England  Innovation  Award  from  the  Smaller  Business  Association  of  New 
England  ...  Fortune  magazine  interviewed  Todd  Wyman  '89  for  the  article  "How  to 
Battle  the  Coming  Brain  Drain"  in  the  March  7,  2005,  issue.  He  manages  the  global 
supply  chain  for  General  Electric's  rail  transportation  business  ...  Dorian  Hunt  '02  made 
People  magazine's  "Most  Beautiful  People  2005"  issue  after  his  girlfriend,  Stephanie 
Carney,  answered  the  call  for  "everyday  people  whose  stunning  looks  match  their  big 
hearts."  Dorian's  photo  and  profile  appeared  in  the  "Beauties  on  Your  Block"  spread  in 
the  May  9  issue  ...  the  Boston  Globe  sat  in  on  Jason  Reposa  '02's  Introduction  to 
Video  Games  class  at  Middlesex  Community  College,  where  he  is  an  adjunct  professor  in 
the  computer  science  department.  The  article  quoted  him  on  the  importance  of  the 
medium  to  the  current  generation  of  college  students,  and  the  future  of  gaming  as  an 
educational  discipline. 


1981 


Neal  Wright  '76  reports,  "I  had  a  super 
2004.  I  passed  the  project  management 
professional  (PMP)  exam,  was  promoted  to 
assistant  vice  ptesident  at  Michael  Baker  Jr. 
Inc.,  and  was  inducted  as  a  fellow  of  the 
Society  of  American  Military  Engineers.  This 
year  I  will  have  two  articles  published  by 
Port  Technology  International  and  the  ASCE. 
Life  is  great  at  home,  too,  with  my  wife, 
Missy,  and  our  son,  Matthew."  They  live  in 
Norfolk,  Va. 

John  Osowski  ^77  married  Martha  Every 
last  December.  His  sons,  Paul  and  Alex, 
were  best  men;  her  daughters,  Hannah  and 
Madeline,  were  bridesmaids.  John  is  director 
of  planning  and  construction  fot  SUNY 
College  at  Brockport  in  upstate  New  Yotk. 
He  is  active  in  the  Rochester  section  of 
ASCE  as  a  past  president.  John  recently  took 
up  the  biathlon  and  placed  9th  in  the  novice 
class  in  a  local  tace.  He  is  also  a  certified  ice 
hockey  referee  and  captain  of  Brockport's 
Chase  Bank  Corporate  Challenge  running 
team. 

Mark  Cioffi  '78  of  Pembroke,  Mass.,  has 
been  active  as  a  trustee  and  treasurer  of  the 
local  library,  where  he  raised  funds  and  over- 
saw construction  of  a  new  8,000-square- 


foot,  $1.4  million  facility.  "Not  a  large  proj- 
ect by  my  WPI  classmates'  experience,"  he 
wtites,  but  the  library,  formerly  housed  in  an 
800-square-foot  rented  house,  has  its  own 
home  for  first  time  in  225  years.  "Any  WPI 
student  or  grad  who  wants  an  annual  mem- 
betship,  just  let  me  know,"  he  writes. 

Paul  Lefebvre  '78  (M.S.,  ME)  was  named 
product  area  director  for  undersea  warfare 
analysis  and  assessment  for  the  Naval 
Undersea  Warfare  Center  in  Newpott,  R.I. 

Sergej  Ochrimenko  '78  joined  Structural 
Preservation  Systems,  a  Structural  Group 
company,  in  Hanover,  Md.,  as  a  project 
manager. 


1980 


James  DeCarlo  joined  Greenberg  Traurig, 
LLP,  as  a  shareholder  in  the  intellectual 
property  group.  He  is  based  in  the  company's 
New  York  office. 

Richard  Whalen  and  his  wife,  Iris, 
announce  the  birth  of  their  daughter,  Sarah 
Nicole,  on  April  5,  2005.  They  live  in 
Framingham,  Mass.,  where  Richard  works 
for  Process  Software. 


R.  K.  "Arkey"  Endres  was  promoted  to 
senior  technical  associate  at  DuPont's 
Cotpus  Christi  plant,  where  he  is  responsible 
for  the  site's  instrumentation  and  control 
systems,  as  well  as  providing  design  leader- 
ship on  site  expansion  projects.  He  and  his 
wife,  Gina,  are  the  proud  parents  of  Dana, 
19  (Texas  A&M  Class  of  2008),  and  Alyssa, 
15.  Arkey  is  the  owner  of  Endres  e-Media, 
which  produces  high-end  specialty  printed 
and  video  media. 

"Idaho  is  a  great  place  to  be!"  writes  Eric 
Freeman,  senior  engineer  at  Micron 
Technology  in  Boise.  "My  wife,  Kristin, 
teaches  riding  and  is  training  our  Morgan 
horses.  We  have  a  26-year-old  son  in  the  Air 
Force,  a  daughter,  24,  who  is  job-hunting, 
and  a  20-year-old  daughter  still  in  college." 

Richard  Urella  was  appointed  vice  president 
of  sales  and  marketing  at  David  Clark  Co.  in 
Worcester,  where  he  has  worked  for  more 
than  20  years. 


1982 


Robert  Bean  is  chief  operating  officer  of 
Kubotek  USA,  in  Marlborough,  Mass.  His 
former  company,  CADKEY  Corp.,  was 
acquired  by  Kubotek,  a  Japanese  fitm,  in 
2003. 

Douglas  Frey  was  admitted  to  the  New  York 
State  bar  and  has  joined  Haynes  Construc- 
tion in  Seymour,  Conn.,  as  in-house  counsel. 


1983 


Mark  Besse  and  his  wife,  Kristy,  welcomed 
their  third  child,  Olivia  Marcell,  into  the 
world  on  May  9,  2005.  He  writes,  "Our 
other  children,  Jared,  7,  and  Audrey,  3,  are 
quite  proud  siblings.  All  are  healthy  and  ate 
enjoying  the  warm  Texas  weather."  Mark  is 
in  his  19th  year  at  Nortel  Networks  as  a 
wifeless  software  developer. 

Matthew  Goldman  ('88  M.S.,  EE)  is  vice 
president  of  technology  for  Tandberg  TV. 
Broadcasting  and  Cable  chronicled  his  career 
path  from  WPI  up  through  the  ranks  of  the 
TV  technology  industry  in  an  article  titled 
"Maestro  of  Tech." 

Vincent  Vignaly  lives  in  West  Bolyston, 
where  he  has  been  active  on  the  town  plan- 
ning board  and  conservation  commission. 
He  is  an  environmental  engineer  with  the 
Massachusetts  Department  of  Conservation 
and  Recreation. 


Tra  nsfo  rmt 


Summer  2005     39 


I     K_J]  I  ICUUI  II  I 


ucuici  iiuci    ju-uliuuci 


Bookshelf 

Recent  and  new  publications 
by  WPI  alumni,  faculty,  staff 

The  ABCs  of  Mutual  Funds:  Every- 
thing Your  Financial  Consultant 
Really  Doesn't  Have  Time  to  Explain 

The  ABCs  of  IPOs:  Investment 
Strategies  and  Tactics  for  New  Issue 
Securities 

by  Robert  Anthony  Chechile  '60 
iUniverse,  Inc. 


THE  ABCs  of 
MUTUAL  FUNDS 

EVBZT&bsYoiff  ^iBuasl  Consultiiiit 
ReaDy  Doesnt  Have  Time  to  EqMn 


Former  aerospace 
engineer  and 
mechanical 


A  SnmMt  tor  inrastminf  C&nnefy  SMuAn 

Robekt  Anthony  Chechile 


engineering 
jfl    professor  Bob 
Chechile  made  a 
midlife  career 
change  in  1  992, 
when  downsizing 
in  the  defense 
industry  forced  him 
to  leave  New 
England  and 
reinvent  himself  as 
a  stockbroker  for 
a  West  Coast 
regional  securities 
underwriter.  He's 
also  trained  aspir- 
ing stockbrokers 
and  offered  adult 
education  courses 
on  investment  securities.  Now  in  retirement 
in  Southern  California,  Chechile  shares  his 
knowledge  with  individual  investors  to 
help  them  avoid  the  pitfalls  of  unsuitable 
investments  and  unscrupulous  stockbrokers. 
The  ABCs  of  Mutual  Funds  explains  the 
basics  of  these  "safe  haven"  investments 
for  risk-averse  individuals  who  want  to 
control  their  financial  destiny  and  minimize 
risk.  For  risk  takers  seeking  high  capital 
appreciation,  The  ABCs  of  IPOs  offers 
advice  on  evaluating  new  issue  offerings 
and  analyzing  their  potential  for  success. 


1984 

David  Capotosto  is  pastor  of  the  First 
Apostolic  Church  of  Biddeford  (Maine), 
where  he  has  served  for  12  years. 

Boston  Magazine  fea- 
tured Robert  Kilroy 

as  a  "Massachusetts 
Rising  Star  Super 
Lawyer,"  among  the 
top  2.5  percent  of  the 
4  I   city's  best  up-and- 

r-^M^^f       ^tm   coming  lawyers.  He  is 
a  specialist  in  employ- 
ment litigation  for  Mirick,  O'Connell, 
DeMallie  &  Lougee,  LLP,  in  Westborough 
and  Worcester.  A  graduate  of  Cornell  Law 
School,  Bob  lives  in  Upton,  Mass.,  with  his 
wife,  Deb,  and  two  daughters,  Shauna  and 
Julia. 

Jim  Melvin  was  appointed  executive  vice 
president  of  marketing  and  business  develop- 
ment at  Network  Intelligence  Corp.  in 
Westwood,  Mass. 


1985 


By  the  time  Transformations  went  to  press 
last  spring,  Chris  Cavigioli  had  already  been 
recruited  away  from  NemeriX  to  work  as 
market  development  manager  for  multi- 
media at  MIPS  Technologies  in  Mountain 
View,  Calif.  This  cut  his  commute  from  25 
hours  (which  included  three  hours  of  driving 
a  rental  car  over  the  Swiss  Alps  after  a  20- 
hour  intercontinental  flight),  to  just  25  min- 
utes. Chris  and  Carrie  are  now  enjoying  the 
pastoral  San  Mateo  countryside  while  work- 
ing like  crazy  in  Silicon  Valley  and  enjoying 
weekends  in  San  Francisco  and  thereabouts. 
"Come  and  visit!"  he  writes. 

Tom  Curatolo  is  ditectot  of  applications 
engineering  for  Vicor  Corp.  in  Andover, 
Mass. 

Nantucket  innkeeper  Matt  Parker  opened 
Swan  House,  a  four-bedroom  posc-and-beam 
property  that's  just  around  the  corner  from 
Seven  Sea  Street  Inn,  which  he  and  his  wife, 
Mary,  have  owned  and  run  for  1 8  years. 


1986 


Michael  DeLeeuw  is  vice  president  of 
Passive  Safety  Systems  at  Instron  Structural 
resting  in  Detroit.  His  article  on  "crash  sled" 
testing  of  interior  safety  components 
appeared  in  Automotive  &  Aerospace  Test 
Report. 


1 987 

Kevin  Collins  has  joined  the  national  patent 
and  intellectual  property  litigation  group  of 
Covington  &  Burling  in  Washington,  D.C. 
He  is  a  graduate  of  the  University  of 
Baltimore  School  of  Law. 

Christopher  Hirst  is  still  working  at 
National  Starch  &  Chemical  Co.,  "thanks  to 
the  awesome  on-campus  recruiting  program 
way  back  in  '87,"  he  writes.  "My  current  job 
is  site  director  for  corporate  headquarters  in 
Bridgewater,  N.J.  Last  year  I  earned  my 
private  pilot  license  after  years  of  being 
obsessed  by  airplanes.  I  am  still  trying  to  talk 
my  wife,  Suzanne,  into  the  wisdom  of  buy- 
ing an  airplane.  In  my  spare  time,  I  continue 
as  a  volunteer  firefighter  in  Kingston,  N.J., 
now  as  a  first  lieutenant." 


1988 


Angela  (Iatrou)  Simon  works  for  Perini 
Management  Services.  She  recently  passed 
the  North  Carolina  Unlimited  Building 
Contractor's  Licensing  Exam,  enabling  her 
company  to  pursue  construction  projects  in 
that  state.  She  is  a  member  of  the  National 
Association  of  Women  in  Construction  and 
serves  as  a  mentor  to  female  WPI  students 
through  the  Women's  Industry  Network 
(WIN)  program.  Angela  lives  in  Framing- 
ham,  Mass.,  with  het  husband,  Erik,  and 
their  children,  Korinna,  Xander,  and 
Nathan. 

Paula  Sonntag  (M.M.)  was  honored  as 
Teacher  of  the  Year  at  Shirley  (Mass.)  Middle 
School,  where  she  teaches  math. 


1989 


Mark  Sullivan  has  been  head  coach  of  the 
WPI  Ski  Team  tor  almost  20  years.  Mech- 
anical engineering  professor  Chris  Brown, 
who  teaches  some  of  the  team  members  in 
his  Technology  of  Alpine  Skiing  class,  says, 
"Mark  knows  what  to  do,  not  just  to  coach 
the  skiers,  but  to  manage  the  team  so  that 
the\-  make  positive  impressions  and  enhance 
W'Pl's  reputation.  This  is  unusual — most  ski 
racers  do  not  maintain  such  great  reputa- 
tions with  the  mountain  management. 


4  0     Transformation!    \   Summer  200  5 


1 990 

John  Lombardi  started  Ventana  Research 
Corp.  in  his  garage  four  years  ago,  with  four 
part-time  employees;  he  recently  expanded 
into  a  4,200-square-foot  industrial  building 
in  Tucson,  Ariz.  His  current  research 
involves  special  coatings  for  military  tents 
and  uniforms  that  would  block  biological 
and  chemical  warfare  agents.  He  is  also 
developing  polishing  fluids  for  disc  drive 
reader  heads  that  are  derived  from  green  tea, 
rather  than  the  toxic  compounds  currendy 
used  in  the  computer  manufacturing  indus- 
try. The  new  facility  will  enable  Lombardi  to 
increase  Ventana's  staff  to  20-25  people  and 
begin  in-house  manufacturing. 

Bob  Morales  recently  joined  Argon  ST  as 
manager  of  integration  and  testing  for  naval 
systems.  Argon  develops  C4ISR  systems  for 
Department  of  Defense  customers.  He 
continues  to  live  in  Northern  Virginia  with 
his  wife,  Margaret,  and  daughters,  Grace, 
Marie,  and  Elizabeth. 


1991 


Doug  Folsom  is  plant  manager  for  GE 
Aircraft  Engines  in  Rutland,  Vt.  He  spoke 
with  the  Rutland  Herald  about  the  irony  of  a 
world-class  lean  manufacturing  plant  located 
in  the  heart  of  rural  Vermont,  a  state  better 
known  for  farming,  hiking,  and  skiing.  "I 
think  this  comes  from  that  Yankee  ingenuity 
and  the  creativeness  of  the  folks  that  work 
here,"  he  said. 

George  Oulundsen  was  granted  the  title  of 
Distinguished  Member  of  Technical  Staff  by 
his  employer,  OFS  (previously  SpecTran 
Communication  Fiber  Technologies),  located 
in  Spencer,  Mass.  He  joined  the  company  in 
1998  and  was  instrumental  in  perfecting  the 
company's  LaserWave  optic  fiber. 


1992 


David  Andrade  continues  as  a  high-school 
physics  teacher  and  part-time  senior  para- 
medic for  Stratford  EMS  in  Connecticut. 
He  and  his  wife,  Cori,  recendy  finished 
extensive  training  for  the  company's  Special 
Operations  team,  including  weapons  of  mass 
destruction  and  tactical  EMS.  They  both 
have  been  involved  in  EMS  for  more  than 
17  years  (David  was  an  early  member  of 
WPI's  EMS  team).  They  live  in  Stratford 
with  their  ferret  and  two  cats. 


A  Sortie  tO  Remember  Ma    Paul  Cotellesso  '91  (right)  and  Maj.  Danny 
Palubeckis  '89  flew  an  F-16  "Viper"  familiarization  sortie  together  on  June  2,  2005.  Both  are 
stationed  with  the  8th  Fighter  Wing,  also  known  as  the  Wolf  Pack,  at  Kunsan  Air  Base  in  the 
Republic  of  South  Korea.  Cotellesso  is  operations  officer  for  the  civil  engineering  squadron, 
and  Palubeckis  is  an  assistant  operations  officer  and  F-16  pilot  with  the  fighter  squadron. 
After  takeoff,  Cotellesso  attained  unrestricted  afterburner  climb  at  maximum  engine  thrust, 
with  an  airspeed  of  Mach  1.18,  and  G-forces  exceeding  8.5.  Palubeckis  pushed  the  F-16 
to  its  design  limits  during  the  one-versus-one  training  sortie  and  destroyed  a  simulated  enemy 
aircraft  in  an  air-to-air  engagement  in  minimum  time,  utilizing  the  M-61  20mm  cannon  only. 
The  high-performance  sortie— a  rare  experience,  even  for  Air  Force  personnel— also  included 
a  simulated  engine-out  landing  back  at  Kunsan  Air  Base  and  a  two-ship  formation  landing 
with  Palubeckis'  wingman.  "Paul  is  still  smiling  from  ear  to  ear,"  Dan  notes. 


David  Flinton  was  promoted  to  product 
marketing  manager  for  the  Seneca  Falls, 
N.Y.,  operations  of  ITT  Industrial  Products 
Group.  He  joined  the  company's  A-C  Pump 
business  in  1997  and  has  held  positions  of 
increasing  responsibility  in  various  fluid 
technologies  departments.  Dave  and  his 
wife,  Silvia,  live  in  Canandaigua  with  their 
children,  Joshua  and  Ana. 

Jen  Schaeffer  returned  to  graduate  school 
for  a  Ph.D.  in  civil  engineering  (geotechni- 
cal)  at  Virginia  Tech.  She  completed  a  mas- 
ter's degree  in  that  department  in  1 997  and 
spent  the  last  six  years  working  for  CH2M 
Hill  in  Seattle  as  a  staff  engineer.  She  reports 
that  her  husband,  Alex,  is  providing  excellent 
care  and  feeding  of  a  Ph.D.  srudent. 


New&iW 

Who:      Amine  Khechfe  '84 

Picture  It  Postage'"  by  Endicia 
Where:  Norwood,  Mass. 

Turn  letters  and  packages  into 
personalized  works  of  art  with  custom 
postage  stamps.  Upload  a  photo  to 
the  Web  site  and  receive  a  sheet  of 
valid  U.S.  postage  stamps  with  your 
image.  From  wedding  invitations  with 
a  picture  of  the  happy  couple,  to 
postcards  bearing  the  likeness  of  the 
family  dog,  the  only  limit  is  your 
imagination.  (Terms  and  Conditions 
are  posted  on  the  site.) 
PictureltPostage.com 


Transformations    \   Summer  2005     41 


1993 

Shannon  Gallagher  Beauregard  and 
Daniel  Beauregard  '94,  along  with  their 
son,  Jarrod,  announce  the  arrival  of  Glenna 
Shannon  on  March  3,  2004. 

Eric  Bell  has  lots  of  good  news  from  his 
family,  starting  with  the  birth  of  daughter 
Grace  Martina  on  April  10,  2005.  "My  wife, 
Patsy,  and  I  are  slowly  coming  up  the  parent- 
hood learning  curve,"  he  reports.  Eric  is 
back  in  venture  capital,  having  joined 
Seattle-based  Vulcan  Inc.  as  a  senior  associ- 
ate, specializing  in  investing  in  early-stage 
life  sciences  companies.  "I  am  looking  for- 
ward to  the  new  challenges  of  both  father- 
hood and  Vulcan." 

Navy  Lt.  j.g.  Eric  Graham  gtaduated  from 
Basic  Civil  Engineer  Corps  Officer  School  in 
Port  Hueneme,  Calif.,  recently.  His  studies 
included  engineering  management,  network 
analysis,  financial  management,  and  the 
management  of  naval  and  civilian  personnel. 


1994 


Mark  Barrucci  joined  Realty  Executives 
Matsh  &  Assoc,  as  a  new  executive.  He  is 
also  co-ownet  of  Nanabette's  Ice  Cream  in 
Woburn,  Mass. 


1995 


Christopher  Ciriello  married  Heather 
Sabourin  on  Aug.  28,  2004.  He  is  a  civil 
engineering  consultant  with  Malcolm  Pirnie 
Inc.  in  Wakefield,  Mass. 

Jeff  Collemer  and  his  wife,  Rebecca,  are 
pleased  to  announce  the  birth  of  their 
daughter,  Sara  Toby,  on  April  9,  2005. 
The  Collemer  family  resides  in  Cumberland, 
R.I.  Jeff  is  a  senior  software  engineer  for 
American  Power  Conversion. 

Michael  Lemons  and  his  wife,  Missy,  are 
proud  to  announce  the  birth  of  their  daugh- 
ter, Cecelia  Kate,  on  Jan.  18,  2005.  They 
currently  teside  in  Raleigh,  N.C.  Michael  is 
a  process  engineer  specializing  in  pharma- 
ceuticals. He  earned  his  PE  license  in  2003. 


1996 


Michael  Caprio  moved  from  Worcester  to 
Cape  Cod  last  year  to  become  an  employee 
of  CranBerry  Technologies,  a  software  com- 
pany spun  off  from  BackOffice  Associates, 
specializing  in  SAP  data  migration.  He  was 
promoted  to  product  manager  in  February. 


Pam  (Kelly)  and  Steve  Sluter  announce  the 
birth  of  their  second  daughter,  Bethany 
Ellen.  She  was  born  at  Women  and  Infants 
Hospital  in  Providence,  R.I. 

1997 

Paula  Brezniak  married  Jason  Monsees  on 
Nov.  20,  2004,  in  North  Carolina,  with 
Patti  Kessler  '96  as  maid  of  honor.  After  a 
honeymoon  in  St.  Lucia,  the  couple  contin- 
ues to  live  in  Greensboro,  where  Jason  is  a 
packaging  engineer  for  Syngenta  Crop 
Protection,  and  Paula  is  an  opetations  man- 
ager for  American  Express. 


1998 


Michael  Glynn  and  Rosanna  Catricala  '99 

were  married  Sept.  25,  2004.  They  live  in 
Mansfield,  Conn.,  with  their  cat,  Lola. 
Rosanna  earned  an  MBA  at  Regis  College 
in  2003.  Michael  was  recently  appointed 
corporate  marketing  manager  for  Accu-Time 
Systems. 

Photographer  Kirk  Jalbert  exhibited  his 
MFA  thesis,  "Illusion/Elusion,"  an  interac- 
tive video  installation  based  on  Atari  2600 
video  game  systems,  at  Tufts  University's 
Tisch  Gallery  in  May. 

Jeannine  (Block)  and  James  Lovering  are 

excited  to  announce  the  birth  of  their 
daughter,  Amelia  Marie,  on  May  9,  2005. 
They  live  in  Mystic,  Conn.  James  is  teaching 
high  school  physics  at  the  Morgan  School  in 
Clinton.  Jeannine  is  a  senior  research  scien- 
tist at  Pfizer  Inc.  in  Groton. 

Molly  McCabe  and  Brian  Gagon  '97  wel- 
comed Maeve  Elizabeth  on  April  21,  2005. 
They  live  in  California,  where  Brian  is  a 
consultant  with  Rolf  Jensen  &  Assoc,  and 
Molly  is  director  of  quality  and  regulatory 
affairs  for  CoolSystems  Inc. 

Patrick  O'Brien  is  business  leader  for  GE 
Insurance  Solutions'  U.S.  Accident  &  Health 
business  unit,  based  in  the  company's  Avon, 
Conn.,  office.  He  began  his  career  at  GE  in 
1995  as  a  loss  representative. 

Michael  Stark  and  his  wife,  Amanda, 
announce  the  arrival  of  Abigail  Paige,  baby 
sister  to  their  son,  Jonathan.  Abigail  was 
born  on  Feb.  1 1,  2005.  They  live  in 
Hooksett,  N.H. 


Honored  at  Boston  Marathon 


Former  champions  gathered  to  salute  Marine 
Cpl.  Justin  Lute  '02  (in  uniform),  who  attended 
the  1  09th  Boston  Marathon  as  an  honored 
guest  of  the  Boston  Athletic  Association.  Lutz, 
a  former  cross-country  captain  at  WPI  and  a 
Reebok-sponsored  runner,  recently  returned 
from  Iraq,  where  he  continued  training  through- 
out both  of  his  deployments,  keeping  in  touch 
with  his  coach  by  e-mail.  His  dedication  was 
highlighted  in  a  Christian  Science  Monitor 
article  about  the  perseverance  and  ingenuity 
of  soldier-athletes.  Although  he  watched  this 
year's  marathon  from  the  finish  line,  Justin  has 
his  sights  set  on  qualifying  for  the  2008 
Olympics. 


1999 

Ethan  Deneault  received  his  doctorate  in 
physics  from  Clemson  University.  His  disser- 
tation was  "The  Formation  and  Growth  of 
Large  Carbon  Solids  in  Supernovae."  He  has 
accepted  an  assistant  professorship  at  the 
College  of  Charleston,  in  South  Carolina. 
Ethan  and  his  wife,  Kristina,  have  a  son, 
John  Conor. 

Andrew  Solitro  is  an  electrical  engineer  at 
Teradyne.  He  married  Jamie  Goddeau  in 
November  2004.  They  live  in  Framingham, 
Mass. 


2000 


Nathan  and  Sarah  (Snow)  Wilfcrt 
announce  the  birth  "I  their  first  child.  I  il\. 
on  Jan.  26,  2005.  The  family  lives  in 
Redmond.  Wash. 


4  2     Irani  for  mations    \   Summer  2005 


2001 


Jessica  Hoepf  and  Jeff  Costa  '02  are 

engaged.  They  are  planning  an  April  2006 
wedding  in  Portsmouth,  N.H. 


2002 


David  Chevrier  and  Lauren  Barker  '04 

were  wed  in  Lewiston,  Maine,  on  Aug.  28, 
2004.  They  reside  on  Cape  Cod,  where 
Lauren  is  a  research  associate  for  Associates 
of  Cape  Cod  Inc.,  a  global  supplier  of  ana- 
lyte  detection  products.  David  works  in 
Woods  Hole  as  a  CIS  specialist  and  software 
engineer  for  the  federal  government.  His 
3-D  visualizations  of  fisheries  acoustics  data 
won  Best  Visualization  Research  at  the 
NOAATech  2004  Expo  in  Washington, 
D.C.  His  scientific  animations  will  be  dis- 
played in  a  museum  exhibit  at  the  Gulf  of 
Maine  Research  Institute  in  Portland,  open- 
ing in  September  2005. 

Kerri  Hufnagle  and 

Michael  Wojcik  were 
married  Oct.  2,  2004. 
Wedding  attendants 
included  Cara 
Obadowski  and 
Alonna  Schienda. 
Many  other  WPI 
alumni  were  present 


for  the  celebration.  Kerri  works  for  Pratt  & 
Whitney,  and  Michael  works  at  Tenergy 
Christ  Water,  LLC.  They  recently  purchased 
their  first  home  in  Manchester,  Conn. 

Alycia  Wood  ("04  M.S.,  FPE)  is  a  fire  pro- 
tection engineer  for  TJ  Klem  and  Assoc. 


2003 


Army  Spec.  Christopher  Cullen  graduated 
from  basic  combat  ttaining  at  Fort  Knox, 
Ky.,  recently. 

Beka  Fowler  and  Matt  Shea  say  they  will 
tie  the  knot  on  Nov.  11,  2005,  in  beautiful 
Pennsylvania,  and  then  live  happily  ever 
after. 

Travis  Parks  received  his  M.S.  in  nuclear 
engineering  from  MIT  in  September.  He 
lives  in  Washington,  D.C  and  works  for 
the  U.S.  Nuclear  Regulatory  Commission. 

Jennifer  Persico  and  Kevin  Rohleder  '04 

are  planning  to  marry  on  Sept.  3,  2005,  in 
Washington,  Va.  Many  WPI  alumni  have 
been  invited  to  attend  and  patticipate  in  the 
happy  event. 


2004 


Tasha  Andrade  appeared  as  a  contestant  on 
Wheel  of  Fortune  on  April  7,  2005.  She  and 
fiance  Joshua  Clark  went  to  LA  for  the 


taping  in  November,  accompanied  by  her 
family.  "I  won  $6,250  (cash)  solving  three 
puzzles,  but  I  wasn't  the  big  winner,"  she 
says.  Tasha,  an  honor  student  at  Roger 
Williams  University  School  of  Law,  and 
Joshua  became  engaged  June  3,  and  plan  to 
marry  in  September  2006. 

John  Baird  starts  a  master's  program  this 
September  in  the  epidemiology  and  public 
health  department  of  Yale  University,  with  a 
concentration  in  biostatistics.  John  has  been 
living  in  Taiwan,  where  he  teaches  English. 

Tzipporah  Kertesz  joined  AmeriCorps  after 
graduation  to  work  on  environmental  and 
educational  programs  on  the  West  Coast. 
Her  placements  included  the  Catalina  Island 
Conservancy  off  the  coast  of  California  and 
watershed  preservation  projects  in  Portland, 
Ore. 

Graduate  Management 
Programs 

Jim  Kennedy  '74  (MSM)  lives  in  Pearl  City, 
Hawaii.  He  has  run  the  Honolulu  Marathon 
for  27  consecutive  years,  and  intends  to 
tackle  it  again  this  December,  but  he  notes 
that,  at  80,  he's  getting  slower  every  year. 


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Transformations    \   Summer  2005    43 


Obituaries 

1920s 

Carl  F.  Alsing  '28  of 

Somers,  Conn.,  died  Dec. 
21,  2004.  He  leaves  his 
wife,  Mary.  A  longtime 
I   research  engineer  at 
|  WA  ^fl     I   Westinghouse  Electric 
Rfifl  _Ll   Corp.,  he  also  taught  elec- 
trical engineering  at  several  New  England 
colleges  and  retired  as  professor  emeritus 
from  the  University  of  Hartford. 

William  M.  Lester  '28 
(Alpha  Epsilon  Pi)  of 
Delray  Beach,  Fla.,  died 
March  12,  2005,  leaving 
his  wife,  Gloria  (Genin). 
He  was  predeceased  by  his 
first  wife,  Betty.  Lester 
revolutionized  the  plastics  industry  in  1935 
with  his  invention  of  an  automated  hydraulic 
injection  molding  machine.  He  founded 
Pyro  Plastics  Corp.  and  held  more  than  20 
patents. 

Edward  E.  Lane  '29 
(Sigma  Phi  Epsilon)  of 
Wayne,  Pa.,  died  Jan.  25, 
2004.  He  was  an  electrical 
engineer  with  Teleregister 
and  later  joined  his  brother- 
in-law  in  the  retail  hard- 
ware business.  His  wife,  Virginia,  survives 
him. 


>, 


1930s 


Arthur  Zavarella  '30  of  Agawam,  Mass., 
died  Nov.  20,  2004.  He  was  a  retired  science 
professor  at  Westfield  State  College.  His 
wife,  Alice  (Balboni),  survives  him. 

John  B.  Tuthill  '31  (Sigma  Phi  Epsilon) 
died  Nov.  1 8,  2004.  He  was  predeceased  by 
his  wife,  Elsa  (Hoyler),  whom  he  met  during 
his  career  with  DuPont  Co.  After  retirement, 
Tuthill  returned  to  his  hometown,  Orient, 
N.Y.,  where  he  enjoyed  a  second  career  as  a 
commercial  fisherman. 
John  R.  Tinker  '32  (Alpha  Tau  Omega)  of 
Gardner,  Mass.,  died  June  22,  2004.  His 
wife,  Mildred,  died  in  2001.  Tinker  was 
retired  from  a  teaching  career  at  Gardner 
High  School. 


J.  Alfred  Bicknell  '33  of 

Portland,  Maine,  died  Feb. 
12,  2005.  A  former  chemist 
at  S.  D.  Warren  Co.,  he 
also  produced  postcards 
and  desk  calendars  as 
proprietot  of  Bicknell 
Manufacturing.  He  lost  his  wife,  Madeline, 
in  1996. 

Carl  G.  Bergstrom  '35  (Sigma  Phi  Epsilon) 
of  Holden,  Mass.,  died  Jan.  5,  2005.  He 
leaves  his  wife,  Mary  (Dodge).  He  was  a 
metallurgist  for  Wyman-Gordon  Co. 

John  B.  Howes  '35  (Sigma  Phi  Epsilon)  of 
Middleboro,  Mass.,  died  Aug.  22,  2004.  He 
was  the  retired  manager  and  vice  president 
of  Woods  Pond  Cranberry  Co.  His  wife, 
Charlotte,  survives  him. 

George  A.  Makela  '35  (Theta  Chi)  of 
Houston  died  Jan.  25,  2005.  A  former 
hydraulics  engineer,  he  leaves  his  wife, 
Mildred. 

^•C-^BH   Herbert  J.  Erickson  '36 

f  ^H    (Phi  Sigma  Kappa)  of  Red 

K*  C  m    Bank.  N.J.,  died  Aug.  1, 

*       jk    fl    2004.  His  wife,  Jane 

.        ^^B    (Stenberg),  predeceased 
lAk^  «B    him  in  1983.  A  marine 

A  .1  ILi  I  engineer,  Erickson  helped 
design  the  propulsion  system  for  the  USN 
Nautilus,  the  first  nuclear-powered  subma- 
rine. He  was  retired  from  Bethlehem  Steel. 

0  Harold  F.  Henrickson  '36 
(Theta  Chi)  of  Holden, 
Mass.,  died  Feb.  21,2005. 
He  was  assistant  chief  of 
the  engineering  and  draft- 
ing department  at  Pratt  & 
Whitney  Aircraft.  He  was 
the  brother  of  the  late  John  Henrickson  '33. 

Wesley  P.  Holbrook  '37  (Theta  Chi)  of 
Weymouth,  Mass.,  died  Feb.  22,  2004. 
A  former  industrial  safety  professor  at 
Northeastern  University,  he  also  served  as  a 
safety  engineer  at  the  Occupational  Safety 
and  Health  Administration.  He  was  prede- 
ceased by  his  wife,  Bettina  (Jones). 
Roy  S.  Edmands  Sr.  '38  of  Media,  Pa.,  died 
Jan.  22,  2005.  He  worked  on  the  Manhattan 
Project  early  in  his  career  and  later  retired 
from  Scott  Paper  Co.  after  38  years  of  serv- 
ice. He  leaves  his  wife,  Elise  (Dallas). 

Walter  L.  Longnecker  '39  (Sigma  Phi 
Epsilon),  quarterback  on  WPI's  first  unde- 
feated football  team,  died  May  24,  2005.  He 
lived  in  New  London,  N.H..  and  was  retired 
as  vice  president  of  Gould  F.lectronics.  His 
wife.  Mar)',  survives  him. 


1940s 


Trustee  Emeritus  S.  Merrill 
Skeist  '40  (Alpha  Epsilon 
Pi)  died  April  21,  2005.  He 
was  CEO  of  Spellman 
High  Voltage  Electronics 
Corp.  He  was  predeceased 
by  his  wife,  Marian. 
William  Bosyk  '41  of 
Holyoke,  Mass.,  died  Feb. 
26,  2005,  leaving  his  wife, 
Elsie.  He  was  retired  from 
the  Reed  Prentice  Division 
of  Package  Machinery. 

Robert  B.  Brautigam  '41 

(Sigma  Alpha  Epsilon)  of  North  Tonawanda, 
N.Y.,  died  April  25,  2005,  leaving  his  wife, 
Joan  (McClelland).  A  chemical  engineer, 
he  was  retired  as  technical  manager  of  the 
Durez  Plastics  Division  of  Canadian 
Occidental.  He  was  the  brother  of  Hugh 
Brautigam  '43  and  Laurence  Brautigam 
'49,  who  survive  him. 

Frederick  S.  Sherwin  '41 
(Theta  Chi)  of  Forr  Pierce, 
Fla.,  died  March  27,  2005. 
He  leaves  his  wife,  Marlene 
(Hock).  Sherwin  was  presi- 
dent of  Value  Engineered 
Systems  Inc. 

Edward  A  Hebditch  '42  (Sigma  Alpha 
Epsilon)  of  Fox  Chapel,  Pa.,  died  Aug.  30, 
2004.  He  was  principal  of  E.  A.  Hebditch 
and  Assoc.  His  wife,  Margaret  (Muggins), 
survives  him. 

Anthony  V.  Rainis  '42  ofWayland,  Mass., 
died  April  7,  2005.  He  was  retired  from  the 
Missiles  Systems  Division  of  Raytheon  Co., 
where  he  worked  for  37  years.  His  wife, 
Ruth  (Sundin),  survives  him. 

Everett  J.  Ambrose  Jr.  '43 
(Lambda  Chi  Alpha)  of 
Falmouth,  Mass.,  died  Jan. 
1 1 ,  2005.  A  former 
mechanical  engineer  for 
Monsanto  Chemical  Co., 
he  leaves  two  daughters. 

Carl  A.  Giese  '43  (Sigma 
Alpha  Epsilon)  of  Upper 
St.  Clair,  Pa.,  died  Jan.  28. 
2005.  He  was  retired  trom 
a  40-year  career  with  PPG 
Industries.  His  wife,  Ruth, 
survives  him. 

George  W.  Golding  '43  died  Feb.  16,  2004. 
A  retired  structural  engineering  supervisor 
lor  Raytheon,  he  was  predeceased  b)  his 
wife,  Margaret  (Nordwell). 


44     I  r.i  informations    \   Summer  2005 


Theodore  A.  Haddad  '43  died  Jan.  9,  2005. 
His  wife,  Florence  (Giliett),  died  in  1992. 
He  was  retired  from  the  former  Foster  Grant 
Co.  as  a  research  physicist. 

Donald  O.  Patten  '43  of  Sterling,  Mass., 
died  Nov.  19,  2004,  leaving  his  wife, 
Marguerite  (Ruggles).  A  farm  machinery 
dealer,  he  owned  and  operated  Sterling 
Farmers  Supply. 

Alex  Petrides  '43  of  West  Hartford,  Conn., 
died  March  11,  2005.  His  wife,  Yvonne,  sur- 
vives him.  An  aeronautical  engineer,  Petrides 
worked  for  Kaman  Aircraft  and  Sikorsky 
Aircraft. 

Charles  E.  Cannon  '44  (Theta  Chi)  of 
Johnsonville,  N.Y.,  died  Dec.  16,  2004.  He 
was  predeceased  by  his  wife,  Mary  (Greene). 
A  longtime  civil  engineer  who  helped 
rebuild  Alaska  after  the  1 964  earthquake,  he 
retired  from  Coffin  &  Richardson  as  a  senior 
partner. 

J.  David  Clayton  '44 

(Alpha  Tau  Omega)  of 
Morristown,  N.J.,  died  Feb. 
25,  2005,  leaving  his  wife, 
Catherine.  He  was  retired 
from  a  40-year  career  with 
Exxon  that  took  him  to 
Europe  and  South  Africa. 

Former  baseball  captain 
Joseph  W.  Gibson  Jr.  '44 

(Sigma  Phi  Epsilon)  of 
Wilmington,  Del.,  died 
March  12,  2005.  He  spent 
his  career  with  DuPont 
Co.,  where  he  earned  a 
number  of  patents  for  innovations  in  poly- 
mer and  textile  technologies.  He  leaves  three 
children. 

Former  basketball  and  soc- 
cer captain  Howard  E. 
Swenson  '44  (Phi  Sigma 
Kappa)  of  Attleboro,  Mass., 
died  April  7,  2005.  He 
leaves  his  wife,  Virginia 
(Hanson).  Swenson  was 
president  of  Polytech  Industries,  which 
he  founded  as  Hanson  Engineering  Co. 
in  1952. 

Alvi  T.  Twing  Jr.  '45  died  July  30,  2004. 
No  further  information  is  available. 

Wade  E.  Barnes  '46  of  Needham,  Mass., 
died  March  17,  2005,  leaving  his  wife,  Sally 
(Catron).  He  was  retired  from  Charles  E 
Main  Inc.  as  an  associate. 

Gordon  A  Hollis  '46  ( Phi  Sigma  Kappa) 
of  Saco,  Maine,  died  Aug.  16,  2004.  He 
worked  for  Mobil  Pipe  Line  Co.  and  was  the 


owner  of  Steward  Technical  Sales  Corp.  He 
leaves  his  wife,  Margaret. 

Foster  Jacobs  '46  (Alpha  Tau  Omega)  of 
Gorham,  Maine,  died  July  24,  2003.  His 
wife,  Lorraine  (LeBel),  died  in  2002.  Jacobs 
was  a  retired  mechanical  engineer  for  the 
University  of  Massachusetts  Dartmouth. 

Arvid  S.  Johnson  '46  (Phi  Sigma  Kappa)  of 
Largo,  Fla.,  died  Feb.  3,  2005,  leaving  his 
wife,  Lois  (Courtney).  He  was  a  retired  busi- 
nessman in  the  Worcester  area  who  owned 
and  operated  a  tool  and  die  company  for 
many  years. 

Jack  J.  Landers  '46  (Phi  Kappa  Theta)  of 
Sandwich,  Mass.,  died  Nov.  22,  2004.  He 
leaves  his  wife,  Bert)'  (Limont).  Landers  was 
retired  from  New  York's  Off-Track  Betting 
Corp. 

John  C.  Meade  '46  (Phi  Kappa  Theta)  of 
Torrance,  Calif,  died  July  13,  2004.  He  was 
predeceased  by  his  wife,  Man7.  Meade  was  a 
salesman  for  Industrial  Commercial 
Properties. 

Theodore  J.  Murphy  '46 

(Phi  Gamma  Delta),  a 
longtime  residenr  of 
Greenwich,  Conn.,  died 
Nov.  8,  2004,  at  his  home 
in  Port  Chestet,  N.Y.  A  for- 
mer mechanical  engineer, 
he  later  taught  at  Stamford  (Conn.)  High 
School.  His  wife,  Helen  (Hansen),  survives 
him. 

John  "Larry"  Stewart  '46  (Alpha  Tau 
Omega)  of  Wantagh,  N.Y,  died  May  8, 
2004.  Founder  and  owner  of  Srewart 
Technical  Sales  Corp.,  he  leaves  his  wife, 
Margaret. 

Robert  W.  Miller  '47  of 

Sharon  and  North 
Falmouth,  Mass.,  died 
March  4,  2004,  leaving 
his  wife,  Gertrude  (Larkin). 
Miller  was  superintendent 
of  engineering  for  Ameri- 
can Steel  and  Wire  Cable  Works,  a  division 
of  US  Steel. 

Rev.  Roger  M.  Cromack 

'48  (Sigma  Phi  Epsilon)  of 
Chapel  Hill,  N.C.,  died 
March  14,  2005.  His  wife, 
Barbara,  survives  him.  After 
retiring  from  a  career  in 
insurance  with  Marsh  & 
McLennan  Inc.,  he  was  ordained  as  a  deacon 
of  the  Episcopal  Church  in  1 994  and  served 
at  the  Church  of  the  Holy  Family  in  Chapel 
Hill. 


Robert  A.  Donnan  '48  (Theta  Chi)  of 
Beaufort,  N.C.,  died  Jan.  10,  2005.  A  data 
communications  specialist,  he  is  credited 
with  the  development  of  IBM's  synchronous 
data  link  control,  which  was  later  adopted  as 
the  international  standard.  Predeceased  by 
his  first  wife,  Doris,  he  leaves  his  wife, 
Nancy. 

Wesson  C.  Miller  '48 

(Lambda  Chi  Alpha)  of 
West  Hartford,  Conn.,  died 
March  14,  2005.  His  wife, 
Elizabeth  (Gibbs),  survives 
him.  Miller  worked  for 
Northwestern  Murual  Life 
Insurance  Co.  and  was  retired  as  an  inde- 
pendent insurance  and  securities  agent. 

Sidney  Baldwin  '49  (Alpha  Epsilon  Pi)  of 
Cypress,  Calif,  died  Dec.  20,  2003.  A  pro- 
fessor of  political  science  and  public  admin- 
istration at  California  State  University, 
Fullerton,  he  was  the  author  of  Poverty  & 
Politics  and  co-author  of  Government  in 
America-.  His  wife,  Diana,  survives  him. 

^^^         Walter  L.  Beckwith  Jr.  '49 

^^^         of  West  Warwick,  R.I.,  died 
dB^*  ■*"        Jin-  16,  2005,  leaving  his 
wife,  Claire  (Hastings).  He 

IM^H^^^    worked  tor  Leesona  Corp. 

^k  ^L  ^H  I    for  many  years  and  later 
■ii^^^^BMI    retired  from  Brown  &; 
Sharp  Manufacturing  Co. 

Lawrence  B.  Borst  '49  (Alpha  Tau  Omega) 
of  Houston  died  April  19,  2005.  He  leaves 
his  wife,  Jane  (Ryan).  Borst  began  his  career 
with  Arabian  American  Oil  Co.  and  retired 
from  Aramco  Sendees. 

Irving  M.  "Sonny"  Hass  '49  (Phi  Kappa 
Theta)  of  Cape  May,  N.J.,  died  June  28, 
2004,  leaving  his  wife,  Eleanor  (Carraher). 
He  was  retired  from  the  former  Sperry 
Gyroscope  Co. 

Francis  J.  Hoey  '49  died 
March  26,  2005.  His  wife, 
a  C   ^        Regina  (Hill),  sunives  him. 
i^~-      ■»  Hoey  worked  for  the 

^.        Massachusetts  Department 
^V  M  j   of  Public  Works  for  39 
.  jL        I    vears  and  retired  as  district 
highway  engineer.  His  three  sons  are  WPI 
graduates. 

Jeremy  W.  Smith  '49  (Theta  Chi)  of 
Shrewsbury,  Mass.,  died  Feb.  5.  2005.  He 
was  a  retired  electrical  engineer  who  worked 
for  New  England  Electrical  Systems  for  35 
years.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Corinne 
(Mavnard). 


Transformations    |    Summer  2005     45 


1950s 


Robert  J.  Hallisey  '50  died  April  18,  2005. 
Predeceased  by  his  first  wife,  Joy  (St.  Jean), 
he  leaves  his  wife  Amrenia  (Gianola).  After 
retiring  from  Hughes  Aircraft,  Hallisey  was 
involved  in  real  estate  sales  and  promotion 
in  the  Diamond  Bar,  Calif.,  area  before 
returning  to  Nashua,  N.H.,  his  hometown. 
Everett  A.  Hennessey  '50 
(Phi  Kappa  Theta)  of 
Millbury,  Mass.,  died  Feb. 
21,2005.  He  lost  his  wife, 
Pauline  (Johnson)  in  1981. 
Hennessey  was  retired  from 
Brown  and  Sharpe  Manu- 
facturing Co.  as  chief  electrical  engineer  of 
the  machine  tool  division. 

Bernard  D.  Callahan  '51 

of  Panama  City,  Fla.,  died 
Feb.  8,  2005.  He  taught 
mathematics  at  the  former 
Worcester  Boys  Trade  High 
v   School  and  at  Worcester 
BL.ms  AsffiL  .   Technical  Institute,  retiring 
in  1989. 

William  Boraski  '52  (Sigma  Phi  Epsilon) 
of  Pittsfield,  Mass.,  died  April  18,  2005.  A 
graduate  of  Northeastern  University  School 
of  Law,  he  retired  from  private  practice  in 
1988.  His  wife,  Eileen  (Pelkey),  survives  him. 

Roy  G.  Gullberg  '52  (Sigma  Phi  Epsilon) 
died  April  20,  2005,  at  his  home  in 
Houston.  He  founded  Preco  Turbine 
Services  in  1980,  which  grew  to  more  than 
150  employees.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Dorothy. 
He  was  predeceased  by  his  first  wife,  Grace 
(Johnson),  and  his  second  wife,  Betty. 

Edward  Markarian  '53  (Lambda  Chi 
Alpha)  died  March  19,  2005.  His  wife, 
Ramona  (Perry)  died  in  2004.  Markarian 
was  a  mechanical  engineer  for  Allied 
Chemical,  Procter  &  Gamble,  Flanders 
Filter,  and  Texas  Gulf  Phosphate. 

William  J.  Moroney  '53  of  Sudbury,  Mass., 
died  June  12,  2004.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Claire  (LaCroix).  He  was  retired  from  The 
Foxboro  Company  as  a  senior  systems  engi- 
neer. 

Timothy  V.  O'Toole  Jr.  '53  (Phi  Kappa 
Theta)  of  Shrewsbury,  Mass.,  died  March  3, 
2005.  His  wife,  Ellen  (Diggins)  died  in 
1993.  O'Toole  was  a  longtime  engineer  for 
Heald  Machine  Co.  (now  Cincinnati 
Milacron). 

Raynald  P.  LeMieux  '55  (Phi  Kappa  Theta) 
of  Pinehurst,  N.C.,  died  Feb.  7,  2005.  He 
began  his  chemical  engineering  career  at 


Standard  Oil  and  later  retired  from  ARCO 
Technologies. 

Lebbeus  S.  Case  '56  (SIM)  of  Tolland, 
Conn.,  died  Jan.  27,  2005.  A  retired  super- 
intendent and  industrial  engineer  for  Brand 
Rex  Corp.,  he  was  predeceased  by  his  wife, 
Jean. 
Raymond  E.  DeMatteo  '56  died  Sept.  9, 

2004,  at  his  home  in  Atkinson,  N.H.  His 
wife,  Joan  (Jutres)  survives  him.  DeMatteo's 
career  included  positions  at  Western  Electric 
Co.  and  AT&T.  After  retirement,  he  spent 
sevetal  years  in  the  health  care  field,  as  direc- 
tor of  business  development  for  Home 
Health  VNA  and  later,  director  of  public 
affairs  at  Haverhill  Municipal  Hospital. 
Thomas  W.  Hansen  '56  (Phi  Gamma 
Delta)  of  Durango,  Colo.,  died  Jan.  23, 

2005,  leaving  his  wife,  Carol.  He  was  retired 
from  a  lifelong  career  with  IBM. 

Nicholas  S.  Moffa  '56  (SIM)  of  Daytona 
Beach,  Fla.,  died  Feb.  10,  2005,  leaving  his 
wife,  Theresa.  He  was  the  retired  president 
of  the  abrasives  division  of  Dresser  Indus- 
tries. Moffa  received  the  Albert  J.   Schwieger 
Award  for  Outstanding  Professional 
Achievement  in  1978. 

Raul  R.  Giro  '57  (Lambda  Chi  Alpha)  of 
Miami,  Fla.,  died  Dec.  31,  2001.  He  was 
chief  engineer  for  Bildon  Inc. 

Alan  H.  Mitchell  '57  (Theta  Chi)  of  Aiken, 
S.C.,  died  April  13,  2005.  He  was  retired 
from  Pratt  &  Whitney.  His  wife,  Janet,  sur- 
vives him. 

Alfred  L.  Girard  '58  of 
Amherst,  N.H.,  died  April 
14,  2005,  leaving  his  wife, 
Gayle  (Thayer).  A  professor 
of  information  technology 
at  Southern  New  Hampshire 
University  for  six  years,  he 
previously  worked  for  25  years  in  Raytheon's 
Missile  Systems  and  Electromagnetic  Sys- 
tems divisions.  Girard  received  a  master's 
degree  in  electrical  engineering  from  North- 
eastern University  and  held  several  patents  in 
speech  scrambling  and  othet  defense-related 
technologies. 

Joseph  Mora  '59  (M.S.,  ME)  died  April  1, 
2005,  at  his  home  in  Yarmouth,  Maine,  after 
a  long  illness.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Ellen.  Mora 
worked  for  General  Electric  for  21  years  and 
later  did  consulting  work  for  several  engi- 
neering firms. 

Leonard  J.  Scott  '59  (Sigma  Alpha  Epsilon) 
of  Ann  Arbor,  Mich.,  died  Aug.  13,  2004, 
after  a  three-year  battle  with  renal  cell  carci- 
noma. A  certified  social  worker  and  graduate 


of  the  Oberlin  School  of  Theology,  with 
postgraduate  studies  at  the  University  of 
Chicago  Divinity  School,  he  served  in  a 
number  of  pastoral  posts  at  the  University 
of  Michigan  for  more  than  30  yeats.  His 
wife,  Joan,  survives  him. 


1960s 


Frederick  S.  Buma  '60 

(Sigma  Alpha  Epsilon)  of 
Orlando,  Fla.,  died  Dec. 
27,  2004.  He  was  retired 
from  R.H.  White  Con- 
struction Co.  as  chief  esti- 
mator and  cost  analyst, 

after  37  years  of  service.  He  leaves  his  wife, 

Judith  (Bergeson). 

Donald  L.  Harper  '60  of  Brevard,  N.C., 
died  Nov.  8,  2004.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Barbara.  He  spent  his  career  in  the  telecom- 
munications industry  and  retired  from 
Verizon  Communications. 

Robert  F.  Kelley  '60  (MNS)  of  Worcester 
died  April  30,  2005,  at  age  78.  He  was 
retired  from  Worcester  State  College  as  pro- 
fessor emeritus.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Alfreda 
(Sarapas). 

Kenneth  Roberts  '60 

(Alpha  Epsilon  Pi)  died 
April  15,  2005.  He  leaves 
his  wife,  Lea.  He  spent 
most  of  his  cateer  as  a  busi- 
ness owner  in  Houston. 

Chester  W.  Stanhope  '60 

of  Haverhill,  Mass.,  died 
Oct.  30,  2004.  A  former 
electrical  engineering 
professor  at  Merrimack 
College,  he  leaves  his  wife, 
Carolyn. 

Trustee  Emeritus  Albert  M. 
Demont  '31  (Sigma  Alpha 
Epsilon)  of  Schenectady, 
N.Y.,  died  July  28,  2005. 
He  leaves  his  wife,  Phyllis, 
a  daughter  and  a  son.  His 
first  wife,  Doris  (Gilgore) 
died  in  1977.  Demont  was  retired  from 
General  Electric  Co.,  where  he  started  as  an 
engineer  in  1932  and  advanced  to  manager 
ol  professional  manpower  development  for 
Corporate  Research  and  Development.  Mis 
service  to  WPI  included  membership  on 
the  Board  of  Trustees  from  1964  to  1974, 
as  well  as  chairing  the  Honorary  Degree 
Committee  and  planning  reunions.  A  loyal 
correspondent  for  WPI  publications. 


46     Transformations    \   Summer  2005 


Demont  delighted  in  gathering  news  of  far- 
flung  classmares  and  passing  along  wedding 
and  birth  announcements  from  younger 
alumni.  He  received  the  Herbert  F.  Taylor 
Alumni  Award  for  Distinguished  Service 
in  1973. 

Retired  Lt.  Col.  William  J.  Coughlan  '62 
(MNS)  died  Feb.  25,  2005.  A  former  reacher 
at  Rindge  Technical  School,  he  joined  the 
Air  Force  in  1941  and  served  until  1976. 

William  J.  Savola  '63  (Alpha  Tau  Omega) 
of  Wilbraham,  Mass.,  died  Feb.  20,  2005, 
leaving  his  wife,  Deborah  (Laprade).  He  was 
a  professor  of  physics  at  Springfield 
Technical  College. 

George  R.  Bazinet  '68  (Alpha  Tau  Omega) 
of  Duluth,  Ga.,  died  Feb.  18,  2003,  leaving 
his  wife,  Phyllis.  He  worked  for  American 
Can  Co. 

Rene  J.  Roy  '69  of  Chelmsford,  Mass.,  died 
Nov.  19,  2004,  after  a  brief  illness.  He  leaves 
his  wife,  Gail  (Kmiotek).  Roy  was  an  electri- 
cal engineer  for  Raytheon  Corp. 


1970s 


John  F.  Malley  '70  (Tau  Kappa  Epsilon)  of 
Westborough,  Mass.,  died  March  2,  2005,  of 
amyotrophic  lateral  sclerosis  (Lou  Gehrig's 
disease).  He  earned  an  MBA  at  WPI  in  1985 
and  worked  for  New  England  Electric 
Systems  for  27  years,  retiring  as  a  vice  presi- 
dent. His  wife,  Judith,  survives  him. 

Robert  A.  Dorf '72  of  Norfolk,  Va.,  died 
March  14,  2005.  He  retired  from  the  U.S. 
Army  as  a  major  with  21  years  of  service, 
and  then  worked  as  a  computer  systems 
analyst  for  20  years.  He  is  survived  by  his 
wife,  Deborah. 

Thomas  J.  Tracy  '72  (Phi  Kappa  Theta) 
of  Uxbridge,  Mass.,  died  Feb.  3,  2005,  of 
bladder  cancer.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Maureen 
(O'Mara).  Tracy  earned  an  MBA  from  WPI 
in  1996  and  served  as  vice  president  of 
Stevenson  and  Assoc,  for  1 5  years.  The 
Thomas  J.  Tracy  WPI  GMP  Spirit  Award 
was  established  in  his  memory  by  the  gradu- 
ate management  programs  at  WPI. 

George  R.  Harris  '73  of  Andover,  Mass., 
died  Feb.  16,  2005.  A  mechanical  design 
engineer,  he  worked  for  AEG/Modicon  Inc. 
and  Schneider  Automation.  He  leaves  his 
children  and  his  new-found  love,  Mary  Ann 
Harrison. 

Stanley  I.  Goldfarb  '75  (M.S.,  CS  78)  of 
Hudson,  Mass.,  died  Feb.  12,  2005.  A  former 
software  engineer  for  Digital  Equipment 
Corp.,  he  leaves  his  wife,  Janice  (Dumas). 


Clarence  G.  Winternheimer  75  (Ph.D.) 
of  Evansville,  Ind.,  died  Dec.  11,  2004.  A 
retired  professor  of  electrical  engineering, 
he  taught  for  39  years  at  his  undergraduate 
alma  mater,  the  University  of  Evansville. 
His  wife,  Agnes,  survives  him. 


1990s 


1980s 


Margaret  A.  Davis  '80  (MM)  of  Marble- 
head,  Mass.,  died  Feb.  15,  2005,  at  age  69. 
A  former  teacher  and  chair  of  the  mathemat- 
ics deparrment  at  Concord-Carlisle  High 
School,  she  larer  joined  the  Massachusetts 
Department  of  Education,  where  she  devel- 
oped ESL  and  special  needs  programs.  She 
leaves  five  children. 

Patricia  M.  Monterio  '80  of  Fort  Collins, 
Colo.,  died  Oct.  29,  2004,  after  a  nine- 
month  battle  with  cancer.  She  leaves  her 
husband  of  five  years,  Jim  Whalen.  Monterio 
earned  an  MBA  at  Pepperdine  University 
and  worked  as  a  financial  planner  in  Maine 
before  moving  to  Colorado  in  1995  to  enjoy 
backcountry  skiing  and  hiking.  At  the  time 
of  her  death,  she  was  a  business  developer 
for  Hewlett-Packard. 

Edward  O.  Thayer  '84  (SIM)  of  Atdeboro 
Falls,  Mass.,  died  Dec.  19,  2004.  He  was 
61.  A  retired  supervisor  for  Cumberland 
Engineering,  he  leaves  his  wife,  Maureen 
(Dolphin). 


Peter  F.  Bastien  '96  (M.S.,  CS)  of  Dallas 

died  while  hiking  in  Big  Bend  National  Park 
in  Texas  in  June  2004.  A  lieutenant  com- 
mander in  the  U.S.  Navy  Reserve,  he  served 
in  the  Persian  Gulf  during  Operation  Desert 
Storm.  He  later  worked  for  MIT's  Lincoln 
Laboratory  and  EM  Solutions.  He  is  sur- 
vived by  his  parents,  a  brother,  and  a  sister. 

Carla  M.  (Caputo) 
Modderno  '96  of 
Northbridge,  Mass.,  died 
April  21,  2005,  after  a 
courageous  battle  with 
leukemia.  She  leaves  her 
husband,  Jeffrey  '95,  and  a 

daughter.  Modderno  worked  at  EMC  Corp. 

before  the  birth  of  her  daughter. 


Nathaniel  Keith 
Memorial  Fencing  Fund 

The  family  of  Nathaniel  G.  Keith  '01 
has  established  a  fund  in  memory  of  Nate, 
a  sabre  fencer  who  represented  the  WPI 
Fencing  Club  in  the  1999  and  2000  New 
England  Championships.  An  avid  outdoors- 
man,  Nate  was  killed  in  a  skiing  accident  on 
Feb.  28,  2005.  His  obituary  appeared  in  the 
Spring  2005  issue  of  Transformations.  Coach  David  C.  Brown  (left)  accepted  a 
memorial  plaque  and  gifts  totaling  $4,055,  presented  by  Nate's  father  (right) 
and  mother  in  a  ceremony  on  May  13,  2005. 

Further  contributions  to  support  Fencing  Club  activities  may  be  sent  to 
WPI,  University  Advancement,  100  Institute  Road,  Worcester,  MA  01609 
(please  mark  "For  Nathaniel  Keith  Fencing  Fund"). 


Transformations    \   Summer  2005    47 


Time  Capsule 


By  Michael  W.  Dorsey 


Accentuating  the 

negative 

Harold  Black's  1927  invention,  called  the 
negative  feedback  amplifier,  paved  the  way  for 
routine  long-distance  telephone  service  by  eliminating 
distortions  that  could  reduce  to  gibberish  the  sound 
of  a  phone  call  amplified  over  and  over  again  on  its 
way  across  the  country. 


Black  at  Bell  Labs  in  1941  with  amplification  equipment  based  on  his  negative 
feedback  principle.  (Reprinted  with  permission  of  Lucent  Technologies  Inc. /Bell  Labs.} 


Among  the  numerous  papers  that  Harold  S.  Black  '21  left 
behind  at  his  death  in  1983,  many  of  which  were  recently  donated  to 
the  archives  in  WPI's  Gordon  Library,  was  a  hardbound  notebook  in 
which  he  recorded  tidbits  of  information  he  wanted  to  remember: 
checks  he'd  received,  conversations  he'd  had,  interesting  articles  he'd 
read.  Here  and  there  he  also  jotted  down  his  thoughts.  On  Aug.  10, 
1982,  he  wrote:  "HSB — There  is  always  a  better  way." 

It  was  a  fitting  motto  for  an  engineer  who,  nearly  six  decades 
earlier,  had  solved  the  most  vexing  problem  facing  the  young 
telecommunications  industry,  and  in  the  process  discovered  one  of 
the  most  important  principles  to  emerge  in  electrical  engineering 
during  the  twentieth  century.  Black's  1927  invention,  called  the 
negative  feedback  amplifier,  paved  the  way  for  routine  long-distance 
telephone  service  by  eliminating  distortions  that  could  reduce  to 
gibberish  the  sound  of  a  phone  call  amplified  over  and  over  again 
on  its  way  across  the  country. 

AS     Ira  informal  ions    \   Summer  2005 


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Black  discovered  that  if  a  portion  of  an  amplifier's  output  were 
fed  back  into  the  amplifier  in  negative  phase,  the  inverted  distortions 
would  cancel  out  the  distortions  introduced  by  the  amplifier.  The 
negative  feedback  principle  would  find  wide-ranging  applications  in 
industrial  controls,  computing,  cybernetics,  guidance  systems,  infor- 
mation theory,  and  many  other  fields  of  engineering.  In  1952,  Black 
received  the  Scientific  Award  from  the  Research  Corporation,  with  a 
citation  that  read,  "Very  few  men  have  had  the  fortune  to  influence 
an  entire  field  of  human  industry  as  profoundly  as  Harold  S.  Black." 

Over  the  years,  the  notion  of  negative  feedback  has  become 
imbedded  in  disciplines  well  beyond  engineering,  including  psychology, 
sociology,  physiology,  and  ecology.  In  fact,  negative  feedback  loops, 
where  a  product  or  action  acts  on  an  earlier  stage  of  a  process  to 
reverse  the  direction  of  change,  are  found  frequently  in  nature,  where 
they  help  maintain  equilibrium  in  biological  systems. 

A  career  of  fits  and  starts 

Black's  epochal  discovery  occurred  just  six  years  after  he  graduated  from 
WPI  with  a  bachelor's  degree  in  electrical  engineering.  A  New  Jersey 
native,  he  took  a  job  with  the  engineering  department  at  Western 
Electric  Company  in  New  York  City,  a  unit  that  would  combine  with 
AT&T's  research  department  a  few  years  later  to  form  Bell  Labs. 

Black's  distinguished  career  got  off  to  a  rough  start.  "On  my  very 
first  working  day,"  he  recalled  years  later,  "I  lost  three  sets  of  tools,  then 
had  the  bottoms  of  my  trousers  burned  off  when  I  brushed  against  a 
battery.  Not  long  after  that,  I  made  a  wrong  connection  to  a  rack  of 
transmission  equipment  and  blew  out  dozens  of  vacuum  tubes." 

As  an  apprentice  engineer,  Black  was  assigned  rasks  that  he  con- 
sidered menial.  He  asked  his  supervisor  if  he  could  focus  instead  on 
high-quality  amplifiers  for  long-distance  telephone  communications. 
"Of  course,"  his  boss  told  him,  "provided  you  don't  let  it  interfere 
with  your  work." 

Black's  interest  was  understandable.  One  of  AT&T's  most  press- 
ing technical  challenges  was  finding  a  way  to  transmit  thousands  of 
channels  of  phone  calls  coast  to  coast,  with  minimal  distortion.  The 
company  demonsttated  the  first  transcontinental  phone  line  in  191 5, 
but  even  with  loading  coils  (which  decreased  signal  loss)  every  eight 
miles  and  banks  of  vacuum  tube  repeaters,  the  quality  of  the  sound 
was  poor  and  the  cost  of  a  phone  call  was  astronomical. 

To  achieve  economical  long-distance  phone  service.  AT&  1 
would  need  to  develop  amplifiers  of  far  greater  quality  than  any  then 
in  use.  Despite  his  boss's  reluctance.  Black  was  able  to  apply  his  keen 
mind  to  the  problem.  At  first,  working  with  Mervin  Kelly,  who 
would  later  head  Bell  1  .lbs.  he  tried  to  build  heller  vacuum  tubes 
to  reduce  the  distortions  and  instabilities  they  introduced. 

In  1923,  when  that  approach  had  shown  little  promise,  he 

began  to  think  about  the  problem  in  a  new  way.  Instead  ol  red 

the  distortion,  he  would  try  to  remove  il  from  the  amplifier's  output, 
leaving  behind  just  the  original,  pure  signal.  1  lis  first  solution,  which 
won  him  the  first  of  his  357  patents,  was  the  feed  forward  amplifier. 


Aerodynamics  and 
Hydrodynamics 

Aerospace  Engineering 

Analog  Integrated  Circuit  Design 

A.l./lntelligent  Tutoring  Systems 

Bioengineering 

Bioinformatics 

Biomaterials 

Biomechanics 

Bioprocessing 

Biotechnology 

Catalysis 

Cvil  Infrastructure 

Composite  Materials 


e  WPI  faculty 

Computational  Modeling 

Computer-Aided  Manufacturing 

Cryptography 

Data  and  Knowledge  Base 
Systems 

Data  Mining  and  Visualization 

Drug  Design  and  Synthesis 

E-Commerce 

Enterprise  Resource  Planning 

Environmental  Engineering 

Fire  Protection  Engineering 

Fuel  Cells 

Gas  and  Plasma  Dynamics 

Highway  Safety 


Holography 

Industrial  Moth  and  Statistics 

Information  and  Network  Security.*, 

Inorganic  Membranes 

Machine  Vision 

Manufacturing 

Medical  Imaging 

Medical  Sensors 

Metal  Processing 

Nanotechnology 

Networking  and  Distributed 
Computing 

Photonics 


Satellite  Navigation/Geolocotion 

Software  Engineering^ 

Spacecraft  and  ElectricX 
Propulsion     \^ 

Surface  Metrology^        \ 

System  Dynamics  \ 

Tissue  Engineering    \ 

Ultrasound  Propagation^. 

Wireless  Networks 


I 


WPI  graduate  studies  and  research 
expands  the  realm  of  what's  possible. 


v 


—     A 


) 


I 


rs,  founder  president  and  CEO  of  ECI  Biotech,  ear 


ogy  from  WPI  in  1988  and  his  Ph.D.  in  biomedical  science  in  1 992. 


Departments 
and  Programs 

Biology  and  Biotechnology 

Biomedical  Engineering 

Chemical  Engineering 

Chemistry  ond  Biochemistry 

Civil  end  Environmentol  Engineering 

Computer  and 
Communications  Networks 

Computer  Science 

Electrical  and  Computer  Engineering 

Fire  Protection  Engineering 

Monogement 

Manufacturing  Engineering 

Materials  Process  Engineering 

Materials  Science  and  Engineering 

Mathematical  Sciences 

Mechanical  Engineering 

Physics 

Social  Science  and  Policy  Studies 


Expand  what's  possible  for  you. 


Are  you  looking  to  deepen  your  understanding 
of  your  profession?  Are  you  ready  to  take  your 
career  to  a  new  level?  Or  is  now  the  right  time 
to  prepare  for  a  brand  new  career?  Whatever 
your  reasons  for  continuing  your  education, 
WPI  makes  it  possible.  Take  courses  that  match 
your  interests,  when  and  where  it's  convenient 
(daytime  and  evening  classes  are  offered  in 


Worcester,  at  satellite  campuses  in  the  Greater 
Boston  area,  and  through  distance  learning). 
Choose  from  among  degree  and  certificate  pro- 
grams in  17  disciplines.  Gain  all  the  benefits  of 
studying  at  one  of  the  nation's  top  universities 
and  learning  from  world-class  faculty  members 
and  researchers  who  are  helping  shape  the  fields 
they  teach. 


Learn  more  about  graduate  studies  at  WPI: 

On  the  Web:   grad.wpi.edu 
By  e-mail:   gse@wpi.edu 
Or  call:   508-831-5301 


**5-DIGIT  01609 


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l......ll.ll..ll...l.l....l.l..l.li..l.ll...ll..,ll Ml 


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Understand  how  technology  and  management  define  the  future  of  business.  Earn  the  MBA  that 
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Completely  online — anytime,  anyplace.  X^f^^v — 

Call  or  click  for  more  information.  iHS/lW/V'l      ScLu-"!maitchnology. 

508-831-5220     www.wpi.edu/fADLN  ^2^1 


INTER    2005 


I 


I 


JOURNAL      OF      PEOPLE      AND      CHANGE 


•»  •! 


^ 


Creativity  and  the 

Technological  Mind 


Departments 


» 


2  Starting  Point 

3  Letters 

4  Campus  Buzz 

Dean  Kamen  '73  speaks  at  WPI's  first 
University  Lecture  series;  WPI  partners 
with  Pratt  &  Whitney  for  student  projects; 
President  Dennis  Berkey  participates  in 
an  exchange  with  leaders  from  the  U.S. 
and  England;  Homecoming  and  Parents 
Weekend;  and  more. 

1  O       Inside  WPI 

Sam  Feller  '07  wins  a  prestigious 
Department  of  Homeland  Security 
Scholarship. 

1  1       ...And  Life 

Stefanie  Wojcik  '04,  a  mechanical 
engineering  graduate  research  assistant; 
talks  about  how  the  humanities  and  arts 
have  had  a  major  influence  in  her  life. 

1 2      Investigations 

Professor  Allen  Hoffman  has  been 
developing  a  wearable  powered  arm- 
orthosis  to  help  those  who  suffer  from 
muscular  dystrophy. 

1 4       Explorations 

Through  their  projects,  students  unlock  the 
cultural  treasures  in  the  city  of  London. 

l  O       Entrepreneursnip 

Six  years  after  Mick  Darling  '99  left  the 
WPI  stage,  he  has  a  new  starring  role, 
this  time  as  entrepreneur  in  the  emerging 
field  of  tissue  engineering. 

38       Class  Notes 
45       Obituaries 
48       Time  Capsule 


About  the  cover 

Still  life  by  Steven  Pascal.  Photo  by  Patrick  O'Connor. 
This  page:  A  freshman  and  Gompei  the  Goat  enjoy 
the  New  England  fall  weather  at  Homecoming 
this  year. 


- 


tures 


1  8       The  Well-Rounded  Technologist 

WPI  is  integrating  science  and  engineering  with  humanities  and  arts  to  produce 
thoughtful,  knowledgeable,  well-rounded,  twenty-first  century  technologists. 

22       Humanly  Possible 

Don  Lathrop  '56  and  Erica  Tworog-Dube  '00  talk  about  the  humanitarian  principles  that 
have  inspired  and  guided  their  career  choices  and,  ultimately,  the  way  they  live  their  lives. 

26       Finding  Happiness 

Philosophy  professor  Roger  Gottlieb  shares  his  thoughts  on  religion,  the  environment, 
and  his  own  spiritual  journey. 


29      Virtually  There 

Music  professor  Frederick  Bianchi's  virtual  orchestra,  created  to  simulate  the  sound 
and  feel  of  live  musicians,  is  revolutionizing  the  way  we  listen  to  music. 

32      WPI  Studies  in  Science,  Technology, 
and  Culture 

WPI's  little  known  university  press  provides  a  venue  for  faculty  to  publish  their  work. 


35      A  Dramatic  Comeback 

Playwright  Catherine  Darensbourg  '02  entered  WPI 
intending  to  study  mechanical  engineering.  But  her  life's 
path  took  some  unexpected  twists  and  turns.  The  one 
constant  has  been  WPI  theatre. 


P®DK]tt 


"The  calling  of  the  humanities  is  to  make  us  truly  human  in 
the  best  sense  of  the  word." 

-J.  Irwin  Miller  (1909-2004) 
American  industrialist,  philanthropist,  and  activist 

Before  I  came  to  WPI  in  August  as  the  new  editor  of  Transformations,  math, 
science,  and  engineering  were  somewhat  foreign  to  me.  My  love  of  writing  and 
piano  playing  led  me  to  study  journalism  and  music  in  college.  After  graduation, 
I  worked  as  a  journalist  at  a  daily  newspaper  in  Connecticut  before  I  landed  at 
Buckingham  Browne  &  Nichols  School  in  Cambridge — an  independent  day 
school — where  I  oversaw  the  production  of  multiple  publications,  including  its 
alumni  magazine. 

Given  this  background,  I  was  both  curious  and  anxious  to  see  what  it  would  be  like 
to  work  at  a  polytechnic  university.  How  would  my  liberal  arts  background  mesh  with  a 
school  known  for  science  and  engineering? 

But  I  soon  realized  there  was  more  to  WPI  than  just  science  and  engineering. 
For  one,  our  students  not  only  learn  the  mechanics  behind  a  certain  technology, 
but,  through  their  projects,  they  see  how  that 'technology  will  affect  people  and 
society.  In  essence,  they  learn  about  the  human  side  of  technology. 

True,  most  students  come  to  WPI  to  study  science  and  engineering.  But  it  is 
the  university's  hope  that  they  leave  here  with  a  breadth  of  knowledge  that  goes 
beyond  the  technological.  More  and  more,  students  are  seeing  the  advantage  of 
having  a  foundation  in  the  humanities  and  arts,  in  addition  to  their  science-based 
curriculum.  In  2005  alone,  the  number  of  double  majors — where  one  of  the  majors 
is  in  humanities — increased  twofold,  says  Patrick  Quinn,  HUA  department  head 
(See  page  21). 

In  fact,  the  idea  that  to  be  a  twenty-first  century  engineer,  technologist,  scien- 
tist, and  the  like,  one  must  be  knowledgeable  and  educated  in  both  the  sciences 
and  the  humanities  is  the  driving  force  for  some  exciting  changes  at  WPI.  Already, 
many  programs  integrate  the  two  disciplines,  the  newest  of  which  is  the  Interactive 
Media  and  Game  Development  major,  which  weaves  technology  with  art,  math 
with  storytelling.  Still,  the  university  is  looking  at  how  it  can  do  more. 

As  a  newcomer,  I  thought  humanities  and  arts  at  a  technological  university 
sounded  like  an  oxymoron,  but  I  have  come  to  eat  my  words.  It  is  very  much  the 
opposite  at  WPI.  Stop  in  at  a  rehearsal  of  any  of  the  eight  musical  ensembles,  or 
watch  a  theatrical  production,  or  sign  up  for  studio  art,  and  you  will  see  that  the 
creative  arts  are  alive  and  well  at  WPI. 

The  alumni,  faculty,  and  students  featured  in  this  issue  typify  the  relationship 
between  creativity  and  the  technological  mind.  Erica  Tworog-Dube  00  and  Don 
Lathrop  '56  speak  about  how  their  foundations  in  science  and  humanities  have 
shaped  their  careers  as  a  genetic  counselor  and  a  college  professor,  respectively. 
And  Stephanie  Wojcik  '04  says,  "Arts  and  humanities  shaped  our  culture...  but 
science  and  technology  are  what  make  it  run." 

There's  more.  We  check  in  with  music  professor  Fred  Bianchi,  whose  virtual 
orchestra  brings  together  music  and  technology.  Philosophy  professor  Roger 
Gottlieb  talks  about,  among  other  topics,  the  role  of  philosophy  at  a  technological 
college.  Playwright  Catherine  Darcnsbourg  '02,  who,  as  a  freshman,  intended  to 
become  a  mechanical  engineer,  tells  how  she  found  refuge  in  WPI  s  theatre  after 
being  diagnosed  with  schizoaffective  disorder.  And  in  our  latest  department 
addition — Entrepreneurship — Mick  Darling  '99  talks  about  his  new  venture, 
BioSttut,  which  is  revolutionizing  the  way  tissue  scaffolds  are  made. 

1  hope  you  enjoy  reading  this  issue.  I  welcome  your  thoughts,  opinions, 
comments,  and  questions. 

Charna  Wcstervelt 
Editor 


Charna  Westervelt 
Editor 

Christopher  J.  Hardwick 
Vice  President,  Marketing  and 
Communications 

Amy  E.  Dean 

Assistant  Vice  President,  Communications 

Michael  W.  Dorsey 
Director  of  Communications 

Michael  J.  Sherman 
Design  Director 

Bonnie  McCrea 
Production  Manager 

Peggy  Isaacson 

Graphic  Designer  and  Copy  Editor 

Joan  Killough-Miller 
Alumni  News  Editor 

Kevin  Wynn 

Associate  Director  of  Media  Relations  and 

University  Spokesman 

Patrick  O'Connor 
Principal  Photographer 

re:design,  pascal 
Design 

Mark  Fisher 
Department  Icons 

Alumni  Communications  Committee 

Robert  C.  Labonte  '54,  chair;  Kimberly  A.  (Lcmoi)  Bowers  '90, 
James  S.  Demetry  '58,  William  J.  Firla  Jr.  '60.  William  R. 
Grogan  '46,  Amy  L.  (Plack)  Marr  '96,  Harlan  B.  Williams  '50 

Editorial  Board 

Gina  Betti.  Collaborative  for  Entrepreneurship  and  Innovation; 
Lisa  Davenock,  Management;  Anne  McPartland  Dodd  75; 
Hossein  Hakim.  Electrical  and  Computer  Engineering;  Dana 
Harmon,  Physical  Education,  Recreation,  and  Athletics;  Calvin 
Hill.  Diversity  Programs;  Natalie  Niello,  Interdisciplinary  and 
Global  Studies;  Roberr  Oborne.  University  Advancement; 
Denise  Rodino,  Corporate  and  Foundation  Relations;  Robett 
Thompson.  Chemical  Engineering;   Richard  Vaz.  Electrical 
and  Computer  Engineering,  and  Interdisciplinary  and  Global 
Studies  Division. 

www.wpi.edu/+Transformations 
email:  transformations@wpi.edu 

Diverse  views  presented  in  this  magazine  do  not  necessarily 
reflect  the  opinions  ot  the  editor  or  official  WPI  policies. 
Address  correspondence  in  the  I  ditor,  IransfomUtiotlS, 
WPI.  100  Institute  Road.  Worcester,  M  \  01609-2280. 
Phone:  508-831-6715;  Fa*  508-831 

Transformation!  i  ISSN  1538-5094)  is  published  quarterly  by 

the  I  tivision  ol  Marketing  and  Communications  tor  the  WTI 
Alumni  Association.  Printed  in  USA  by  Mercantile/Image  Press. 

Periodicals  postage  pud  u  Worcester,  Mass..  and  at  additional 

mailing  otliccs.  laisimaMcn  please  send  address  Jungcs  to  ai 

..ntents  "    .'(HIS.  W'orsestei  Polueelinu  Institute. 


WPI 


On  the  mark 

I  enjoy  reading  every  issue  of  Transformations,  but  this  one  [Summer 
2005]  was  dynamite!  It  was  even  ahead  of  the  stories  on  hurricanes 
Katrina  and  Rita,  with  headlines  about  gasoline  prices  going  over 
the  S5-per-gallon  roof.  The  subject  of  sustainable  and/or  renewable 
energy  is  being  discussed  daily  in  our  secondary  school  science 
classes.  I  plan  to  pass  my  copy  on  to  my  grandson,  who  just  entered 
Thomas  Jefferson  High  School  of  Science  and  Mathematics  in 
Fairfax  Counry,  Va. 


Willard  J. 


'Gadge"  Adams  47 

Rockville,  Md. 


Wind  cannot  stand  alone 

Congratulations  on  addressing  the  important  topic  of  sustainable 
energy.  Even  before  the  tragedy  in  Louisiana  and  the  Gulf  of  Mexico 
interrupted  supply  lines  for  oil,  the  need  for  a  federal  energy  policy 
that  recognizes  renewable  energy  forms  existed.  However,  in  "Wind 
Power"  [Summer  2005],  Paul  Gaynor  '87  states  that  wind  "is  the  only 
part  of  the  power  industry  that  has  any  real  growth  potenrial  for  the 
coming  decades."  This  is  inaccurate.  In  a  recent  column  devoted  to 
solar  energy,  the  Neiv  York  Times  predicted  a  35  percent  yearly  growth 
rate  for  the  solar  market.  Few  homeowners  have  the  desire  or  ability 
to  erect  a  50-foot  wind  tower  in  rheir  backyards,  but  they  may  install 
solar  panels  on  their  roofs.  Likewise,  wind  technology  does  not  just 
apply  to  automobile  power  which  accounts  for  more  than  half  of 
fossil  fuel  use.  Bio-diesel  fuels  and  hydrogen  cell  technology  will  likely 
evolve  to  resolve  some  or  all  of  that  demand. 

A  universal  source  of  clean  power  is,  as  yet,  undiscovered.  A 
portfolio  approach  that  includes  wind,  solar,  bio-diesel,  hydrogen 
cells,  and  even  nuclear  power  is  more  appropriate.  In  developing 
such  a  portfolio,  alliances  must  be  formed  among  the  alternative 
energy  stakeholders  to  influence  public  policy  and  minimize  the 
power  of  large  oil  companies. 

Our  society  and  our  political  leadets  must  awaken  to  the  reality 
that  a  balanced  energy  plan  is  the  only  means  of  succeeding  in 
matching  our  growth  and  development  aspirations  with  the  fragility 
of  our  environment  and  the  instability  of  wotld  politics.  When  we 
acknowledge  the  role  that  wind,  solar,  hydrogen,  and  other  enetgy 
sources  play  in  satisfying  our  needs,  we  are  in  the  best  position  to 
reduce  our  dependence  on  resource-depleting  energy.  When  wind 
industries  bartle  with  solar,  who  wins?  Oil. 

Edwin  Rule  '05  (M.S.  MTI] 
Reading,  Mass. 


Future  projects  lead  to  future  technologies 

Your  summer  issue  of  Transformations  was  excellent.  What  was 
catching  was  the  theme  of  writing  about  current  choices  and  future 
technologies.  What  was  mote  catching  (and  prideful)  was  that  all  the 
currenr  choices  you  wrote  about  were  done  by  WPI  grads.  It  is  the 
"future  technologies"  that  interest  me  greatly. 

To  me,  the  WPI  Plan  with  its  interactive  projects  was  the  greatest 
step  forward  in  education  and  for  WPI.  The  proof  of  the  pudding 
is  that  the  program  is  getting  stronger  all  the  time.  In  this  issue,  I 
counted  seven  very  different  enetgy  concepts.  Knowing  that  at  least 
a  couple  of  them  were  literal  takeoffs  of  interactive  projects,  my 
suspicion  is  that  all  of  them  were  triggered  from  the  experience  of 
students,  which,  in  turn,  produced  rhe  creativity. 

Otto  Wahlrab   54 

Hilton  Head,  S.C. 


Completing  the  record  on  sustainable  energy 

I  commend  you  on  the  timely  choice  of  focus  in  the  Summer  2005 
issue  on  sustainable  energy  and  want  to  mention  another  energy 
source,  water  power,  in  which  WPI  has  made  contributions  for  more 
than  a  century,  and  continues  to  do  so  today. 

George  Ira  Alden,  one  of  the  first  five  instructors  at  the 
Worcester  County  Free  Institute  of  Industrial  Science  (now  WPI), 
designed  and  manufactured  the  Alden  Dynamometer,  which  was 
used  extensively  to  measure  the  power  output  of  hydraulic  turbines 
at  the  turn  of  the  last  century.  He  was  largely  responsible  for  the 
establishment  of  WPI's  Alden  Hydraulic  Laboratory  (1893)  in 
Holden,  Mass.,  and  directed  its  operations,  assisted  by  Charles  M. 
Allen,  Class  of  1894.  "C.  M."  invented  the  salt  velocity  method  of 
measuting  penstock  water  flow  rate,  which,  coupled  with  the  power 
measurements  of  Alden's  dynamometer,  enabled  determination  of 
turbine  efficiency. 

Such  measurements  wete  critical  to  the  satisfaction  of 
contractual  guatantees  provided  by  manufacturers  and  to  the 

(continued  on  page  47) 


Write  to  us 

We  welcome  your  letters.  Please  include  your  full  name,  year  of 
graduation,  and  current  address.  The  editor  reserves  the  right  to 
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E-mail:  transformations@wpi.edu 

Fax:  508-831-5820 

Mail:  Editor,  Transformations 

WPI 

100  Institute  Road 

Worcester,  MA  01609-2280 


Transformations    \    Winter  2005     3 


CampusBuzz 


By  Kevin  Wynn 


University  Lecture 


Physicist,  inventor,  and  entrepreneur  Dean  Kamen  '73 
delivered  WPI's  first  University  Lecture  on  Nov.  3  before  a  crowd  of 
550  in  Alden  Memorial.  The  annual  lecture,  sponsored  by  the  Office 
of  the  President,  was  established  to  bring  to  WPI  speakers  of  national 
and  international  importance  to  enhance  scholarly  and  scientific 
learning  and  stimulate  intellectual  exchange  within  the  university 
and  Worcester  communities. 

Kamen  spoke  about  his  latest  project— a  device  that  brings  clean 
drinking  water  and  electricity  to  communities  who  have  no  such 
access— which  could  save  lives,  one  village  at  a  time.  Worldwide, 
more  than  1  billion  people  have  no  access  to  clean  water.  And  in 
the  developing  world,  waterborne  pathogens  are  the  number  one 
cause  of  disease.  "It  seemed  to  me  it  would  be  the  right  thing  to  do," 
the  social  entrepreneur  said  of  his  devices. 

Kamen  has  dedicated  his  life  to  developing  technologies  that  help 
people  lead  better  lives.  He  holds  more  than  200  U.S.  and  foreign 
patents,  many  of  them  for  innovative  medical  devices  that  have 
expanded  the  frontiers  of  health  care.  While  still  an  undergraduate 
at  WPI,  he  invented  the  first  wearable  drug  infusion  pump.  He 
founded  DEKA  Research  &  Development  Corporation  to  develop 
his  inventions  and  provide  R&D  for  major  corporate  clients. 

Three  of  DEKA's  notable  breakthroughs  are  the  HomeChoice  portable 
dialysis  machine,  the  Independence  iBOT  3000  Mobility  System, 
and  the  Segway  Human  Transporter. 


Among  Kamen's  proudest  accomplishments  is  founding  FIRST  (For 
Inspiration  and  Recognition  of  Science  and  Technology)  in  1989. 
The  organization  is  dedicated  to  motivating  the  next  generation  to 
understand,  use,  and  enjoy  science  and  technology. 

Kamen  has  received  numerous  awards  and  accolades,  including  the 
National  Medal  of  Technology  in  2000  and  the  Lemelson-MIT  Prize 
for  Invention  and  Innovation  in  2002.  He  was  inducted  into  the 
National  Inventors  Hall  of  Fame  in  May  2005. 


Signs  of  the  Times 


Above:  New  street  pole  banners  bring  greater  visibility  lo  WPI. 
Right:  Construction  ol  The  Barllett  Center,  future  home  to  admissions 
and  linancial  aid,  continues  lo  progress.  The  building,  made  possible 
by  a  donation  by  James  L.  Bartlelt  Jr.  '39  and  his  wife,  Shi 
scheduled  lo  open  in  May. 


4     I'm  informal  ions    \    Winter   J II II  i 


WPI  Links  with  UK  University  to 
Develop  Areas  of  Mutual  Interest 

In  October,  President  Dennis  Berkey  participated  in  a 
leadership  exchange  sponsored  by  the  Cambridge-MIT  Institute.  The 
exchange,  which  brought  together  nearly  30  senior  leaders  from 
business,  government,  and  academia,  sought  to  establish  ways  in 
which  regional  civic  leaders  could  help  foster  corridors  of  innovation, 
such  as  the  technology  corridors  between  Boston/Cambridge  and 
Worcester  in  Massachusetts,  and  between  Cambridge  and  Ipswich  in 
the  East  of  England.  The  U.S.  delegation  included  Berkey,  Worcester 
city  manager  Michael  O'Brien,  University  of  Massachusetts  president 
Jack  Wilson,  entrepreneurs,  and  business  and  civic  leaders. 

As  part  of  the  exchange,  WPI  announced  an  in-principle  agreement 
with  the  new  University  Campus  Suffolk  to  develop  areas  of  mutual 
interest,  such  as  faculty  and  student  exchanges,  a  project  center, 
distance  learning,  and  research,  with  a  special  interest  in 
entrepreneurial  programs. 

Berkey  made  a  return  visit  to  England  on  October  25  to  speak  at  the 
National  Competitiveness  Summit,  in  Manchester,  on  the  university's 
role  in  regional  economic  development.  "It  is  an  honor  for  WPI  and 
for  me  to  be  able  to  participate  in  these  important  discussions,  which 
are  of  great  value  to  WPI  and  to  the  Worcester  region,"  Berkey  said. 
"The  UK  is  recognizing  both  the  importance  of  developing  a  better 
educated  labor  force  and  the  many  reasons  to  foster  the  economic 


From  left:  Berkey,  James  Hehir,  of  the  Ipswich  (UK)  Borough  Council, 
and  Worcester  City  Manager  Michael  O'Brien. 

development  of  its  smaller  cities.  We  can  help  in  many  ways  and, 
in  the  process,  learn  how  better  to  promote  the  development  of  our 
own  region." 

Integral  to  the  exchange  is  WPI's  expertise  in  regional  development, 
entrepreneurship,  and  innovation,  as  well  as  science,  technology,  and 
engineering  education  and  research.  WPI  and  Worcester  are  building 
strong  momentum  with  new  projects  such  as  Gateway  Park,  for 
research  in  life  sciences,  and  WPI's  Bioengineering  Institute,  which  is 
conducting  leading-edge  biomedical  research  and  creating  innovative 
technologies  for  commercialization.  Entrepreneurship  is  another  strong 
emphasis  at  WPI,  as  evidenced  by  the  work  of  the  WPI  Venture 
Forum  and  the  Collaborative  for  Entrepreneurship  and  Innovation. 

An  initiative  of  the  Cambridge-MIT  Institute,  the  transatlantic 
leadership  exchange  first  met  in  April  2005  at  WPI. 


+ 


WPI  Venture  Forum 

Dinner  with  Entrepreneurs 

CEI@WPI  ALL-OUT  Business  Plan  Challenge 

Robert  H.  Grant  Invention  Awards 

Strage  Innovation  Awards 

Networking  Events 

Spotlight  on  Entrepreneurs 

Elevator  Pitch  Clinics 

CEO  East  Collegiate  Entrepreneurship  Conference 

42  Workshops  and  4  Interactive  Seminars 

Invention  to  Venture 

Weekly  Radio  Program 

Vantage  Newsletter 

Resources,  vast  networks,  and  much  more 


An  entrepreneurial  mindset 

WPI  takes  entrepreneurship  education  seriously. 

Just  how  much  more  seriously  is  up  to  you. 

Our  students  are  saying  great  things  about  WPI's  new  entrepreneurship  programs.  But,  they  want  more. 

To  innovate  the  future  of  business.  You  can  help  them  attain  the  entrepreneurial  mindset  they  need  by  working 

with  the  Collaborative  for  Entrepreneurship  &  Innovation  in  its  Entrepreneurial  Mindset  Initiative. 

For  information  call  508-831-5761  or  visit  www.wpi.edu/+CEI 


MoreBuzz 


Welcome  to  WPI 


This  fall,  four  senior  administrators  joined  WPI:  Richard  F.  Connolly  Jr., 
trustee;  Jeffrey  S.  Solomon,  vice  president  for  finance  and  operations; 
Christopher  J.  Hardwick,  vice  president  for  marketing  and 
communications;  and  Cheryl  A.  Martunas,  director  of  public  safety 
and  chief  of  police. 

Richard  F.  Connolly  Jr.,  senior  vice  president/investments  at  UBS 
Financial,  brings  to  the  Board  of  Trustees  a  strong  business  and 

management  background,  chiefly  in 
the  financial  services  industry.  He 
became  a  financial  advisor  at  Paine 
Webber  (now  UBS  Financial)  in  1973 
and  has  been  its  top-producing 
broker  for  more  than  20  years. 


Additionally,  Connolly  has  been  a 
driving  force  within  the  Francis 
Ouimet  Scholarship  Fund,  which 
provides  need-based  scholarships  to 
students  who  demonstrate  a  strong 
work  ethic  by  completing  at  least  two 
years  of  service  to  golf.  Connolly,  who  began  golfing  and  caddying 
at  the  age  of  9,  became  a  Ouimet  Scholar  while  at  Maiden  Catholic 
High  School.  He  used  the  scholarship  to  attend  the  College  of  the 
Holy  Cross,  where  he  earned  his  B.A.  In  2000,  he  established  the 
Richard  F.  Connolly  Jr.  Distinguished  Service  Award  through  the  fund. 
He  is  a  former  president  and  trustee  of  the  fund,  and  has  served  as 
chairman  of  the  Ouimet  Memorial  Tournament,  and  underwriter  for  the 
tournament's  Richard  F.  Connolly  Sr.  Trophy.  He  has  endowed  a 
Ouimet  Scholarship  in  his  family's  name. 

Connolly  serves  as  a  board  member  or  trustee  to  a  number  of 
institutions  and  organizations,  including  the  Children's  Medical 
Research  Foundation  in  Dublin,  the  Ireland  Chamber  of  Commerce 
in  the  United  States,  which  he  founded,  and  The  Fenn  School  in 
Concord,  Mass.  He  resides  in  Concord  with  his  wife  and  three  sons. 

Before  joining  WPI  in  October, 
Jeffrey  S.  Solomon  served  at 
Brandeis  University  in  several 
capacities,  including  vice  president, 
chief  investment  officer,  chief  risk 
officer,  and  university  treasurer.  Prior  to 
Brandeis,  he  was  an  audit  manager  at 
Coopers  &  Lybrand. 

At  WPI,  Solomon  is  responsible  for 
the  university's  financial  functions, 
including  accounting,  treasury, 
investment,  budgeting,  and  audit.  He  oversees  the  annual  operating 
budget  and  the  endowment,  serves  as  treasurer  of  the  WPI 


Corporation,  and  has  operating  responsibility  for  the  Physical  Plant, 
Human  Resources,  Events  Planning,  and  Administrative  Services 
departments. 

Solomon  earned  a  B.S.  in  accountancy  at  Bentley  College  and  an 
M.S.  in  management  in  human  services  at  Brandeis. 

Christopher  J.  Hardwick  has  25  years'  experience  in  building 

integrated  marketing  and  communications  strategies  for  institutions  in 

the  education,  business  services,  health  care,  and  financial  services 

sectors.  At  the  Wharton  School  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania, 

where  he  served  as  director  of  communications  and  public  affairs, 

Hardwick  developed  and  led  a  multiyear  positioning  initiative  and 

global  communications  strategy  that 

resulted  in  achieving  the  top  rankings 

among  business  schools  for  six 

consecutive  years  in  such  publications 

as  Business  Week,  U.S.  News  & 

World  Report,  and  Financial  Times. 

He  also  crafted  the  internal  and 

external  communications  in  support  of 

Wharton's  successful  five-year, 

$500M  Campaign  for  Sustained 

Leadership.  He  has  led  integrated 

communications  programs  for  Fortune 

500  companies,  including  Aramark 

Corporation  and  the  CIT  Group  Inc. 

Hardwick  earned  a  B.A.  in  journalism  at  the  University  of  Wisconsin 
and  an  M.A.  in  journalism/communications  at  the  University  of 
Maryland,  College  Park. 


Cheryl  A.  Martunas  is  a  strong 
advocate  of  community  policing.  She 
has  23  years  of  law  enforcement 
experience,  including  19  years  in  a 
campus  setting.  After  serving  the  past 
eight  and  a  half  years  as  director  of 
public  safety  and  chief  of  police  at 
Quinsigamond  Community  College  in 
Worcester,  this  new  post  is  something 
of  a  homecoming  for  Martunas.  She 
began  her  career  as  an  officer  and 
sergeant  with  the  WPI  Campus  Police 
Department  in  1  982. 


Martunas  holds  a  bachelor's  degree  in  criminal  justice  from  Anna 
Maria  College.  She  is  a  member  of  the  Statewide  Anti-Terrorism  Task 
Force,  the  Massachusetts  Association  of  Campus  Low  Enforcement 
Administrators,  the  Greater  Boston  Police  Council,  the  Massachusetts 
Police  Association,  and  the  Fraternal  Order  of  Police. 


6     Transformations    |   Winter  2005 


Flying  High 


Nearly  30  students  (right,  with  employees  from 
Pratt  and  Whitney)  will  work  on  their  major  pro- 
jects at  Pratt  &  Whitney  this  year.  Following  a 
short  hiatus,  the  collaboration  between  WPI  and 
Pratt  &  Whitney  has  been  re-established,  thanks  to 
the  efforts  of  Michael  Gonsor  '86,  Justin  Urban 
'98,  Robert  Grelotti  '98,  Ryan  Walsh  '00,  Dick 
Fair  '78,  and  Kimberly  Sullivan  '92.  In  1996, 
Professor  Richard  Sisson,  head  of  the  Materials 
Science  and  Engineering  Program,  developed 
research  programs  at  the  Learning  Factory,  a  pro- 
ject center  at  United  Technologies  (Pratt's  parent 
company)  in  East  Hartford,  Conn.  Previous  student 
projects  include  developing  a  computer  model  that 
can  predict  how  thermal  barrier  coating  systems 
will  be  applied  to  turbine  blades,  improving  the 
way  blades  are  held  during  grinding,  and 
devising  better  methods  for  holding  the  blade  to 
improve  management  databases.  (See  "The  Jet 
Set,"  Transformations,  Spring  2003.) 


Inspiring  a  lifetime  of  learning 

1        "  "   1.  engineering 


,,  scie 


WPI's  K-12 
Outreach  Program 

is  challenging  students 
to  grow  academically 
and  is  making  a  difference 
in  educating  the  next 
generation  of  technological 
humanists. 


Transformations    \    Winter  2005     7 


Mo  re  Buzz 


nhftrc 

._ .  „     *                        Eat    ■ 

HHL' 

7^ 

Homecoming,  which  was  held  the  last  weekend  in  September,  attracts 
young  families  back  to  campus  for  alumni  to  reconnect  with  friends,  faculty,  and 
their  alma  mater. 


Meet  the  Class  of  2009 

•  735  freshmen 

•  average  GPA:  3.6 

•  average  combined  SAT  score:  1281 

•  average  class  rank:  top  14  percent 

•  31  states  represented 

•  51  international  students  from  27  countries 

•  top  intended  majors:  computer  science, 
mechanical  engineering,  electrical  engineering 


WPI  families  join  a  recognizable  face  at  Parents  Weekend, 
Sept.  23-25. 


8     Transform  11 1  i  ons    \    Winter   200  5 


A  big  idea  opens  at  WPI 

In  1981,  when  she  joined  WPI  as  professor  of  drama/theatre, 
Susan  Vick  realized  her  first  challenge  would  be  finding  a  suitable 
venue  for  staging  theatrical  works.  With  its  cavernous  main  hall 
and  traditional  proscenium-arch 
stage,  Alden  Memorial  seemed 
ill-suited  to  the  intimate  theatre 
experience  she  hoped  to  offer  the 
university  community. 

The  solution  was  to  design  and 
construct,  for  each  production,  a 
theatre  within  a  theatre,  building  not 
just  sets,  but  platforms  and  seating 
areas  engineered  to  bring  the 
audience  and  the  players  into  close 
proximity.  The  idea  worked 
remarkably  well,  but  took  time  and 
energy  away  from  the  real  work  of 
staging  plays. 

In  November,  theatre  at  WPI  entered  a  new  era  as  the  university's 
first  dedicated  theatre  facility,  the  Little  Theatre,  opened  with  a 
production  of  two  new  plays:  In  Bad  Taste  by  Dean  O'Donnell, 
instructor  in  WPI's  Interactive  Media  and  Game  Development 
program  (formerly  administrator  and  instructor  of  drama/theatre), 
and  Prime  Time  Crime:  Teal  Version  by  Catherine  Darensbourg  '02, 
who  has  written  15  plays  for  the  WPI  stage,  two  of  which  have 
gone  on  to  Off-Off-Broadway  productions  (see  page  35). 

The  Little  Theatre  began  as  a  notion  that  struck  Vick  one  day  as  she 
peeked  into  vacant  space  in  the  rear  of  Sanford  Riley  Hall.  Looking 
beyond  the  falling  ceiling  tiles  and  general  decay,  she  imagined  a 
simple,  yet  flexible  theatrical  workshop.  With  a  $400,000  grant 
from  the  George  I.  Alden  Trust,  the  vision  became  real  as  the  space 
was  transformed  into  a  99-seat  black  box  theatre  with  a  permanent 
lighting  grid  and  sound  system,  a  control  booth,  and  a  greenroom. 

"It  is  my  hope  that  the  Little  Theatre  will  be  a  valuable  resource  for  the 
greater  Worcester  community,  as  well  as  for  the  WPI  family,  to  enjoy," 
says  President  Dennis  Berkey. 

With  a  place  to  call  its  own,  WPI's  theatre  program  will  continue  to 
evolve  and  innovate,  as  it  has  since  191  1 .  Today,  Masque,  M.W. 
Repertory  Company,  Sunburns  Theatre  (summer  theatre),  and  Student 
Comedy  Productions  (improvisational  comedy  troupes)  bring  to  the 
WPI  community  about  eight  productions  a  year.  Since  1996,  when 
Vick  and  O'Donnell  founded  WPI's  Theatre  and  Technology  Program, 
a  number  of  those  shows  have  included  virtual  reality  and  other 
cutting-edge  technologies  on  stage. 

While  theatre  has  long  been  a  presence  in  student  life,  it  wasn't 
until  Vick's  arrival  that  it  blossomed  into  a  cultural  phenomenon 


y^Wkhf 

CH 

1       ~ 

■ 
_  ■    . 

Left:  a  scene  from  In  Bad  Taste.  Above:  the  casts  from  both  plays  take  their 
bows  on  opening  night. 

on  campus.  An  accomplished  playwright,  actress,  and  director,  Vick 
has  been  a  pied  piper  of  the  boards,  engaging  students  through  her 
courses  in  drama  and  stagecraft,  leading  many  deeper  into  the 
world  of  the  dramatic  arts  as  an  advisor  to  student  projects,  working 
closely  with  students  who  choose  to  major  or  double  major  in  theatre 
(the  most  popular  concentration  area  in  Humanities  and  Arts), 
and  providing  frequent  opportunities  for  students  to  put  theatrical 
theory  into  practice  and  showcase  their  talents  and  work.  Her 
efforts  were  recognized  in  1  997  with  the  WPI  Trustees'  Award  for 
Outstanding  Teaching. 

The  biggest  annual  WPI  theatre  presentation  is  New  Voices, 
a  festival  of  new  plays  written  by  members  of  the  WPI  community 
that  Vick  launched  in  1982.  Defying  the  skeptics  who  said  science 
and  engineering  students  couldn't  write  great  plays,  the  festival 
brings  more  than  20  productions  to  the  stage  each  spring,  involving 
more  than  200  students  as  cast,  crew,  and  staff. 

Many  students  who  get  turned  on  to  theatre  on  campus  remain  active 
in  WPI  theatre  as  alumni.  Some  use  their  theatre  experience  as  a 
stepping  stone  to  graduate  study  and  careers  in  the  field.  Among 
them  is  Jessica  Sands  '98,  a  computer  science  major  who  recently 
joined  the  WPI  faculty  as  an  adjunct  instructor  of  drama. 

One  day  in  September,  Sands,  Vick,  and  theatre  major  Amanda  Jean 
Nowack  '06  stood  in  the  nearly  finished  Little  Theatre,  looking  around 
and  laughing  like  kids  who  had  just  received  the  best  birthday  present 
ever.  "Three  women  of  different  generations  stood  in  the  middle  of  our 
own,  hard  won,  dedicated  space,  and  we  all  said,  'We  can  work  with 
this,'"  Vick  says.  "And  then,  we  rolled  up  our  sleeves  and  got  busy." 

—Michael  W.  Dorsey 


Transformations    \   Winter  2005    9 


Sam  Feller  '07  is  the  recipient  of  a  prestigious 
Department  of  Homeland  Security  Scholarship— a 
two-year,  full-tuition  award  that  includes  a  generous 
stipend  and  an  internship  at  DHS  next  summer. 
Intended  for  students  studying  science  and 
technology,  only  10  percent  of  those  who  applied 
nationwide  received  awards  in  2004. 

As  part  of  the  application  process,  Feller  wrote 
/  >         an  essay  explaining  what  he  could  do  for  the 

Department  of  Homeland  Security.  But  his  answer, 
really,  can  be  applied  to  all  aspects  of  his  life: 
"It's  not  a  question  of  what  I  can  do,  it's  what  I 
want  to  do." 

And  what  he  wants  to  do— whether  during  his 
internship  next  summer  or  after  graduation  from 
WPI  —  is  research  and  development.  "I  have 

always  been  interested  in  high-end  defense  work," 

he  says. 

Since  high  school,  Feller  has  been  accruing  an 
impressive  list  of  accomplishments.  As  a  senior  at 
Thomas  Jefferson  High  School  for  Science  and 
Technology  in  Alexandria,  Va.,  he  developed  a 
prototype  of  a  lacrosse  stick.  An  avid  fan  who  has 
played  goalie  since  the  eighth  grade  (and  continues 
to  play  at  WPI),  he  created  a  goalie  stick  made  of 
carbon  fiber. 


Feller  sa 


"The  lacrosse  stick  was  something  original  that  no  other 
company  had  on  the  market,"  he  says,  adding  that  he  has 
since  turned  his  attention  to  other  lacrosse-related  inventions 
He  won't  divulge  specifics  because  he  hopes  to  obtain 
patents  for  his  ideas  in  the  near  future. 


A  Jolly 
Good  Feller... 


Feller  says  he  chose  to  come  to  WPI  because  of  its 
project-enriched  curriculum,  but  since  arriving  on  campus 
he  has  also  become  involved  in  the  university's  diverse 
extracurricular  activities.  As  a  freshman,  he  joined  the 
Ballroom  Dancing  Club,  though  he  had  to  stop  last  year 
when  practice  sessions  conflicted  with  lacrosse.  He  also 
is  active  with  his  fraternity,  Tau  Kappa  Epsilon. 

"The  fraternity  is  the  first  place  where  most  of  us  have  had 
real  responsibility,"  says  the  TKE  brother.  "But  it's  the  best 
place  to  learn  because  your  friends  are  there  to  help  and 
support  you." 


lO     '/ ''r.nnl'iimfiiiions    |   Winter  2005 


Grounded  in  the  Arts 


The  arts  have  always  been  important  to  Stefanie  E.  Wojcik  '04. 
She  began  studying  piano  at  age  4  and  still  plays  daily  for  personal 
enjoyment.  Her  humanities  work  at  WPI  culminated  in  a  recital 
featuring  works  by  Chopin,  Mozart,  and  Brahms.  Her  IQP  with  the 
Worcester  Community  Project  Center  focused  on  ways  to  convert 
vacant  mills  into  suitable  housing  and  studio  space  for  Worcester  artists. 

Now  a  graduate  research  assistant  in  mechanical  engineering 
with  plans  to  explore  a  career  in  industry,  Wojcik  expresses  a  deep 
appreciation  of  the  value  of  the  arts  and  humanities  in  her  education. 
"Arts  and  humanities  are  especially  important  at  a  technological 
school  like  WPI,  where  the  core  courses  are  very  intense  and  students 
are  extremely  focused,"  says  Wojcik,  whose  B.S.  is  in  physics. 
"Music,  literature,  and  history  help  you  relax  and  at  the  same  time 
challenge  you  to  look  at  your  work  from  a  broader  perspective." 

Professor  William  W  Durgin,  with  whom  Wojcik  is  conducting 
research  on  the  transmission  of  sound  over  long  distances  in  the  ocean, 
observes,  "Being  grounded  in  the  arts  and  having  a  broad  perspective 
flows  over  into  research  work.  There  is  more  to  research  than  technical 
curiosity;  there  is  also  the  heightened  sense  of  need  to  contribute  to 
human  progress  in  a  responsible  way.  I  think  WPI  does  a  better  job 
than  many  other  universities  of  fostering  an  appreciation  of  the 
greater  implications  of  science  and  technology." 

Speaking  at  WPI's  new  faculty  orientation  this  fall,  Wojcik  said 
that  because  WPI  is  so  flexible,  there  is  no  one  typical  way  of  doing 
something,  no  one  typical  student.  "Projects  are  a  great  influence  on 
every  student's  academic  career,"  she  explained,  "because  they  allow 
you  to  think  creatively  and  independently."  She  says  that  humanities 
projects,  in  particular,  allow  students  to  see  the  world  in  a  new  light 
and  give  them  a  better  appreciation  of  the  richness  of  our  culture. 


With  humanities  projects,  students  explore  areas  of  interest  that 
may  have  no  direct  bearing  on  their  career  goals.  Her  own  project 
centered  on  her  piano  performance,  but  her  interest  in  the  arts  led 
to  an  IQP  reaching  out  to  Worcester  artists. 

Working  with  Eric  Anderson  '04  and  Conor  Casey  '05,  and  under 
the  direction  of  David  DiBiasio,  professor  of  chemical  engineering, 
and  Steven  Taylor,  assistant  professor  of  management,  Wojcik's  team 
conducted  a  survey  intended  to  help  Worcester  create  a  successful 
artists  district,  an  idea  the  city  has  been  exploring  for  some  time. 
The  Artist  Survey  Project — developed  by  Rob  Krueger,  Worcester 
Community  Project  Center  director — was  disseminated  in  a  three- 
phase  process  by  three  separate  teams.  It  asked  artists  about  their  pref- 
erences in  living  and  studio  accommodations,  and  sought  to  identify 
the  types  of  amenities  that  would  attract  them  to  an  artists  district. 

"I  was  amazed  by  all  the  creativity  in  Worcester,"  says  Wojcik. 
"I  could  spend  a  whole  day  going  to  all  the  arts  places  and  a  whole 
week  going  to  all  the  arts-related  businesses.  There  are  enough  artists 
to  create  a  vibrant  district,  but  there  has  to  be  careful  planning  in 
order  to  attract  them.  Our  survey  looked  at  the  need  for  studios, 
galleries,  living  space,  and  amenities  such  as  electricity  and  sinks." 

Survey  results,  which  were  well  received  by  the  city,  identified  a 
number  of  artists  interested  in  living  and  working  in  what  are  currendy 
brown  spaces.  The  information  will  serve  as  a  useful  guide  for  economic 
planning  and  development,  says  Krueger,  noting  that  converting  old 
mills  into  modern  accommodations  will  require  a  sizeable  investment 
of  resources.  "Technology  in  service  of  the  arts,"  he  explains. 

But,  as  Wojcik  sees  it,  the  arts  and  technology'  have  always  gone 
hand-in-hand.  "Arts  and  humanities  shaped  our  culture.  It's  who  we 
are,"  she  says.  "But  science  and  technology  are  what  make  it  run." 


Transformations    \    Winter  2005     II 


Investigations  *,****»*- 


Two  Degrees  of  Separation 


For  those  with  muscular 
dystrophy,  a  device— 
developed  as  a  student 
project— gives  users  the 
two  degrees  of  freedom 
they  need  to  perform 
everyday  tasks. 


Since  1989,  Allen  Hoffman,  professor  of  mechanical  engineering,  has  worked  with 
the  Massachusetts  Hospital  School,  in  Canton,  Mass.,  on  rehabilitation  projects  that 
encourage  his  students  to  see  how  their  skills  can  actually  help  people. 

From  that  relationship  came  a  recommendation  by  Gary  Rabideau,  director  of  reha- 
bilitation engineering  at  the  hospital,  to  create  a  device  that  helps  people  suffering  from 
muscular  dystrophy  perform  simple,  everyday  tasks  with  their  hands. 

The  result:  a  prototype  of  a  wearable  powered  arm-orthosis  that  restores  arm  function. 
Now,  after  working  with  several  student  teams  on  this  project,  Hoffman  says  the  device  could 
be  ready  for  patenting  and  licensing  in  two  years. 

"We're  starting  to  look  at  how  it  could  be  used  by  people  and  to  see  how  we  can  refine 
it,"  Hoffman  says.  "It  could  have  quite  an  impact.  We're  still  in  the  development  stage,  but 
we  feel  it's  a  usable  device.  Right  now,  these  people  need  assistance  in  all  these  activities.  This 
device  would  allow  them  to  do  a  number  of  activities  independently." 

Typically,  Hoffman's  students  do  such  work  as  part  of  their  Major  Qualifying  Projects  in 
their  senior  year.  Mechanical  engineering  students  Steven  P.  Toddes  '05,  Michael  J.  Scarsella 
'05,  and  Daniel  N.  Abramovich  '05  worked  with  Hoffman  last  year.  Toddes  and  Scarsella, 
now  ME  graduate  students,  have  continued  their  work  with  Hoffman  this  year.  Scarsella  says 
the  project  took  on  a  sense  of  importance  after  he  met  a  boy  with  muscular  dystrophy  at  the 
hospital  school. 

"We  were  there  mainly  to  ask  his  opinion  on  the  project,"  he  says,  "but  when  he  started 
telling  us  how  all  he  wanted  was  his  independence  back,  and  to  be  able  to  perform  the  tasks 
of  daily  living  he  was  used  to,  it  really  made  us  all  emotional,  and  more  motivated  than  ever 
to  succeed." 

Scarsella  also  enjoys  the  complexity  of  the  project.  "The  intermeshing  of  biomechanics, 
electromechanical  components,  arm  kinematics,  manufacturing,  and  the  human  aspect, 
needs  to  be  kept  in  mind  throughout  the  duration  of  the  project." 

Rabideau  says  that  of  the  90  residents  at  the  hospital,  including  35  patients  in  the  day 
program,  a  dozen  have  muscular  dystrophy.  He  says  it's  frustrating  for  them  to  retain  dex- 
terity in  their  hands  while  being  hindered  by  muscle  wasting  in  the  shoulders,  upper  arms, 
and  trunk. 

"They  can't  place  a  hand  where  it  needs  to  be  to  do  an  activity,"  he  says.  "These  art- 
bright  guys,  very  creative,  but  they're  trapped  in  their  bodies.  They  can't  run  a  computer  or 
feed  themselves,  but  they  can  grasp,  pinch,  and  touch.  That's  a  real  frustration  to  them — 
there  are  so  many  things  they  want  to  do,  but  they  just  can't." 

Rabideau,  who  has  a  master's  degree  in  rehabilitation  engineering,  explains  that  the 
powered  arm  is  designed  to  allow  the  hands  to  move  through  space,  not  just  across  the  lap 
tray.  He  says  this  approach  goes  beyond  traditional  engineering  education. 

"1  think  at  times  there's  a  real  disconnect  between  the  theory  taught  in  the  classroom 
and  its  application  in  terms  ol  seeing  the  result — especially  on  people."  he  says.  "This 
(device)  makes  a  dramatic  difference  in  people's  lives,  beyond  entertainment,  beyond  luxury." 

The  most  common  or  the  nine  types  ol  muscular  dystrophy  is  PMO  (Duchenne  mus 
cular  dystrophy),  a  degenerative  disease  ih.it  primarily  affects  males  and  is  passed  down 

through  their  mothers,  according  to  the  national  Muscular  Dystrophy  Association,  Victims 
lack  dystrophin,  a  protein  that  helps  keep  muscle  tells  intact.   I  lie  onset  ol  the  disease  is 
between  2  to  6  years  ol  age.  when  children  generally  experience  weakness  and  muscle  wasting 
iii  the  hips,  pelvic  areas,  ihighs.  and  shoulders,  and  have  trouble  walking. 


12    Transformation!   |   Winter  2005 


By  the  time  they're  10  to  12,  they're  bound  to  a  manual  wheelchair,  and  by  their  teens, 
they're  forced  to  live  in  an  electric  wheelchair.  Survival  is  rare  past  the  20s — DMD  affects  all 
the  voluntary  muscles,  including  breathing  muscles. 

Initially,  the  disease  affects  the  proximal  muscles  (the  muscles  closest  to  the  body),  but 
spares  the  distal  muscles  (those  farthest  away  from  the  body),  so  teenage  sufferers  can  still 
move  their  hands.  The  problem  at  this  stage  is  they  can't  position  their  hands  in  a  useful 
manner  and  instead  rest  them  on  their  laps  or  on  their  lap  trays.  To  compensate,  they  walk 
their  fingers  across  the  tray  to  the  objects  they  want  to  grasp. 

The  solution  for  Hoffman  and  his  students  was  to  develop  a  motor-powered  brace  that 
fits  over  the  user's  arm  and  allows  him  to  flex  his  elbow  and  rotate  the  forearm  by  operating 
a  joystick  with  his  free  hand.  The  lap  tray  is  used  as  a  horizontal  pivot  point,  giving  the  user 
two  degrees  of  freedom. 

Powered  by  an  electric  mechanism,  the  brace  is  designed  to  move  an  additional  three- 
pound  load  at  the  location  of  the  hand,  allowing  the  individual  to  grip  objects,  such  as  a 
toothbrush  or  utensils  for  eating. 

The  powered  arm-orthosis  has  gone  through  several  changes.  At  first  it  was  mounted  to 
a  wheelchair,  but  its  use  was  awkward.  It  also  started  out  with  four  degrees  of  freedom — it 
allowed  for  an  additional  two  shoulder  motions — but  that  proved  to  be  too  complicated. 

The  remaining  challenges  for  Hoffman  and  his  students  are  to  reduce  the  weight,  simplify 
the  controls,  improve  the  aesthetics,  and,  finally,  test  it  on  someone  who  actually  needs  it. 
"Inevitably,  there  will  be  suggestions  for  improvements,"  Hoffman  said. 

Rabideau  says  that  in  his  last  1 5  years  at  the  hospital,  he  has  seen  improvements  to 
electronics  in  wheelchair  use,  but  nothing  like  what  this  device  would  do. 

"What  I  really  like  about  it  is  that  it  actually  helps  these  kids  use  their  own  hand  instead 
of  a  robotic-controlled  arm,"  Rabideau  says.  "I  think  it  keeps  them  connected.  It's  more 
therapeutic,  more  gratifying." 


Seated:  Steven  Toddes  demonstrates  the  prototype 
of  a  powered  arm-orthosis  that  he  helped  develop 
with,  from  left,  Daniel  Abramovich,  Professor  Allen 
Hoffman,  and  Michael  Scarsella. 


Transformations    \    Winter  2005     I  3 


London  Projects  Provide  a  Passport  to 
the  City's  Cultural  Treasures 


Access  can  mean  many  things  to  many  people.  To  a  wheel- 
chair user,  it  could  mean  viewing  the  upstairs  chambers  of  Charles 
Dickens'  London  home.  A  jazz  fan  looking  to  hook  up  with  the  local 
music  scene  might  never  discover  the  city's  smaller,  unadvertised 
clubs  wirhout  an  insider's  guide.  Even  a  lack  of  Internet  skills  can  be 
a  real  handicap  to  those  devoted  to  preserving  London's  grand  history 
and  making  it  accessible  to  a  twenty-first  century  audience. 

Students  at  the  London  Project  Center  spent  last  spring  and 
summer  finding  new  ways  to  make  the  city's  cultural  treasures  more 
approachable  to  more  people.  Drawing  on  unique  research  methods 
and  technical  expertise,  students  were  able  to  enrich  the  experience 
of  actual  visitors  and  bring  London's  rich  history  and  contemporary 
arts  to  those  who  cannot  manage  the  trip. 

"I  call  it  the  music  and  museums  summer,"  says  adjunct 
instructor  of  music  John  F.  Delorey,  who  relished  the  opportunity 
to  show  students  around  the  city  where  he  did  his  graduate  research. 
One  of  his  students,  Jamie  Mitchell  '07,  focused  his  humanities  and 
arts  project  on  the  city's  jazz  scene.  Mitchell,  a  drummer  and  gui- 
tarist, began  with  this  question:  "Is  there  such  a  thing  as  'London 
Jazz'?  Or  is  it  just  that  there  is  jazz  in  London?" 

Hardly  a  subject  for  library  research,  the  project  had  Mitchell 
out  late  at  night,  scoping  out  lesser-known  clubs.  He  interviewed 
owners,  audience  members,  and  players,  who  took  him  to  after- 


hours  jam  sessions  and  introduced  him  to  a  network  of  freelance 
musicians.  His  research  took  him  into  areas  not  typically  visited  by 
tourists,  where  he  found  a  diverse  and  thriving  musical  idiom,  and 
a  shared  optimism  that  "jazz  is  on  the  up"  in  London.  As  an 
American,  Mitchell  gained  entree  into  this  subculture  as  a  respected 
"jazz  ambassador,"  Delorey  notes.  ("We  sort  of  borrowed  your  art, 
didn't  we?"  one  Londoner  remarked.) 

Mitchell's  project  report  included  a  historical  overview  and 
an  analysis  of  stylistic  and  attitudinal  differences  between  London 
and  the  United  States,  as  well  as  transcripts  or  his  interviews.  Going 
beyond  the  typical  humanities  and  arts  project,  Mitchell  designed  a 
map-linked  database  of  jazz  venues,  modeled  on  destination  city 
guides  such  as  "Time  Out."  He  included  a  rating  system  for  music 
and  rood,  performance  schedules,  nearby  tube  Stations,  and  deal 
directions.  "They  gave  him  a  lot  in  seven  weeks."  said  Delorey.  "I  did 
almost  nothing  except  read  his  work." 

Beyond  opera 

Reaching  back  to  the  music  of  .1  bygone  era,  Delorey  also  advised 
an  IQP  team  working  with  the  Sir  Arthur  Sullivan  Society.  Sullivan 
MS  1.'     I ')()())  is  best  known  for  his  collaboration  with  V(    S   Gilbert  On 

The  Pirates  of  Penzance  and  othei  comic  operettas,  bui  tins  is  only 

one  facet  of  his  life's  work.  "His  work  has  huge  historical  significance," 


14    Transformations   \  Winter  2005 


Drawing  on  unique  research 
methods  and  technical  expertise, 
students  were  able  to  bring 
London's  rich  history  and 
contemporary  arts  to  those 
who  cannot  manage  the  trip. 


Delorey  says.  "It  is  light  opera,  yes,  but  of  the  highest  quality.  One 
hundred  years  later,  you  still  can't  dispute  that."  Delorey  recently  came 
into  possession  of  a  collection  of  Sullivan  memorabilia,  including 
complete  scores,  facsimiles,  and  concert  programs.  In  addition  to 
cataloging  the  collection  for  scholarly  use,  he  would  like  to  establish 
a  tradition  of  musical  theatre  for  WPFs  orchestra  and  vocal  groups. 

When  Delorey  heard  that  the  Sullivan  Society  wanted  to 
enhance  its  Internet  presence,  he  saw  a  wonderful  opportunity  to 
bring  WPI's  Web  design  talent  into  play.  He  describes  the  society's 
membership  as  British — including  some  nobles — but  lacking  in  IT 
skills.  Michael  Kristan  '07  and  Christopher  Sweeney  '06  embarked 
on  an  IQP  project  to  improve  the  focus  and  functionality  of  the 
society's  Web  site.  Mote  than  just  a  facelift,  their  recommenda- 
tions— which  were  resoundingly  accepted  by  the  society's  Board  of 
Directors — helped  the  nonprofit  organization  emphasize  its  academic 
stature  and  offer  a  higher  level  of  services  to  members.  Upgraded 
server  capacity  and  modernized  e-commerce  technology  were 
designed  to  make  it  easier  to  join  the  society,  purchase  goods,  and 
collaborate  with  other  scholars.  The  students  left  behind  a  complete 
manual  for  site  upgrades  and  maintenance.  They  also  added  a  new 
feature — a  virtual  walking  tout,  with  street  maps  and  directions  for 
those  who  wish  to  take  the  actual  tour  on  foot. 

Access  for  all 

At  the  Charles  Dickens  Museum,  an  IQP  team  advised  by  professors 
John  Sanbonmatsu  (philosophy)  and  Guillermo  F.  Salazar  (civil 
engineering)  joined  forces  on  a  very  different  challenge.  The  United 
Kingdom's  Disability  Discrimination  Act  of  1995  requires  handicapped 


Links 


access  to  public  places.  But  major  renovations  to  the  author's  former 
home  could  dettact  from  the  building's  historical  value,  and  even 
conflict  with  the  museum's  stated  mission  to  "protect  and  preserve 
48  Doughty  Street.,  .for  the  appreciation  of  the  life  and  work  of 
Charles  Dickens."  The  12-room  home  was  saved  from  destruction 
in  1923  by  the  Dickens  Fellowship.  Its  steep  staircases  and  tight 
corridors  make  the  usual  accommodations — such  as  ramps  and 
lifts — unfeasible,  and  it  is  doubtful  that  the  structure  could  support 
an  elevator. 

Rather  than  bring  handicapped  visitors  to  the  museum's  inac- 
cessible spaces,  Carol  Carveth  '06,  Matthew  Densmore  '06,  Shawn 
Donovan  '06,  and  Brenton  Dwyer  '06  created  a  virtual  tour  that 
brings  the  museum  to  them,  combining  text  and  panoramic  phorog- 
raphy  to  give  an  inside  view  of  the  building's  major  attractions.  "I 
chose  the  project  at  the  Dickens  Museum  because  the  results  would 
make  an  impact  right  away,"  Dwyer  says.  "Hopefully,  the  virtual 
tout  will  give  visitots  a  more  complete  experience." 

Virtual  visitors  are  free  to  choose  theit  own  path,  or  to  follow  a 
guided  tour.  Hyperlinks  offer  close-ups  of  objects  of  interest  as  well 
as  links  to  further  information  and  ourside  resources.  The  students 
also  put  together  an  online  tutorial  to  help  those  new  to  the  Web 
navigate  the  various  features.  In  their  research  they  used  a  visitor's 
survey  and  received  feedback  from  representatives  of  disabled  rights 
groups.  The  tour  includes  views  of  histotic  portraits  and  artifacts 
that  influenced  the  author's  life,  such  as  the  attic  window  he  gazed 
thtough  from  his  childhood  bedroom,  the  study  where  he  complered 
The  Pickwick  Papers  and  Oliver  Twist,  and  an  eerie  door  knocker 
that  later  haunted  the  dreams  of  Ebenezer  Scrooge. 


Sir  Arthur  Sullivan  Society: 

wvvw.sullivansociety.org.uk 

Charles  Dickens  Museum-Virtual  Tour: 

www.dickensmuseum.com/vtour 


Transformations    \    Winter  2005     1  5 


Though  Richard  (Mick)  Darling  '99  started  out  as  a  physics 
major,  his  studies  took  a  dramatic  turn  when  he  discovered  New 
Voices,  WPI's  annual  new  plays  festival,  during  his  freshman  year. 
"I  love  math  and  physics,"  he  says,  "but  I  wouldn't  enjoy  research. 
I  need  a  lot  of  variety." 

Through  New  Voices,  Darling  worked  as  stage  hand,  actor, 
producer,  and  director.  "I  loved  the  work.  There  was  no  repetition, 
because  we  did  so  many  new  shows,"  he  says.  "It's  amazing  that  this 
technological  university  has  such  a  great  theatre  program. 

Now,  six  years  after  graduation,  Darling  is  drawing  upon  his 
humanities  degree  and  computer-aided  design  (CAD)  experience 
to  play  a  new  starring  role,  this  time  as  entrepreneur. 


By  capitalizing  on  his  brother's  invention  of  a  new  type  or  tissue 
scaffold,  Darling  and  his  team  stand  to  make  a  name  for  themselves 
in  the  emerging  field  of  tissue  engineering. 

Andrew  Darling,  a  doctoral  student  at  Drexel  University,  and  Ins 
Ph.D.  advisor,  Wei  Sun,  assistant  professor  of  mechanical  engineering 
and  mechanics  at  Drexel.  created  the  scaffolds  at  Drcxcl's  Computer- 
Aided  Tissue  Engineering  (C  ATE)  Laboratory.  Tissue  scaffolds— small, 
three-dimensional  structures  about  half  an  inch  lung — are  crucial  in 
tissue  engineering  (IT.),  an  emerging  field  in  which  researchers  grow 
human  tissues  by  placing  living  tells  on  scaffolds  made  of  biodegrad- 
able polymer.  TE  could  revolutionize  organ  transplants  and  enable 

such  wonders  as  healing  bones  and  repairing  severely  damaged  skin. 


16    Transformation!    \   Winirr  2005 


"My  time  with  WPI  theatre  taught  me 

how  to  teach  myself, 

so  Vm  ready  to  meet  whatever 

challenges  come  along. " 

Already,  Darling's  group  has  been  recognized  for  their  work; 
they  won  third  place  in  Drexel's  Business  Plan  Competition  last  spring. 

"I  knew  Andrew  was  on  to  something  when  I  heard  who  was 
calling  for  the  scaffolds,"  Darling  says.  The  Narional  Institute  of 
Standards  and  Technology,  for  example,  asked  for  900  scaffolds  to 
help  the  institute  establish  tissue  engineering  benchmarks.  Other 
research  cenrers,  from  Shanghai  to  San  Antonio,  also  placed  orders  for 
the  new  product,  which  they  saw  as  far  superior  to  existing  scaffolds. 

The  problem,  however,  was  that  CATE  is  a  laboratory,  not  a 
factory.  The  existing  machines  needed  rerooling  to  meet  mass 
production  demands. 

Enjoying  this  novel  opportunity,  Darling  examined  Drexel's 
machinery.  "I  thought  it  would  be  simple  to  modify  the  manufac- 
ruring  equipment,"  he  says  with  a  modest  shrug. 

Andrew  and  Professor  Sun  agreed.  Mick's  assessment  showed  that 
nearly  everything  they  needed — from  computers,  to  vibration  preven- 
tion rabies,  to  3-D  positioning  equipment — is  available  off-rhe-shelf. 

Too,  the  team's  mouthwatering  market  assessment  showed  several 
untapped  areas  for  the  manufacturing  technology — a  $30.8  million 
annual  research  scaffold  market,  plus  $160  million  per  year  for 
industrial  biotech  applications.  Future  clinical  uses  for  tissue  engi- 
neering are  expected  to  be  worth  greater  than  $350  billion  annually. 

Knowing  they  have  the  manufacturing  edge,  the  team  decided 
to  move  fast.They  call  their  newly  formed,  dual  companies  BioStrut, 
after  the  strands,  or  struts,  of  bio-compatible  polymer  that  form  their 
waffle-like  creations. 

Mick  Darling  plays  a  bridging  role  as  chief  operating  officer 
for  both  concerns.  BioStrut  LLC  will  do  research  and  consulting  on 
scaffold  technologies.  Andrew  Darling  is  CEO,  and  Sun  is  chief  tech- 
nology officer.  The  other  company,  tentatively  named  BioStrur  Inc., 
will  manufacture  the  products.  A  new  CEO  will  run  rhis  show. 

BioStrut's  seemingly  assured  success  lies  in  the  fact  that  good 
scaffolds  are  hard  to  find.  Most  researchers  have  to  create  their  own, 
with  varying  results  that  slow  down  their  progress.  Many  rely  on  the 
process  of  seeding,  with  salt,  a  plastic-like  molded  form.  The  salt 
leeches  through  the  material  when  warer  is  added,  creating  random 
holes  and  robbing  scientists  of  much-needed  architectural  control. 

This  control  is  critical,  since  cells  have  to  migrate  along  specific 
paths  through  the  scaffold  ro  properly  form  tissue,  whether  heart, 
liver,  or  bone. 

"BioStrut's  precision  extrusion  deposition  process  creates  infi- 
nitely customizable  tissue  scaffolds,"  says  Darling.  In  manufacture, 
a  small  extrusion  head  and  a  3-D  positioning  system  deposit  a  strand 
of  polymer  one-renth  the  width  of  a  hair  sttand,  which  hardens  as 
it  cools.  New  layers  are  deposited  one  atop  another,  forming 
three-dimensional  structures. 

Keen  on  using  their  competitive  edge  to  its  fullest  advantage, 
the  BioStrut  team  is  marching  ahead.  As  early  as  the  spring  of  2006, 
researchers  will  be  able  ro  order  their  scaffolds  online,  choosing  from 
among  three  or  four  standard  configurations,  or  specifying  custom  jobs. 

"The  work  I'm  doing  with  BioStrut  is  plenty  varied  for  me," 
Darling  says,  smiling,  "from  the  manufacturing  to  the  marketing  and 
sales  of  a  cutting-edge  product.  I'm  loving  it,  and  I  feel  confidenr. 
My  time  with  WPI  theatre  taught  me  how  to  teach  myself,  so  I'm 
ready  to  meet  whatever  challenges  come  along." 


Getting  Down  to  Business: 

WPI's  Collaborative  for  Entrepreneurship  &  Innovation 

Nationally,  colleges  and  universities  are  experiencing  an  influx 
of  students  across  the  disciplines  who  are  interested  in  taking 
entrepreneurship  classes,  says  McRae  Banks,  director  of  the 
Collaborative  for  Entrepreneurship  &  Innovation  (CEI). 

And  WPI  is  no  different. 

"At  CEI,  we  find  it  challenging,  and  stimulating,  to  try  to  keep 
up  with  the  demand  for  our  programs,"  Banks  says.  CEI  has 
worked  feverishly  to  respond  to  this  demand  — a  commitment 
that  recently  won  WPI  placement  among  the  nation's  top  10 
entrepreneurship  programs  for  2005  by  Entrepreneur.com. 

CEI,  housed  in  the  university's  Department  of  Management,  offers 
a  variety  of  programs  for  the  WPI  community  and  beyond: 

•  WPI  Venture  Forum  — provides  monthly  lectures, 
weekly  radio  programs,  and  networking  events,  in 
addition  to  other  opportunities.  For  more  information, 
go  to  www.wpiventureforum.org. 

•  Dinner  with  Entrepreneurs  — offers  students  the 
opportunity  to  meet  and  speak  with  entrepreneurs  and 
investors  to  learn  from  their  successes  and  mistakes. 

•  Invention  to  Venture— a  one-day  workshop  that 
brings  in  seasoned  entrepreneurs  who  share  their 
knowledge  on  how  to  assess  the  market  validity  and 
technical  viability  of  business  ideas.  Speakers  also  offer 
their  hard-earned  knowledge  on  IP  licensing,  finding 
the  money,  and  other  critical  issues  for  new  businesses. 

•  Competitions— the  Strage  Innovation  Awards,  the 
Robert  H.  Grant  Invention  Awards,  and  the  CEI  @  WPI 
ALL-OUT  Business  Plan  Challenge  nurture  the  spirit  of 
innovation  at  WPI  and  help  young  and  aspiring 
entrepreneurs  fulfill  their  inventive  dreams. 

•  The  Writing  Project— WPI  alumni  entrepreneurs  are 
interviewed  to  produce  inspirational  stories  for  others 
trying  to  launch  businesses. 


Attention  Alumni  Entrepreneurs 
and  Business  Leaders: 

CEI  is  interested  in  hearing  from  you.  Contact 
Gina  Betti  at  gbetti@wpi.edu  or  508-831-5761. 


Tran  sfo  rmarions    \    Winter  2005     1  7 


The  humanities  teach  ways  to 

analyze  what's  coming  at  us. 

They  teach  us  how  to  read 

between  the  lines." 


—  Patrick  Quinn 


- 


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No.  Ju*'J|i 
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ml  ^S* 


10^=3^ 


The  Well -Rounded  Technology 

Humanities  and  Arts  at  WPI 


By  Eileen  McCluskey 

When  people  think  of  WPI,  they  see  a  university  offering 
some  of  the  nation's  best  programs  in  cutting-edge  engineering, 
science,  and  technological  disciplines. 

Less  known,  however,  is  that  WPI  also  provides  challenging 
and  enlivening  humanities  courses,  with  a  faculty  that  seeks  to 
inspire  in  students  a  love  of  theatre,  history,  music,  literature, 
philosophy,  and  other  arts  and  humanities  concentrations. 

"WPI  isn't  about  just  churning  out  people  who  can  crunch 
numbers,  but  developing  people  who  can  be  creative  within 
the  bounds  of  their  disciplines,"  says  Sergio  Salvatore  '02CS, 
lead  architect  of  mobile  technology  for  Sony  BMG  Music 
Entertainment. 

Now,  the  Humanities  and  Arts  (HUA)  Department,  working 
with  the  full  university  faculty,  is  examining  the  possibility  of 
expanding  HUA  staff,  course  offerings,  and  visibility  on  and 
off  campus. 

New  growth  potential 

WPI  President  Dennis  Berkey  supports  the  cultivation  of  a  cur- 
riculum rich  in  the  humanities.  "We're  producing  leaders,  not 
just  engineers  and  scientists,"  he  says.  "We're  developing  students 
who  are  thoughtful  and  well-informed  about  the  ways  in  which 
the  world  works,  who  think  deeply  and  seriously  about  issues 
related  to  the  humanities  and  the  arts  as  well  as  about  technical, 
engineering,  and  science-related  issues." 

In  fact,  the  university  is  looking  at  how  the  humanities  and 
arts  might  be  more  fully  integrated  into  WPI,  through  one  of 
seven  commissions  formed  last  year  at  Berkey's  request. 


"The  changes  we'll  make  are  not  yet  fully  decided,"  says 
HUA  department  head  Patrick  Quinn.  "But  the  process  is 
progressing  well." 

Quinn  sees  many  benefits  to  WPI  in  enlarging  the  role  played 
at  the  university  by  the  humanities.  For  starters,  he  thinks  WPI 
could  build  a  larger  student  body  by  expanding  its  HUA  pro- 
grams. "We've  wt  this  tremendous  infrastructure.  We  could  use 
it  to  bring  more  students  to  WPI,"  he  says.  "We  know  we  need 
to  grow  the  university's  enrollment,  and  the  humanities  has  plenty 
of  room  to  do  this  by  creating  courses  that  build  on  our  strengths." 

One  new  program  that  seems  to  be  attracting  more  students 
already  is  the  four-year  undergraduate  major  in  interactive 
media  and  game  development.  Launched  this  fall,  IMGD 
requires  students  to  draw  upon  the  humanities  and  arts  through 
courses  in  storytelling  and  the  social  and  ethical  dimensions  of 
interactive  media.  Quinn  thinks  the  course  could  spawn  other 
entertainment  science  courses,  such  as  those  in  cinema  produc- 
tion and  interactive  new  media. 

To  be  sure,  existing  courses  and  programs  take  advantage  of 
both  the  humanities  and  the  sciences  and  technology.  (Seepage 
29  for  more  on  music  professor  Frederick  Bianchi's  virtual 
orchestra;  see  page  9  for  more  on  the  new  Little  Theatre  at  WPI). 
"We're  already  moving  on  our  strengths  in  technical  writ- 
ing, theatre,  music,  and  American  and  European  studies,"  says 
Quinn.  "We  can  do  more  to  meld  the  social  sciences  and 
humanities.  I  think  implementing  broader  programs  would  be 
great  because  students  would  leave  here  with  this  tremendous 
breadth  of  exposure  across  the  sciences  and  humanities." 


.,,  .,.,.;<?;!»«»" 


4 


"WPI  isn't  about  just  churning  out 

people  who  can  crunch  numbers, 

but  developing  people  who  can 

be  creative  within  the  bounds  of 

their  disciplines." 

—  Sergio  Salvatore  '02 


To  study  Shakespeare  and  Newton 

By  continuing  to  support  the  humanities  curriculum,  and  by 
further  integrating  HUA  programs  with  WPI's  signature  technical 
and  scientific  degrees,  Quinn  hopes  a  new  way  of  envisioning 
education  will  arise  at  WPI. 

"Traditional  liberal  arts  degrees  are  passe,"  he  says. 
"Wouldn't  it  be  great,  and  make  sense,  to  offer  a  degree  pro- 
gram in  what  a  person  needs  to  know  to  be  a  full  citizen  of  the 
wotld?  To  study  not  just  Shakespeare,  but  also  to  understand 
the  practical  implications  of  Newton's  laws,  to  know  how 
elasticity  works,  and  how  it  is  that  computers  can  translate 
electrical  signals  into  the  entire  collection  of  the  Library  of 
Congress.  This  kind  of  technical  literacy  is  knowable,  and 
we  should  all  be  educated  in  it." 

The  same,  says  Quinn,  goes  for  those  whose  proclivities 
inspire  them  to  become  engineers,  scientists,  and  technicians. 
"What  can  the  poets  of  World  War  I  teach  us  about  the  experi- 
ence of  being  a  soldier  in  a  war?"  he  asks,  citing  Siegfried 
Sassoon,  who  fought  in  that  war  and  about  whom  Quinn  has 
long  studied  and  written.  "Sassoon  wrote  poems  about  how 
war  affects  the  soldier.  If  you're  building  war  machines,  isn't  it 
important  to  think  about  the  effects  of  the  machines  on  the 
people  who  use  them,  and  on  whom  they're  used?  This  is  right 
in  front  of  us.  All  we  have  to  do  is  read,  think,  and  discuss. 
Wouldn't  a  degree  that  covers  all  of  this  be  astounding?" 

Such  a  bold,  fresh  vision  for  higher  education  is  by  no 
means  being  examined  only  at  WPI.  In  fact,  Quinn  recently 
participated  in  a  three-day  conference  sponsored  by  the 
National  Science  Foundation,  at  which  two  humanists  and 
one  social  scientist  discussed  the  future  of  liberal  arts  education 
with  15  scientists  and  the  same  number  of  engineers. 

"It  was  fascinating.  We  asked  ourselves  and  each  other,  'Why 
are  the  students  at  our  great  universities  unaware  of  the  problems 
in  the  world?'  These  students  have  technical  literacy  but  very 
little  knowledge  of  the  humanities,"  says  Quinn.  "And  we  talked 
about  how  technologists  are  getting  way  ahead  of  themselves." 


He  described  how  the  scientists  and  humanists  gathered  at 
the  conference  agreed  there  is  danger  afoot  "if  scientists  don't 
have  sufficient  grounding  in  the  humanities — that,  for  instance, 
people  are  at  the  mercy  of  propaganda  if  we  don't  understand 
that's  what  it  is.  The  news,  the  written  word,  the  arts,  can  easily 
be  used  to  manipulate  the  masses  if  we  aren't  grounded  in  the 
critical  thinking  skills  the  humanities  offer.  The  humanities 
teach  ways  to  analyze  what's  coming  at  us.  They  teach  us  how 
to  read  between  the  lines." 

Carol  Simpson,  provost  and  senior  vice  president  of  WPI, 
notes,  "There's  no  doubt  that  humanities  offerings  broaden  the 
students'  educational  base  so  that  they  acquire  a  better  under- 
standing of  the  societal  impact  of  their  technical  work,  as  well  as 
critical  thinking  skills  and  the  ability  to  express  themselves  well." 

While  discussions  continue  on  how  WPI  may  change  and 
expand  its  humanities  and  arts  offerings — with  decisions 
expected  in  2006 — Quinn  feels  his  department  is  raring  to  go. 
"We're  blessed  with  a  faculty  that's  been  very  supportive  ot  the 
changes  that  have  already  taken  place,  such  as  adding  the 
interactive  media  major,"  he  says. 

"As  we  market  ourselves  as  a  comprehensive  university,"  he 
continues,  "we'll  attract  more  students  who,  like  Ms.  Servatius 
[Irma  (Roberts)  Servatius  04,  see  next  page],  may  start  in  tech- 
nology but  then  see  the  humanities  offerings  and  want  both.  As 
this  continues,  we'll  develop  a  more  diverse  student  body,  kids 
with  an  interest  in  history,  music,  theater,  and  writing." 

As  he  considers  the  possible  outcomes  of  the  strategy  and 
review  process  under  way  at  WPI,  Quinn  believes  that  faculty 
across  departments  will  forge  a  strong  future  for  the  humanities 
and  the  arts.  "The  people  here  tend  to  be  open  to  the  impor- 
tance of  giving  otir  students  every  opportunity  to  explore  the 
humanities.''  he  says.  "As  a  community,  we  understand  the 
critical  need  to  cultivate  cultural  and  historical  awareness. 
This  is  what  a  university  is  for:  to  keep  open  the  tree  exchange 
of  ideas.  I  think  we're  at  the  beginning  of  an  exciting  new  era 
here  at  WPI."  ■ 


20     Transformatiom    \   Winter  2005 


Increasing  numbers  of  WPI  students  recognize  how  important 
a  liberal  arts  education  is  to  them.  In  fact,  more  and  more  stude... 
are  adding  a  humanities  major  to  their  technical,  engineering,  or 
scientific  studies.  "In  2005,  we  moved  from  32  to  60-plus  double  majors," 
says  Patrick  Quinn,  head  of  the  Humanities  and  Arts  Department. 


■HwiiMHi 


Paul  Messier  '05ECE/HU,  for  one,  feels  grateful  to  WPI  for 
giving  him  a  chance  to  focus  on  his  two  favorite  pursuits:  theatre  and 
engineering.  "Both  of  my  advisors— Susan  Vick  in  theatre,  and 
[professor  of  electrical  and  computer  engineering]  Alexander 
Emanuel  — understood  the  importance  of  the  humanities  in  a  technical 
education,"  says  the  electrical  engineer  with  BAE  Systems  in  Nashua, 
N.H.  "They  also  saw  how  important  technical  knowledge  is  in  a 
humanities  education.  I  felt  a  lot  of  support  from  them  as  I  pursued 
my  double  major.  They  recognized  that  so  much  in  life  that  is 
beautiful  is  expressed  through  the  humanities." 

Messier  brought  an  interest  in  lighting  design  and  technology  with 
him  to  WPI,  having  worked  in  those  capacities  at  the  Spirit  of 
Broadway  Theater  in  Norwich,  Conn.,  for  four  years  prior  to  starting 
his  undergraduate  studies.  Like  Quinn,  Messier  sees  the  intercon- 
nectedness  of  science  and  the  humanities.  "I  need  to  allow  both  my 
creative  and  my  technical  juices  to  flow  freely,"  he  says.  "I  think  both 
are  crucial  in  understanding  our  world." 

Messier  put  that  sentiment  to  work  in  every  technical  presentation  he 
made  at  WPI,  by  using  his  theatre  training  to  help  him  relate  new 
ECE  concepts  to  his  colleagues.  As  he  gave  his  talks,  Messier 
focused  as  much  on  keeping  his  audience  engaged  as  he  did  on  the 
technical  knowledge  he  needed  to  impart.  "My  humanities  courses 
helped  me  bring  something  new  to  these  presentations,  whether  it's 
how  I  used  tone  of  voice,  or  images,  or  gestures  to  emphasize 
certain  concepts,"  he  says.  "And  I  know  that  every  time  I  have  the 
opportunity  to  speak  before  my  team  here  at  BAE,  I'll  tap  into  those 
dramatic  and  public  speaking  skills." 

Chad  Whitney  '99MIS/HU  finds  his  writing  abilities  bring 
practical  benefits  in  his  work  as  lead  program  manager  with 
Microsoft  Windows  Mobile  Devices  in  Redmond,  Wash.  "I  see  the 
benefits  of  my  dual  major  every  day  in  my  career,"  he  says.  "When 
I  first  started  working  here,  I  wrote  design  specs  all  day.  No  one 
would  have  known  how  to  implement  those  designs  if  I  couldn't 
articulate  them  clearly." 

Now  that  he's  been  promoted  to  manager  of  his  group,  "I  have  to  be 
very  clear  in  my  oral  and  e-mail  communications,  too,"  he  says.  "A 
lot  of  people  throw  grammar  out  the  window  in  their  e-mails.  I  don't, 
and  I  think  it  helps  our  work  flow  more  smoothly.  I  certainly  wouldn't 


have  come  this  far  if  I  couldn't  write  clearly  and  communicate  well." 

On  occasion,  a  WPI  student  will  change  course  entirely,  and  follow 
a  purely  humanities  path.  Natalie  Cole  '04/HU  started  in 
mechanical  engineering,  but  "I  decided  it  wasn't  for  me."  With  the 
support  of  faculty  advisors  Laura  Menides,  professor  of  English 
(retired  2005),  and  assistant  professor  of  English  Michelle  Ephraim, 
Cole  designed  her  own  concentration  in  creative  writing.  She's 
pursuing  this  passion  further  as  a  graduate  student  at  Columbia 
University.  "I  think  every  school  should  offer  a  lot  in  the  way  of 
humanities  and  the  arts,"  she  says,  "because  that's  what  connects 
everybody.  The  humanities  give  everybody  ways  to  communicate- 
not  just  transferring  information,  but  connecting  on  a  human  level." 

And  then  there  are  those  students  who  enjoy  it  all.  "WPI  made  it 
possible  for  me  to  pursue  two  different  walks  of  life,"  says 
Irma  (Roberts)  Servatius  '04ECE/HU,  who  discovered  her 
aptitude  for  electrical  engineering  when  she  took  a  summer  class 
with  professor  of  practice  Robert  Labonte  just  before  entering  WPI. 
"I'd  always  heard  girls  aren't  good  at  engineering.  WPI  gave  me 
the  confidence  to  say,  'That's  not  true.'" 

Although  Servatius  had  studied  violin  from  an  early  age,  in  addition 
to  math  and  science,  she  didn't  think  she  should  consider  a  musical 
career.  "I  thought  it  would  be  impossible  to  get  anywhere  in  music," 
she  says.  But  that  was  before  administrator  of  applied  music  Douglas 
Weeks  encouraged  Servatius  to  try  the  viola.  "I  fell  in  love  with  it." 

Once  her  passion  for  viola  had  been  ignited,  Servatius  joined  the 
university's  Medwin  String  Ensemble  and  discovered  a  world  where 
technologists  embrace  art.  "It  was  so  incredible,  all  these  engineers 
getting  together  to  have  fun  and  play  music,"  she  says.  Servatius 
went  on  tour  with  the  string  quartet,  traveling  to  Greece,  Italy,  and 
Prague,  playing  in  churches  and  schools  and  giving  workshops. 

Now  she  dares  herself  to  make  a  living  as  a  musician  as  she  studies 
for  her  master's  in  music  at  the  University  of  Massachusetts  Lowell. 
"WPI  gave  me  a  lot  of  confidence,"  Servatius  says.  "If  I  can  get  past 
people  saying,  'There's  no  way  you  can  do  engineering  because 
you're  female,'  then  maybe  I  can  get  past  the  attitude  that  you  can't 
possibly  make  a  living  playing  music.  And  if  I  can't,"  she  adds,  "I 
have  my  engineering  degree  to  fall  back  on." 


Transformations    \    Winter  2005     2  1 


M 


un  i 


By  Joanne  Silver 

►  Transformations  speaks  with 
two  inspiring  alumni— one  at  the 
beginning  of  her  career,  the  other 
nearing  the  end  of  his-whose 
passions  merge  science  with  life 
for  the  greater  good. 


<    Donald  Lathrop  '56: 

activist,  humanist,  philosopher, 
inventor,  semi-retired  professor 


Don  Lathrop  is  delighted.  "I  finally  figured  out  how 
to  carry  five  vases  to  school,"  he  says,  holding  up  a  makeshift 
tray  of  flowers  from  his  garden,  all  intended  for  colleagues  at 
Berkshire  Community  College.  An  ingenious  combination  of 
cut  juice  bottles,  water  bottles,  and  duct  tape  provided  the  solu- 
tion. Indeed,  none  of  the  plastic  vases  has  fallen  over  in  the  car 
ride  from  his  home  in  Canaan,  N.Y.,  to  Pittsfield,  Mass.  As  his 
six  o'clock  class  approaches,  Lathrop's  tightly  packed  bouquets 
still  radiate  color  and  good  health. 

Finding  a  place  for  the  tray  is  a  different  sort  of  feat. 
Behind  a  door  with  a  poster  announcing  "Nuclear  Free  Zone," 
Lathrop's  office  brims  with  the  trappings  of  an  insistently  fertile 
mind.  Shelves  hold  hundreds  of  books,  assorted  blue  glass 
vessels,  wooden  sculptures,  and  miscellaneous  gizmos.  Posters, 
photographs,  artworks,  and  political  buttons  crowd  the  walls. 
One  button,  designed  by  the  professor,  bears  the  picture  of  a 
classical  torso  and  the  words:  Venus  de  Milo  did  it.  Disarm. 

Humor  and  an  urgent  message  find  their  way  into  many 
of  Lathrop's  enterprises — from  his  poem  "To  A  Square  Soap 
Bubble"  to  his  courses  in  the  "Peace  and  World  Order  Studies" 
department  he  founded.  At  71,  the  graduate  of  what  was  then 
an  all-male  Worcester  Tech  has  cut  back  on  his  course  load, 
but  not  on  his  commitment  to  nurturing  peace  and  creativity. 

In  September,  he  coordinated  buses  to  an  antiwar  rally  in 
Washington,  D.C.  He  still  participates  in  a  peace  vigil  every 
Thursday,  as  he  has  for  the  past  three  years.  He  writes  letters 
to  editors  of  newspapers  about  issues  global  and  local,  and 
he  composes  poems  grappling  with  subjects  ranging  from  his 
wife's  cancer  to  starving  children  in  war-torn  countries.  His 
own  bout  with  cancer  inspired  a  poem  about  the  ill  effects 
he  experienced  not  from  the  disease,  but  from  the  painkiller 
Oxycontin.  Lathrop  continues  to  work  with  his  wife,  Marion, 
on  the  Never  Again  Campaign,  which  the  two  developed  in  the 
1980s  to  promote  international  understanding  and  spread  the 
message  of  survivors  of  the  atom  bombs  dropped  on  Japan. 

As  a  boy,  Lathrop  had  not  yet  discovered  this  voice.  "I 
remember  sitting  on  the  floor  in  my  grandmother's  house  when 
Pearl  Harbor  came  on  the  radio,"  he  recalls.  "And,  much  to  my 
current  sadness,  I  don't  remember  any  grief  over  Hiroshima  and 
Nagasaki  at  the  time.  I  had  cousins  serving  in  the  Pacific,  and 
my  family  was  just  happy  they  would  be  coming  home."  Now 
that  he  knows  a  number  of  A-bomb  survivors,  several  of  whom 
have  come  to  visit,  he  cannot  view  history  as  separate  from  the 
lives  of  individuals. 

"I  didn't  want  to  be  in  the  Army,"  Lathrop  says,  but  at  the 
end  of  high  school,  he  had  to  register.  "It  showed  my  cowardice. 
I  hadn't  reached  the  point  of  King  or  Ghandi,"  he  admits.  "You 
have  to  know  what  you're  willing  to  die  for."  After  WPI,  at  Fort 


Monmouth,  N.J.,  he  ended  up  teaching  basic  electricity  and 
repair,  and  he  realized  he  didn't  like  the  Army,  but  he  did  like 
teaching.  After  a  few  brief  engineering  stints,  he  began  a  long 
career  in  the  classroom,  first  as  a  physicist,  and  then  gradually 
meandering  toward  the  humanities.  Perhaps  he  should  have 
seen  that  change  coming.  Although  his  B.S.  is  in  mechanical 
engineering,  Lathrop's  favorite  class  at  WPI  was  Professor 
Donald  Johnson's  course  on  the  history  and  philosophy  of 
ideas.  He  describes  his  later  academic  shift  matter-of-factly: 
"When  I  taught  freshman  physics,  I  probably  knew  the  answer. 
When  I  teach  the  meaning  of  life,  I  probably  don't." 

Even  his  own  existence  is  shrouded  in  uncertainty. 
Adopted  by  an  older  couple  in  New  York,  Lathrop  never  knew 
anything  about  his  birth  patents.  When  his  mother  and  father 
died  during  his  college  years,  Lathrop  was  offered  a  chance  to 
see  his  birth  ceitificate.  Instead,  he  had  it  destroyed.  "I'm  a 
planetary  citizen,"  he  says.  "This  is  my  planet.  I  have  enough 
trouble  being  me  to  want  to  be  someone  else,  too." 

In  the  process  of  becoming  himself,  Lathrop  has  learned 
a  lot  from  figures  both  famous  and  little  known.  Active  in  the 
civil  rights  movement,  he  and  Marion  went  to  Washington  in 
1963  and  heard  Dr.  Martin  Luther  King  Jr.  deliver  his  "I  have 
a  dream"  speech.  More  locally,  Lathrop  mentions  Frances 
Crowe  as  a  person  who  "inspired  people  up  and  down  the 
Pioneer  Valley."  In  early  fall,  he  heard  antiwar  activist/mother 
Cindy  Sheehan  speak  at  the  rally  in  Washington.  Over  the 
years,  students  from  America,  Ghana,  Japan,  Germany,  Russia, 
Myanmar,  and  elsewhere  have  lived  with  the  Lathrops  as  the 
visitors  pursued  studies  and  various  activist  enterprises.  In  each 
case,  the  professor  has  seen  the  interaction  as  an  opportunity 
to  expand  his  knowledge  and  his  awareness  of  other  points 
of  view. 

The  same  desires  motivate  him  in  the  evening  philosophy 
class  he  teaches  on  world  security  and  sustainability.  Ten  stu- 
dents from  20  to  70  years  old  gather  in  the  classroom  that 
once  housed  Lathrop's  creativity  class.  Leftover  student  mobiles 
dangle  from  every  patch  of  ceiling,  giving  a  festive  air  to  the 
excruciatingly  bland  cinderblock  environment.  "Do  you  have 
enough  money?"  Lathrop  begins.  One  by  one,  the  men  and 
women  volunteer  their  answers.  A  young  man  in  a  Red  Sox 
shirt  says  he  has  to  wait  until  payday  to  fill  up  his  tank  with 
gas.  Others  feel  more  secure.  All  come  to  realize  the  question 
has  less  to  do  with  an  amount  than  an  approach  to  living.  "My 
roommate  and  I  discuss  these  things,"  a  20-something  woman 
responds,  adding  that  she  believes  she  is  in  the  prime  of  her  life. 
Lathrop  smiles.  "I'm  glad  to  hear  you  say  you're  in  the  prime 
of  your  life,"  he  says.  "I  am,  too.  So  many  people  never  get  to 
their  prime.  I  don't  mean  they  die.  They're  just  never  there." 


[  Photography  by  Patrick  O'Conn 


Transformations    \    Winter  2005     23 


Quiet  fills  the  waiting  room  of  the  National  Birth  Defects 
Center.  With  no  little  riders  in  sight,  the  toy  cars  are  neatly 
parked  against  a  wall  of  windows.  Stuffed  animals  rest  on  shelves. 
Cardboard  bricks  stand  in  a  corner,  ready  for  a  new  construc- 
tion project.  On  this  late  summer  Friday  morning,  the  people 
who  usually  visit  the  Waltham,  Mass.,  office  are  not  in  clinic, 
but  they're  not  far  from  Erica  Tworog-Dube's  mind.  The  young 
genetic  counselor  is  busy  pursuing  leads  that  might  help  improve 
the  lives  of  the  children  and  adults  who  seek  out  her  services. 

Working  with  a  team  of  specialists  that  includes  Dr.  Rhonda 
Spiro  and  Dr.  Murray  Feingold,  who  is  also  known  for  his  regular 
appearances  on  Boston  television  and  radio,  Tworog-Dubc 


spends  her  days — and  often  significant  chunks  of  her  evenings — 
investigating  the  chance  occurrences  that  lead  to  various  genetic 
disorders.  Armed  with  knowledge  and  curiosity,  she  guides  chil- 
dren, couples  in  the  midst  of  a  pregnancy,  and  those  contem- 
plating pregnancy  toward  more  fulfilling  lives.  She  coordinates 
the  care  of  specialists  for  those  born  with  hereditary  disorders 
and  proposes  testing  for  families  facing  increased  odds  ol  a 
genetic  disease.  She  also  intervenes  when  bureaucracies  stand  in 
the  way  of  such  services  as  speech  therapy  for  youngsters 
living  with  birth  detects. 

Despite  .1  scientific  background,  Tworog-Dube  seems  more 
comfortable  with  questions  than  answers.  She  understands  that 


2  4    Transformations   \   Winter 


all  the  genetic  testing  in  the  world  cannot 
decide  what  is  right  for  any  one  person. 
And  so,  the  woman  who  pursued  a  double 
major  in  the  humanities  and  biotechnology 
at  WPI  before  studying  genetic  counseling 
at  Brandeis  University  is  quick  to  speak  of 
the  value  of  myths.  Not  the  ancient  type, 
with  legions  of  gods  reigning  over  the  land 
and  seas.  Tworog-Dube  studies  the  myths 
families  unwittingly  create  as  they  try  to 
make  sense  out  of  their  loved  ones' 
disabilities. 

"I  have  the  opportunity  to  learn  so 
many  family  histories,  family  myths," 
she  says.  "'Grandpa  Joe  had  that  because 
he  fell  from  a  tree,'  or,  'Mom  had  that 
because  she  got  sick  when  she  was  pregnant.'" 
"Myths  are  useful,"  she  adds,  sitting 
in  her  office  amid  folders,  science  texts, 
medical  test  kits,  an  Ansel  Adams  photo- 
graph of  mountains,  and  a  photo  with  her 
husband,  Matthew  Dube  '00,  taken  at  their 
wedding  on  a  Cape  Cod  beach.  "They  give 
me  an  avenue  to  explore  the  issues  from  the 
family's  perspective.  Understanding  what 
they  thought  their  child  had  acknowledges 
their  existing  beliefs.  It  gives  me  a  language 
to  talk  with  the  family." 

She  realizes  that  whatever  information 
she  imparts  will  be  absorbed  in  the  context 
of  the  anecdotes  that  have  been  passed 
along  for  years  and  possibly  generations. 
Words  become  crucial. 

"Humanities  plays  an  indirect  role," 
she  explains,  crediting  courses  by  Professors  Wesley  Mott  (liter- 
ature) and  Steven  Bullock  (history)  for  furthering  that  side  of 
her  learning.  Phrases  can  be  supportive  or  dangerous.  "For  a 
while,"  she  says  of  a  practice  now  on  the  wane,  "people  put 
'FLK'  in  a  child's  chart — for  'funny  looking  kid.'  The  role  of 
a  genetic  counselor  is  to  bring  sensitivity  and  educate  people 
why  that  is  entirely  inappropriate." 

It  was  a  role  in  a  play  that  first  sparked  Tworog-Dube's 
interest  in  the  field.  As  a  high  school  student  in  Maine,  she 
acted  the  part  of  a  girl  with  PKU,  an  inherited  condition  that 
results  in  mental  retardation  unless  a  strict  diet  is  followed. 
At  WPI,  her  passions  for  science  and  writing  guided  her  two 
Major  Qualifying  Projects:  one,  on  wealth  and  the  American 
dream,  for  which  she  won  the  Provost's  MQP  Award;  the 


other,  on  protein  expression  in  earthworms.  In  addition,  she 
earned  WPI's  prestigious  Two  Towers  Award  during  her  junior 
year.  Tworog-Dube  proceeded  to  volunteer  at  a  genetic  coun- 
seling clinic  in  Springfield,  Mass.,  work  in  bioresearch  for 
Abbott  Laboratories,  and  then  embark  on  several  internships — 
from  Concord,  Mass.,  to  Newcastle,  Australia — while  a 
graduate  student  at  Brandeis. 

Now,  after  two  years  in  her  current  position,  she  realizes 
the  value  of  WPI's  founding  principle  of  combining  theory  and 
practice.  Because  her  patients  are  often  seen  by  many  specialists, 
she  has  to  be  able  to  deal  with  biological  factors,  legal  issues, 
and  social  considerations,  while  never  losing  sight  of  the  human 
beings  themselves.  She  mentions  a  little  boy  she  started  seeing 
in  2003,  shortly  after  he  was  born.  At  the  time,  the  pediatrician 
noted  that  the  child  had  poor  muscle  tone. 

"We  don't  yet  have  a  diagnosis  for  this  little  boy,"  Tworog- 
Dube  says,  as  she  outlines  the  high  and  low  points  in  the  life  of 
the  toddler  and  his  family.  "Since  he  was  born  he  has  had  devel- 
opmental delays — in  his  motor  skills  and  speech.  He  has  had 
some  feeding  problems.  The  mom  became  pregnant  again,  and 
that  baby  was  born  this  spring,  also  with  some  muscle  problems. 
Some  of  the  issues  overlap.  The  parents  are  so  strong,  though. 
So  upbeat.  You  can  see  it  in  the  way  the  older  boy  has  caught 
up  in  some  areas." 

Genetic  testing  certainly  gets  a  lot  of  attention  these  days, 
and  Tworog-Dube  acknowledges  that  new  tests  become  available 
all  the  time.  Just  as  critical,  however,  is  the  variety  of  services 
she  coordinates  as  part  of  a  person's  care.  If  a  child  has  a  partic- 
ular diagnosis  associated  with  heart  problems,  she  makes  sure 
to  check  for  heart  problems  on  a  regular  basis.  If  a  child  is  not 
speaking,  she  might  arrange  to  have  sign  language  introduced. 
Finding  the  right  solution  can  require  the  expertise  of  a  scientist 
and  the  creativity  of  an  artist.  Weathering  the  difficult  times 
demands  another  set  of  strengths.  Tworog-Dube  admits,  "It  is 
emotionally  draining.  There  are  days  when  you're  dealing  with 
kids  who  are  not  doing  very  well,  parents  who  are  very  high- 
risk.  Sometimes  these  are  not  happy  endings." 

Whenever  possible,  she  focuses  on  what  can  be  done — on 
beginnings,  not  endings.  With  couples  planning  to  have  children, 
including  those  undergoing  assisted  reproductive  procedures, 
she  can  help  sort  through  the  genetic  testing  available  and  the 
difficult  choices  that  might  ensue.  Here,  too,  Tworog-Dube 
emphasizes  options.  "Testing  can  offer  reassurance,  if  it  comes 
back  negative,"  she  says.  If  not,  "You  can  prepare  medically. 
Instead  of  having  a  home  birth  with  a  nurse  midwife,  you  might 
go  to  Children's  Hospital,  where  there's  a  cardiologist.  I  try  not 
to  assume  anything.  I  walk  through  it  in  relation  to  their  own 
experiences  and  priorities."  D 


Transformations    \    Winter  2005     2  5 


'T  « 


Finding  Happiness 

By  Rachel  Faugno 

Philosophy  professor  Roger  S.  Gottlieb  cares  passionately  about  society's  spiritual 

and  moral  well-being,  seeing  them  as  inextricably  linked  to  the  survival  of 

our  planet.  This  author/editor  of  14  books  and  more  than  50  articles 

on  topics  including  political  philosophy,  religious  life,  and 

environmentalism  challenges  his  students  to  consider 

moral  aspects  of  their  life  choices. 

"Our  current  lifestyle  is  inflicting  mortal  damage  to  the 
planet.  Even  if  we  do  not  consciously  acknowledge  this  fact, 
we  are  aware  of  it  on  some  deeper  level,  which  causes  profound 
currents  of  unhappiness,"  he  asserts.  "We  need  to  do  a  much 
better  job  of  incorporating  ethical  considerations  into  private 
and  public  policies  if  we  are  to  heal  ourselves  and  the  planet." 
Gottlieb  is  currently  working  on  two  books  scheduled  for 
publication  by  Oxford  University  Press  in  2006.  One,  titled 
A  Greener  Faith:  Religious  Environmentalism  and  Our  Planet's 
Future,  is  the  first  full-length  study  of  the  social  and  political 
aspects  of  religious  environmental  activism.  The  other, 
The  Oxford  Handbook  of  Religion  and  Ecology,  is  an  edited 
collection  of  essays  by  25  leading  scholars  on  all  aspects  of  the 
religion-ecology  connection.  Here,  Gottlieb  talks  about  his  own 
moral  and  spiritual  journey  and  how  it  impacts  his  classes  at  WPI. 

What  led  you  to  pursue  philosophy? 

I  grew  up  in  White  Plains,  New  York,  in  a  middle-class  subur- 
ban family.  In  a  lot  of  ways  I  was  a  typical  kid,  a  Boy  Scout, 
a  member  of  the  wrestling  team.  But  from  an  early  age  I  was 
sensitive  to  the  injustices  of  the  world.  The  train  to  Manhattan 
took  us  through  Harlem,  and  I  remember  thinking  there  was 
something  terribly  wrong  about  the  poverty  I  saw.  I  grew  up 
in  the  '60s,  when  issues  of  social  justice  were  front  and  center 
in  the  feminist,  antiwar,  and  antipoverty  movements.  When 
I  went  to  Brandeis,  I  thought  I'd  become  a  psychologist.  But  I 
took  one  psychology  course  and  found  it  unbelievably  dull. 
I  took  one  philosophy  course  and  was  immediately  hooked. 


What  exactly  excited  you? 

The  idea  that  you  could  penetrate  by  sheer  mental  force 
the  meaning  of  life,  the  source  of  happiness.  There  was  some- 
thing incredibly  powerful  about  that,  something  that  seemed 
tremendously  important  to  me.  Unfortunately,  in  those  days 
philosophy  was  dominated  by  traditional  trappings  of  masculin- 
ity. The  goal  seemed  to  be  to  find  the  one  counterexample  that 


Photography  by  Patrick  O'Connor  ] 


Tra  nsfo 


r  m  at  i  ons 


|      Winter  2005     2  7 


VA 


would  leave  the  other  person's  position  in  the  dust.  I  was  lucky, 
during  grad  school,  to  be  exposed  to  feminist  ideas  about  non- 
competitive ways  of  talking,  learning,  and  teaching.  I  learned 
how  to  ask  the  same  important  questions,  but  pursue  the 
answers  differently. 

What  is  the  role  of  philosophy  courses  at  a 
technological  university? 

There  was,  perhaps,  a  time  in  human  history  when  people 
could  claim  to  be  unaware  of  the  consequences  of  their  actions. 
That  is  no  longer  the  case.  Today,  we  are  almost  painfully  aware 
(or  should  be!)  that  all  of  our  actions  and  policies  have  an 
impact  on  the  environment,  on  other  species,  and  on  fellow 
human  beings.  Therefore,  even  our  personal  choices,  right 
down  to  what  we  drive  and  the  food  we  eat,  have  a  moral 
dimension.  The  task  of  philosophy  is  to  challenge  students  to 
think  seriously  about  their  beliefs  and  values,  to  give  them  the 
tools  to  make  life  choices  that  will  contribute  to  the  develop- 
ment of  just  and  sustainable  societies. 

What  do  you  hope  your  students  will  retain? 

I  hope  that  they  will  apply  moral  criteria  to  their  personal  and 
professional  choices,  that  they  will  challenge  assumptions,  that 
they  will  stand  up  for  social  justice,  and  that  they  will  grow 
throughout  their  lives  as  spiritual  and  ethical  beings. 

What  happens  when  students  don't  agree  with  you? 

I  hardly  expect  them  to  agree!  Look,  I  can't  pretend  that  I'm 
detached  about  the  fate  of  the  earth  or  social  injustice — who 
on  the  Titanic  could  say  he  doesn't  care  whether  the  ship  sinks 
or  not?  I'm  not  detached,  but  I  do  try  to  be  objective.  And  my 
political  outlook  is  that  no  long-term  changes  can  arise  unless 
people  learn  to  think  and  act  for  themselves.  I'm  not  here  to 
indoctrinate,  but  to  awaken.  I  also  think  it's  critical  to  treat 
people — all  people — with  respect.  If  a  student  disagrees,  his  or 
her  ideas  are  as  important,  and  deserve  as  much  of  a  hearing, 
as  mine. 

You've  written  about  religious  environmental 
activism.  What  is  that? 

Religious  leaders  around  the  world  are  responding  seriously  to 
the  environmental  crisis.  I  can  give  you  many  examples.  Pope 
John  Paul  II  called  nature  "our  sister."  The  Christian  Orthodox 
spiritual  leader  Bartholomew  said  that  to  pollute  is  a  sin.  A 
remarkable  coalition  of  religious  and  indigenous  groups  planted 
eight  million  trees  in  Zimbabwe  a  few  years  ago.  The  entire 
Sikh  community  has  committed  itself  to  protecting  the  envi- 
ronment for  the  next  300  years.  A  group  of  Methodist  activists 
confronted  Staples  about  selling  paper  whose  production  causes 
toxic  dioxins  in  the  water  and  the  air.  And  the  Sierra  Club,  a 
secular  environmental  group,  has  worked  with  the  National 
Council  of  Churches  to  champion  environmeni.il  causes, 


Evangelical  Christians,  Buddhists  in  Sri  Lanka,  Reform  Jews, 
bishops  in  the  Philippines — all  these  and  more  have  taken  a 
stand  and  taken  steps  to  protect  the  environment. 

Why  are  religious  organizations  concerned  about 
the  environment? 

If  you  believe  that  the  earth  was  divinely  created,  or  if  you  sim- 
ply believe  that  we  have  a  moral  obligation  to  leave  a  habitable 
world  for  future  generations,  environmental  protection  is  a  reli- 
gious issue.  And  religious  leaders  carry  great  weight.  Up  until 
a  few  years  ago,  many  of  the  fishermen  of  Madagascar  engaged 
in  the  practice  of  dynamiting  for  fish.  It  was  easy,  but  it  was 
also  destroying  marine  life.  The  government  told  them  to  stop. 
Environmental  groups  told  them  to  stop.  Nothing  worked  until 
their  sheikhs  told  them  the  practice  was  not  in  keeping  with 
Islamic  teachings.  They  stopped. 

Aside  from  the  environment,  how  'would  you 
describe  the  impact  of  religion  on  modern 
American  life? 

In  the  past  few  years  there's  been  a  lot  of  discussion  about  the 
religious  right  and  the  secular  left.  These  labels  prevent  us  from 
getting  to  the  heart  of  the  issues.  Many  on  the  right  are  horri- 
fied by  drugs,  teenage  sexuality,  the  decline  of  the  nuclear 
family.  They're  scared  by  the  bankruptcy  of  our  culture.  I  don't 
blame  them.  On  the  other  hand,  I  am  totally  opposed  to  what 
the  religious  right  thinks  is  the  explanation  or  solution  to  these 
problems,  and  I  think  religions  in  general  have  a  great  deal  to 
learn  from  the  analyses  and  history  of  the  secular  left.  The  point 
is  not  bad  religion  vs.  good  secular  politics.  The  point  is  good 
politics — religious  or  secular — vs.  bad  politics. 

What  forces  have  shaped  your  spiritual  journey? 

In  the  last  25  years,  it  has  been  my  experience  as  a  father.  I  had 
a  son  who  was  born  with  brain  damage.  He  lived  only  five  days 
and  he  never  came  home  from  the  hospital.  Three  years  later, 
my  third  child,  my  daughter  Esther,  was  born  with  multiple 
handicaps.  My  wife  and  I  took  her  to  250  doctors  and  healers. 
Sometimes  I  took  her  to  15  doctor  appointments  in  one 
month.  An  event  like  this  puts  you  in  a  different  world.  You're 
different  from  your  colleagues.  And  when  you  have  a  child  like 
Esther,  you're  either  a  spiritual  being  or  you're  miserable.  In 
your  despair,  you  come  to  realize  (sometimes)  that  the  only 
way  to  a  happy  life  is  through  love.  Other  values,  the  things  we 
were  supposed  to  expect  from  our  children,  simply  won't  work. 

And  when  you're  not  teaching... 

Well,  for  an  old  guy  I've  got  a  pretty  good  jump  shot.  And  I 
like  to  schmooze  with  tin-  family  and  friends,  seek  out  some  ol 
the  nature  that's  left  and  take  photos  of  it,  and  listen  to  music. 
When  I'm  looking  at  a  bird  in  lliglit  01  listening  to  a  Beethoven 
quartet,  the  world,  despite  everything,  is  still  verv  beautiful.  D 


2  8     Transformations    \   Winter  2005 


Virtually  There 


By  Charna  Westervelt 


On  the  opening  night  of  Les  Miserables  in  April 
2004,  WPI  Music  Professor  Frederick  Bianchi  sat  in  the 
audience  of  the  Queen's  Theatre  in  London.  There,  in  the  city's 
West  End,  he  listened.  He  listened  to  every  beat  of  every  measure 
of  every  song  that  night.  He  listened  for  each  musical  line  and  phrase, 
anticipating  each  instrument's  entrance.  And  he  listened  for  the  nuances — 
the  fermatas,  the  rubatos,  the  musical  embellishments. 


STRIP  LI&htsI 


Bianchi,  of  course,  knew  them  all.  He  was  completely 
attuned  to  the  orchesttation. 

That  night,  his  creation — the  virtual  orchestra  (a.k.a. 
Sinfonia) — was  in  the  orchestra  pit.  The  show  signified  a  mile- 
stone in  Bianchi's  work,  for  following  the  audience's  standing 
ovation,  the  shows  internationally  renowned  producer,  Cameron 
Mackintosh,  turned  to  this  WPI  professor  and  said,  "A  moment 
in  musical  theater  history  has  been  achieved  tonight." 

Now,  after  nearly  20  years  of  tweaking  and  troubleshoot- 
ing, Bianchi  believes  that  this  moment — this  international 
acceptance  and  recognition — is  propelling  the  virtual  orchestra, 
its  concept,  and  interactive  entertainment  to  the  next  level. 
"It's  like  writing  the  Bible  and  then  having  it  endorsed  by  the 
Vatican,"  Bianchi  says.  "This  kind  of  technology  is  no  longer 
an  experiment." 

What  started  in  the  mid-'80s  as  an  idea  to  simulate  the 


sound  and  behavior  of  a  live  orchestra,  in  real  time,  using  a 
sophisticated  network  of  computers,  is  now  revolutionizing 
the  way  we  listen  to,  compose,  and  perform  music. 

"The  Sinfonia  isn't  just  about  some  music  technology 
people  with  their  heads  in  computers,"  he  says.  "It's  an  inter- 
disciplinary and  diverse  activity  that  requires  a  broad  range 
of  sensibilities." 

Patented  in  2004  by  Bianchi's  New  York  team,  Realtime 
Music,  the  Sinfonia  has  been  used  in  more  than  15,000 
performances  worldwide,  including  the  National  Broadway 
tours  of Jekyll  &  Hyde,  Evita,  Phantom  of  the  Opera,  Annie, 
Ragtime,  Titanic,  Miss  Saigon,  The  Music  Man,  Cinderella, 
Seussical,  Oklahoma,  and  Les  Miserables,  and  the  world  tour 
of  Porgy  &  Bess.  Last  February,  Bianchi's  team  collaborated 
with  Cirque  du  Soleil  on  its  new  production,  KA,  at  the 
MGM  Grand  in  Las  Vegas. 


Photography  by  Patrick  O'Connor  ] 


Transfo 


r  m  ations 


Winter  2005    29 


"Cirque  is  the  essence  of  live  and  real-time  performance, 
beyond  anything  you  would  see  on  Broadway  or  at  Disney," 
says  Bianchi.  "It's  very  interactive  and  nonlinear." 

The  Sinfonia,  played  by  a  musician  alongside  other 
live  instruments,  fit  well  for  Cirque  du  Soleil,  Bianchi  says, 
because  the  performance  of  Cirque's  music  is  so  flexible  and 
unpredictable.  The  music  needs  to  reflect  what's  happening 
on  stage  at  every  moment,  even  if  it's  unplanned.  If  the  actors 
miss  a  trick,  for  example,  the  music  must  adjust,  without  the 
audience  noticing.  "It's  very  much  like  a  video  game.  The 
musicians  are  all  watching  to  see  what  happens,  how  to  react, 
and  which  way  to  go,"  says  Bianchi,  who  is  also  a  co-founder 
of  the  Interactive  Media  and  Game  Development  program 
atWPI. 

Not  only  was  Cirque  du  Soleil  a  good  match  for  Sinfonia, 
but  the  show  has  "pushed  the  evolution  of  the  instrument  as 
well,"  Bianchi  says.  Over  the  years,  the  creative  design  team  at 
Cirque  du  Soleil  had  many  requirements  for  the  technology, 
which  went  beyond  the  capabilities  that  Bianchi  and  his  team 
had  ever  imagined.  At  the  same  time,  Bianchi  believes  the 
Sinfonia  "is  ushering  in  a  completely  new  wave  of  interactive 
performance  technology." 

The  virtual  orchestra  concept  dates  back  to  1986,  when 
Bianchi  was  director  of  computer  music  at  the  University  of 
Cincinnati's  Conservatory  of  Music.  At  that  time,  a  production 
of  the  opera  Iphigenie  en  Tauride  was  scheduled,  but,  for  various 
reasons,  the  orchestra  was  reluctant  to  play  it,  he  says. 

"I  stepped  forward  and  said  to  the  directot,  'I  think  we 
might  be  able  to  put  in  some  type  of  electronic  simulation.' 
When  I  think  back  to  it  now,  our  technological  resources  were 
laughable  compared  to  today,"  Bianchi  says. 

Thus,  the  evolutionary  wheels  began  turning.  The  philoso- 
phy behind  the  Sinfonia  was  borne  out  of  the  growing  trend  in 


which  support  for  the  performing  arts  was — and  is — declining 
in  the  United  States.  The  rising  costs  of  performing  an  opera  or 
musical — including  hiring  a  full  orchestra — have  forced  theatre 
companies  to  raise  ticket  prices,  or  even  shut  down.  At  the 
same  time,  many  composers  aren't  writing  theatrical  music  for 
orchestral  instruments  anymore,  Bianchi  says.  "What's  out  there 
now  are  shows  that  are  very  loud,  spectacular,  and  high  energy. 
For  the  audience  born  after  1945,  this  has  become  the  logical 
and  accepted  aesthetic." 

Following  the  virtual  orchestra's  debut  in  Cincinnati, 
Bianchi  formed  Realtime  Music  with  partners  and  co-founders 
David  Smith  and  Jeff  Lazarus.  In  the  early  1990s,  the  Sinfonia 
was  used  for  the  national  production  of  The  Wizard  ofOz. 
Those  performances  led  to  other  engagements,  including,  in  the 
winter  of  1995,  the  world's  first  use  of  this  technology  with  a 
major  opera  company.  Those  performances  were  picketed  by 
the  unions  and  landed  the  virtual  orchestra  in  the  international 
spotlight  of  controversy. 

"From  an  artistic  point  of  view,  the  idea  was  always  that 
the  virtual  orchestra  should  be  good  enough  to  simulate  a  real 
orchestra,  but  the  whole  thing  started  a  wave  of  controversy  that 
continues  to  this  day,"  Bianchi  says,  adding  that  it  is  ultimately 
up  to  composers  and  producers  to  decide  how  they  want  to  use 
the  technology. 

Philosophically,  the  idea  of  integrating  such  technology 
into  orchestras  has  been  a  hard  one  for  many  musicians  to 
swallow.  "Technology  has  always  been  a  problem  in  society — 
especially  when  it  displaces  workers,"  Bianchi  says.  "To  make 
matters  worse,  this  is  one  of  the  first  instances  of  technology 
threatening  a  highly  skilled  labor  pool."  He  explained  that 
Sinfonia  has  been  used  exclusively  to  complement  and  enhance, 
rather  than  replace,  live  musicians.  "And  the  outcome  has  been 
a  positive  one  for  the  industry." 


M 


beyond  anything  you  would  see  on  Broadway  or  at  Disney. 

It's  very  interactive  and  nonlinear. " 

•  j   ji  •  * • 


"When  somebody  performs  the  Sinfonia,  they  need  to  understand 
and  be  aware  of  almost  everything  that  is  going  on  in  the  music." 


The  technology  has  certainly  struck  a  nerve  with  musicians 
worldwide.  Since  the  early  1 990s,  when  the  virtual  orchestra 
became  more  widely  used,  unions  have  vehemently  protested 
the  use  of  this  technology  in  pit  orchestras.  In  March  2003, 
when  Broadway  went  on  strike  for  four  days,  producers  threat- 
ened to  replace  musicians  with  the  virtual  orchestra.  And  the 
New  York  musicians'  union  has  continued  to  place  the  banning 
of  Sinfonia  as  one  of  its  top  priorities. 

To  Bianchi,  the  claims  against  the  technology  are  without 
merit.  "The  union  likes  to  reduce  its  argument  to  the  simplest 
terms  and  has  thus  positioned  itself  as  'the  humans  against  the 
machine.'  But  it's  not  like  that  at  all,"  the  professor  of  music 
says.  "Anyone  familiar  with  the  evolution  of  any  technology 
develops  an  appreciation  and  understanding  that  transcends 
the  moment,  and  sees  beyond  the  political  swagger,  myopia, 
and  self-interest  of  the  opposition." 

The  evolution  of  an  instrument 

As  the  virtual  orchestra  became  more  widely  used  during  the 
1 990s,  its  creators  received  continual  feedback  from  the  musi- 
cians and  composers  using  it,  helping  shape  and  improve  the 
instrument.  Over  the  years,  the  virtual  orchestra  has  become 
more  compact.  It  began  as  a  collection  of  oversized  racks  and 
cases  in  the  back  of  a  large  truck  and  has  been  reduced  overall  in 
size  and  weight.  Bianchi  expects  a  laptop  version,  with  the  same 
capabilities  as  the  larger  Sinfonia,  to  be  operational  in  2006. 

The  ability  to  design  a  laptop  version  of  Sinfonia,  Bianchi 
says,  can  be  attributed  to  the  jump  in  processor  speeds  and 
memory.  "Memory  and  speed  are  the  major  liberators  in  real- 
time applications,"  he  says.  "In  1986,  the  basic  processor  speed 
was  about  10  MHz,  so  our  ideas  were  really  hard  to  realize." 

In  laptop  form,  the  Sinfonia  will  open  itself  up  to  more 
venues,  including  amateur  productions,  Bianchi  says.  The 
virtual  orchestra  could  help  smaller  organizations  that  don't 


have  the  proper  configuration  of  musicians,  instruments,  or 
space.  When  amateur  and  professional  musicians  play  alongside 
Sinfonia,  he  adds,  it  helps  enhance  and  support  their  own 
musical  efforts.  He  recalls  a  rehearsal  of  the  national  Broadway 
tour  of  Titanic  in  2001,  which  used  the  Sinfonia  alongside  an 
ensemble  of  live  musicians.  The  orchestra  sounded  great,  he 
says,  until  Sinfonia  sat  out  for  one  song.  Bianchi  immediately 
heard  the  difference — instruments  went  flat  and  musicians 
missed  rhythms. 

The  future  of  music 

Bianchi  believes  Sinfonia  will  increasingly  be  used  in  future 
musical  performances.  That  said,  the  instrument  would  be 
ill-suited  for  music  that  is  indigenous  to  the  acoustic  tradition. 
For  example,  if  the  BSO  performed  a  Beethoven  symphony, 
there  would  be  no  logic  or  aesthetic  motive  to  use  Sinfonia. 

But  the  question  is,  What  will  be  the  ratio  of  those  tradi- 
tional types  of  performances  to  new  types  of  performances  in 
the  future?  Bianchi  says,  "If  music  has  always  been  a  delivery 
system  for  new  cultural  ideas,  artists  aren't  going  to  continue, 
or  succeed  at,  creating  and  expressing  themselves  with  tradi- 
tional resources.  This  isn't  a  death  wish  onto  music.  Rather, 
I'm  optimistic  that  it  will  push  the  boundaries  of  expression." 

As  a  corollary,  Bianchi  expects  the  future  demands  of  being 
a  musician  to  increase,  not  get  any  easier.  "When  somebody 
performs  the  Sinfonia,  they  need  to  understand  and  be  aware  of 
almost  everything  that  is  going  on  in  the  music.  The  traditional 
idea  of  a  symphony  orchestra — or  a  large  ensemble  composed 
of  single,  individual  components — is  becoming  a  thing  of  the 
past,"  he  says.  "Technology  and  invention  have  led  us  in  this 
new  direction." 

"You  know,"  he  adds,  "if  Mozart  had  had  access  to  a 
microphone,  amplifier,  and  speakers,  he  wouldn't  have  used 
20  violin  players."  D 


Transformations    j    Winter  2005     3  1 


What  do  Edward  Alton  Parrish,  William  Shakespeare,  and  Marcus  Vipsanius  Agrippa  have  in  common? 

(Answer  on  next  page)  For  that  matter,  where  can  you  go  to  read  up  on  the  downside  of  globalization, 

or  the  interplay  of  technology  and  magic  in  Latin  American  fiction?  The  common  source  for  this 

wellspring  of  knowledge  is  WPI's  little-known  but  wide-ranging  university  press. 


32    Transformations   |   Winter  .'no, 


Since  1 984,  the  WPI  Studies  in  Science,  Technology, 
and  Culture  series  has  grown  to  include  20  volumes,  published 
in  partnership  with  Peter  Lang  Publishing  Inc.,  the  North 
American  branch  of  a  European  firm  founded  in  the  1 920s  to 
help  German  doctoral  candidates  disseminate  their  research. 
From  this  traditional  niche,  Peter  Lang  has  evolved  into  a 
multinational  force  in  academic  publishing,  with  offices  in 
Switzerland,  England,  and  the  United  States. 

Lance  Schachterle,  associate  provost  for  academic  affairs 
and  professor  of  English,  serves  as  general  editor  for  the  series, 
reviewing  manuscripts  with  a  committee  of  faculty  experts. 
"The  books  have  to  be  on  a  topic  that  gets  at,  in  some  fashion, 
the  impact  of  science  and  technology  on  some  cultural  issue; 
and  that  link  can  be  philosophical,  historical,  aesthetic,  or  polit- 
ical," he  says.  "Or  the  inverse — which  is  less  common,  but  in 
some  ways  more  interesting — to  try  to  connect  the  cultural  and 
historical  influences  of  a  given  time  and  place  to  the  science 
and  technology  that  was  created  in  that  society." 

The  series  invites  contributions  from  all  over  and  offers  WPI's 
faculty  a  forum  for  their  unique  knowledge.  "In  Worcester, 
Massachusetts":  Essays  on  Elizabeth  Bishop  honors  Worcester's 
"brilliant  native  daughter,"  the  Pulitzer  Prize-winning  poet 
whose  best-known  works  are  set  here.  Laura  Jehn  Menides,  who 
retired  from  WPI  last  year  as  professor  of  English,  served  as 
editor  of  the  monograph,  an  offshoot  from  the  1997  Elizabeth 
Bishop  Conference  and  Poetry  Festival  that  Menides  organized 
at  WPI.  Associate  Professor  of  Spanish  Angel  A.  Rivera  has 


written  widely  on  themes  of  modernity  and  modernization  in 
Spanish  Caribbean  literature.  His  book  Eugenia  Maria  de 
Hostos  y  Alejandro  Tapia  y  Rivera:  Avatares  de  una  modernidad 
caribena  focuses  on  the  influence  of  two  nineteenth  century 
writers  on  the  literature  and  culture  of  Puerto  Rico. 

Although  academic  publishing  is  experiencing  academic 
pressures — Northeastern  University  Press  almost  went  under 
last  year,  and  others  are  in  jeopardy — the  WPI  Studies  series 
occupies  a  unique  niche,  with  a  small,  but  dedicated  audience 
that  includes  standing  orders  from  university  libraries.  "Lang 
specializes  in  small  press  runs — typically  300  to  500  copies — 
of  books  of  a  very  specific  scholarly  nature,"  says  Schachterle. 
"Their  business  model  enables  them  to  make  a  profit  by  pub- 
lishing limited  quantities  of  a  large  number  of  titles,  worldwide, 
every  year."  He  points  out  that  even  the  best  sellers  from  an 
academic  press  are  rarely  blockbusters  in  the  commercial  sense. 

Schachterle,  who  has  written  about  physics  and  technology 
in  the  fiction  of  Thomas  Pynchon,  says  he  would  like  to  see 
the  series  grow  to  include  some  contemporary  authors,  or  some 
current  science  fiction  that  explores  cutting-edge  issues  such  as 
artificial  intelligence  or  the  interface  of  virtual  and  traditional 
reality.  The  best  works  in  the  series,  he  says,  underscore  WPI's 
mission:  "To  ensure  that  all  of  our  graduates  not  only  under- 
stand how  to  create  new  technologies,  but  understand  rhe  social 
and  ethical  implications  of  managing  those  very  same  technolo- 
gies and  the  moral  and  ethical  implications  and  challenges  of 
the  dominance  of  technology  in  our  culture."  D 


For  a  complete  list  of  titles  go  to  wvnv.peterlangusa.com.  A  20  percent  discount  is  available  to  alumni  and  members 
of  the  WPI  community;  call  Felicia  Caggiano  at  212-647-7700. 

Answer:  All  are  authors  or  subjects  in  the  series.  Parrish,  WPI's  1 4th  president,  contributed  the  first  chapter  of  Liberal  Education  in  Twenty-First  Century 
Engineering;  Shakespeare  is  the  subject  of  Broken  Symmetry:  A  Study  of  Agency  in  Shakespeare's  Plays;  the  achievements  of  Roman  inventor-architect 
Marcus  Agrippa  (63-12  B.C.)  are  explored  in  The  Engineer  in  History. 


wmr 


'[WPI's  mission]  is  to  ensure  that  all  of 
our  graduates  not  only  understand  how 


create  new  technologies,  but  under*: 


the  social  and  ethical  implications 


managing  those  very  same  technologies 
and  the  moral  and  ethical  implications 
and  challenges  of  the  dominance 


of  technology  in  our  culture." 


Photography  by  Patrick  O'Connor  ] 


Reading  Between  the  Lines 


The  History  of  Woodbury  &  Company  (2006)  and  Liberal  Education  in  21s  y  Engineering  (2004) 

are  just  two  of  20  books  published  by  WPI  Studies  in  Science,  Technology,  and  Culture  series. 
Below,  Transformations  offers  a  glimpse  into  these  two  titles. 


% 


4.     — 


James  P.  Hanlan  and  Kent  P. 
Ljungquist,  edited  by  Rodney  Gorme  Obien 

In  2002,  WPI  received  an  extraordinary  donation  from 
the  family  of  John  C.  Woodbury,  an  1 876  graduate  of 

the  Worcester  County  Free 
Institute  for  Industrial  Science 
(now  WPI).  Along  with  a 
wealth  of  engravings,  records, 
and  artifacts  dating  back 
more  than  a  century,  was  a 
typewritten  manuscript  titled 
"Notes  on  the  History  of 
Woodbury  &  Company  Inc." 


At  the  turn  of  the  century,  Woodbury  was  the  largest 
commercial  engraver  in  central  New  England.  In  its 
heyday,  the  company  produced  everything  from  fine 
stationery  to  first-day  covers  for  commemorative 
postage  stamps  (above)  to  greeting  cards  for  the  White 
House. 

The  original  manuscript,  written  by  Harold  D.  Woodbury 
(son  of  the  founder)  will  be  edited  by  professors  James 
P.  Hanlan  (history)  and  Kent  P.  Ljungquist  (English),  and 
university  archivist  and  curator  of  special  collections 
Rodney  Gorme  Obien.  The  three  will  contribute  a 
scholarly  introduction  that  will  underscore  Woodbury's 
contributions  to  print  technology  and  its  significance  in 
Worcester's  industrial  history.  Illustrations  will  feature 
a  bygone  art:  "bird's-eye"  views  of  vintage  industrial 
buildings,  hand-etched,  and  rendered  in  astonishing 
detail  by  the  photogravure  process  Woodbury  developed 
to  satisfy  the  era's  high  standards  for  quality  letterhead 
(above  right). 

"It's  a  WPI  story,  with  four  generations  of  Woodburys 
who  went  here,"  says  Obien.  "It's  more  than  a  company 
history;  it's  a  history  of  the  printing  industry  after  1870, 
which  is  an  under-documented  area  of  study."  To  survey 
related  sources  of  information  and  inspire  further  research, 
WPI  received  a  Massachusetts  Documentary  Heritage 
Grant,  concluding  in  a  symposium  to  share  the  findings. 

"The  scope  of  the  Woodbury  collection  is  just  amazing," 
Obien  says.  "The  written  narrative  and  the  company 
artifacts  have  great  value  for  graphic  artists,  historians, 
and  students  of  American  studies,  labor  history,  and 
economics.  It  took  foresight  for  the  family  to  save  these 
things  and  to  donate  them  to  us.  A  lot  of  companies 
would  have  just  put  it  in  the  Dumpster." 

The  original  manuscript  will  be  brought  up  to  date  with 
an  addendum  by  retired  president  Kimball  R.  Woodbury 
'44,  who  will  address  the  challenges  posed  to  specialty 
printing  companies  by  the  advent  of  the  information 
technology  era. 


Liberal  Education  in 
21st  Century  Engineering 

Edited  by  David  F.  Ollis,  Kathryn  A.  Neeley, 
and  Heinz  C.  Luegenbiehl 

Since  the  1  950s,  when  author  C.  P.  Snow  spoke  of  the  gap 
between  the  "two  cultures"  of  the  sciences  and  the  humanities, 
there  has  been  ongoing  debate  over  their  proper  place  in  the 
engineering  curriculum.  In  2000,  the  Accreditation  Board  for 
Engineering  and  Technology  (ABET)  issued  revised  requirements. 
This  volume  of  essays  examines  the  historical  rationale  for  these 
"eleven  commandments"  (often  referred  to  as  EC  2000)  and 
explores  the  challenges  and  opportunities  of  this  new  era 
in  education. 

Former  WPI  president  Edward  Alton  Parrish  recaps  a  half<entury 
of  engineering  education  in  the  book's  first  chapter.  He  documents 
how  guidelines  for  humanities  courses  grew  from  a  single  page  of 
recommendations  into  almost  20  pages  of  detailed  requirements, 
which  critics  called  a  rigid  "bean-counting"  or  "cookie-cutter 
approach"  that  stifled  innovation.  Parrish,  an  ABET  fellow,  had  the 
honor  of  making  the  actual  motion  to  approve  the  EC  2000  criteria. 

Associate  Provost  Lance  Schachterle  takes  up  the  meaning  of 
"liberal  education"  in  the  next  chapter.  He  traces  the  term  back  to 
its  Latin  root,  liber,  meaning  freedom.  In  medieval  times,  a  liberal 
education  offered  freedom  from  the  servitude  of  manual  labor.  In 
the  same  sense,  Schachterle  reminds  us  that  the  word  "engineer" 
is  linguistically  related  to  ingenuity  — problem  solving  with  the 
head  — rather  than  the  manual  and  mechanical  work  of  fixing 
engines  with  the  hands.  He  writes  that  true  liberation  will  require 
both  "the  tools  and  disciplines  requisite  for  a  technological 
culture"  and  "the  self-reflection  and  judgment  nurtured  by  study 
of  the  collective  human  achievements." 

From  Samuel  Florman's  1968  classic  "The  Civilized  Engineer,"  to 
explorations  of  contemporary  issues  of  communication,  ethics,  and 
aesthetics,  Liberal  Engineering  offers  a  variety  of  voices  to  guide 
faculty,  administrators,  and  institutions  through  this  revolutionary 
period  in  engineering  education. 


"I  slopped  being  scared  years  ago. 

I  learned  to  shut  up.  Take  my  happy 

pills  and  pass  myself  off  as  normal. 

Most  of  the  time  it  works." 

—  Lee,  in  Passing,  a  play  by 
Catherine  Darensbour 


Comeback 


II 


By  John  Leonard  and  Michael  W.  Dorsey 


In  Passing,  a  one-act  play  that  debuted  last  year  during 
the  23rd  edition  of  New  Voices,  WPI's  annual  new  plays  festival, 
a  worker  decides  to  quit  her  job  after  failing  a  workplace  drug 
test  rather  than  admit  that  the  medications  she  takes  are  for  her 
mental  health.  "I'm  mentally  ill  and  legitimately  medicated," 
she  tells  a  co-worker.  "Have  been  for  a  long  time." 

For  playwright  Catherine  Darensbourg  '02,  as  for  the 
character  in  her  play,  mental  illness  has  been  a  constant  com- 
panion— and  a  continual  hurdle  to  overcome — since  she  was 
diagnosed  almost  1 3  years  ago  with  schizoaffective  disorder,  a 
psychiatric  condition  that  combines  elements  of  schizophrenia 
and  depression. 

Her  illness  extended  her  undergraduate  education  into  a 
14-year  marathon,  made  her  daily  functioning  dependent  on 
medications  that  have  ameliorated  her  symptoms,  though  some- 


times at  a  crippling  cost,  and  immersed  her  in  a  world  of  social 
services  that  seems  designed,  principally,  to  keep  her  living  in 
poverty.  But  one  thing  mental  illness  could  not  accomplish  was 
to  diminish  Darensbourg's  creativity,  nor  her  drive  to  grow  as 
an  artist  and  gain  a  wider  audience  for  her  work. 

From  her  fertile  imagination  has  come  a  constant  stream 
of  plays  and  short  stories,  along  with  an  unpublished  180,000- 
word  fantasy  novel  she  wrote  as  her  major  project  in  literature. 
Fifteen  of  her  plays  (a  record)  have  been  produced  at  WPI  as 
part  of  New  Voices.  Two  have  been  accepted  by  the  Samuel 
French  Off-Off  Broadway  Original  Short  Play  Festival,  one 
of  the  nation's  most  competitive  playwriting  contests. 

In  2004,  Dreams  Abridged — a  shortened  version  of  The 
Dreamery,  first  performed  at  WPI  in  1992 — was  mounted  by 
a  cast  and  crew  of  WPI  students,  alumni,  and  staff  in  the 


Photography  by  Dan  VaiHancourt  ] 


Transformations    \   Winter  2005     3  5 


Above:  A  scene  from  the  benefit  production  of  Catherine  Darensbourg's  Dreams  Abridged,  performed  at  WPl  in  2004, 
before  the  show  was  mounted  at  the  Chernuchin  Theatre  in  New  York.  Opposite  page:  Cast  and  crew  take  their  bows. 
Previous  page:  Darensbourg  and  mentor  Susan  Vick,  professor  of  drama  and  theatre. 


Chernuchin  Theatre  at  the  American  Theatre  of  Actors  on  West 
54th  Street  in  New  York.  It  was  one  of  100  plays  selected  for 
the  festival  that  year  (from  more  than  300  submitted).  Only 
one  entry  would  ultimately  be  published  by  French,  the  world's 
best-known  theatrical  publisher.  Darensbourg  made  her  second 
trip  to  the  festival  this  summer  with  Passing,  which  was  also 
presented  at  the  Chernuchin  by  a  WPI  cast  and  crew. 

Another  Darensbourg  play,  Famous  Lost  Words,  was  a  run- 
ner up  this  year  in  a  national  new  play  competition  held  by  the 
Catholic  University  of  America,  and  sponsored  by  the  Paul  VI 
Institute  for  the  Arts  in  Washington,  D.C.  Along  with  two 
other  runners  up,  Darensbourg's  play  was  given  a  staged  reading 
in  April,  and  playwright-in-residence  Jon  Klein,  author  of  20 
produced  plays,  is  working  with  Darensbourg  and  the  other 
festival  winners  to  develop  their  works  for  possible  publication. 

Most  recently,  Darensbourg,  along  with  Dean  O'Donnell, 
instructor  in  WPI's  new  Interactive  Media  and  Game  Develop- 
ment major  program  (and  also  a  frequent  New  Voices  contributor), 
was  commissioned  to  write  a  new  play  for  the  opening  of  WPI's 
Little  Theatre  (see  page  9).  The  play,  Prime  Time  Crime:  Teal 
Version,  debuted  on  Nov.  17. 

While  Darensbourg  is  known  today  at  WPI  as  a  playwright, 
her  hope  when  she  arrived  on  campus  in  1988  was  to  become  a 
mechanical  engineer.  Born  in  New  York  City  and  adopted  as  an 
infant  by  a  couple  in  Lafayette,  La.,  she  was  an  excellent  student 
through  grade  school  and  finished  high  school  at  the  top  ol  her 


class  and  as  a  national  merit  finalist.  Her  strong  academic  skills 
masked  a  learning  disorder  that  only  became  apparent  when  she 
began  tackling  calculus  and  other  high-level  math  courses  at  WPI. 

In  her  first  term,  finding  herself  struggling  more  than 
most  of  her  classmates,  she  discovered  that  she  suffered  from 
dyscalculia,  which  is  characterized  by  a  difficulty  in  visualizing 
numbets.  "Genetics  was  beginning  to  catch  up  with  me,"  she  says. 

In  1992,  now  wrestling  with  financial  as  well  as  academic 
difficulties,  she  transferred  from  WPI  to  Worcester  State  College. 
The  following  year,  less  than  two  weeks  before  Christmas, 
another  thread  in  Darensbourg's  genetic  tapestry  came  to  the 
surface.  She  suffered  a  nervous  breakdown  and  began  to  hear  a 
voice  in  her  head  that  identified  itself  as  God  and  informed  her 
that  she  was  going  to  die. 

She  dropped  out  of  Worcester  State  and  went  to  work  to 
pay  her  medical  bills,  which  soon  mushroomed  to  twice  her 
monthly  salary.  Then  she  lost  the  job,  and  finally  her  apartment. 
'A  lot  of  my  life  came  to  a  screeching  halt,"  she  says. 

Medication  helped  her  counter  the  effects  of  the  schizo- 
affective disorder,  though  at  times  it  proved  more  taxing  than 
the  illness  it  was  supposed  to  treat.  Clozeril,  one  of  the  first 
anti-psychotic  drugs  she  took,  enabled  her  to  write  one  ol  her 
first  plays,  Descent  from  Eden,  hut  left  her  feeling  so  depleted 
that  she  slept  16  to  18  hours  a  day.  "They  kept  trying  new 
medications,  because  they  realized  I  was  never  going  to  keep 
up,"  she  says.  "But  I  lost  years  ol  my  lite  th.it  way, 


3G    Transformations   \  Winter  2005 


.#  a  .  ^  i 


Medication,  along  with  vatious  federal,  state,  and  local 
assistance  programs,  and  Darensbourg's  own  determination, 
have  all  played  a  role  in  helping  her  rally  back  from  a  debilitat- 
ing disease,  as  has  regular  church  attendance.  "Whether  there  is 
a  divinity  or  not,"  she  says,  "the  mental  discipline  of  just  saying 
prayers,  meditating,  and  focusing,  over  a  long  period  of  time, 
can  act  the  same  way  that  braces  can  act  for  your  teeth." 

But  just  as  important  to  her  recovery,  Darensbourg  says, 
were  the  people  who  believed  in  her  and  never  saw  her  as  a  lost 
cause.  "I  give  people  a  lot  of  credit  for  not  just  brushing  me 
off,"  she  says,  "because  I  was  totally  out  of  it." 

At  WPI,  where  she  was  eventually  able  to  re-enroll,  those 
guardian  angels  included  Ann  Garvin,  director  of  student  advis- 
ing, who  was  convinced  that  Darensbourg's  ever  lengthening 
WPI  student  career  could  one  day  end  successfully.  "She  would 
say,  'What  do  you  have  that  you  can  graduate  in?  Once  you've 
got  a  degree,  how  is  that  going  to  help  you  survive?  How  can 
you  be  sure  that  you  end  up  with  something  that's  more  than 
just  a  piece  of  paper?'" 

Garvin  was  also  a  fan  of  Darensbourg's  writing  and  brought 
her  work  to  the  attention  of  Susan  Vick,  professor  of  drama  and 
theatre.  "Garvin  was  Catherine's  biggest  advocate  here,"  Vick 
says.  "I  can't  begin  tell  you  what  that  woman  did  for  her." 

Darensbourg,  in  turn,  credits  Vick  with  helping  nurture 
her  potential  as  an  artist.  "None  of  this  would  have  been  possi- 
ble without  Susan  Vick,"  she  says.  "She  was  always  cheering  me 
on.  She'd  come  around  near  the  New  Voices  deadline  and  say, 
'You're  going  to  turn  something  in,  right?'  She  was  not  exactly 
cracking  the  whip,  but  she  wasn't  giving  me  milk  and  cookies  and 
saying,  'You  poor  dear.'  It  was  a  nice  balance  between  the  two." 

In  May  2002,  Darensbourg  received  her  bachelor  of  science 
degree,  with  distinction,  in  literature  with  a  concentration  in 
drama.  Though  she  changed  her  major,  she  credits  her  engineer- 
ing studies  with  stimulating  her  interest  in  technology  (reflected 
in  her  science  fiction  stories,  which  often  feature  ingenious 
gadgets)  and  her  own  success  as  an  inventor.  (She  won  third 


place  in  WPI's  2005  Strage  Innovation  Awards,  honoring  young 
inventors  who  can  translate  good  ideas  into  viable  products, 
for  a  disposable  cleansing  mitt  she  developed  with  Alexandra 
Levshin  '05).  In  general,  she  says  her  WPI  education  fostered  in 
her  an  entrepreneurial  spirit.  "Whatever  their  major,  WPI  gives 
all  graduates  an  ability  to  think  for  themselves,"  she  says. 

Darensbourg  says  she  has  decided  to  apply  her  entrepre- 
neurial bent  to  writing,  a  career  choice  she  made  over  the 
objections  of  her  mental  health  care  providers,  who  frequently 
urged  her  to  find  a  more  dependable  way  to  make  a  living,  like 
clerking  in  a  store  or  waiting  tables.  Her  chosen  profession  has 
necessitated  an  austere  lifestyle. 

Despite  her  dramatic  comeback  and  prolific  output, 
Darensbourg  lives  modestly  in  an  apartment  provided  by  the 
Worcester  Residential  Assistance  Program.  She  is  careful  not 
to  exceed  the  income  limitations  dictated  by  the  federal  Social 
Security  Disability  Income  program  to  avoid  losing  the  funds 
she  needs  to  buy  her  medications.  She  supplements  the  little 
she  can  earn  from  writing  with  other  artistic  pursuits,  including 
pottery,  enameling,  lamp-working,  embroidery,  and  metalwork. 
She  also  paints  and  draws.  "To  keep  my  sanity,"  she  says,  "the 
tradeoff  is  poverty." 

If  her  recent  successes  are  any  indication,  Darensbourg 
may  not  have  to  make  that  tradeoff  too  much  longer.  But  Vick 
leavens  her  enthusiasm  for  Darensbourg's  talent  with  her  own 
knowledge  of  the  cold  reality  of  the  entertainment  business.  She 
says  she  has  seen  many  students  try  to  make  it  over  the  years; 
most  of  the  people  who  enter  the  field  remain  on  the  bottom, 
and  only  a  few  come  out  on  top.  Far  fewer  find  any  kind  of 
happy  medium.  "You  can't  make  a  living,  but  you  can  make  a 
killing,"  Vick  says. 

For  her  part,  Darensbourg  seems  to  have  adjusted  to  life 
on  an  extremely  tight  budget,  and  even  accepted  it  with  grace 
and  humor.  "If  I  live  very  carefully  on  my  disability,  I  can  do 
it,"  she  says.  "And  with  help  and  assistance  and  people  throwing 
peanut  butter  sandwiches  my  way,  life  is  good."  II 


Transformations    \    Winter   2  005     3  7 


ass  Notes 


Staying  Connected  with  Old  Friends 

Material  for  Class  Notes  comes  from  newspaper  and  magazine  clippings,  press  releases, 
and  information  supplied  by  alumni.  Due  to  production  schedules,  some  notes  may  be  out 
of  date  at  publication,  but  may  be  updated  in  future  issues.  Please  allow  up  to  6  months  for 
your  news  to  appear  in  print.  Submit  your  Class  Note  at  www.wpi.edu/+Transformations 
or  alumni-editor@wpi.edu.  You  may  fax  it  to  508-831-5604,  or  mail  it  to  Alumni  Editor, 
Transformations,  WPI,  100  Institute  Road,  Worcester,  MA  01609-2280. 


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Submit  an  Item  for  Class  Notes 

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m  rocrscuhc  nftt)  to  niu  cl»i  note*  forclyk.  chnryand  Icnph.  Wccndcavei 
i  nolo  we  rctcii  f  m  Oic  nuci/inc.  II  vuu  tub.  ii.u  may  j!io  ojhinil  yom  nc*  1 
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ckclrnnic  lomut  nuy  be  c-auikd  io 


1930s 


Ham  Gurnham  '36  has  been  making  news 
with  a  profile  in  The  Island  Packet  describing 
his  adventurous  history  and  his  active  life- 
style. Ham  retired  to  Florida  and  enjoyed 
traveling  the  country  by  motor  home  with 
his  wife,  Marti,  who  died  in  1998.  He 
recently  moved  to  Hilton  Head,  S.C.,  to 
be  closer  to  family.  In  June  Ham  drove  back 
to  Florida,  solo — almost  500  miles  round 
trip — to  visit  with  old  friends.  His  routine 
includes  daily  walks  and  baking  sweets  for 
his  neighbors  at  Indigo  Pines.  Photo  by  Erin 
Painter,  courtesy,  The  Island  Packet. 


1940s 


Dan  Lewis  '47  in  Bethesda,  Md.,  writes, 
"A  recent  computer  crash  wiped  out  my 
address  book.  I  would  appreciate  e-mail 
notes  from  any  of  my  '47  classmates  at 
dan.lewis@verizon.net." 


1950s 


Clayton  Roberts  '50  addressed  the  IEEE 
Syracuse  Section  in  September.  His  topic 
was  the  Duryea  racecar  designed  and  built 
by  his  grandfather  in  1842.  The  Duryea, 
believed  to  be  the  world's  first  gasoline- 
powered  engine,  is  now  in  the  Smithsonian. 
Clayton  is  president  of  Mars  Hill  Broad- 
casting Co.  in  Syracuse,  N.Y. 


Charles  Dechand  '53  was  honored  as 
Citizen  of  the  Year  by  the  Bloomfield 
(Conn.)  Civitan  Club.  His  civic  activities 
include  membership  in  the  Hartford  Arrists 
Collective,  the  Connecticut  Society  of 
Genealogists,  and  the  Wintonbury  Historical 
Society.  He  is  also  active  with  the  local  cable 
TV  station. 

Dave  Dayton  '55  and  his  wife,  Shirley 
(Grange),  recently  celebrated  their  50th 
anniversary.  They  have  five  children,  who 
have  given  them  1 0  grandchildren.  Dave 
earned  an  MBA  at  Northeastern  and 
launched  several  nonprofits  devoted  to  job 
creation  and  criminal  justice  reform.  He  is 
retired  from  Northeast  Utilities,  but  contin- 
ues consulting  and  writing  fiction. 

Bill  Rabinovitch  '58  completed  a  docu- 
mentary about  artist  James  Rosenquist.  Bill 
appeared  on  television  again  recently,  when 
ABC  rebroadcast  a  "20/20"  television  seg- 
ment with  his  comments  about  controversies 
in  the  art  world. 

Norm  Taupeka  '58  put  himself  up  for  auc- 
tion in  a  fund-raiser  for  the  Dennis  (Mass.) 
Conservation  Trust.  A  humorous  article  in 
the  Cape  Cod  Times  described  him  as  "kind, 
generous,  modest."  After  a  35-year  career 
as  a  civilian  engineer  for  the  Army,  Norm 
retired  to  the  Cape  with  his  wife,  Carherine, 
who  died  three  years  ago. 

Arthur  Halprin  '59  is  retired  from  the 
University  of  Delaware  as  emeritus  professor 
of  physics  and  astronomy.  He  lives  in 
Newark,  Del.,  where  he  is  a  mentor  at  West 
Park  Elementary  School. 


1960s 


Sang  Ki  Lcc  '60  retired  from  Handong 
Global  University  in  Korea,  where  he  spent 
the  last  \'\\x  years  establishing  a  graduate 


program  in  international  law.  Handong 
International  Law  School  graduated  its  char- 
ter class  in  December  2004;  several  graduates 
took  the  Tennessee  Bar  exam  this  year,  and 
two  were  admitted.  Lee  continues  in  an 
advisory  capacity. 

Richard  Healing  '64  retired  from  the 
National  Transportation  Safety  Board.  Since 
2003,  he  has  served  on  the  board  as  an  advo- 
cate for  increased  aviation  safety  and  a 
champion  of  emerging  safety  technologies. 

Al  Malchiodi  '64  tetired 
from  Electric  Boat,  where 
he  started  as  an  electric 
design  engineer  and 
advanced  through  the 
tanks  to  become  a  nation- 
ally recognized  leader  in 
submarine  concept  formulation.  EB  presi- 
dent John  Casey  '76  said,  "Al  has  led  the 
way  in  the  development  of  critically  impor- 
tant submarine  technology  and  design  with  a 
combination  of  the  highest  degree  of  profes- 
sionalism, even-handedness,  and  good 
nature."  Al  and  his  wife,  Tillie,  live  in  East 
Lyme,  Conn. 

Walter  Massie  '64  retired  after  40  years  of 
teaching.  In  his  35  years  at  Del  It  University 
of  Technology  in  The  Netherlands,  where  he 
was  associate  professor  o!  ollshore  engineer- 
ing, his  field  developed  trom  a  single  elective 
course  to  a  fully  independent  master  ot  sci- 
ence degree  curriculum.  Offshore  engineer- 
ing includes  the  design  ot  structures  lor  the 

oil  and  gas  industry  and.  more  recendy, 

offshore  wind  turbines. 

Fran  Barton  '68  was  named  CFO  for 

UTStarcom  Inc.  in  Shanghai. 


3  8     Transformations    \    Winter  2005 


Wayne  Turnblom  '68 

was  appointed  to  the 
board  of  directors  of 
Foresight  Science  & 
Technology  and  named 
director,  Northeast 
Regional  Office.  The 
company  provides  business  development  and 
technology  transfer  services  to  the  global 
high-tech  world.  Turnblom  joined  Foresight 
in  2004  after  a  long  career  with  Eastman 
Kodak  Co.  He  also  serves  on  WPTs 
Chemistry  and  Biochemistry  Advisory 
Board. 

Tony  Leketa  '69  was 

promoted  to  division 
managet  of  the  Facilities, 
Environment  and 
Resource  Management 
Division  at  Parsons.  He 
is  retired  from  a  35-year 


1970s 


career  with  the  Army  Corps  of  Engineers, 
where  he  served  as  chief  of  Interagency  and 
International  Services.  From  October  2003 
to  May  2004,  he  served  in  Iraq  as  director 
of  construction  for  the  Coalition  Provisional 
Authority's  Program  Management  Office  in 
Baghdad. 

Robert  Scott  '69  was  named  2005  City 
Employee  of  the  Year  in  Virginia  Beach,  Va., 
where  he  has  served  32  years  on  the 
Planning  Board,  as  director  since  1975. 


Dennis  Murphy  '69  and  his  wife,  Diane 
Young,  organized  this  Labor  Day  mini- 
reunion  in  Mystic,  Conn.,  which  included 
great  food,  and  plenty  of  laughs  and  reminis- 
cences. "The  good  news  was  that  none  of  us 
had  changed  a  bit  since  1969,"  he  notes. 
Attending  were  (above,  without  wives,  from 
front  left)  Joan  and  Bob  Smith,  Sheila  and 
Don  Sharp,  Nancy  and  David  Zlotek,  Jeff 
Bernard,  Denise  and  Bob  Scott,  Carol  and 
Harold  Hemond,  Dennis  Murphy,  Carol 
and  Gordon  Miller,  and  Aline  and  Ed 
Mierzejewski. 


David  Emery  '70,  a  former  Republican  U.S. 
representative  and  Maine  state  congressman, 
announced  his  candidacy  for  governor  of 
Maine  last  spring,  but  withdrew  in  July.  His 
press  statement  expressed  his  wish  to  spare 
his  party  a  protracted  and  expensive  primary 
election  contest,  and  to  focus  on  defeating 
the  incumbent. 

Domenic  Forcella  '70s  Blues  Beat  column 
has  expanded  to  four  more  newspapers  in 
Connecticut,  with  readership  throughout  the 
state.  His  weekly  commentary  and  club  list- 
ings began  in  the  New  Britain  Herald  nine 
years  ago,  and  now  appear  in  the  weekend 
entertainment  section  of  eight  papers. 

Randolph  Sablich  '70  is  vice  president  and 
director  of  C4ISR  Programs  Dynamics 
Research  Corp.  in  Lexington,  Mass. 

Donald  Polonis  '72  is  chief  product  cost 
engineer  for  K  and  M  Electronics,  now  a 
wholly  owned  subsidiary  of  ITT  Industries. 
"We  power  the  intelligence  that  makes  night 
vision,  mass  spectrometry,  radar,  field  com- 
munications, and  missile  systems  work,"  he 
writes.  Donald  and  his  wife,  Patricia,  (mar- 
ried since  the  week  after  graduation),  have 
enjoyed  traveling  to  see  the  pyramids  of 
Egypt  and  the  natural  wonders  of  the 
American  Southwest. 


BUI  '73  and  Holly  (Keyes)  Ault  '74  reside 
in  "The  Manse"  (circa  1830),  built  by  WPI 
founder  John  Boynton.  The  house  is  the  par- 
sonage for  the  First  Church  of  Templeton, 
where  Bill  is  pastor.  "It  was  quite  a  thrill — 
with  five  WPI  degrees  between  the  two  of 
us — to  have  the  opportunity  to  live  in  this 
historic  house,"  says  Holly.  She  continues  at 
WPI  as  associate  professor  of  mechanical 
engineering. 

Alden  Bianchi  '74  was  appointed  to  the 
board  of  the  New  England  Employee 
Benefits  Council. 


th 


n  me 


The  Boston  Herald  speculated  about 
Dean  Stratouly  '74's  decision  to  pull  out  of  a 
$400  million  condo  development  in  Las 
Vegas,  calling  him  "the  high-rolling 
dealmaker  of  Boston's  colorful  development 
world"  ...  ExxonMobil  Chemical  Co. 
president   Mike  Dolan  '75  was  profiled  in  a 
cover  story  called  "Formula  for  the  Future," 
in  Continental,  the  airline's  in-flight 
magazine  ...  Director  of  Firesafety  Studies 
Kathy  Notarianni  '86  appeared  on  CBS 
News  and  was  featured  in  other  national 
media  outlets  in  October  with  tips  for 
National  Fire  Safety  Month  — from  a  mother 
of  three  ....  Todd  BenDor  '02  won  the 
System  Dynamics  Society's  2005 
Dana  Meadows  Award  for  his  work  on 
nature  preservation  ...  the  Boston  Globe 
covered  Jason  Reposa  '02's  mission  to  bring 
computers  and  technology  training  to  schools 
in  Honduras,  his  homeland.  Reposa,  co- 
founder  of  WPI's  video  game  development 
club,  established  a  nonprofit  foundation  to 
collect  and  ship  donated  computers,  and 
spent  a  month  assisting  schools  in  the  Tela 
area  of  Honduras. 


Leonard  Brzozowski  '74 

was  named  director  of  the 
Center  for  Leadership 
Development  at  Walsh 
College  in  Michigan.  He 
is  an  adjunct  professor  of 
organizational  leadership 

in  the  MBA  program  and  the  founder  of 

Robotron  Corp. 

Thomas  Frink  '74  was  ordained  a  priest  at 
the  Church  of  Saint  Ignatius  of  Loyola  in 
Chestnut  Hill,  Mass.,  last  spring;  he  entered 
the  Society  of  Jesus  in  1995.  He  holds 
master's  degrees  in  pastoral  counseling  and 
divinity,  and  is  currently  working  toward  a 
degree  in  Systematic  Theology  at  Weston 
Jesuit  School  of  Theology. 


Transformations    \    Winter  2005     39 


Frank  Schlegel  '75  was  named  global  busi- 
ness director  of  Crompton's  rubber  chemicals 
business.  He  has  been  with  the  company 
since  his  graduation. 

Ray  Dunn  '78  was 

named  president  of  the 
New  England  Society  of 
Plastic  and  Reconstructive 
Surgeons.  He  continues  as 
chief  of  the  Division  of 
Plastic  and  Reconstructive 
Surgery  at  UMass  Memorial  Health  Care  in 
Worcester  and  as  adjunct  professor  of  bio- 
medical engineering  at  WPI. 


honor  that  the  local  newspaper  El  Panama 
America  called  "the  biggest  announcement  in 
the  field  of  art  in  Panama." 

Stuart  Shapiro  co-authored  a  research  paper 
called  "Location  and  orientation  of  Triclosan 
in  phospholipid  model  membranes,"  which 
was  featured  online  in  Resonats,  the  e-zine 
of  Wiley's  NMR  Knowledge  Base,  under 
the  headline  "Cracking  eggs  to  test  a  bac- 
tericide." The  team's  study  was  originally 
published  in  the  European  Biophysics  Journal 
in  2004. 


1983 


1981 


Eduardo  Navarro  lives  in  Panama,  where 
his  artwotk  has  been  garnering  international 
recognition.  His  acrylic  painting  "Sala  de 
Espera"  (Waiting  Lounge)  won  a  bronze 
award  in  the  1996  Osaka  Triennial,  an 


Alan  Carpenter  joined  the  civil  engineeting 
department  of  BL  Companies  in  Meriden, 
Conn.,  as  a  senior  project  manager. 

Karen  Casella  was  recently  named  vice 
president  of  product  development  at 
SHOP.COM  in  Monterey,  Calif.  After  1 1 
years  at  Sun  Microsystems,  and  a  short  stint 


Bookshelf 

Recent  and  new  publications  by  WPI  alumni,  faculty,  staff 
Hale  &  Co.  Independent  Mail  Company  1843-1845 

by  Michael  S.  Gutman  '58 

Gutman's  self-published  history  chronicles  the  rival  mail  service 
founded  by  James  W.  Hale,  who  in  1843  promised  cheaper  and 
faster  delivery  than  the  U.S.  government.  In  its  heyday,  Hale  &  Co. 
may  have  handled  up  to  60,000  pieces  of  mail  a  day.  Cooperative 
agreements  with  other  companies  extended  the  network's  reach  as 
far  west  as  Chicago,  with  overseas  forwarding  capabilities,  as  well. 
Drawing  on  his  personal  database  of  1,377  covers  and  consulta- 
tions with  other  collectors,  Gutman  has  reconstructed  the  complex 
operations  of  this  maverick  entrepreneur.  The  high-quality  hardcover 
volume  includes  more  than  350  monochrome  images,  plus  a  16-page 
To  purchase,  contact  Gutman  at  mikeg94@comcast.net  or  508-477-6206. 


)lor  insert. 


Flashback 

by  Gary  Braver  (Gary  Goshgarian  '64)    A  Forge  Hardcover 

Goshgarian's  newest  medical  thriller  centers  on  the  race  to  produce 
a  cure  for  Alzheimer's  disease— a  cure  that  might  be  working  too 
well,  producing  violent  behavior  in  test  subjects,  who  are  sometimes 
overwhelmed  by  disturbing  memories.  There's  big  money  at  stake 
and  powerful  forces  backing  the  new  discovery— but  pharmacologist 
Rene  Ballard  has  doubts  about  the  safety  of  the  drug  known  as 
"Memorine."  She  finds  an  ally  in  Jack  Koryan,  a  man  who  has 
survived  a  life-threatening  attack  by  tropical  jellyfish,  only  to  find 
himself  plagued  by  bizarre  neural  flashbacks.  As  ihey  uncover  the 
truth  about  Jack's  past  and  the  jellyfish  toxin  — which  is  the  pharma- 
cological basis  of  Memorine  — they  uncover  a  sinister  pattern  of  lies  and  deceit  that  have 
left  a  trail  of  bodies,  and  several  elderly  patients  who  are  unable  — or  unwilling  — to  emerge 
from  the  past. 


at  eBay,  Karen  left  behind  the  long  commute 
and  the  hustle  and  bustle  of  Silicon  Valley 
for  wotk  closet  to  home,  in  idyllic  Monterey, 
where  she  and  her  family  had  relocated  six 
years  ago. 

In  August,  Kevin  Manning  celebrated  his 
20th  anniversary  at  Ticona,  the  technical 
polymer  business  of  Celanese  Corp.  He  and 
his  wife,  Alexa,  relocated  from  northwestern 
New  Jersey  to  the  greater  Cincinnati  area  last 
year.  He  now  works  at  Ticona's  new  head- 
quartets  in  Florence,  Ky,  and  lives  in  New 
Richmond,  Ohio. 


1985 


Jay  Cormier  works  for  Mindspeed  Tech- 
nologies as  a  senior  vice  president  and  gen- 
eral manager  of  one  of  the  firm's  business 
units. 

Jeff  Stevens  manages  the  Broadband 
Wireless  Access  Group  at  Analog  Devices. 


1986 


Christopher  Adams  joined  Northeast 
Utilities  in  2004.  From  East  Hartford, 
Conn.,  he  writes,  "My  wife  and  I  were 
blessed  with  the  birth  of  our  daughter, 
Kallista,  in  2002.  She  joined  her  three  older 
brothers  in  a  household  full  of  fun,  soccer 
balls,  bicycles,  and  computers." 

Edward  Childs  joined  Back  Bay  Financial 
Group  as  an  operations  analvst/financial 
planning  assistant. 

Craig  Gosselin  was  appointed  chief  market- 
ing and  sales  officer  for  Velocita  Wireless  in 
Woodbridge,  N.J. 

Marie  Harriman  writes,  "I  am  proud  to 
announce  I  have  a  short  essay  published  in  a 
new  book,  Cheaper  Than  Therapy.  The  book, 
edited  by  fiber  artist  Annie  Modesitt,  dis- 
cuses the  subject  ot  joy,  healing,  and  life  les- 
sons in  fiber,  specifically  knitting.  I  learned 
how  to  knit  during  my  junior  year  at  WPI, 
while  studying  in  Sweden.  Since  becoming 
disabled  almost  three  years  ago,  I've  had  the 
opportunity  to  revisit  this  hobby.  My  essay 
incorporates  the  experiences  ot  being  dis- 
abled and  living  with  .1  chronic  illness." 

"We  recently  moved  back  to  Massachusetts 
for  new  career  opportunities,"  writes  John 
Pachcco.  "I  am  manager oi  technology 

development  .11  Welsh  foods,  maker  ol 
gr.ipe  juice  and  jellies.  My  wile.  Dana,  is 
accounting  manager  with  the  Fenn  School 
in  Concord.''  They  live  in  Acton  with  their 
children.  |oev.  9,  and  K.itv.  7. 


40    Transformations   |   Winter  2005 


1988 

Lt.  Col.  Robert  Provost,  USAF,  was 
assigned  to  Fort  Meade,  Md.;  his  wife, 
Cindy,  serves  in  the  Air  Force,  as  lieutenant 
colonel  at  Boiling  APB  in  Washington,  D.C. 
Rob  also  operates  Grand  Slam  Fly-fishing 
Destinations  (grandslamflyfishing.com),  spe- 
cializing in  hosted  fly-fishing  trips  to  premier 
freshwater  and  saltwater  destinations  around 
the  world. 

Lisa  Partridge  Sylvia  was  named  director  of 
the  Otis  [Elevator]  Innovation  Program  at 
United  Technologies  Research  Center  in  East 
Hartford,  Conn.  She  and  her  husband, 
Norman,  live  in  Tolland. 

David  Welch  married  Leigh  Withington  on 
April  23,  2005.  They  live  in  Northborough, 
Mass. 


1989 


Michael  Fitzpatrick  writes,  "Aftet  three 
years  on  the  Central  Artery/Tunnel  project, 
I  have  accepted  a  new  position  as  deputy 
director  of  security  for  the  Massachusetts 
Turnpike  Authority." 

Alison  Gotkiri  is  employed  at  K  and  M 
Electronics  in  the  key  role  of  business  devel- 
opment manager. 

Fran  Hoey  HI  received 
the  2005  Lester  Gaynor 
Award  from  the  Boston 
Society  of  Civil  Engi- 
neers. He  was  honored 
for  his  service  to  the  com- 
munity of  Holyoke,  Mass. 

Hoey  is  senior  vice  president  of  Tighe  & 

Bond  in  Westfield,  Mass. 

Deborah  (Reisinger)  Neville  is  director  of 
business  analysis  at  Elan  Drug  Delivery  in 
King  of  Prussia,  Pa. 


1990 


Joseph  Cormier  joined 
SEA  Consultants  as 
principal  transportation 
engineer.  He  served  as 
bridge  segment  design 
manager  and  construction 
phase  manager  on  Mass- 
Highway's  recent  Route  3  North  Transporta- 
tion Improvements  Project. 

Major  Jeffrey  Hebert,  USAF,  was  named 
commander  of  the  31st  Test  Squadron,  Det.  1, 
at  Kirtland  Air  Force  Base  in  Albuquerque. 


John  Lombardi  was  selected  Man  of  the 
Year  from  among  Tucson's  40  Under  40,  in 
recognition  of  his  business  and  community 
efforts.  His  company,  Ventana  Research 
Corp.,  is  expected  to  grow  from  $1.5  million 
to  $5  million  in  revenues  next  year,  with 
contracts  from  overseas  companies. 


1994 


1991 


Joseph  Barbagallo  joined  Woodard  & 
Curran  as  a  vice  president.  He  lives  in 
Somers,  N.Y. 

Bob  Beliveau  is  a  technical  account  man- 
ager at  Netformx,  (netformx.com)  a  network 
design  and  procurement  software  company. 
"I  am  also  the  CTO  of  my  in-laws'  business, 
mariasantiques.com.  My  wife,  Deborah,  and 
I  have  a  son,  Robert  Armstrong,  born  in  2003. 
In  my  spare  time  I  enjoy  racing  my  2005 
Roush  Mustang." 

Rob  Bennett  manages  Microsoft's  online 
music  efforts  as  senior  director  of  MSN 
Entertainment.  On  Sept.  23,  2004,  he  and 
his  wife,  Alana,  welcomed  a  daughtet,  Grace 
Elizabeth,  into  the  world.  "We  are  adjusting 
to  parenthood,"  he  writes. 

Rebecca  Harasimowicz  married  Thomas 
Raczkowski  in  July.  She  works  at  Indepen- 
dent Health  in  Amherst,  N.Y. 

Michael  Maglio  was  promoted  to  director 
of  transportation  at  Tibbetts  Engineering 
Corp. 


1993 


Matthew  Boutell  received  a  Ph.D.  in 
computer  science  from  the  University  of 
Rochester  in  May.  He  recently  joined  the 
faculty  of  Rose-Hulman  Institute  of 
Technology  as  an  assistant  professor. 

Peter  Hanson  lives  in  Cromwell,  Conn., 
with  his  wife,  Rachel  (Mclntyte),  and  sons 
Camden  and  Riley.  Peter  recently  joined 
DiCesare-Bentley  Engineers  as  a  structural 
engineering  manager,  charged  with  starting, 
managing,  and  expanding  a  new  structural 
department  at  an  established  surveying  and 
site  engineering  firm. 

Bill  Lewis  and  his  wife,  Julie,  are  happy  to 
announce  the  birth  of  their  third  child, 
Owen  William,  on  April  22,  2005.  His  sis- 
ters, Caroline,  5,  and  Jillian,  2l/2,  love  their 
new  brother  very  much.  The  family  lives  in 
Ellicott  City,  Md. 


Christine  Jesensky  Bennett  and  Benjamin 
Bennett  '96  welcomed  their  second  son, 
Nicholas  Michael,  on  June  16,  2005.  "Big 
brother  Tim  is  enjoying  his  'baby  bruwa' 
and  is  especially  fascinated  with  Cole's  'leetle 
toes,'"  they  write.  They  live  in  Bedford, 
Mass. 

Ted  Dysart  was  appointed  managing  partner 
of  the  Americas  for  Heidrick  &  Struggles 
International's  Global  Board  of  Directors 
practice.  He  joined  the  executive  search  and 
leadership  consulting  firm  in  2001.  Dysart  is 
also  a  regular  commentator  on  the  subject  of 
corporate  governance  for  the  New  York  Times, 
USA  Today,  and  the  Wall  Street  Journal,  and 
on  CNN  and  CNNfn. 

Anette  (Berg-Sonne)  LeFave  and  her  hus- 
band, Joel,  are  happy  to  announce  the  birth 
of  Noah  David  on  Sept.  8,  2005.  They  and 
big  brothers  Erik,  9,  and  Ryan,  6,  live  in 
Mendon,  Mass. 

Nathan  Seifert  joined  Churchill  &  Banks 
Consrruction  as  a  project  manager.  He  lives 
in  Mansfield,  Mass. 

Kristina  Zierold  accepted  a  faculty  position 
at  Wake  Forest  University  in  North  Carolina. 
Kris  is  an  environmental  epidemiologist 
whose  research  focuses  on  environmental 
and  occupational  risk  factors  in  the  develop- 
ment of  diseases. 


1995 


Gilda  (Medeiros)  and 
John  Aliberti  '96  are 

thrilled  to  announce  the 
birth  of  their  fitst  child, 
Evan  Joseph  (shown  at 
Homecoming),  on  May 
26,  2005.  Gilda  continues 
as  a  section  manager  for  PTC,  where  she  has 
worked  for  seven  years.  John  has  been  with 
Pegasystems  for  nine  years  and  is  a  software 
engineer.  They  live  in  Billerica,  Mass. 

Renee  Cusson  and  Justin  Roller  were  mar- 
ried at  Higgins  House  on  Sept.  25,  2004, 
with  many  alumni  in  attendance.  Renee 
received  her  masrer's  degree  in  architecture 
in  1998  and  an  M.S.  in  structural  engineer- 
ing in  2002,  both  from  the  University  of 
Colorado,  where  she  currently  works.  Justin 
is  an  engineer  for  Quantum  Corp. 


Transformations    \    Winter  2005     4  1 


Jeralyn  Haraldsen  earned  a  Ph.D.  at  Tufts 
University's  Sackler  School  of  Biomedical 
Sciences.  She  is  continuing  her  postdoctoral 
work  at  the  University  of  Vermont. 

Jeremy  Little  and  his  wife,  Donna,  are 
proud  to  announce  the  birth  of  their  first 
child,  Spencer  William,  on  June  21,  2005. 
They  live  in  Wakefield,  Mass. 

Nick  and  Valerie  (Kolak) 
Mollo  '97  welcomed 
their  first  child,  Tanya 
Nicole,  on  Aug.  21,  2005. 
Nick  is  a  flow  lab  leader 
for  GE  Sensing,  and 
Valerie  is  an  RDS  soft- 
ware engineer  for  Bose.  The  family  lives  in 
Wilmington,  Mass. 

15*     |    Kathleen 

(Paulauskas)  Moore 

and  her  husband, 
Gavin,  welcomed 
their  first  child, 
Gavin  William  Jr., 
on  Dec.  1,2004. 
"It  is  an  interesting 
home,"  she  writes, 
"as  Gavin  is  being 
exposed  to  both  his  Red  Sox  and  his  Yankee 
heritage!"  Kathy  is  a  mathematics  teacher  at 
Syosset  High  School  on  Long  Island,  N.Y. 


1997 


Row  On! 


1996 


Greta  Boynton  writes,  "After  finishing  my 
residency  in  internal  medicine  and  a  year  as 
chief  medical  resident  at  Baystate  Medical 
Center,  I  am  now  a  full-time  hospitalist  at 
BMC.  I  was  recently  appointed  assistant 
director  for  the  Community  Hospitalist 
Medicine  Program."  Greta  lives  in  Connecti- 
cut with  her  husband,  Mario  Bruno,  and 
daughter,  Isabella. 

Antonio  Delgado  works  for  Baker  Hughes 
Inc.,  a  Houston-based  petroleum  service 
company,  as  health,  safety,  and  environ- 
mental coordinator  for  Latin  America.  He 
is  currently  assigned  to  Baker  Petrolite,  a 
specialty  chemicals  division  of  the  company, 
and  is  based  in  Caracas,  Venezuela,  where  he 
lives  with  his  wife,  Edwani,  and  daughter, 
Oriana. 


John  Digiacomo  won  a  chance  to  conduct 
"The  Stars  and  Stripes  Forever"  at  Bostons 
Hatch  Shell  in  July,  with  the  Metropolitan 
Wind  Symphony.  He  bid  for  the  honor  in  a 
fund-raising  auction  on  eBay  at  the  prompt- 
ing of  his  girlfriend,  Jennifer  Mabb,  who  is 
a  substitute  flutist  with  the  group.  When  not 
waving  the  baton  and  supporting  the  arts, 
Digiacomo  is  a  project  engineer  for  the 
Natick  Deparrment  of  Public  Works. 

Brian  Houle  married  Kelly  O'Neill  in 
Aruba  recently.  He  is  marketing  manager 
for  Solidworks  Corp.  in  Cambridge,  Mass. 

Tae-kyung  Im  has  been  a  popular  light 
tenor  in  Korea,  singing  in  nationally  tele- 
vised charity  events  and  branching  out  into 
roles  in  original  musical  dramas.  The  Korea 
Herald  dubbed  him  a  "crossover  success," 
and  wrote,  "Im  has  fascinated  local  music 
fans  with  his  masculine  vocals  that  are  warm 
but  dynamic  and  charismatic." 

Shawn  Marshall  and  Jennifer  Wright  '99 

were  married  May  29,  2004.  He  is  an  engi- 
neer for  Liberty  Mutual  in  Chicago,  and  she 
is  a  second-year  resident  at  Northwestern 
Hospital. 

Corey  Maynard  works  for  Gillette.  He  lives 
in  Dudley,  Mass.,  with  his  wife,  Mary  Ann. 

Stephanie  Torrey  successfully  defended  her 
doctoral  thesis  in  animal  behavior  at  the 
University  of  Guelph,  Ontario,  Canada.  She 
accepted  a  research  scientist  position  with 
Agriculture  and  Agri-Food  Canada,  a  divi- 
sion of  the  Canadian  federal  government, 
based  out  of  Lennoxville,  Quebec. 

Navy  Lt.  Nicole  Treeman  received  three 
advanced  degrees  in  the  spring  of  2005 — a 
master's  in  finance  from  Bryant  University 
and,  Irom  MIT,  a  master  of  engineering 
degree  and  a  master  ot  science  in  nuclear 
engineering.  She  is  now  serving  at  the  Naval 
National  Nuclear  Reactors  in  Washington. 
D.C.,  where  she  lives  with  her  husband. 
Navy  Lt.  Lome  Reinkc,  and  daughter, 
Ariadne. 


Deb  McCabe  '90  and  Jessica  McAlear  '04 

joined  forces  to  race  the  women's  double  at 
the  Master's  National  Championship  regatta 
on  lake  Quinsigamond  this  year.  The  two 
rowed  against  crews  from  across  the  country 
and  emerged  as  national  champions  by 
winning  the  gold  medal  in  the  A  age 
category  (crew  average  age  between  27 
and  35),  "making  it  good  to  be  both  old 
and  young,"  they  write. 

In  the  men's  division,  four  alumni  from  the 
Class  of  1 971 ,  (Greg  Dickson,  Doug  Michael, 
Paul  Popinchalk,  and  Don  Usher)  placed  6th 
in  their  age  division  (50-59),  rowing  together 
as  "Friends  of  WPI  Rowing." 


1998 


Navy  Lt.  Slade  Brockett  and  his  wife,  Mary, 
are  proud  to  announce  the  birth  ot  their 
third  child,  Emma,  on  June  1 1,  2005,  in 
Bremerton,  Wash. 

Greg  Cuetara  works  tor 
Harriman  Associates  in 
Auburn,  Maine,  where 
he  recently  received  his 
P.E.  license  in  structural 
engineering. 

Benjamin  Fisk  and  Karen  (Lee)  Fisk  '99 

are  thrilled  to  announce  the  birth  ot  their 
daughter.  Rachel  Cathrvn,  horn  Aug.  25, 
200^.  They  live  in  East  Granby,  Conn. 

Ken  Lewis  and  his  wile,  Cheryl,  had  a 
daughter,  Quinn   Mcxandria,  on  April  Id. 
2005.  They  live  in  Scarborough,  Maine. 
Ken  is  a  senior  engineer  at  National 
Semiconductor. 


42     Trans  format  ions    \    Winter  2005 


Elana  (Kingsbury)  and  Rich  Person  '96  are 

happy  to  announce  the  birth  or  their  third 
son,  Maxwell,  on  May  16,  2005-  Big  broth- 
ers Tim  and  Sam  are  very  proud  of  theit  new 
little  brother.  They  live  in  Hudson,  Mass. 

Seth  Popinchalk  and  his  wife,  Susan,  had  a 
second  daughter,  Lauren  Samantha,  born  on 
Mother's  Day,  May  8,  2005.  "Both  mother 
and  baby  are  doing  great,  and  big  sister 
Kathryn,  2,  was  so  happy  to  have  her  baby 
sister  arrive,"  he  writes.  Seth  is  an  applica- 
tion engineer  at  The  Mathworks  in  Natick, 
Mass. 


1999 


Andrea  Calvo  and  Borys  Gojnycz  were  mar- 
ried in  Massachusetts  on  Sept.  3,  2005.  They 
honeymooned  on  the  beautiful  island  of 
Aruba  and  now  live  in  Duxbury,  Mass. 

Cynthia  Drainville  married  Christopher 
McCarthy  on  Sept.  18,  2004,  with  het  sister 
Katherine  Drainville-Higgins  '97  as  honor 
attendant.  Cynthia  works  for  Cubist  Pharma- 
ceuticals; the  couple  lives  in  Attleboro,  Mass. 

Erin  (Duffy)  Nesbitt  and  her  husband, 
Jamie,  are  pleased  to  announce  the  birth  of 
their  first  child,  Ann  Elizabeth,  on  Sept.  9, 
2005.  They  live  in  Hopewell  Junction,  NY. 

Justin  Ripley  teceived  his  juris  doctor  from 
Franklin  Pierce  Law  Center  in  May.  He 
plans  to  specialize  in  intellectual  property. 

Jennifer  (Reese)  Smith  volunteers  as  the 
Albany,  N.Y.,  regional  coordinator  for  the  . 
Future  City  Club,  a  national  program  that 
inspires  budding  engineers  to  design  a  model 
city  and  compete  with  othet  regions.  She 
works  for  Plug  Power  as  a  chemical  engineer. 


2000 


Christopher  Boumenot  married  Stacy 
Gallagher  on  April  21,  2005.  After  their 
wedding  and  honeymoon  in  Eleuthera, 
Bahamas,  they  live  in  Westminster,  Mass., 
where  Chris  works  for  Stratus  Technologies. 

Sheela  Devarakonda  received  her  doctor  of 
veterinary  medicine  degree  from  Tufts  last 
spring  and  joined  the  staff  of  the  Ashland 
(Mass.)  Animal  Hospital. 

Jennifer  Marinello  married  Joshua  Parks  '01 

Oct.  9,  2004,  on  Cape  Cod.  She  is  currently 
teaching  Spanish  in  Cherry  Hill,  N.J.,  and 
working  on  an  M.Ed,  degree  in  school  lead- 
ership at  Wilmington  College. 

Marybeth  Miskovic  earned  her  doctor  of 
veterinary  medicine  degree  at  Tufts  in  2003. 


After  completing  an  internship  at  an  equine 
referral  hospital  in  New  Hampshire,  she  is 
currently  a  resident  in  large  animal  medicine 
at  Purdue  University  School  of  Veterinary 
Medicine. 

Robin  Zack  received  her  doctor  of  veteri- 
nary medicine  degree  from  Ohio  State 
University.  She  is  part  of  a  private  practice 
based  in  East  Liverpool,  Ohio,  which  serves 
exclusively  equine  patients  in  and  around 
Mountaineer  Park. 


2001 


Kenny  Antos  received  an  MBA  from  the 
University  of  Connecticut  last  May,  and 
went  to  work  as  business  developer  for  the 
Massachusetts-based  brokerage  firm 
MortgageOpia. 

Sara  Briggs  and  Ravi  Misra  '00  were  mar- 
ried Sept.  3,  2005,  with  Kellie  (Martin) 
Bresnahan  as  matron  of  honot,  and  Emar 
Tongol  '00  as  a  groomsman.  The  couple 
lives  in  Burlington,  Vt. 

Matthew  and  Brooke  (LeClair)  Daniels 

announce  the  birth  of  their  first  child, 
Sophia  Claire,  on  May  30,  2005.  The  whole 
family  is  doing  well,  they  write,  from  their 
home  in  Waltham,  Mass. 


Keith  Desimone  married  Kristy  Engdahl 
recently.  He  is  a  manufacturing  engineer 
with  Wyman-Gordon  Co.  in  Grafton,  Mass. 

Aimee  Kazlowski  married  Eric  Kellstrand 
on  Oct.  30,  2004.  Bridesmaids  Jenn  Brandl 
and  Jen  Waite  helped  make  the  day  special. 
After  two  wonderful  weeks  in  Hawaii,  Aimee 
is  back  to  work  at  Fidelity  Investments  in 
Boston. 

Megan  Parsons  received  a  master  of  public 
healrh  degree  from  Boston  University  in 
May  and  is  now  a  certified  nurse-midwife. 
She  recently  accepted  a  job  at  Baystate 
Medical  Center  and  resides  in  Salem,  Mass., 
with  Andrew  Cook  '00. 

While  vacationing  in  Aruba,  Michael 
Quigley  proposed  to  his  girlfriend,  Jennifer 
Grimes  (Stonehill  College  '01).  A  wedding  is 
planned  for  next  summer. 


2002 


Rachel  Bowers  and  David  Yamartino 

were  married  on  Sept.  10,  2005.  The  bridal 
parry  included  Toni  Colognesi,  Melissa 
St.  Hilaire,  Joseph  O'Boyle,  Samantha 
O'Connor,  Nicholas  Zuk,  and  Michael 
Tuxbury  '00.  Elizabeth  Schweinsberg  '00 
also  participated  in  the  ceremony. 


Mongolia  to  Moscow— by  Train 

Anne-Marie  Chouinard  '02  rode  the  Trans-Siberian  Railway  (see  p.  48)  starting  from 
Ulaan  Bator,  the  Mongolian  capital.  "My  favorite  part  of  the  trip  was  sharing  stories  with 
others  on  board,  using  my  Mongolian  phrasebook  and  a  lot  of  hand  gestures  and  body 
language.  Even  with  this  rudimentary  communication  style  I  was  able  to  learn  a  lot  about 
them.  My  cabin  mate,  Sara,  was  a  Mongolian  entrepreneur  who  bought 
goods  in  Beijing  and  hawked  pocketbooks,  children's  clothing,  tracksuits, 
and  blankets  at  every  stop  along  the  way  (photo  below).  This  meant 
commandeering  one  of  the  only  two  doors  of  the  train  car  and  shouting, 
'Soomka,  Soomka,'  which  is  Russian  for  pocketbook.  People  would 
flock  over  and  pay  1  00  rubles  to  have  their  very  own. 

"When  we  reached 
Moscow  on  the  fifth  day,  I 
was  quite  excited  to  hear 
Russian  and  see  the  Cyrillic 
script  on  billboards  and 
the  western  architecture. 
That  night,  as  I  walked 
across  Red  Square,  I  could 
feel  the  energy  radiating 
from  the  people,  as  many 
different  languages  flooded 
my  ears.  It  was  quite  the 
adventure  and  I  wouldn't 
trade  it  for  anything." 


Jennifer  Kaska  married  Ryan  Fournier  '00 

('04  MBA)  on  June  18,  2005.  They  live  in 
Milford,  Mass.,  where  Jennifer  works  for 
Waters  Corp. 

James  Koniers  and  Sarah  Bellfy  '04  were 
married  July  23,  2005.  Sarah  has  started 
veterinary  school  at  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania,  and  Jim  works  as  a  design 
engineer  at  Hutchinson  Industries  in 
Trenton,  N.J. 

Sai  Yeung  Lee  is  a  telecom  engineer  at 
National  Grid  in  Westborough,  Mass. 

Shauna  Malone  and  Kurt  Onofrey  '04 

were  married  on  Aug.  5,  2005.  After  a  hon- 
eymoon in  Riviera  Maya,  Mexico,  they  went 
back  to  work  for  the  Massachusetts  Depart- 
ment of  Public  Health  at  the  State  Laboratory 
Institute  in  Jamaica  Plain.  Kurt  is  a  quality 
control  analyst  for  the  Biologies  Laboratoties, 
and  Shauna  recently  started  a  new  job  in  the 
Bureau  of  Communicable  Disease  Control. 


2003 


Amy  Bliven  married  Dennis  Siewert  on  July 
2,  2005.  The  wedding  party  included  Elliot 
Field,  Elizabeth  Levandowsky,  and  Chris 
Nichols  '99.  Many  other  alumni  were  in 
attendance.  After  a  honeymoon  in  Negril, 
Jamaica,  the  couple  lives  in  Kissimmee,  Fla. 

Abiche  Dewilde  and  Berk  Akinci  were 
married  Aug.  7,  2005,  with  Shannon 
(Hoosick)  Cornwell  as  maid  of  honor, 


Kevin  Cornwell  '02  as  best  man,  and  Tim 
Fisher  '02  as  a  groomsman.  The  couple  lives 
in  Lowell,  Mass. 

Jeffrey  Gladu  joined  K  and  M  Electronics 
in  West  Springfield,  Mass.,  as  an  electronics 
technician.  He  previously  worked  for  Nidec 
Corp. 

Lawrence  Morris  enlisted  in  the  Marines 
under  the  Delayed  Entry  Program.  He 
reported  for  active  duty  to  undergo  basic 
training  at  the  Marine  Corps'  Recruit  Depot 
in  Parris  Island,  S.C. 

Natalie  Woodworth  and  Dan  Reed  got 

engaged  in  November  2004  in  Higgins 
House  gardens.  They  were  married  on  July 
22,  2005,  atop  Cadillac  Mountain  in  Acadia 
National  Park  in  Maine. 


2004 


John  Lee  Baird  is  pursuing  an  M.Sc.  at 
Yale's  School  of  Public  Health.  He  is  a  con- 
tributor to  "Language  Learning  Games  and 
Activities,"  part  of  an  official  curriculum 
for  teaching  English  as  a  second  language 
published  by  Hess  Educational  Organization 
in  Taiwan.  His  work  included  classroom 
adaptations  of  games  like  "Space  Invaders" 
and  creative  writing  activities,  such  as  the 
"Create  a  Comic  Project." 

Stephanie  Morin  is  pursuing  a  medical 
degree  at  the  University  of  Connecticut 
School  of  Medicine  in  Farmington. 


David  Prickett  (M.S.EE)  recently  passed  his 
RE.  licensing  exam  in  Massachusetts.  He  has 
been  with  Tighe  &  Bond  since  2000,  and  is 
designing  several  wastewater  management 
projects.  He  lives  in  Longmeadow,  Mass. 

Graduate  Management 
Programs 

Donald  Lundstrom  78  (M.S.  MGT) 
passed  the  Massachsetts  Real  Estate 
Salesperson  exam  and  has  patented  designs 
for  furniture  designed  for  college  dorms.  He 
previously  worked  for  Tyco  Safety  Products. 

Andrew  Boisvert  '00  (MBA)  joined  SatCon 
Electronics  as  director  of  quality  at  the  com- 
pany's Marlborough,  Mass.,  business  unit. 

Carol  Bell  '02  (MBA)  was  appointed  direc- 
tor, materials  management,  for  Thermalcast 
LLC. 

School  of  Industrial 
Management 

George  Walker  '58  of  Clarksdale,  Miss., 
was  re-elected  chair  of  the  State  Board  for 
Community  and  Junior  Colleges.  The 
founder  of  Delta  Wite  Corp.,  he  has  served 
on  numerous  economic  and  educational 
councils. 

Ted  Bauer  '84  joined  Thetmalcast,  LCC 

as  director  of  sales  and  marketing. 


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44     Transformation!    \   Winter  2005 


Obituaries 


Corrections: 


The  Summer  issue  of 
Transformations  noted  the 
passing  of  Al  Demont  '31 
on  July  28,  2005.  Due  to 
a  layout  error,  his  obitu- 
ary appeared  under  the 
class  heading  for  the  1960s. 

The  obituary  of  Carl 
Giese  '43  included  the 
wrong  photograph.  Here 
is  his  graduation  photo. 

Our  apologies  to  the 
families  of  both  alumni. 


1930s 


Yearbook  editor  H.  Edwin  Hosmer  '31 

(Alpha  Tau  Omega)  died  April  7,  2005.  A 
longtime  resident  of  Concord,  N.H.,  he 
leaves  his  wife,  Mary  (Orlandi),  and  a  son. 
Hosmer  worked  for  Monsanto  Chemical, 
where  he  was  part  of  a  four-person  team  that 
developed  safety  glass  for  automobiles. 

Arthur  E.  Glow  '33  of  Pepperell,  Mass., 
died  May  14,  2005.  Predeceased  by  his  wife, 
Margaret  (Lorden),  in  1981,  he  leaves  three 
children.  A  retired  plant  engineer  for  Bemis 
Co.,  he  held  several  patents  on  the  manufac- 
ture of  paper  bags. 

Transformations  recenrly  learned  of  the  death 
of  George  Kalista  '34  (Theta  Chi,  Skull)  in 
2002.  He  was  a  missile  experr  who  worked 
at  Earle  Naval  Weapons  station.  Predeceased 
by  his  wife,  Effie  Schwartz-Kalista,  he  is  sur- 
vived by  a  daughter. 

Phillip  S.  Dean  '35  (Lambda  Chi  Alpha)  of 
Rocky  Hill,  Conn.,  died  May  16,  2005.  He 
worked  for  CL&P  and  Northeast  Utilities, 
retiring  in  1976.  Predeceased  by  his  wife, 
Doris  (Lyon),  he  leaves  a  son. 

Raymond  E  Starrett  '35  (Phi  Gamma 
Delta,  Skull)  of  Ormond  Beach,  Fla.,  died 
May  5,  2005.  A  highlight  of  his  40-year 
career  with  the  L.  S.  Starrett  Co.  was  the 
start  up  of  the  company's  operations  in 
Jedburgh,  Scotland.  Starrett  was  predeceased 
by  his  first  wife,  Eunice  (Brown),  his  second 
wife,  Barbara  (Carrier),  and  his  third  wife, 
Clara  (Whyte).  He  leaves  two  sons  and  a 
daughter. 


Hewitt  E.  Wilson  '36 

(Theta  Chi)  of  Bowling 
Green,  Ky.,  died  April  23, 
2005,  leaving  his  wife, 
Maude  (Wilson),  and 
two  daughters.  He  was 
co-owner  of  C.  E.  Wilson 

Paul  R.  Glazier  '37 

(Theta  Chi)  of  Torring- 
ton,  Conn.,  died  May  15, 
2005.  He  was  a  longtime 
employee  of  The  Torring- 
ron  Company.  Predeceased 
by  his  wife,  Marjorie  (Lipe), 
he  leaves  two  daughters. 

Robert  S.  Rich  '37, 
widely  known  as  "Rich," 
died  April  26,  2005,  at 
his  home  in  Miami.  He 
was  the  founder  of  Rich 
Electronics,  specializing  in 
marine  equipment.  His 
wife,  Sarah,  and  three  children  survive  him. 

Neil  A.  Fitzgerald  '38 

(Sigma  Alpha  Epsilon)  of 
Irvine,  Calif,  died  Aug. 
8,  2005,  leaving  his  wife, 
Ann  (Jasinick),  and  two 
children.  He  began  his 
career  as  an  oil  field 
roustabout,  and  later  became  a  developer. 
For  65  years,  Fitzgerald  worked  for  Union 
Development  Co.,  where  he  managed  the 
construction  and  maintenance  of  housing 
developments  and  commercial  real  estate  in 
Southern  California. 

Donald  L.  Fogg  '39 

of  Holden,  Mass.,  died 
Feb.  21,  2005.  Prede- 
ceased by  his  wife,  Ethel, 
he  leaves  five  children. 
Fogg  was  retired  from 
Norton  Co.  as  a  manu- 
facturing engineer. 

Transformations  recently  learned  of  the 
death  of  Robert  C.  Murphy  '39  (Phi 
Kappa  Theta)  in  1996.  He  was  a  retired 
self-employed  engineer. 


1940s 


Leonard  Goldsmith  '40  (Alpha  Epsilon  Pi) 
of  Tacoma,  Wash.,  died  May  28,  2005.  An 
aerospace  engineer,  he  was  retired  from 
Singer  Co.  as  a  program  manager.  Survivors 
include  his  wife,  Marcia  (Skeist),  and  two 
sons. 


Judson  D.  Lowd  '40  (Theta  Chi)  of  Tulsa, 
Okla.,  died  May  6,  2005.  After  a  40-year 
career  in  the  oil  and  natural  gas  indusrry,  he 
retired  as  president  of  the  Product  and 
Services  Division  of  Combustion  Engineer- 
ing Inc.  He  later  established  a  business 
management  consulting  firm.  Lowd  was  pre- 
deceased by  his  wife,  Alice  (Carrol),  and  a 
stepdaughter.  He  is  survived  by  a  daughter 
and  a  stepdaughter. 

Marcus  A.  Rhodes  Jr.  '40  (Theta  Chi)  of 
Taunton,  Mass.,  died  May  8,  2005.  A  co- 
owner  of  M.  M.  Rhodes  and  Sons,  he  served 
as  assistant  manager  and  treasurer.  Survivors 
include  his  wife,  Dorothy,  and  four  children. 

"  Francis  E.  Stone  '40  of 

j^P^^B^  Swanzey  Center,  X.H.. 

™  died  June  24,  2005.  He 

was  retired  from  the  A.  C. 

\fc-'  '_-  Lawrence  Leather  Co.  as  a 

1  development  engineer.  He 

-^    I  is  survived  bv  his  wile. 


Mary,  and  four  children. 

Hector  L.  Cameron  '41 

(Phi  Gamma  Delta)  of 
Petersham,  Mass.,  died 
July  29,  2005.  He  was  a 
self-employed  industrial 
engineer  and  labor  arbi- 
trator. Predeceased  by 

his  wife,  Carolyn  (French),  he  leaves  six 

children. 

Norman  C.  Morrison  '41  of  Rochester, 
Minn.,  died  Feb.  11,  2005.  He  was  retired 
from  Federated  Mutual  Insurance  Group  as 
group  underwriting  manager.  Survivors 
include  his  wife,  Betty,  four  children,  and 
three  step-children.  He  was  predeceased  by 
his  firsr  wife,  Mildred  (Perkins),  and  his 
second  wife,  Margaret  (Wing). 

Paul  G.  Nystrom  '41  of 

Fairfax,  Va.,  died  June  1, 
2005.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Margaret,  and  three  sons. 
Nystrom  worked  for 
American  Risk  Manage- 
ment and  rerired  as  direc- 
tor, Washington  contracts. 

Alexander  Mikulich  Jr.  '42  of  West  Palm 
Beach,  Fla.,  died  May  11,  2005,  leaving  his 
wife,  Joanne  (Hurley),  and  three  children. 
A  graduate  of  Harvard  Business  School,  he 
also  held  a  master's  degree  in  mechanical 
engineering  from  Yale  University.  He  was  the 
owner  of  several  automobile  dealerships  in 
New  York  and  New  England. 


Transformations    \   Winter  2005    4S 


John  H.  Jacoby  '45  (Theta  Chi)  of  New 
Hampton,  N.H.,  died  Oct.  7,  2004.  His 
wife,  Ann,  survives  him.  Jacoby  was  presi- 
dent and  treasurer  of  PIN-FIN  Inc. 

John  B.  McMaster  '45  (Theta  Chi)  of 
Vancleave,  Miss.,  died  Feb.  4,  2005,  leaving 
his  wife,  Ruth.  He  was  retired  from  Chevron 
Corp. 

Robert  E.  Scott  '45  (Phi  Gamma  Delta, 
Skull)  of  Moorestown,  N.J.,  died  June  30, 
2005.  Survivors  include  his  wife,  Miriam 
(Weest),  and  four  children.  Scott's  career  in 
industrial  and  commercial  insurance  included 
nine  years  based  in  London  with  FM  Global, 
and  many  years  in  the  New  England  area. 

John  A.  Templeton  '45  (Sigma  Alpha 
Epsilon)  of  Redlands,  Calif,  died  March  11, 
2005.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Marjorie,  and  four 
children.  Templeton  was  retired  from  TRW 
Inc.  as  advanced  systems  manager. 
Joseph  F.  Pofit  '46  (Phi  Gamma  Delta)  of 
Medford,  Mass.,  died  Aug.  12,  2005.  His 
wife,  Ruth  (Tamalavage)  died  in  1987.  Four 
sons  survive  him.  Pofit  worked  as  a  mechani- 
cal engineer  for  Rockwood  Sprinkler  Co. 
and  retired  from  Crane  Co.  in  1986. 
Eugene  R.  Ritter  '46  of  Toledo,  Ohio,  died 
June  9,  2005,  leaving  his  wife,  Verna 
"Jeanne"  (Cupp),  and  four  children.  He 
worked  for  Allied  Chemical  for  more  than 
30  years  and  later  retired  from  St.  Charles 
Mercy  Hospital  as  director  of  plant  opera- 
tions. 

Harry  L.  Hoffee  '47  of  The  Plains,  Ohio, 
died  June  20,  2005,  after  suffering  a  major 
stroke  the  year  before.  Predeceased  by  his 
wife,  Beulah  (Calvin),  he  is  survived  by  two 
children.  Hoffee  earned  a  master's  degree  in 
electrical  engineering  at  Ohio  University.  He 
joined  the  faculty  as  an  instructor  and  retired 
as  professor  emeritus  in  1979,  after  serving 
as  chairman  of  the  Electrical  Engineering 
Department  and  assistant  dean  of  the 
College  of  Engineering  and  Technology. 

Henry  G.  Mogensen  Jr. 
'49  (Phi  Sigma  Kappa)  of 
Vero  Beach,  Fla.,  died 
April  8,  2005.  He  leaves 
his  wife,  Beverly,  and  two 
children.  A  mechanical 
engineer,  he  was  the 
retired  president  of  Mogensen  Enterprises. 
Edward  J.  Simakauskas 
'49  of  Spencer,  Mass., 
died  July  11,2005.  He 
was  the  husband  ot 
Aldona  (Yablonski), 
who  died  in  1998,  and 

the  father  ot  Alan  E. 


Simakauskas  '78,  who  survives,  along  with 
six  other  children.  Simakauskas  retired  from 
U.S.  Steel  in  1979,  after  27  years  as  a  prod- 
uct engineer. 


1950s 


John  F.  Gallagher  '50  (Phi  Kappa  Theta) 
died  recently  at  his  home  in  Worcester.  A 
civil  engineet,  Gallagher  spent  42  years  with 
the  Massachusetts  Highway  Dept.  and 
retired  as  associate  commissioner.  He  also 
taught  hydraulics  as  a  professor  at  Worcester 
Junior  College.  Predeceased  by  his  first  wife, 
Mary  (O'Neill),  he  leaves  his  wife,  Lillian 
(Wood),  and  six  children. 

Charles  P.  Gure  '50 

(Sigma  Alpha  Epsilon) 
of  Westborough,  Mass., 
died  May  10,  2005.  He 
leaves  his  wife,  Margaret 
(Concaugh),  and  two 
daughters.  Gure  earned 
a  master's  degree  in  mechanical  engineering 
from  Columbia  University  and  worked  for 
Wyman-Gordon  Co.  for  30  years. 
George  E.  Edwards  '50  (Sigma  Alpha 
Epsilon)  of  Hillsbough,  N.H.,  died  Aug.  17, 
2005.  His  wife,  Ellen,  survives  him.  He  was 
retired  as  founder  and  president  of  E.  H. 
Edwards  &  Son  construction  company. 

Transformations  recently 
learned  of  the  death  of 
Calvin  D.  Greenwood 

'51  (Sigma  Phi  Epsilon) 
of  Peterborough,  N.H., 
in  2003.  A  former  project 
engineer  for  Pratt  & 
Whitney  Aircraft,  he  leaves  his  wife,  Ruth. 

Richard  T.  Gates  '52  (Sigma  Alpha  Epsilon) 
of  Brattleboro,  Vt.,  died  June  27,  2005.  He 
was  the  former  owner  and  operator  of  Gates 
Insurance  Co.  Survivors  include  two  sons, 
and  his  former  wife  and  close  friend,  Joy 
Lawton. 

George  A.  Garrison  '53  (SIM)  (Theta  Chi), 
president  of  the  charter  class  of  the  School  of 
Industrial  Engineering,  and  a  former  presi- 
dent of  Tech  Old  Timers,  died  June  5,  2005, 
at  his  home  in  Worcester.  He  was  83.  He 
leaves  his  wife,  Nancy  (MacGilpin),  and  four 
children.  A  World  War  11  veteran.  Garrison 
served  27  years  in  the  U.S.  Army  Reserves 
and  retired  from  Norton  Co.  in  1973  as 
general  purchasing  agent.  He  later  served  as 
vice  president  of  Anderson  Corp. 


John  P.  Morrill  '53 

(Sigma  Alpha  Epsilon) 
of  Morehead  City,  N.C., 
died  Sept.  30,  2004.  He 
was  retired  from  B.F. 
Goodrich  Chemical  Co. 
as  technical  service 
manager.  He  also  owned  an  antiques  busi- 
ness with  his  wife,  Joan,  who  survives  him, 
along  with  two  sons. 

Donald  W.  Smith '54 
(Lambda  Chi  Alpha)  of 
Hollis,  N.H.,  died  April 
30,  2005-  He  was  the 
retired  chief  engineer 
for  Fletcher  Quarry. 
Survivors  include  his  wife, 
Mary  Anne  (Johnson),  and  a  son. 
Harold  K.  Vickery  '54  (SIM)  of  Gloucester, 
Mass.,  died  May  7,  2005.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Bess  (Pazeian),  and  thtee  children.  Vickery 
attended  WPI  for  his  freshman  year,  starting 
in  1931,  and  later  returned  to  earn  a  certifi- 
cate from  the  School  of  Industrial  Manage- 
ment. He  was  a  retired  senior  industrial 
engineer  at  Norton  Co. 
Alan  F.  Petit  '55  (Phi  Gamma  Delta)  of 
Gaithersburg,  Md.,  died  June  9,  2005.  He 
was  retired  from  the  federal  government  as  a 
member  of  the  Technical  Security  Staff.  He 
is  survived  by  cousins  and  a  nephew 
Edward  P.  Simonian  '55  of  Ferndale, 
Wash.,  died  Aug.  7,  2005.  A  longtime 
employee  of  Puget  Sound  Power  and  Light 
Co.,  he  went  into  the  motel  business  after 
retirement.  Survivors  include  rwo  sisters, 
nephews,  and  nieces. 

Gerald  T.  Dyer  '56  (Phi  Sigma  Kappa  )  of 
Princeton,  Mass.,  died  July  17,  2005.  He 
leaves  his  wife,  Diane  (DeSimone),  and  three 
daughters.  He  was  retired  from  Bayer  AG 
Chemical  Co. 

Ralph  M.  "Sandy"  Johnson  '57  (Sigma  Phi 
Epsilon)  of  Carver,  Mass.,  died  May  2'). 
2005.  A  construction  project  supervisor  for 
Perini  Corp.,  he  oversaw  the  construction 
of  the  Ronald  Reagan  Building  and  Inter- 
national Trade  Center,  currently  the  largest 
building  in  Washington,  D.C.  Survivors 
include  his  wife,  Anita  (Silva),  and  rwo  sons. 
Edward  M.  Keith  '57  (SIM)  of  Grafton, 
Mass.,  died  Feb.  17,  2005.  1 le  leaves  his 

wife,  Phyllis  (Simon),  and  two  sons.  Keith 
was  retired  from  New  England  Power  Co. 
.is  wee  president  and  director  ol  thermal 
production. 


4  6    Transformations  \  Winter  jtitif 


Transformations  recently  learned  of  the  death 
of  George  B.  Lynch  '57  (71  SIM)  in  2002, 
at  age  87.  He  was  retired  from  American 
Optical  Co.  His  wife,  Gwendolyn,  survives 
him. 

James  B.  Burke  '59  (Theta  Kappa  Epsilon) 
died  Aug.  4,  2005,  in  Glastonbury,  Conn. 
He  leaves  his  wife,  Jacquelyn  (Smith),  and 
four  children.  He  was  retired  from  Pratt  & 
Whitney. 


1960s 


James  J.  Kaput  '64  of  North  Dartmouth, 
Mass.,  died  July  30,  2005,  from  head 
injuries  susrained  when  he  was  hit  by  a  pick- 
up truck  while  jogging.  A  professor  of  math- 
ematics at  the  University  of  Massachusetts 
Dartmouth  for  25  years,  he  was  an  advocate 
for  expanding  mathematics  education 
beyond  mechanical  calculation  and  memo- 
rization. Under  grants  he  received  from  the 
National  Science  Foundation,  he  developed 
software  to  use  arcade  games  and  hand-held 
devices  as  teaching  tools.  Survivors  include 
his  wife,  Susan,  and  three  children. 


James  C.  Ward  Jr.  '64  of  Avon,  Conn.,  died 
May  2,  2005.  Survivors  include  his  wife, 
Sheila  (Ryan),  a  daughter,  and  a  son.  Ward 
joined  Hartford  Electric  Light  Co.  as  a  cadet 
engineer  after  graduation  and  retired  from 
Northeast  Utilities  in  2004  as  manager  of 


regeneration. 


Robert  D.  Schlee  '65  of  San  Jose,  Calif, 
died  Oct.  15,  2004.  He  was  retired  from 
IBM  Corp. 

Thomas  J.  Ford  '68  of  Waldoboro,  Maine, 
died  March  16,  2005,  leaving  his  wife, 
Wendy,  and  three  children.  He  was  a  physics 
teacher  at  Gould  Academy  and  later  worked 
in  product  development  at  The  Science 
Soutce. 


1980s 


Edward  J.  McKay  III  '85  of  Greenfield, 
Mass.,  died  March  11,  2004,  at  age  60.  He 
was  self-employed  as  an  alternative  energy 
engineer  and  a  designer  of  electronic  music 
equipment.  He  also  served  as  a  real  estate 
appraiser  and  assessor  for  area  towns.  Sur- 
vivors include  a  sister  and  several  cousins. 


Carlo's  Champions 

was  established  to  create  a  legacy  for 

Carla  (Caputo)  Modderno  '96  through 

fund-raising  for  cancer  treatment, 

education  and  research,  and  public 

awareness 

on  issues 

faced  by 

blood 

cancer 

patients 

and  their 

families  — 

and  to 

help 

ensure 

that  other 

children 

will  not 

grow  up 

without 

a  parent 

because  of  these  diseases.  For  more 

about  its  mission  and  activities,  visit 

carlaschampions.com. 


LdfQFS 

Continued  from  page  3 


improvement  of  performance  through  research  and  development. 
Leslie  J.  Hooper  '24,  who  succeeded  Allen  as  director  of  the  labora- 
tory, conducted  field  trials  using  the  salt  velocity  method  at  hydro- 
electric sites  throughout  the  world.  Both  "Hoop"  and  Lawrence  C. 
(Larry)  Neale  '40,  the  next  director,  utilized  model  studies  to  help 
design  and  optimize  a  large  number  of  hydroelectric  installations 
and  hydtoelectric  equipment.  Recent  work  at  the  laboratory  has 
resulted  in  the  patented  invention  of  a  turbine  that  minimizes  injury 
to  aquatic  life. 

Traveling  in  New  England,  it  is  easy  to  see  that  the  water  power 
potential  available  at  most  old  mill  sites  is  unused.  While  it  was  once 
difficult  to  gain  the  rights  to  access  sites  for  water  power  develop- 
ment and  to  sell  electric  power  to  utilities,  it  is  now  possible  to  do 
so.  William  K.  Fay  '82  (M.S.)  saw  that  the  myriad  abandoned  mill 
sites  provided  opportunity  for  low-head  hydroelectric  generation.  As 
a  graduate  student  working  at  WPI's  Alden  Research  Laboratory,  he 


conducted  research  to  improve  the  petformance  of  low-head 
tutbines.  He  formed  the  French  River  Land  Company  to  acquire 
rights,  refurbish  and  improve  generating  equipment,  and  produce 
hydroelectric  power.  French  River  (www.frenchriverland.com)  is  a 
family-owned  company — Bill's  daughter  Celeste  N.  Fay  '07  serves 
as  president,  and  his  son  William  D.  B.  Fay  '09  is  vice  president. 
Altogether,  Bill  has  consulted  on  more  than  70  hydroelectric  proj- 
ects. French  River  itself  has  rehabilitated  16  hydroelectric  sites, 
including  Slater  Mill  in  Pawtucket,  R.I.,  and  Sturbridge  Village  in 
Sturbridge,  Mass.  They  presently  operate  five  sites  producing  more 
than  1  megawatt  of  electric  power  and  are  in  the  process  of  planning 
for  two  more  sites  with  an  additional  1  megawatt  of  capacity. 

Capturing  the  renewable  energy  supply  in  streams  and  rivers 
will  surely  become  much  more  important  as  other  energy  sources 
become  more  costly.  WPI  can  rightly  claim  both  vision  and  action  in 
developing  hydropower  today,  as  it  did  yesterday. 

William  W.  Durgin 

WPI  Associate  Provost  and  Vice  President  for  Research 


Transformations    \    Winter  2005    47 


Time  Capsule 


. 


By  Michael  W.  Dorsey 


Maintaining  a  Lifeline 


In  the  fall  of  1917,  as  World  War  I  raged,  the 
Bolsheviks  seized  control  of  Petrograd,  the  Russian 
capital,  taking  a  major  step  toward  the  creation 
of  a  Communist  Soviet  state.  Amid  this  turmoil, 
the  fate  of  a  5,772-mile-long  rail  line,  the  longest 
uninterrupted  stretch  of  track  in  the  world,  took 
on  enormous  importance. 


The  Trans-Siberian  Railway,  extending  from  Moscow  in  the  west  to 
Vladivostok  on  the  Pacific  coast,  was  a  vital  conduit  for  supplies  and 
troops  headed  to  the  Western  Front.  As  the  war  reached  its  climactic 
moments  and  Russia  hovered  on  the  brink  of  civil  war,  keeping  the 
railway  operational  became  a  sttategic  interest  for  the  United  States. 

When  President  Woodrow  Wilson  learned  that  the  line  was 
barely  functioning,  he  sent  an  advisory  commission  to  inspect  it. 
One  member,  William  L.  Darling,  WPI  Class  of  1877,  had  earlier 
helped  build  the  first  transcontinental  line  across  the  northern 
United  States.  Wilson's  stated  purpose  was  keeping  the  railway 
operating,  but  historians  say  he  was  also  interested  in  seeing  the 
anti-democratic  Bolsheviks  fail. 

The  advisory  board  recommended  major  operational  improve- 
ments, and  Wilson  created  the  Russian  Railway  Service  Corps  to 
implement  them.  Among  the  applicants  was  Benjamin  O.  Johnson, 
Class  of  1900,  a  civil  engineer  who  had  risen  through  the  ranks  of 
the  Northern  Pacific  to  become  a  superintendent  by  the  age  of  39. 
"I  never  personally  wanted  anything  in  my  life  as  badly  as  I  want 
this  opportunity,"  Johnson  wrote  to  his  superiors,  asking  to  be  given 
leave  to  ttavel  to  Siberia. 

Commissioned  a  major  in  the  new  unit,  Johnson  sailed  for 
Vladivostok  on  Nov.  19,  1917,  with  more  than  200  other  RRSC 
officers  and  75  machinists.  Over  the  next  five  years,  he  played  a 
pivotal  role  in  the  work  of  the  Corps,  which  kept  the  railway  work- 
ing despite  constant  dangers  posed  by  increasingly  bitter  warfare 
between  the  Bolsheviks  and  counterrevolutionary  forces. 

For  many  months,  Johnson  was  preoccupied  with  efforts  to 
evacuate  the  Czechoslovakia!!  Legion,  a  hardened  band  of  Czech  and 


Slovak  prisoners  of  war  and  deserters  from  the  Austro-Hungarian 
army  eager  to  return  to  the  fight.  The  Bolsheviks  first  granted  them 
free  passage  to  Vladivostok,  but  after  signing  a  peace  treaty  with  the 
Central  Powers,  reneged,  fearing  the  legion  would  join  the  counter- 
revolutionary forces.  The  legion's  subsequent  revolt  led  President 
Wilson  to  send  American  troops  to  Siberia.  Johnson  helped  lead  the 
legion  out  of  the  country  and  took  charge  of  rebuilding  tracks  and 
bridges  destroyed  by  the  Bolsheviks.  In  November  1918,  he  became 
the  only  American  to  receive  the  Czechoslovakian  War  Cross  during 
World  War  I. 

In  1919,  the  Inter-Allied  Railway  Commission  was  established 
to  supervise  the  railway.  Johnson  twice  served  as  acting  president  of 
the  IARC's  Technical  Board,  which  managed  the  line's  technical  and 
economic  aspects.  In  the  fall  of  1919,  after  significant  setbacks  for 
the  counterrevolutionaries,  Johnson  took  charge  of  managing  theit 
retreat  by  train.  Latet,  as  the  country  fell  further  into  chaos  and  as 
typhoid  and  smallpox  broke  out  among  the  troops,  Johnson  took 
charge  of  the  evacuation  out  of  Siberia  and  was  on  the  last  train 
out  of  Omsk,  just  a  day  before  the  Bolsheviks  occupied  it.  In  a  letter, 
Johnson  described  the  scene  in  the  city:  "twenty  below,  confusion, 
and  the  most  extreme  case  of  madhouse  that  a  person  can  imagine." 
Families  froze  on  the  platform  waiting  for  trains,  he  wrote.  Every- 
where he  looked  he  saw  "the  haunting,  unpleasant  look  of  panic 
on  everyone's  faces." 

In  1920,  Johnson  was  promoted  to  colonel  and  named  com- 
manding officer  of  the  RRSC  and  chief  inspectot  for  the  Trans- 
Siberian  and  Chinese  Eastern  railways.  He  was  also  responsible  for 
the  continuing  efforts  to  get  the  last  Allied  troops  to  Vladivostok  and 
onto  ships  fot  home. 

Before  departing  Russia  in  1922,  Johnson  received  the  Chevalier 
of  the  National  Order  of  the  Legion  of  Honor  from  France  tor  his 
courage  in  helping  evacuate  French  troops.  Japan  and  China  also 
decorated  him  for  his  work  as  acting  Technical  Board  president. 
Back  home  in  Montana,  he  tesumed  his  job  as  a  railroad  executive. 

In  1923,  Johnson  returned  to  WPI,  where  he  was  given  the 
honor  of  speaking  at  Commencement.  But  when  the  Institute  later 
asked  him  to  become  its  president,  he  wrote  that  he  was  a  "railroad 
man,  not  a  college  man."  On  a  return  trip  to  Russia  in  1930,  the 
government  asked  him  to  head  its  railway  system,  but  Johnson 
turned  down  that  otter,  too,  due  to  tailing  health.  He  died  in  1932 
at  the  age  of  54. 

Johnson  had  hoped  the  work  ol  the  RRSC    would  be  remem- 
bered fondly  in  Russia,  but  the  organization  and  the  U.S.  intervention 
came  to  be  viewed  as  evidence  ol  Americas  imperialist  and  anti- 
Bolshevik  intentions.  Historians  agree  that  the  work  ol  Johnson  and 
the  other  railway  men  who  helped  rebuild  the  Trans  Siberian  Railwa) 
probably  contributed  to  the  advent  ol  a  rilt  between  the  Soviet 
and  American  governments  that  lasted  through  much  ol  (he 

twentieth  century. 


4  8     Transformations    \    Winter  2005 


Editor's  Note:  Almost  one  century  alter  [ohnson  worked  on  the 
Ir.ms-Siberian  Railway,  WPI  alumna  Anne-Marie  Chouinaid  '02 

traveled  along  the  same  strcuh  ol  tr.uk.  See  page   i  I 


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