Awards, Honors, and Recognitions

Terry Lopaka Adams, an accomplished leader in intellectual property protection, management, and marketing in both the commercial and academic sectors, has been named director of the Office of Technology Commercialization. Adams was most recently head of technology transfer at Howard University, where he secured multiyear funding to establish business pitch and accelerator initiatives, built a program to identify technology partnerships and spur start-up businesses, and implemented an intellectual property management system. Adams will work with WPI faculty researchers, staff members, and students to identify, protect, and commercialize intellectual property while also encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship at the university, which had research expenditures of more than $60 million in 2023. Adams also will manage a growing portfolio of more than 60 active intellectual property licenses plus relationships with nearly two dozen start-up companies that have spun out of WPI.

WPI received the prestigious Council of Undergraduate Research (CUR) 2023 Award for Undergraduate Research Accomplishments (AURA), underscoring the university’s commitment to fostering a culture of innovation, inquiry, and academic excellence. CUR is a leading advocate for high-quality undergraduate student-faculty collaborative research and scholarship. The AURA acknowledges institutions that demonstrate exceptional support for undergraduate research and creative inquiry experiences in classrooms, teaching laboratories, and faculty-led research groups, highlighting dedication to empowering students to engage in meaningful research experiences.

Ardian Preci has been named inaugural director of The Business School’s Business Development Lab. A seasoned entrepreneur and a leader known for his innovative mindset, he has expertise in software as a service, FinTech, and blockchain applications expanded companies both in the United States and abroad. His career is marked by skill in leading diverse teams across various regions, including the United States, Europe, and Asia, demonstrating his global outlook and adaptable leadership approach. Preci says he is eager to enhance the entrepreneurial community within the university and the broader Worcester region.

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey named President Grace Wang to a newly created task force to study AI and its impact on the state’s residents, businesses, colleges, and universities. Wang and 24 other task force members representing corporations, education, and government will begin working this spring and will make recommendations in a report later this year. The governor created the task force by executive order to develop recommendations to leverage AI in large economic sectors in Massachusetts, including education, healthcare, life sciences, robotics, and financial services.